It’s really a shame that the one time Jimmy Choo makes a bag that doesn’t cost a bazillion dollars, it’s as bland and kinda cheap-looking. The Jimmy Choo Metallic Hobo has very little personality – one of its only points of visual interest is a simple exposed seam down the middle that holds together the two big pieces of leather. And it’s not even a contrast-stitched seam.

Oh, Versace. Just when we start to get into the summer fashion blahs when nothing new is coming out, another one of their ridiculous bag appears and we have something to talk about yet again.

In the grand scheme of things, for this brand in particular, the Versace Leather Flap Hobo isn’t terrible. It can actually be used as a handbag.

When it comes to shoulder bags, particularly hobos, it’s fairly well-documented that I have a penchant for slouch. I like things soft and even a bit saggy when it comes to that type of purse, and my taste rarely deviates from that. When you look at handbags for the majority of your day, you come of with different theories of what makes a good bag and what doesn’t work for particular shapes, and while none of those ideas is monolithic, I rarely find myself digging something that deviates far from my own personal bag ideals.

In general, I really don’t like so-called “neutral bags.” The leather has to be truly special, the design truly innovative and beautiful for me to look at one twice, and if it’s not, I bore really easily. My aversion is a result of the belief that there are so many bags out there made in so many beautiful colors, why would anyone choose one in a color that is supposed to, by definition, blend in and hide?

The Diane von Furstenberg Stephanie Hobo is easily one of the most sought-after bags of the season, but there’s one thing lacking about it – good pictures on the manufacturer’s website! Because the designer’s handbag line is new and isn’t sold in many online stores, it’s been difficult to get a handle on what exactly the Stephanie looks like. Megs’ pictures have helped, but what about this elusive magenta color that DVF claims to make?

Oh, how I wish the Salvatore Ferragamo Gathered Shoulder Bag came in a different color. I can’t do tan, it wouldn’t go with anything that I wear, but the bag itself is just SO beautiful. The gently gathered folds of soft, smooth leather look so completely touchable and drool-worthy that I may consider trying to find an outfit that this bag would go with.

The first thing that I did when I saw the Alexander McQueen Fringe Hobo was try to imagine it in any color other than brown. Purple. Green. Orange. Anything. Because as it is, all brown and fringe-y and studded, it looks like it would be better suited for an old episode of Gunsmoke than the wardrobe of a fashionable, modern woman.

For some reason, I have yet to be able to find a Zac Posen handbag that I genuinely love. Posen has been a fashion wunderkind and It-Designer for several years now (probably so long that it means he’s probably no longer either a wunderkind OR an It-Designer), and I’ve liked his Ready-to-Wear collections in varying degrees since he showed up on my radar.

Since Earth Day is upon us, let’s take a few minutes to think about what the future of eco-friendly fashion might be. Low-chemical tanning and hand-woven materials are all well and good, but there are a lot of smaller companies out there with new ideas and fresh takes on what exactly constitutes suitable handbag-making materials.

A company called English Retreads is pioneering the idea of taking used and recycled “vintage” rubber to make handbags with a tough, industrial edge.

Ladies and gentlemen, I have posted this bag for one reason and one reason only: to demonstrate a leather-finishing effect that I truly and completely despise. Other than the quasi-shiny effect, I really like the Miu Miu Distressed Leather Hobo. The shape is good, the color is interesting and uncommon, and the handle detail is a nice, subtle touch. If it wasn’t for the infuriatingly terrible finish they put on the leather, I’d be all about this one.