Style Cynics

This is a hobo? Really? The last time I checked, hobo bags were, you know, a little more relaxed than this. Just when I thought Burberry was finally loosening up, they’ve gone back to their uptight plaid design. Now, don’t get me wrong – it’s not that I don’t appreciate the style of this bag and Burberry itself, but this is just not a hobo! Where’s the slouch? Where’s the soft fabric or leather? Not in this bag.

However, it is a stylish bag for everyday city wear or even work. It’s got a top zip closure with a stiff little buckle across the black and peach plaid exterior. The handle is made of dark-brown leather reinforced with silver hardware trimmings. It’s even got a detailed interior lining, with places for your cell phone and wallet. It’s made of PVC with leather trim. As bags go, this one isn’t bad. It’s just not one I would ever call a hobo. Thankfully, with the myriad of hobo handbags out there, I don’t have just this one to choose from.

What can you wear with a Burberry handbag that isn’t a suit? Well, I could see some girls wearing this with couture jeans and a nice top, or with a pencil skirt and white blouse. Burberry doesn’t really seem to do casual well – they’re more comfortable when they can dress up an already-amazing-looking woman. The price of this bag isn’t too shabby, either – most Burberry bags normally run to about $1500 on average. This one is $750 at Nordstrom.com.

Okay, so what’s a real hobo? Well, this bag, for instance. The Kate Spade Bilbao Flat Serena is on the fancier side of hobo bags, but it still gives an impression of elegant relaxation. You can get this one in shining red or black patent leather. It’s got silver-toned hardware, a license-plate signature detail, and drool-worthy metallic cowhide trim on the strap. In short, this is one of the best fancy hobo bags I’ve seen. Get it at Zappos.com for $478.95.

This, too, is a lovely fancy hobo bag that doesn’t give the impression of stiffness. In fact, it’s unique and wine-colored, two of my criteria for an excellent handbag. The Luba J Gecko Hobo has a berry-colored patent leather exterior with a reinforced strap and fine-grained leather trim. It’s got antiquated brass hardware, a violet suede lining and three-inch depth. This bag is so beautiful that it’s worth every penny. Find it for $645.00 at Endless.com.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 5th, 2007 at 10:57 am and is filed under Burberry. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.