Too soon, Sandra. Too soon. Sandra Bullock appeared at a couple of awards ceremonies over the past couple of days. Everyone’s talking about the girl-on-girl kiss she shared with Scarlett Johansson at the MTV Movie Awards. Blah, blah, girls kissing, whatever. Why is that still such a big deal? I mean, I know it’s pretty much every guy’s fantasy, but seriously, what’s the big deal? And I still don’t get why that’s acceptable, and even considered hot, but if two guys were to smooch on stage…I think there’d be an uproar. Ah, our lovely little society and its double standards. I have to say, as loyal as I am to my team, I’d totally kiss Sandra Bullock if I had the chance. Sure, why not? But just a kiss. It’d take the likes of Angelina Jolie for me to completely hop the fence. Just sayin’. But anyway, other than that moment which has all the news shows and the blogosphere in a tizzy, Sandy appeared unexpectedly at the Spike TV Guys’ Choice Awards, and accepted the Troops’ Choice Award for Entertainer of the Year. (By the way, those apostrophes are mine. Apparently, guys get so rattled by girl-on-girl kisses, they forget proper grammar.) Her presence was a surprise, and a welcome one, but I think she took things a bit too far. It was good to see her on stage looking fabulous after being in seclusion for so long during the whole Jesse James debacle, but she seemed to be trying a bit too hard when she said, “Did I win this for being entertainer of the year, or did I win this because of the spectacular IED explosion that became my personal life?” For those who don’t know, an IED is an improvised explosive device, a type of bomb that has claimed the lives of many Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan. I’m not sure that having a lowlife, douchebag of a cheating husband ranks up there with actually being blown up by an IED, or being a family member of one of those soldiers killed by an IED. Maybe someone wasn’t really ready to be back out in the spotlight, huh? Might want to put things in perspective, Sandy. As much as I like her, and as much as she’s America’s current sweetheart, she’s still a celebrity with an ego, isn’t she? Wow. Anyway, rant over, and there’s no real way for me to segue into this handbag, so here it is: the Treesje Rebel Mini Hobo.
First, the color. We’re about to leave spring behind for summer, and green is the perfect color for both seasons. It signifies new life, lush lawns, blooming trees, and allergies. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t be able to even go outside in the spring if not for allergy meds and antihistamine eye drops. Green has always been one of my favorite colors, and it translates well into this leather hobo. It’s a good-sized bag at 14.5 inches wide, so there’s plenty of room for whatever you need to carry. What really makes the bag, though, is the piping detail. Inside, you’ll find twill lining in black, a back wall zip pocket, and a magnetic closure. The Rebel also comes in black, electric blue, lemon, fuchsia, and silver, which I find absolutely hideous. Whatever they did to the leather to make it silver also wrinkled it and just makes the bag look old and ugly. I’d go with any of the other colors. The Rebel is $560 at Endless.com.
Budget Saving Alternative 1
How can you not love Big Buddha handbags? They’re big, stylish, and if you’re a vegan or just like fuzzy animals, they’re 100 percent synthetic—no leather. All that goes for the Big Buddha Allie Hobo. Let’s face it, as nice as the Rebel is, the economy hasn’t recovered THAT much yet. And if oil keeps spilling into the Gulf of Mexico at the rate it’s going now, gas is going to be pretty expensive soon. So we need to save money where we can. That’s another reason to love synthetic bags—they’re less expensive. One of the reasons I love this Allie hobo in particular is the pinked and perforated trim around the top, and down the front and back of the bag. It’s sort of vintage yet contemporary at the same time. The interior is lined with polyester, which boasts a back wall zip pocket. The whole bag closes with a magnetic snap. The Allie is also available in orange, fuchsia, black, and white. Get a couple of colors since it’s just $80 at Endless.com.
Budget Saving Alternative 2
Summer is pretty much the only time you can get away with woven macrame bags, so take advantage of it. The design fits because it’s airy and light, and reminiscent of flimsy island clothing and décor. Besides, the Magid Macrame Wood Hobo is just pretty. It’s woven into a beautiful medallion design, and each medallion is embellished with a wood bead in the middle. The straw exterior will stand up to sun, wind, and sand, as will the plainweave lining in a complementary tonal color. A back wall zip pocket will hold all sorts of small items, and keep them a little more protected, so it’s a good spot for sunglasses or your cell phone. This light green is nice and cool, but the bag also comes in turquoise, fuchsia, and black. Best of all, it’s only $43 at Endless.com.
