...do so many handbags have super-shiny, ultra-fake looking silver or, worse, faux GOLD hardware? I've been looking for a handbag for ages and so many otherwise excellent bags ar made tacky and cheap-looking by their hardware. I was hoping to find a black faux leather bag and almost every single one I otherwise liked had horrific hardware that completely ruined the look. Fake gold hardware is the worst. Very convincing faux leather so often looks cheap and fake because of the handbags' hardware. Seriously, does anyone actually like that look? Why do designers not use brushed nickel, pewter, or bronze-look hardware instead? It's so much more sophisticated and surely no more expensive than the shiny tacky stuff. Plus, brass and pewter (fake is fine) mix well with silver AND gold jewelry instead of just one or the other. Ugh.!

Lots of the expensive real leather bags had tacky hardware, too. I finally ended up buying a very marked down real leather hobo bag by Lucky Brand because I couldn't find anything else that I liked.

Hopefully I won't have to do any more bag shopping until I can save up enough money to get my custom handbag made (maybe after my birthday in May...)

Phew! Just had to vent.