help deciding on a bag!

[stickonatree]

hello SFers, i am currently debating 2 bags from STP. a little background first: i will be mainly using this for carrying a few notebooks around campus, i'm at the end of my college career and don't need to lug around books or anything heavy. i've wanted a brown leather bag for a while, and haven't been able to find one within my college student price range. however i found 2 on STP that seem acceptable.

by tusting & co. - $140 after discounts:

by latico - $70 after discounts:

help me decide which to get! the former was my 1st choice, but i was afraid that it might be too formal, although it'd be nice to use it after college. the latter seems too tan for my tastes, i'd like it to be just a few shades darker. if neither, i am very open to suggestions as well! <$180 would most likely be my budget for this. thanks guys!

 

[xchen]

Would you be willing to buy used? I have one that is halfway between the two that I got from the Wilson's outlet that I'd be willing to let go for a price halfway between the two.

I've had it since July or August and already want something different.

 

[stickonatree]

^sounds interesting! PM me some pics please! =]

 

[SoCal2NYC]

Double buckles are very, very annoying.

 

[Synrax]

What career path will you pursue? The first does look a bit more formal although having a handle strap brings more functionality. But those buckles will be tedious to use. The second looks like a bag for the 20-30s crowd. I'd try to find a hybrid or go for the second in a darker shade.

 

[stickonatree]

Originally Posted by SoCal2NYC

Double buckles are very, very annoying.

i haven't had much experience, but using a bit of my imagination i can already picture how this would be annoying!

Originally Posted by Synrax

What career path will you pursue? The first does look a bit more formal although having a handle strap brings more functionality. But those buckles will be tedious to use. The second looks like a bag for the 20-30s crowd. I'd try to find a hybrid or go for the second in a darker shade.

i'll be going into grad school for environmental science, so i will be using this for a few more years to come. i guess the 2nd bag, then, is a bit better suited for my needs. i am not sure how those magnetic straps would work if my bag starts bulging with papers though.

 

[berlin report]

I would choose the first one out of the two. I don't think the double buckles would be annoying to use. Maybe they look overdone but as far as using them, you really only need to put the knobs through the holes. You never need to touch the actual buckles unless you want to adjust how tight it closes. Anyway, assuming it has the quality to last, it would probably age well. Just my two cents...

 

[xchen]

PM'd.

In reference to the message SoCal posted about double buckles being annoying: they are. The bag I sent pics of has buckles for decoration, and clips that snap in and unlock when you push the button for easy access when needed.

 

[rach2jlc]

Originally Posted by SoCal2NYC

Double buckles are very, very annoying.

I agree here, too. They may look neat, but are total pains. Luckily, many now have the decorative buckles with snaps, but I had a Prada one with actual buckles about ten years ago and though I loved the styling, came to hate it in about a month of actual use.