[Every girl needs a good purse (or 12). Whether you’re going for groceries or running from class to class, they are simply essential for holding all your, uh, essentials. Each week, I’m going to show you a fashionable, yet functional purse for the college crowd and let you know why you absolutely need it! I apologize ahead of time to your bank account.]

Since last week’s MBMJ bag was uber cute, yet uber pricey, I wanted to hunt down an affordable purse with just as much chic-ness for this week! I’m often so disappointed by the quality of cheaper brands’ purses; the seams rip open after a few wears, the faux leather looks terrible and the shape isn’t functional at all. It’s almost more difficult to find purses that are a good bang for your buck when you’re shopping bargain rather than high-end. Thank goodness for brands like Melie Bianco, who realize that not everyone can drop hundreds of dollars on a purse, but everyone deserves good style and quality!

The Melie Bianco Ethnic Applique Hobo is one of the prettiest bags out there. The tribal pattern will definitely stand out in your purse collection, but the neutral colors Melie sticks with make it super wearable. Even the mint – it goes with a whole host of shades and really spices up an outfit. The faux leather is quite nice and the wrap detail on the handle really up the ante. This bag is just a delight for the eyes!

On the inside, you’ll find a full fabric lining, a couple slip pockets and a back zipper pocket for valuables. One downside is the magnetic closure; it’s not as secure as a zipper, but the hobo shape of the bag wouldn’t work with a zipper. The handles have a generous drop, so you’ll have no issues slinging this over your shoulder on the run or over a heavy coat.

The ethnic trend is SO hot for summer and why not use your purse as a canvas to display that? The $60-70 price tag is also a huge bonus – you won’t feel bad about stuffing this under a cramped airplane seat and setting it in the grass at a music festival. Trust me, having a few great stylish bags that can get dirty without you having a coronary is a good thing!

If you’re interested, several etailers deal in Melie Bianco, and you can also purchase directly from the company at meliebianco.com.

Every girl needs a good purse. Whether you’re going for groceries or running from class to class, they are simply essential for holding all your, uh, essentials. Each week, I’m going to show you a fashionable, yet functional purse for the college crowd and let you know why you absolutely need it! I apologize ahead of time to your bank account.

Matt & Nat is the brainchild of Inder Bedi, and it came about while he was completing his degree in Marketing at Concordia University (in Montreal – go Canada!). As part of a course, he was required to come up with a business plan, which of course was Matt and Nat. Because he practiced a vegetarian lifestyle, the line had to be vegan. He was so taken by the idea of a vegan handbag line, that he decided to give up Law School and turn his business plan into a legitimate career.

As the brand is vegan, all handbags are 100% free of leather and instead constructed from a faux-leather, often PVC. Now please don’t start imagining gross, dollar-store “pleather”; this material is gorgeous and unless you were a real leather expert, I don’t think you could tell the difference! The faux-suede linings of the purses are also made from recycled water bottles (on average 12 bottles for each lining) and labeled using cork, which is “one of the most environmentally friendly harvesting processes in the world.” Read More »

Got a question for Tuffarella? Email her at tuffyluv@collegecandy.com to be featured in her weekly column!

Dear Tuffy Luv,

After watching a super scary PETA video, I can’t look in my closet anymore without picturing dead animal carcasses. I need places to buy vegan clothes. And shoes if you can. And fast. I can’t handle getting nauseous when I get dressed anymore.

Colleen Read More »