The Perfect Bag for a Scholar

Draft:

Composition:
white button-down (NY & Co)
black and white pencil skirt (NY & Co)
black stretch belt (NY & Co)
The Perfect Bag for a Scholar (Kate Spade New York)

Usage:
I returned to graduate school around the same time many of my friends started having babies.  As stylish mothers and friends of stylish mothers know, Kate Spade makes fabulous baby bags.  I wasn't pregnant, but I decided that my graduate school endeavor deserved a fabulous bag of its own.  Prior to purchasing this Kate Spade bag, I'd never owned a designer handbag, and I'm not a fan of the heavily branded designer bags that have become popular.  I used to think all designer bags were vastly overpriced.

This Kate Spade bag has converted me.  It is so well made that after two years of lugging around my books in it, it literally shows no signs of wear.  It's even survived several exposures to pouring rain.  As I tried to capture in the photos, the place where the strap fastens to the bag is extremely sturdy and gives an otherwise plain bag an attractive detail.  The strap is thick and sturdy, too, so it doesn't hurt my shoulder even when it's weighted down with study materials.  The subtle branding of the bag also matches my personal style and tastes.  The gold details are stamped with the "ks" logo, and "Kate Spade New York" is stamped into the leather on the front, but that is so unobtrusive that I could hardly even get a good photo of it.  The leopard print lining is also sturdy and chic.

This bag is also unbelievably functional.  As you can see, I managed to fit all of the following into the bag for these photos: my laptop, a two-subject notebook stuffed with handouts, my planner, three substantial paperback books, and all the other things that stay in my purse (wallet, glasses case, toiletries/medicine pouch, etc).  There are two small pockets on the front wall, in which I place my cell phone and keys so I can find them easily.  I can take this bag to the library and load it up with even more books if I'm not worried about trying to zip it shut. 


I don't think I'll become a woman who has a whole collection of designer bags because that kind of indulgence just seems wasteful to me.  This bag has convinced me, however, that every professional woman needs one fabulous, sturdy, functional bag.  Since I happily carry this bag every day, and it has become one of my signature items, I definitely think it was worth the investment.  I don't mind supporting Kate Spade, either, because the brand so frequently lends its name to good causes.  For the past several years, they have been working to promote and raise money for Women for Women International.

Prompts:

• Do you carry the same bag every day, or do you prefer to have a variety of different bags for different occasions?
• Have you ever owned a designer bag?  How do you feel about them?
• Have you found bags that retail in the under $200 range that are still sturdy, well-made, and stylish?  This seems like a more reasonable price point, especially for graduate students.
• What features do you look for in a bag for work/school?