shopper

A bag that is full of holes, whether they are crocheted or punched in leather, as they are in the Jean Paul Gaultier Perforated Shopper, is just not going to pass muster in winter. Once spring rolls around, however, the shoe is on the other foot and suddenly holey bags look casual, funky and lightweight - perfect for warm weather. This shopper has spade, diamond, heart, and club cutouts all over it and is topped with rolled leather handles. The zip top has a contrasting red leather pull, which matches perfectly with the removable Jean Paul Gaultier "playing card" address tag. It measures 15.25" x 11" x 4". Price: $815.

Departing from the far more common style of having separate handles that are attached with rings, buckles to stitching, Givenchy's Leather Shopping Tote has shoulder straps that are merely an extension of the calf leather from the rest of the bag. This makes it clear that you are getting the best quality leather throughout the bag, as some manufacturers take advantage of the opportunity offered by detached handles to make use of smaller scrap leather or pieces that were too flawed to find their way onto the main bag. The large tote is accented with side buckles and a logo luggage tag. Price: $1,395.

This Marc by Marc Jacobs handbag is huge and were it not for the overly-large bag trend that started on the runways earlier this year, it might be too large to actually qualify as a handbag. The Slouchy Patent Surely Shopper measures 17" x 5" x 20", which doesn't sound that big until you realized that you could easily fit five laptops into the bag. We don't recommend that, of course, because the patent leather shopped is lined with fabric, and is not nearly padded enough to protect computers, though the comparison can give a good idea of the size. The bag is accented with 3/4" banding at the top and silver hardware, including reinforced double shoulder straps and a decorative buckle on the front. Price: $478.