Leather Briefcase Options: My Brother's Shopping List

This week my brother asked me for some suggestions on a briefcase. He wanted something that looked nice for work, that was classic and could be used for a while, and that was reasonably priced.

I definitely have my favorites when it comes to leather goods... but in the spirit of meeting his criteria I've come back with what I think are three great options.

1. First up is a favorite brand of mine, Billykirk. Made in the U.S., they do great collections each season and are gaining quite a following. I really liked the simplicity of the Billykirk Schoolboy Satchel that I found on Bonobos, definitely a classic look.

2. I went to my go-to retailer's website to see what they had. While there were some bags that I loved, they weren't all suited for my brother. But this Marc by Marc Jacobs bag caught my eye. I liked the various textures of the leather, the front pocket, and the simple clasp. Available at Barney's.

3. Next I went to J. Crew, because I know they not only have a well edited men's mix, at a great price, but they also bring in other brands to round out their offerings. In this case, their own Montague Leather Satchel seemed like a nice fit for my brother.

Some good options to be sure, and hopefully one of them will soon be in my brother's hand!

Handmade Gingham Bow Tie: Things I Have

Last month I had a long overdue catch up with my Aunt Diane and was telling her about my growing bowtie collection. My aunt is crafty, creative, and very good with a sewing machine... she asked, if she made me a bowtie, what would I want.

Well... a few weeks later the result arrived! A brown gingham for Fall! I am so excited, it is exactly what I wanted + I can't wait for the weather to change so I can wear it... I think it'll be perfect with my new Gant Rugger tweed blazer.

A huge thanks to my aunt, for this handcrafted bowtie for Fall 2011!

Wallet from Commes des Garcons: Things I Want

Back in March I bought a Commes des Garcons leather pouch, as my carry-all for flying. It holds my passport, iPod, breath mints.... everything I need in-flight!

Now of course, I want the wallet to match. My current CdG wallet (in tartan) has started to fall apart from overuse, and so I want to grab the fantastic brown embossed version!

Everytime I am in Opening Ceremony I check for it, but it is nowhere to be found. And even on their website it is on backorder. Boo!

So I will sit and wait. Patiently. Sort of.

Commes des Garcons Pouch: Things I Have

With all of my travel, I decided I needed something to hold all of my essentials... passport, phone(s), iPod, etc. Initially I was just using my Cathay Pacific business class amenity kit (I mean, it was designed by Agnes B.) but it just didn't feel right.

So this week I picked up a great pouch from Comme des Garcons. Brown leather. My favorite pattern. And I love it! Just used it from LA to Sao Paulo and it perfectly fit everything, was easy to grab out of my bag, and stylish to boot.

I picked mine up at Opening Ceremony, which has a great selection of CdG products.

Brown Wingtips: Things I Have

So I did a little shopping this weekend. What can I say... it's been a while, and Barney's was having a fab sale. I stocked up on some great deals -- functional pieces that I know I'll use!

One of the first purchases I made yesterday was a new pair of leather lace-ups. I've been looking at wingtips for a while now, and these (made in Italy) fit so well and I loved the rich brown color.

Since I feel like I'm always obsessed with casual shoes (especially high tops as of late), this dressy pair will be a welcome addition to my closet. Check 'em out on Barney's website: http://www.barneys.com/Wingtip%20Blucher/500455173,default,pd.html.

Sandals from South Willard: Things I Want

Just the other day I was walking past South Willard (yes, it's in my neighborhood) and made a mental note that I needed to pop in. I think it's a great store, small but carrying a well edited selection of labels.

Today I was perusing their website (after seeing a link to it from Valet Mag), and came across their selection of summer sandals. Leather sandals made just for South Willard. And I think they are awesome!

It was tough to select my favs, but I think these brown ones win. While I like simplicity in sandals, the additional straps really make the design. And at just over $100 they are a great deal for handmade, leather sandals.

But they do have other styles and colors, so go to their website and check them out: http://www.southwillard.com/collections/accessories/hand-made-sandals/. Now!