Bought this in black.  The quality of leather is fine (no odd smell either) and the strap is very sturdy.  The strap does look a tiny bit little less feminine than a regular purse with black webbing on one side and leather with a raised bump on the other (due to the reinforcement so it cannot fail or be cut). Also, the removable insert to hold your gun is a bit bulky and heavy but pretty stable.  If you are not carrying a gun you can take that part out and the purse is super comfortable to carry.  Nobody looks twice at the purse as it looks very normal for daily use and should last years with little or no care. Only BIG complaint is that it cannot be locked and when I MUST be separated from the purse I'd appreciate the option of the extra level of safety. // Update 1/2014 Carried this every day for the last year loaded with more weight than a normal person would want to carry and still looks as good as new. I carry my phone in the outside (zip-able) pocket too.