Style Guide 102 - Classic & Classy Leather Bags

For a shopaholic like myself, the word “Timeless” is magical.  There’s nothing better than buying something now that you know will survive style’s ever-changing moods.  Luckily, my favorite leather accessories designer, Jack Georges, is always right there with timeless designs that will fit my style whether I want to look fashion forward, contemporary, retro, or some kind of combination.

The satchel, for example, has been popular in some form since the Roaring ‘20s.  And although Jack has a few bags in the category, his take on this classic accessory is the beautiful Diana Satchel Bag from the Chelsea Collection.  For us girls, satchels are naturally a favorite—and the Diana is a great example of why.  It’s the perfect size to carry everything we need (even if the men in our lives don’t seem to understand why we actually need to carry so much!)  Although it’s spacious, the bag is quite comfortable to carry by its rounded handles or a removable shoulder strap.  Plus, it’s a gorgeous complement to any outfit.  I love to pair the Diana satchel with a long flowy skirt and heels.  Dial the feminine factor up a few notches with classic black or a sophisticated red to add a little fire to your look.

The Chelsea Collection offers another cool silhouette in the Large Top Zip Handbag.  It reminds me of the mod era 1960s with its elegant, clean design.  Aside from its sleek shape and spacious interior, the beauty of this bag is its versatility.  I can easily sport this one at the office, especially since it’s spacious enough to fit files and even my small laptop or tablet.  Later, it’s a beautiful and practical social companion.  After all, its saffian leather body is protected by a scratch and stain resistant coating that helps protect the bag’s vibrant color – very helpful for those oops moments. At work or out on the town, this bag is classic, classy, and a crucial addition to my wardrobe!

The Milano Collection offers a smaller version of the bag as the Top Zip Shoulder Handbag.  This bag is so timeless, it was chosen by the Sackrider Handbag Museum in Chicago and featured in my page-a-day handbag calendar!  Smooth, with a kelly shape, and offered in classic black, cherry, or cognac, it is also made in brighter orange and red for a little more fun.  The bag may be smaller but it has good capacity making it functional and stylish.  I carry this bag when my day will be more about play than work.  It’s also a great accessory for holiday events.

Jack Georges’ quality leather items aren’t just for women.  The special someone in my life is an attorney and has carried a couple of Jack Georges bags for years now.  He swears by the quality, practicality, and durability of the bags but from my perspective, I’m happy to see that he looks good carrying them too. 

When he has a day in court, I like that his briefcases add a certain Don Draper (from my dearly departed AMC series Mad Men) sense of style. Picture it—Don Draper in a fitted pin-striped suit, Oxford shoes, with a fedora on his head and one of Jack Georges’ briefcases in his hand.  Let’s take his Classic Leather Briefbag from the Prestige Collection.  The design is somehow American and European at once.  It is the perfect complement to his crisp and perfected look, like Draper’s.  The leather has a special coating that protects it from scratches and stains. 

His other Classic Leather Briefbag is from the Elements Collection.  It is durable, straightforward, strong, and of course stylish.  While his bag is a gorgeous Cognac color, it is also made in rich Burgundy and jet Black.  And while these bags may fit beautifully in the Mad Men world with their steel frame top and clamshell opening, features like a padded laptop compartment would have been the stuff of science fiction back then.  Any professional would benefit from emulating Draper’s impeccably polished look and do would do well with either one of these beautiful cases at his side.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

I know not everyone is looking for a briefbag.  Jack Georges makes hundreds of different cases that are really timeless in their look and function.  Nothing says classic like the rarely found combination lock closure on a briefcase, a celebrated feature of the Belting Collection Triple Gusset Flap Over.  In black, think Bond.  James Bond.  Who better to epitomize the elegant style and usefulness of this vintage feature than everyone’s favorite secret agent?  Like Bond, a man who carries the #9004 is the gatekeeper of confidential information that requires the extra level of security and strength that this Belting bag delivers.  But he’s also a style warrior emanating professionalism and masculinity achieved with the right suit and the perfect briefcase.  In any of its three colors — black, brown, or traditional tan — this classic case will help give its owner commanding presence.

While it has been true that fashion always comes full circle every 25 years or so.  You would do better to invest in items that have timeless style and features.  That way, they always look right regardless of the fashion life cycle.  And on that note, Jack Georges delivers like no other designer or manufacturer.  See for yourself and find that timeless sense of elegance.