Good Stuff From Mall Stores: Leather Tote At Coldwater Creek

I once received a gift certificate to Coldwater Creek and wandered aimlessly through the store searching for something to take home. I ended up with a sweater for my grandmother – who I'm pretty sure feigned excitement upon opening it. Nevertheless, I assigned myself Coldwater as the next cheesy/mall store to tackle in search of a hidden gem. And I happened upon one good item (which is better than none):

The picture doesn't do it justice, but this tote ($64, was $130) is made of genuine leather and is quite good looking in person. It's simple, sleek, and roomy – big enough for my laptop. Or if you're not schlepping a whole lot, you can pull the strings tighter and compact the size. Unlike the majority of wares around the store, there was not a single piece of fringe, denim, or southwestern embroidery to be found on this bag.

Check out our surprisingly stylish finds from Bebe and American Eagle. 

Looking for some big bag options? We have a bunch in our Really Big Bags Guide.