Got it, I'll see if I can help out a bit.
In terms of something being "good" or not its always a little bit hard to just have a blanket statement like that. The reason is that some steels are good with one thing, and less so with another. That said, here's a pretty basic rundown.
Disclaimer: I'm no "expert" but this is kind of how I see things. Anyone else feel free to fix any mistakes I make as I go along, because I acknowledge that I'm still learning here.
Carbon Steel:
1095: This is probably one of the most common knife steels out there. ESEE, Becker and other extremely well respected knives out there are made out of this steel (or slight variations of it). Its pretty cheap, but also a very solid performer (which is why it is so common). I would say that this is the "benchmark" for most carbon steels. It rusts if left unmaintained in bad conditions, but its not too bad (I've had my Becker BK2 stripped for almost a year, and have yet to see it rust).
There are other 10xx steels out there that see pretty frequent use (1085 and 1075 most notably). These ones have less carbon, which means less wear resistance, but higher toughness. You'll see these on lots of machetes and other things that need more toughness but less edge retention.
D2: Almost stainless (semi stainless). Very good edge retention, but not super tough.
A2 and o1: Other than they're both tool steels, I don't know much about them. Should be tough.
L6: Saw blade steel initially, its known for being very tough, but also rusting very easily. Its supposed to hold a great edge (I don't own anything in this, so I can't confirm). Only production maker I know that uses this off the top of my head is Svord, which can be a little hard to find here in the states (other than the peasant folder).
5160: This is probably one of the other most commonly used carbon steels out there other than the 10xx series. Usually you'll find it in larger blades for some reason.
51200: Originally a ball bearing steel. Its kinda like 5160, but with better wear resistance, and less toughness.
CPM 3v: Probably one of the toughest steels out there. Its actually fairly stainless for a carbon steel, and it has great edge retention as well. You'll pay for this one.
Infi: Only used in Busse Knifes, and its super pricey. There is some nitrogen in this steel, and its also very stainless for a carbon steel. Its very tough, and has great edge retention. You'll REALLY pay for this one.
The short story is this. It seems like most carbon steels are pretty decent, and I feel like its a lot less likely to get a junk carbon steel than it is to get a surprise junk stainless (surgical stainless anyone???).
The aesthetics are a bit harder. You're right, there is a potential separation between looks and performance. However, everything thats been recommended so far has been good quality stuff. No one around here is in the habbit of recommending junk. As long as you stick to a brand that is pretty well known, you'll likely be fine.
If it were me, and had your budget and taste in looks, I would likely go with a Kabar MK1 leather handle, or the Condor Bushlore. Both fit the bill and are affordable. If you want to be a bit more adventurous, a Becker BK15/16/17 with some custom wood handle scales, with the black coating stripped, and a leather sheath would do nicely. You could also go with a custom. There are people out there that should be able to make something work in your price range.
This isn't mine, but look what you can do with a BK17...
Just thought I'd get your imagination going
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At $120, it sure is appealing. Would much rather it had a wooden handle, despite the fact that the high-tech stuff is way better for everything, no doubt. 
