For me finding the perfect bag seems like a vision quest. I’m always searching. I’ve learned over the years never to settle on a bag if there is one thing you don’t like about it because honestly chances are you are never ever going to reach for that bag.

My last big bag purchase was the perfect leather tote, I ended up getting this one and dropping way more cash than I was comfortable with– but seriously its amazing and will last my entire life. I went with that bag, because almost no company was putting out leather totes, about 6 months after I purchased my tote from Rib & Hull, it seemed that everyone from Madewell to every designer on Etsy started putting out simple leather totes and to boot they were all so much cheaper than my bag.

Anyway, one bag that’s important is a black bag, even more so for important things like job interviews. In the Great Post Office Debacle of 2013 I lost my black leather for interviews. I rarely used it except for the first few weeks at a new job or on job interviews or for importnat meetings. Well that bag got lost in the mail. GONE. So I’ve been on the hunt, I decided even though I longed for a structured bag for job interviews, they are just so stuffy, so instead I went with a leather tote from American Apparel. Let me tell you I am blown away, the construction is fantastic and the leather is so luxe. I am so in lust with this bag that I’m even going to use it everyday, unlike my former black leather bag, this will not live in a dust bag until I need to use it. It will see the world. So, if you are in the market for a leather bag, seriously consider picking this one up, not only is the leather awesome but it comes in like 20 different colors.