ByKat Hours Updated
Comments 34 Comments

Coffee Break: Kooba’s Piper Bag

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Kooba Piper bag

We're not sure if it's an official sale or what, but Zappos seems to have a ton of totes on sale for 20% to 30% off.

We're liking this hip take on a briefcase/tote from Kooba, a brand we know and love well — the leather is particularly luscious and soft.

The berry color strikes us as a great neutral color, also, appropriate for both black and navy.

Was $499, now $350 at Zappos.com. Kooba – Piper (Berry)

Sales of note for 7/8/25:

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

34 Comments

  1. For $350, this is not speaking to me. I am sure that Corporette is far too fabulous to lug around big files, but for me, it looks like the pouch would barely fit my lap top, let alone any file materials.

    I do think that the color is great take on neutral. I love using deep reds, bright pinks and emerald greens, which I find go well with brown, black or navy.

  2. Beautiful color, and I like that it’s made to go cross-body – I’m not a fan of big shoulder bags – it’s just not practical to put the weight of a computer and files all one shoulder.

    That said – $350 is a lot of money for a bag to lug around files… and I’m not sure that I wouldn’t get tired of the color fairly soon.

  3. You know… It’s Earth Day. It wouldn’t have killed you to feature a vegan bag (like Matt & Nat ones currently on sale at Gilt that’s made out of recycled plastic bottles). Just sayin’. That leather comes from some seriously polluting cows, you know.

      1. What’s the big deal? People often suggest alternatives to the featured items. I don’t mind seeing some non-leather bags, and while Lawchic’s phrasing could have been a bit less judgmental, I don’t think she did anything wrong. And I liked AIMS’s suggestions. OMG.

    3. It wouldn’t have killed you to be polite about suggesting vegan bags either. Come on ladies, this is supposed to be a place for ideas and support, not for judging others.

    1. Think about it – Does it clash with anything? That’s how I define neutral – and I’m hard pressed to come up with another color it would totally NOT work with … surprising, but it works with black, brown, navy, yellow, green…

      1. I own a berry coloured bag, and it goes with almost every colour I wear (except true red & orange)! Sounds weird, but is true…Black, grey, navy, white, all blue shades, purple, emerald green….the list goes on.

  8. I’m trying to hold off on major purchases for a while, but I was VERY tempted by this. It has enough detail to be interesting, but not nearly as much as the overwrought, excessively-heavy, oversized-for-no-apparent-reason purses that seem to be everywhere these days.

  9. Thread hijack: I’m looking to make a business casual summer suit (yes, oxymoronic, I know), and am considering these pieces from Talbots in chino:

    http://www1.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi24564&rootCategory=APPAREL&_requestid=826704
    and
    http://www1.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi24741&rootCategory=APPAREL&_requestid=828301

    I am in PHX and it’s HOT here in the summer. I’m looking for something that reads like a suit, but is more informal. Thoughts?

    1. I LOVE the jacket. But afraid I have to agree that the pants aren’t doing it. I think the slim leg/high waist/side zip/lack of pockets would make just about anyone look very hip heavy. It doesn’t look all that great on her, and she’s probably a size zero. Not sure if it is the same fabric, but I think the sateen pencil skirt would be much cuter. Actually, pretty cute for a summer skirt on it’s own. Great, now one more thing I want…

      option.http://www1.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi24255&mode=search&backurl=%2Fonline%2Fsearch%2FsearchResults.jsp%3Fquestion%3Dsateen%26trail%3DSRCH%253Asateen–sateen–%26pageNum%3D0%26addFacet%3D%26removeFacet%3D

    2. Big fan of the khaki suit. I have one from Tahari and another I got at Banana Republic a few years ago. I’m not crazy about these Talbots pants, but if they work for your figure I say go for it.

    3. Sateen doesn’t seem like a summer fabric to me. I think I’d prefer linen, or maybe a silk blend.

      Maybe one of these linen jackets:
      http://www1.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi24118&rootCategory=cat70008&catId=cat80008&sortKey=Default&section=Regular&conceptIdUnderSale=cat70008

      http://www1.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi24403&rootCategory=cat70008&catId=cat80008&sortKey=Default&section=Regular&conceptIdUnderSale=cat70008

      http://www1.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?zoomImage=01076020&id=prdi24221&catId=cat80008&rootCategory=cat70008&sortKey=Default&conceptIdUnderSale=cat70008&section=Regular

    4. Or cotton:
      http://www1.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi24242&rootCategory=cat70008&catId=cat80008&sortKey=Default&section=Regular&conceptIdUnderSale=cat70008

      http://www1.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi24239&rootCategory=cat70008&catId=cat80008&sortKey=Default&section=Regular&conceptIdUnderSale=cat70008

      Or a silk blend:

      http://www1.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi24286&rootCategory=cat70008&catId=cat80008&sortKey=Default&section=Regular&conceptIdUnderSale=cat70008

      http://www1.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi24095&rootCategory=cat70008&catId=cat80008&sortKey=Default&section=Regular&conceptIdUnderSale=cat70008

    5. I’d pair a jacket with a lightweight sheath dress, maybe this one:
      http://www1.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi24297&rootCategory=cat70008&catId=cat120063&sortKey=Default&section=Regular&conceptIdUnderSale=cat70008

      Or this:
      http://www1.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi24032&rootCategory=cat70008&catId=cat120063&sortKey=Default&section=Regular&conceptIdUnderSale=cat70008

      Side note for C:
      My comments have been getting eaten – not moderated, just disappearing and not posting when I hit submit. When I try to repost it says “duplicate comment detected.” Not sure what’s up.

      1. very odd — can you remember what you tried to type (like exact words), or on which posts? i wonder if they’re going in the spam filter — haven’t checked that in like a week. email me at kat at corporette dot com. thanks!

        1. It was this exact post, except not broken up. It’s happened to me before although I don’t remember what I was posting. Since there were so many links, it’s entirely possible this one got marked as spam.

      1. I think the pants are cute too. But they do look like most of the pants my (fashionista) mom wears.

      2. I think those pants with a shirt untucked (I’m thinking shell) would be fabulous! Sometimes you can wear high waisted pants without them looking like high waisted pants … and nobody ever sees your thong …

  10. @K – JMHO, but since you asked… (LOL)… Pants look like mom-pants…. waaayyy too high waisted; fugg x3. Like the jacket, but pricey for what it is ($169). Reminds me of Liz Claiborne-type gear. I’d shoot for something more modern — wide-leg cream linen pants, wide belt, cute cropped jacket, and peeptoe heels. But hey, that’s just me, right ;-D

  11. Ooo, I really like the style of this bag! The hardware is classy and interesting, although I prefer silver tones. Lovin’ the cross-body strap especially. My nice leather tote has regular shoulder straps and after carrying anything heavy, I really feel it in one shoulder.

    While I agree with others that the color is quite neutral, I find I tire of anything other than black over the long haul. For less expensive bags like seasonal purses, that’s fine, but a tote like this at this price, I want it to last many, many seasons. Or maybe it’s just that this deep berry/oxblood color was very trendy when I was 13 and I’m having middle school flashbacks.

    There’s nothing like the smell of fine leather. Too bad websites can’t convey that :)

    1. Love the smell of good leather… Glad I’m not the only one!

      Good leather (and other really fine fabrics/textiles/etc.) are a multi-sensory experience… sort of like new car smell! :-)

  12. Maybe it’s just me, but I really don’t care for any kind of bag — and it’s usually totes and briefcases — that have handles to carry the bag by hand, PLUS a detachable shoulder strap. I can’t stand the flimsy-ness of the shoulder strap, and I can’t stand the fact that the hand straps stay there when you’re using the shoulder strap. If I want a bag to put over my shoulder, I want a permanent substantial shoulder strap, and I don’t want any hand straps to get in the way.

    Pet peeve, maybe, but that’s why I’d never buy this bag. (Do love the color, though.)

  13. nice color,

    but I’d rather spend $350 on 5 bags that live only for 3 years than on one that I am gonna get bored of and can hang out for 10 years!

    thanks ..

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