Bookbag and Shopping Service

[seeinglife.livejournal.com]

I'm going (back, sort of) to school soon. Why yes, for fashion design, how did you guess? But I'm going to need a book bag. I'm vain, therefore I do not want a backpack because they look stupid. Some sort of messenger bag, then. "black messenger bag" on Ebay gives me so many results, so many of them not even real messenger bags or tiny useless ones >_< The only things I've come upon that might not completely ruin my loli and loli inspired outfits have been a classic black Dickies one (completely functional, will match everything, and so very boring) and maybe this one... except probably not due to screaming "kiddie mall goth." I don't want something super cutesy and lolita because a) I don't do sweet lolita, I do more mature lolita looks b) it has to match when I'm wearing jeans and a tshirt too. Suggestions besides maybe getting something nifty embroidered on the front flap of a Dickies one or making my own (considering it, but ugh, where am I gonna find the time)? Is there some sort of keyword combo I could use on Ebay that I'm probably overlooking or a mainstream store that would have something perfect but I don't know it because I really need to get out more?


Need something from a site in America that doesn't ship to your country, or charges some outrageous amount, or just don't have a credit card? I've been buying stuff for people in other countries and shipping it to them for years unofficially. Much of the time all I ask in compensation is something like a cheap accessory from the same site being ordered from, or a yard of fabric. Monetary compensation is acceptable. 7% of the total cost of items (before shipping but including Paypal fees) for amounts under $150 and 5% for amounts greater than. Paypal fees are about 3% for US buyers and 5% int'l now that they've added a "cross border fee." In many cases I can ship out the item the day after it gets here and you pay for shipping. Yes, I will mark the customs forms in ways less likely to get you taxed. I may be able to go to some brick and mortar stores for things.

Comments

[vampy.livejournal.com]

Typing in black messenger is probably not going to narrow things down. Typing in large will narrow it down slightly so you don't get tiddly ones. Or on the site you linked, getting the belt stud bag..it looks awesome, and you can fit real things inside it lol X'D

Otherwise I'd browse the net more. Places like the links below have some cool stuff.
www.retrorebels.com
Outcast (http://www.hotterthanhell.de/hotterthanhell/start.html)
How Cool (http://www.howcool.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=259_481)
Attitude Clothing (http://www.attitude.uk.com)

Hope it kinda helps ;/

[seeinglife.livejournal.com]

How Cool has one that sounds interesting - black corset messenger bag -- but no picture! WAH!

[vampy.livejournal.com]

Email them! ;D I've emailed them in the past enquiring about something and they were helpful ^_^

[seeinglife.livejournal.com]

Crap. I just went to email them and noticed it was too small anyway. I expect to have to at least lug around a math book, history book, and notebooks.

[kawaii-mon.livejournal.com]

i have a big tote bag with a crown on it that i take to school that looks good with both loli and normal jeans/t-shirt wear. its good most of the time, but then on the days when i'm really loli-fied i always have to carry heaps to school, so i'm stuck looking silly with my ugly giant messenger bag and tool box.
i'd go for a good strong bag, and maybe embroider/paint/applique a design onto it. the only problem i find with messenger bags (and i study costume design so i'd assume the large amounts of books and sewing materials i cart to and from school would be similar to you), is that when they have a lot in them i have all sorts of shoulder problems. thats when i wish i had a backpack.

[seeinglife.livejournal.com]

I tend to shift (slightly too small and unmatching to everything) messenger bag from shoulder to shoulder, so I'm hoping that'll minimize shoulder problems.

[inchohernt-fox.livejournal.com]

Mmm.. When I was going to and from school I tried doing that and it didn't help much. My shoulders were still really sore when I got home.

>>; Then again, I was eleven and lugging around forty-fifty pounds of books and paper all the time.

[kalisafish.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm around 95~100lbs.. and when I was in high school, my textbooks were very heavy, even when switching shoulders. Sometimes, I would resort to carrying half in my arms. In college it's different though, since you'll be carrying less books unless you're planning to go to several classes in a row.. If you go to some at different times, you can just leave some behind in the car, like a locker.. I think as long as the weight isn't like a third or a half or your own weight, it shouldn't be a problem. I like to pack light if I can though.

And the heck, 45 pounds at 11 years old? You take home a lot of texts for elementary school... I only remember doing that very few times..

[eristell-neko.livejournal.com]

You can do what I do with my messenger bag when it's got tons of stuff in it. Instead of having it on just one shoulder, you can put it behind you and loop it over both shoulders so that the strap goes behind your neck (kind of like a halter strap dress.) Or you can have it over your neck on the shoulder opposite from where the bag is.

[sweetphaex.livejournal.com]

Modifying very plain bags from cheap stores = fun and unique, i do it all the time.

http://sweetphaex.livejournal.com/104124.html#cutid1

I got this one from Jay Jays which makes for-the-masses street casual wear and faux-punk-garbage (so naturally i'm entranced!)

I'd go with gettign something cool and personal embroidered on an old bag *customizing = my antidrug*

[seeinglife.livejournal.com]

I'd have to buy a new one no matter what, because the one I have now is slightly too small, falling apart, and matches nothing I wear (weird metallic silver).

I'm still considering making my own even though I probably won't have the time >_< I DO have plenty of leftover black duck canvas though that would make a good base fabric.

Maybe I'll get my Agrimony girl&tree thing embroidered or appliqued on.

[swan-princess.livejournal.com]

Baby just released a new school bag, but it doesn't have shoulder straps and it's super-dorky. I can picture it with a normal outfit, though..


Other than that, I have problems with finding cute bookbags, too. What about Lesportsac?

[seeinglife.livejournal.com]

Uh, did I mention the budget of roughlu $40, 50 max?

[swan-princess.livejournal.com]

Ahah, sorry about that. Although if you're interested, you can get new Lesportsac messenger bags on Ebay for around that price range.

[seeinglife.livejournal.com]

Huh, for some reason I thought Lesportsac ran a lot more than that? *goes to see if there's anything* They all seem to be like $170 O.o?

[hellowonderland.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure where you live, nyo, but Marshalls and TJMaxx usually have Lesportsac bags for about 40$.

[swan-princess.livejournal.com]

Really? Maybe it's just the print I'm looking at-- search 'Lesportsac Humor'. I just bought a messenger bag for ~$60. :o

[separateness.livejournal.com]

ebags.com is great--I've ordered from them several times, and a lot of bags have reviews left so you can see what other people think. Try the "Urban & Messengers" section...

[seeinglife.livejournal.com]

*going through the section now* Is ebags supposed to be sort of like the Zappos of bags?

[eristell-neko.livejournal.com]

http://www.yakpak.com/ has some awesome bags. (the artist of Megatokyo uses one, and the main character in it sports one) http://www.yakpak.com/catalog/partdetail.aspx?PartNo=1306 this one I think would hold all of your books, and is in your price range (the higher part, or course) You could get one and spiffy it up yourself.

[eristell-neko.livejournal.com]

theres also this http://www.yakpak.com/catalog/partdetail.aspx?PartNo=1324 bag, which is cheaper and still holds tons of stuff.

[seeinglife.livejournal.com]

I don't really like the yakpak ones, because straps or other features are not black, but Wrangler actually has a couple that're the right size that look nice on that site.

I've got a couple options now if I decide not to make it. My embroidery idea would probably be difficult if I didn't make it because of flap pockets on premades.

[luckee-cookie.livejournal.com]

Buying a plain base bag and decorating it may actualy be better. To be honest, if this were my case, I wouldn't go with any vinyl bags simply because there are days when I have to carry my calculus and physics togeather which equates to at least a good 15+ lbs meaning... the bag will be destroyed easily. So if you have light enough stuff for it to handle then go ahead but I totaly prefer more clothy bags simply because my books won't murder it.