This price is normal for a leather purse that size. You may be able to find a similarly-shaped purse in a different fabric for cheaper.

I, too, am disgusted at the price and selection of purses. Everything this season is horrific. And huge. And what's with all of the mustard-yellow?

For leather, yea, the $100 range is about right. For something classic, like the purse you linked to, I think it's worth spending a little more money. It's amazing how fast a cheap purse can start to look ratty.

I don't know, I think you may have better luck buying something from a store that specializes in purses, or at least fashion, than from national geographic. they seem to do super high markups. (case in point, they sell those peruvian sweaters hippies love for about $175. There are two stores ON MY BLOCK that sell them for about $70, and the one often has them on sale for even less. These are trendy artsy-neighborhood boutiques specializing in overpriced fair trade gewgaws and so forth, too)

to clarify, not saying that's a bad price, just saying although it is a reasonable price in general for a leather purse, it may not be for a purse from them.

Is she saying it would be a great Christmas present in general or a great Christmas present for her? If it's the later, buy that one. If it's the former, I'd check out the organizer bag section of ebags.com. If you sign up for their mailing list, they will instantly inundate you with offers (20-40% off, free shipping yadda yadda). I like the customer reviews on the site as well as the multiple photos of the bags' insides and in situ on a model and I've been happy with everything I've bought from them thus far.

Jamaro, you just saved me $50. I thank you.

My opinion as a relative cheapskate is that you should get that bag, for these reasons:

• it's a very nice bag, and the price is pretty typical (or even sort of low-end, believe it or not) for a good leather handbag

• it will probably last many years, and the style is so simple and classic it also won't go "out of fashion"

• I think your wife has probably looked at it carefully and wants that bag; it has some really nice features and something different is likely to feel lacking to her

• never try to second-guess a woman on something fashion related; no matter how close, to your eye, something else may look or function, one little detail may really ruin it for her

For example, I really like that bag - but if someone gave me one just like it, but with contrast stitching, I would hate it. If it had some kind "alligator" impress in the leather, I would hate it. If it had tassel zipper pulls, that would bug me a lot; if it had a different neck, I don't think I'd like it nearly as much... etc.

I wasn't able to find the same bag from a different source by Googling, though it may be that the AskMe whiz kids could do, but I wouldn't be surprised if NG has an exclusive contract for these.

The first purse I ever bought for Mrs Slack (back when we were dating) was a major ordeal for me. I spent many hours looking at purses and being petrified I'd make a bad choice. This was pre internet, and since I didn't read any magazines that would review purses I was sort of on my own. I ended up getting a Coach purse (I vaguely remembered her saying she liked Coach) and for the two weeks before her birthday I kept debating whether I should take it back or not and try again. Ultimately it turned out I made a good choice (her Mom seemed genuinely stunned that I picked it out "all by myself"), but I've never gone through the purse buying thing again. I lucked out once, so I don't want to push it and try again.

Taz:

That is good advice. I will have her look at the ebag site and decide whether those purses meet her ineffable desires. She just saw the National Geographic bag because of a renewal promotion, and doesn't know about ebags. I just taught her how to buy things on Amazon yesterday. Mrs. Craniac isn't that into the internet, other than email and a few websites she likes.

In my experience, ebags has excellent customer service, and are really good with handling returns--they pay all postage and have given me zero hassle even with pretty, um, belated returns. Zappo.com has equally good customer service, and also has a decent selection of bags (though not as extensive as ebags'.)

My advice - please try to stick with leather tanned in the U.S. South American tanned is somewhat softer, but the chemicals they use to tan the bags are horrible for the workers and environment.

Sorry to throw that curve in. :(

The trouble with the purse bubble is getting a good purse mortgage these days.

Plus, with one that big, you need a good ARM.

She wanted the National Geographic purse still, so we ordered it today!

"I'm 45 years old--I deserve this purse!"

And she does.