I'm looking for a black leather messenger bag for under $200; advice?

It's getting colder and I'm going to be wearing my pea coat very soon. I'm in law school so I need to carry books and my laptop between my apartment and class, but I can't wear a Jansport book bag with a pea coat. I think a black leather messenger bag would look pretty good but I'm not sure where to buy one.

Absent any advice otherwise I'm going to buy a Kenneth Cole one from Macy's online (huge link below). Do you think buying a bag sight unseen online is a good idea? Or do you think there's a better way to go about buying one?

http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/...oryID=45016#fn=sp=1&spc=70&ruleId=27&slotId=2 online.

How about this one: Acme made

I'm going to add the contrarian view that you normally won't get, but is just as, if not more valuable advice. Here's one vote to saving your money until you're a proper man with a career. You should be more worried about the dismal outlook for law graduates, and be focused on law review and making top 10%, not your outfit coordination. Otherwise, you're going to be the best dressed unemployed guy in your graduating class. Just wondering, are you buying clothing with student loan money?

Please consider some used black bags for under $50. You might thank yourself one day, if you plan on owning real estate, or having children.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Mens-Access...d=p3286.c0.m1539&_mPrRngCbx=1&_udlo=&_udhi=50

I am taking out student loans for law school, but I'm only borrowing 10k/year and am not in debt right now (my parents paid for me to go to college [Villanova U, so around $200,000]). I'm here on full scholarship with a 5k/year stipend from the school - scoring in the top percentile on the LSAT will do that. The ten thousand dollars I am borrowing is the balance for the apartment I'm renting and my parents are giving me $1,000/month to live on.

Beyond that, though, I've got the social skills to "make it" after graduation regardless of how well I do in school, although it's a far, far stretch to say that spending time looking good is wasted and will cause me to get poorer grades and ultimately become unemployed. I intend to start practicing privately immediately once I graduate, anyway, not look for a job.

I'd say something like "I appreciate your advice, but.." but I don't really appreciate your advice. I'd have preferred an answer to the question that I asked.

I'm quite certain you can find something from TUMI for under 200. Might need to look at phased out models and ebay tho.



Snew said:

I am taking out student loans for law school, but I'm only borrowing 10k/year and am not in debt right now (my parents paid for me to go to college [Villanova U, so around $200,000]).  I'm here on full scholarship with a 5k/year stipend from the school - scoring in the top percentile on the LSAT will do that.  The ten thousand dollars I am borrowing is the balance for the apartment I'm renting and my parents are giving me $1,000/month to live on.  

Beyond that, though, I've got the social skills to "make it" after graduation regardless of how well I do in school, although it's a far, far stretch to say that spending time looking good is wasted and will cause me to get poorer grades and ultimately become unemployed.  I intend to start practicing privately immediately once I graduate, anyway, not look for a job.

I'd say something like "I appreciate your advice, but.." but I don't really appreciate your advice.  I'd have preferred an answer to the question that I asked.

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Well, you stated "absent any advice otherwise", so technically, you were also open to hearing advice beyond the bag you chose. Did you at least look at the Ebay link I posted? My opinion is that there's no need to drop $200 on a basic laptop bag that you're going to beat on (b/c you're actually a student who will carry it around everywhere, most days) If you're new here, you'll find most people on SF buy things used.

The following is off-topic. Please ignore: As for the rest of our off topic conversation, I don't think it's a stretch at all. The time you spend posting here could be time spent learning to practice law. As you know, law school doesn't teach you anything about being a real life lawyer. You do seem quite cocksure, bordering on arrogant. I was just trying to be helpful, as I've seen many young men spend themselves into a dead end. Since you're not saving anything now, I have to ask: Who is going to finance / pay your bills while you try to build a practice? How many years do you think it will take to actually turn a profit as a solo? (assuming ever) Bottom line, you're living off your parents, and you don't have any income, and you're going into debt for living expenses ($10k a year) In other words, you don't have a penny to your name and are buying a $200 bag. Golly, I still don't have a $200 bag. I have a used Coach bag I got for $80. I assume your answer to the following will be $500?
http://www.styleforum.net/t/248651/net-worth-before-you-can-afford-500-shoes

I agree that you should search ebay...find something unique.

I'm not sure you'll want a messenger bag. When I was in law school, I had a nice messenger style laptop bag and it wasn't big enough. The link you provided shows a bag that looks too small to hold two textbooks. I'd suggest a timbuk2 bag or something similiar. A good looking bag that won't carry your books won't be much use.

(On another note, I don't think you sound smug at all. And I won't offer life coaching unless you ask.)

jag

I'm afraid that if I bought a used bag off of eBay it would come with a prominent scratch or some other defect. Besides, it could be one normal shoulder-sling away from tearing asunder when I buy it - who's to know?

Right now, the most I ever need to carry is one (thick) textbook, a mostly empty folder, and my laptop. If I ever needed to carry two textbooks and my laptop I guess I could rock my Jansport book bag. That was one of the biggest problems I was having looking at bags online - I have an archaic 17" Dell laptop and it would be disastrous to buy a bag that won't fit it.

Ebay still might be worth a look, even if only to get ideas and brands...it assembles a lot of products in one location. (I've had great success on ebay, but I understand your hesitation)

I was given one of these:

http://www.targus.com/us/productdetail.aspx?regionId=7&sku=TCG200&PageName=Messenger Bags for Laptops by Targus&productCategoryId=6&bucketTypeId=0&searchedTerms=&navlevel1=shop&cp=&bannertxt=Messenger Bags for Laptops

(That whole thing is the link...I don't know how to use the link feature here)

Which was big enough for my 17" Dell and two texts (thick ones, like the Torts text by Prosser). But with two texts, I usually had to carry my portfolio and any supplmenets. That bag was big enough most of the time, though, and it was really durable. It certainly isn't the most stylish bag, but it's not awful, either. It worked well with a peacoat. Another plus is that it handled winter snow very well and the strap could be adjusted easily. When it got a little soiled from sitting on the floor, a quick mix of detergent and water applied with a toothbrush cleaned it very well.

Personally, I don't like traditional black leather bag...theyr'e too commonplace.

Just my thoughts...I've been in your shoes, that's what worked for me.

jag

(PS, sell your textbooks on Amazon instead of back to teh bookstore...you'll double what the bookstore will give you.)

Thanks for the advice. The bookstore is such a ripoff it's not even funny...I only buy and sell textbooks online; the books either end up costing me nothing or earning me money because I buy them as soon as I find out what books I need so it's before the rest of the students rush to get them and the price rockets, then I sell my books from the previous semester when the prices are at their peak.

I'll look around a bit more, but I must say, I like that bag. I think it might be a better choice than leather, too, to be honest, especially because I'm going to be doing a lot of toting every day and durability matters.

Leather is also heavy. Keep that in mind.
Don't assume something being sold on Ebay is damaged or faulty or beat to ****.
You can get brand new stuff there also.

jagmqt, couldn't resist the life coaching, after all?



Snew said:

I am taking out student loans for law school, but I'm only borrowing 10k/year and am not in debt right now (my parents paid for me to go to college [Villanova U, so around $200,000]).  I'm here on full scholarship with a 5k/year stipend from the school - scoring in the top percentile on the LSAT will do that.  The ten thousand dollars I am borrowing is the balance for the apartment I'm renting and my parents are giving me $1,000/month to live on.  

Beyond that, though, I've got the social skills to "make it" after graduation regardless of how well I do in school, although it's a far, far stretch to say that spending time looking good is wasted and will cause me to get poorer grades and ultimately become unemployed.  I intend to start practicing privately immediately once I graduate, anyway, not look for a job.

I'd say something like "I appreciate your advice, but.." but I don't really appreciate your advice.  I'd have preferred an answer to the question that I asked.

Click to expand...

1. You borrowing 10k but you are not in debt? I think I'm missing something here?
2. Who cares how much your college cost. Obviously you felt the need to mention it cost $200k. Almost every school, even some publics, come out to $200k a year total. Nothing special.
3. You needed to state you scored in the top percentile. Amazing!!!!!!!
4. You've got super social skills, why even go to school??? Easy way to make a living is through connections.

Reevolving said what he thought. With your reaction, plenty of lawyers I know would laugh at that regardless of how good your social skills are.

stevent said:

1. You borrowing 10k but you are not in debt? I think I'm missing something here?
2. Who cares how much your college cost. Obviously you felt the need to mention it cost $200k. Almost every school, even some publics, come out to $200k a year. Nothing special.
3. You needed to state you scored in the top percentile. Amazing!!!!!!!
4. You've got super social skills, why even go to school??? Easy way to make a living is through connections.
Reevolving said what he thought. With your reaction, plenty of lawyers I know would laugh at that regardless of how good your social skills are.

Click to expand...

1. With the income I'll have once I graduate, 30k of debt (federally subsidized so there's no interest) is so insignificant as to be able to be discounted.
2. Ok.
3. It's.
4. False.



Snew said:

1. With the income I'll have once I graduate, 30k of debt (federally subsidized so there's no interest) is so insignificant as to be able to be discounted.

Click to expand...

I hope that works out for you.