Boston - February 10, 2005

To the Gills

Mark Gills Handbags

The slouchy bag? It’s the Courtney Love of your wardrobe: crumpled, disheveled, and just about incapable of standing up straight.

Which is fine every now and then. But, unlike your typical law-flouting, raspy-voiced rock star, you crave a little structure.

What you need is something along the lines of Mark Gill’s crisp, well-behaved handbags. Each is made of sturdy Italian leather, treated with rubber-coated linen for extra weatherproofing, and lined with luxurious jacquard silk. Choose from three different posture-perfect models: the petite Olivia, the midsize Owen, or our favorite — the large GK (as in Grace Kelly), which is classically demure with a modern silhouette. Oh, and each stands upright on its own four (leather-studded) feet just fine.

Because slouching has its moments.

But sometimes it’s better to be an upstanding citizen.

Mark Gill handbags, Koo de Kir, 65 Chestnut Street, at Charles Street, Beacon Hill (617-723-8111 or koodekir.com).