IN THE MILITARY (FASHION) NOW

This fall's collections are awash in enough epaulettes and gold buttons to make General Patton swoon (aside from being a bit of a maniac, he was a man with high sartorial standards, once designing a tank uniform replete with gold helmet). The military look is everywhere, and anything so classically American as a uniform and a bit of Army green Ralph Lauren won't neglect for long. Sure enough, here's a Lauren bag, the Gloucestershire Cotton Tote, that fits the ticket.

It's a bit of a British shooting bag, but really, it reminds me of nothing so much as a military issue helmet bag (or brain bag, as it's more cheerily known in the field). Not being one to miss an opportunity to acquire anything remotely like a purse, I'd already made off with my father's Vietnam-era helmet bag. Tied up with a leopard scarf, and able to hold enormous amounts of stuff like laptops, magazines, day planners (even entire helmets), it makes a great fall accessory. The "trim" around the top conceals a set of front pockets as deep as the bag. Judge for yourself:

The Polo bag comes with a fancy name plate inside. 

Well, me too!

A resourceful use of supplies - I think the General would approve (but I'm not so sure about my father).

Images, polo.com and Patton portrait, flickriver.com/photos/mbell1975.