Where book bags, style intersect

‘ ‘ ‘ As classes have started, I’m guessing you’ve already found something to stuff your… ‘ ‘ ‘ As classes have started, I’m guessing you’ve already found something to stuff your ridiculously overpriced books into on your way to the Cathedral. ‘ ‘ ‘ But this year, consider ditching your old Vera Bradley (or, as I like to say, Ver-AHHH!) tote or your beatup Jansport backpack in favor of something a little more eye-catching. I know, I know. Bags are expensive, and if it’s just for carrying your books around, what’s the big deal? Well, if you plan correctly, you can find something that’s functional for school but can also work as a regular handbag.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ Let’s start with the big names first. See by Chloe, the younger sister label from the French fashion house Chloe, launched its first, much buzzed-about bag collection this fall. While the young line’s leather totes and shoulder bags come with watered-down price tags compared to the higher-end line, they are still costly on a modest budget. But, one fun tote, as Nordstrom.com puts it, features a ‘logo montage,’ retails for $75 and comes in black, red, white and turquoise. It’s a top brand at a reasonable price.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ Gwen Stefani’s line, L.A.M.B., is another one of my favorites. Gwen went mad for plaid this season using it on a variety of bags. Most of them conjure up a perfect preppy schoolgirl mixed with Stefani’s signature pretty punk look. Nordstrom.com carries the bags, but if bricks and mortar are more your thing, then wait for the grand opening of the Ross Park Mall department store in October. And if you want the look for less, fredflare.com features an ‘Ivy League weekender’ bag, in green and navy plaid for only $66.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ If kitsch is more your thing, delving further into the Fred Flare Web site, you’ll find a tote bag looking like a yellow school bus, a space shuttle backpack, a taco-shaped change purse and a hamburger-printed backpack.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ Speaking of unique prints, Kidrobot, a toy and apparel company, collaborates with artists from around the world to create visually exciting and limited edition products. They feature bags and backpacks in the $200 to 300 range, which may seem rather costly but could be considered an investment, as these pieces are often rare. They have a large following, and some of Kidrobot’s toys are even part of The Museum of Modern Art’s collection.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ If you’re looking for more classic appeal with a stylish twist but are short on cash, head on over to bagborroworsteal.com. After seeing ‘Sex ‘amp; the City: The Movie,’ in which the Web site actually has a small role, I decided to waste some time at work over the summer and see what it was all about. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Wow, I just saw Carrie using that in the movie. Oh, and there’s the little jewel encrusted cupcake that Charlotte’s daughter stuffed Carrie’s phone in,’ I thought. I was in awe.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ It’s like a library of purses that you can check out for a fee and then send back and borrow more. And if you like a rented bag so much that you can’t bear to part with it, you can ‘steal’ it by paying extra and never have to send it back. While I thought it was dumb to spend $140 a week renting Chanel, I became obsessed with checking the bags that they had for sale in their ‘outlet’ section of the site.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ They add new bags weekly and usually the price cuts are pretty intense. You can find bags from Kooba, Andrew Marc, BCBG, Botkier, Kate Spade and more for over 50 percent off. And they don’t just specialize in bags ‘mdash; the site also stocks the latest in jewelry, sunglasses and other accessories. While it creeps me out a bit to think about renting earrings or carrying around some one else’s purse, it is a cool idea. ‘ ‘ ‘ I don’t care if you want to carry around a yellow school bus-shaped bag, the dependable Longchamp nylon totes or even spend a fortune on a Chloe bag, but just give up the Vera Bradley already. You know you can do better. ‘ ‘ ‘ And besides, your grandma just called. She wants her hideously patterned frumpy purse back.’