Warning: Ramble, but I need some help and I offer a reward, so read on if you’ve time to waste.
I work at a businessy-type office. It’s semi-conservative but not real dressy, so I can wear button-down shirts most days, ties only occasionally, and a jacket like twice in 2 years. Accordingly, I don’t need a hard-shell briefcase but carry a leather shoulder bag / laptop bag to and from the office, to hold all my papers, phone, laptop, death sticks, books, etc. And every couple of years this bag gets scuffed and mangled enough to replace, but this time I’m ready to upgrade, to replace it with something rather nicer. The one I’m using now is well sized and has served me well (in fact I nicked it from a departing executive, so it was also affordable). But like 95% of these laptop bags, it’s black (probably it’s vinyl or something leatheresque too, not really leather). And this time I want a brown bag, something a little more rugged looking, a little more “WWII Alpine courier guy”, a little different from every other black laptop bag out there. So I’ve been keeping my eye open for a new non-black bag for quite some time.
So, I got this catalog in the mail, probably in November, when holiday catalogs were coming fast and furious. It was your standard 48-page or so catalog, not Macy’s or any major retail/catalog chain, but something targeted more at a niche - I’m thinking a woodsy, manly, I chop wood in the snow kind of image. All I can really remember is that there were 6-10 bags in this single catalog that were near-perfect matches with what I was looking for. The prices were steep though ($250-$500), and not having that kind of cabbage to drop so close to the holidays, I sighed over the pretty pictures in the catalog and let my dreams fade away. As you do.
Anyway, long story medium, I threw the catalog away like a freaking moron. Now, barely a month or two later, when I have a little more cash for spending, and am still sorely in need of a new bag, I have no idea what this catalog, which contained multiple bags I would have been satisfied with, was called or how to find it again! Unfortunately I can’t really recall any of the other merchandise that was for sale in the catalog, which would probably be a big help. Boots? Uh, probably. Coats? Uh, I guess. Hold’ Em Poker set? Could be, but those are everywhere this year.
Anyone have any ideas as to what it might have been? I’ve already consulted all my resident shopping experts (mom/sisters/ex-girlfriend), who suggested:
Eddie Bauer
Land’s End
L.L. Bean
Timberland
but I’m fairly sure it’s none of these (I had already thought of and checked out all but Timberland before asking). As merchandise offered online is often different from (or severely limited in scope compared to) catalog offerings, there’s an outside chance one of them could be it, but it would have been probably a special edition or special imprint of any of those catalogs. This LL Bean bag is most reminiscent of the kind of bag I’m talking about, but A) it’s the only one on their website and B) it’s about half the price of all the bags I remember from my mystery catalog.
Last bit: I started getting Neiman Marcus catalogs and mailings this year, and that being a rather high-end store jibes with the pretty expensive bags I remember. I’m thinking it may be something that goes to all Neiman Marcus customers, or those with testicles anway. Any Neiman’s customers that can shed some light?
Reward!: (It never hurts to incentivise!) The first poster who successfully solves my mystery will have their next year’s subscription to the SDMB paid for by me, or a gift of approximately equal value if they so wish.
Thanks guys!
