Aesthetics, the appreciation of beauty, is a complex subject. But one aspect of it is order vs randomness. Our minds see no pattern in chaos, and do not find it appealing. We prefer patterns, but may find artificial patterns, like a perfect circle or parallel lines, rather sterile. What the mind tends to like is patterns in nature, or patterns that are within a more complex whole.
Examples of patterns in nature would be woodgrain, or patterns in stone or marble. Seashells, flowers, crystals, honeycomb or sand dunes are other examples of pleasing patterns in nature.
Designer accessories play on the appeal of natural patterns. This is why leather or other animal skins are popular. Even synthetic products may imitate the patterns of crocodile skin, snakeskin or leopard spots. These patterns are semi-complex and ordered. Neither so simple as to be sterile, or so complex as to not show any pattern.
Bags with pockets, openings, zippers and other lines will have a certain neat sense of order. The square shape of pockets can form a neat geometric pattern within the shape of the bag. This works with more complex shapes as well. When this type of geometric order is combined with the natural semi-random patterns of animal skin the effect can be quite appealing. We have an ordered pattern in a complex whole.
Some items are difficult to shop for online. Clothing and shoes need to be the right size or they are of no use, and this is difficult to judge online. Other items are prohibitively heavy to post. But when it comes to bags online shopping is ideal. Websites give a fairly accurate representation of how a bag looks, and postage for moderate sized bags is quite reasonable.
Some people like the social experience of shopping. And the experience of trying different clothes, bags and accessories. There is a lot to be said for this, to try the various options before buying. Though there is some limit in what is available in the store at that particular time.
Larger items that would be too heavy and bulky to post are better purchased through retail outlets.
