Affordable leather goods for frugal slackers

This is the third seasonthat I've wanted a black leather jacket. I put it off the first year because I thought I couldn't pull off a motorcycle style (faux toughness=could go very wrong); the second year I caved with an inexpensive pleather version (my thriftiness was soon rewarded with disaster: one sleeve melted on a hot NYC radiator), and, now, many moons later, I feel I must have a leather jacket or I may not be able to get dressed this fall.

However, I feel the trend may be waning? And I'll only get to wear this piece for a season and a half before it's replaced by, I don't know,feathers? Yarn? The return of the Barn Jacket?

Never fear: I've found asolution to this rather serious dilemma. There's an eBay store calledMars at Venus that sells what it says are (and what appear to be) qualityleather goods for amazing prices. It hashundreds of biker, blazer, and bomber styles all forunder $200. The company is based out of South Korea, has good eBay ratings and also has ablog (which somehow makes me feel it's legit). I'm dying to wear this shrunken bomber with floraldresses, thick textured tights and heeled ankle boots and feel cool andawesome all the way until fall 2010. Check it out.