Shop Around the Web: Bags

Unless you’re Kate Moss (in which case, thanks, Kate, for taking the time to read this article), you’re going to have a hard time getting yourself the highly coveted Hermès Birkin bag. As Michael Tonello writes in his new book, “Bringing Home the Birkin,” even the waiting list for the bag is closed. Soothe the pain of not being a supermodel by opening up a copy of this new comic account of Tonello’s frantic efforts to get his hands on a bag. His antics will make you laugh and make you relieved that you’re pursuing more realistic options.

If you’re still hung up on dressing like a celebrity but would prefer not to dip into your retirement fund to do it, My Bag Cares is the answer to your prayers. Not only does Kelly Ripa own one, but when you buy one, the company plants a tree through the Arbor Day Foundation in an area that has been destroyed by forest fire. My Bag Cares is reusable, washable and made from natural fibers. It’s intended to replace the bags you accumulate on a daily basis while shopping. In short, you can be green and look extremely cool, all for $20. The only catch? My Bag Cares has already planted 17,000 tree, which means you might bump into someone who has the same bag as you. Luckily, you’ll both be part of a communal effort to be both sophisticated and conscientious shoppers.

But if the idea of using the same bag for more than a few weeks in a row makes your skin crawl, Bag, Borrow or Steal can help you to a new designer bag every couple of weeks. Sign up for membership and you can rent a new bag for significantly less than it would cost to buy one. After the rental, mail it back and get a new one.

The man-purse, or “murse,” is perhaps not the coolest-sounding item you can think of. But the truth is, while your cell phone might fit in your pocket, your laptop and blackberry probably don’t. You need a bag, and you need one that puts those old, boring briefcases to shame. Askmen.com offers you six possible style options, including a more contemporary briefcase and a sleek leather messenger bag. Once used primarily by bike messengers and other nonoffice types, the messenger bag has been modified that so that men can go to work looking both hip and professional.

If leather isn’t your material of choice, head over to Timbuk2 and pick up a professional-looking canvas bag. Timbuk2s are durable and utilitarian, but come in numerous styles. Choose from plain messenger bags, laptop messenger bags, totes and backpacks. You can buy a ready-made bag from the site, or design your own, selecting a color or pattern for each of three fabric panels on your bag. You’ll end up with a perfect bag for anyone who’s really serious about carrying things, but doesn’t necessarily want to shop at the Army-Navy store.