Bagsblog5 Blog

The PurseBlog team is growing! We recently hired a new Director of Marketing and Sales, Hilary. You will get to know Hilary more through PurseBlog posts (and follow her on Twitter too!). This week we are changing up Want it Wednesday by having Amanda, Hilary, and myself tell you each of our favorite things of the moment. From a funky floral pair of jeans to black and silver sandals to a great new bag, we are sharing with you our PurseBlog team wants this Wednesday.

Megs | Current/Elliott The Floral Stiletto Jeans | $214 via ShopBop
Floral jeans are a huge trend for spring and this vintage-y Current Elliott pair is calling my name. Yes, they look like an old couch pattern, but that is part of the allure. With a simple top, brown sunnies, and a great pair of shoes, I want to go from wandering the streets to cuddling up on the (matching?) couch in these sure-to-be-comfy jeans.

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Amanda | 3.1 Phillip Lim Domina Sandals | $395 via Net-A-Porter
I got so excited about these sandals that I had to write about them yesterday for TalkShoes, but how quickly this pair has risen to the top of my wish list definitely qualifies them to be my Want It Wednesday obsession as well. My wardrobe is so utterly steeped in black, even in warm weather, that sometimes finding sandals can be a little difficult. I really don’t like to wear brown or tan at all if I can avoid it (Megs and I clearly differ on this point!), and how often do you see a summer sandal without, at the very least, a tan base? Hardly ever. Not only do these Phillip Lims fit perfectly with my personal color palette, but the minimal, slightly futuristic look is an unexpected treat during warm weather, when most people’s personal styles swing toward the exact opposite.

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Hilary | Reed Krakoff Gym Bag | $1,090 via Saks
I’m obsessed with this Reed Krakoff Gym Bag – its the perfect combination of sporty and upscale. I’m not exactly planning on using it for the gym, but it’s the ideal carry-everything bag for the work week or for use as a travel carry on. Also important to note: the cross body strap. Hands-free bags are ideal for texting, Instagramming (is that a verb yet?) or answering all those emails while out and about.

I know you come to us to see the latest and greatest in the designer handbag world, but sometimes there are trends that simply do not work and are so ugly that they are asking to be called out. For this fall and winter season, many designers brought both real and faux fur to their collections. The bad news is, most of the renditions fell short of our fashionable expectations.

I have compiled six of the worst fur bags for fall, because a what the hell were they thinking post is the perfect midweek pick-me-up. Sit back, sip your coffee, avoid other necessities in your life, and laugh at these atrocities.

1. Jimmy Choo Leah Fox Fur Crossbody | $3,650 via Neiman Marcus

This bag looks like a little fox fur baby with an oversized belt cutting the fur ball in half while simultaneously creating a saddle top.

2. Henry Beguelin Fur Flap Crossbody Bag | $1,190 via Neiman Marcus

If you mix an animal hide rug with a crossbody bag, this is what you get.

3. Lanvin Fur Trousse Shoulder Bag | $2,900 via Bergdorf Goodman

This bag may be the most decent of the group, but it still scares me a little.

4. Prada Montone Shearling with Fox Trim | $3,850 via Neiman Marcus

Seriously? Prada infused UGG boots with fur trim for one of the worst offenders on this list.

5. Arnoldo & Battois Ariete Shoulder Bag | $1,760 via LuisaViaRoma

I AM AFRAID OF THIS BAG. It is certainly alive, with really long monster hair.

6. Miu Miu Pelouche faux fur and leather shoulder bag | $1,250 via NAP

Miu Miu tried to be young and fresh, and we might consider wearing this once it our lives, but it still is super tacky.

Looking through street style photos during Fashion Week is always fun and almost always makes me start doing mental budget math to see if I can maybe, possibly justify the purchase of, say, a giant feather-covered coat this month, but rarely do street style photos stop me in my tracks. Yesterday, while flipping through Phil Oh’s shots for Vogue.com, that’s exactly what happened. Holy shoes, you guys. I can’t think of a single piece that more deserves to be the object of our Want It Wednesday affections than the Christian Louboutin Pigalle Pollock.

The Pigalle shape has always been an incredibly sexy closet staple, but the real beauty of Louboutin’s work is the many and varied ways that he finds to artfully embellish every shape in his arsenal, from this slim stiletto to the chunkiest platform. He turns every pair of shoes he makes into a statement, which is why Louboutins are one of the few shoes that I could actually see myself shelling out four figures to own. For this pair, though, I likely wouldn’t have to. Sadly, I haven’t been able to find pricing information for this design in particular, but Pigalles usually run in the high three figures. With the swirly neon paint that recalls the work of Jackson Pollock, for whom the design is named, this pair might be my favorite Pigalles ever. Get more info via ChristianLouboutin.com or shop Christian Louboutin via Net-a-Porter.

Image via Vogue.com

Balenciaga Motorcycle Jacket, $2,865 via Barneys

Wednesday has come and almost gone, but the only thing I have on my mind is how much I want this Balenciaga Motorcycle Jacket. I have always known of its existence and have always had a feeling I would like one myself, but this version of the jacket has my heart going boom boom boom.

And get this, I want the purple one. I don’t know what is making me want a purple leather jacket other than the fact that Balenciaga perfects colors and the hue is just enough to make the jacket totally interesting while remaining wearable. Perfect to pair with skinny jeans, a dress, maxi skirt, or just about anything, a Balenciaga Motorcycle Jacket would become an instant wardrobe staple. And this dear readers is why I want it oh-so-badly. Buy via Barneys for $2865.

PurseBlog may be a site about designer handbags, but more importantly it is about the woman who loves designer handbags. She lives a certain lifestyle, she loves her jewelry, sunglasses, wallet, and clothing. She may style her outfit around her bag, but she is very aware of everything she is wearing. This woman is me. In fact, she is every handbag lover I know.

Recently I’ve been going gaga for jewelry. I blame it partially on Man Repeller and her Arm Party and partially on the fact that I simply love accessories. DANNIJO is a jewelry line designed by two very chic sisters that I adore for their funky, contemporary aesthetic, an aesthetic that is entirely me.

My mom recently bought a version of the DANNIJO Harper Bib Necklace and she gets compliments on it every time she wears it. I helped her pick it out, so now I feel slightly jealous over her owning it and not me. But I could change all of that by ordering this beautiful red and pink version. And to add the perfect finish, I’d pair it with the DANNIJO Benson Cuff in a malleable silver-plated finish. Necklace is $385, cuff is $282 via ShopBop.

Whenever I see an intense cobalt blue bag, I am in love. If someone asked my favorite color, I would explain to them that a very vibrant and bold electric blue always gets me. That is why tracking down the perfect Celine Mini Luggage Tote was one of my biggest accomplishments in the handbag world to date.

When I opened up Net-A-Porter.com today, I got that same feeling of joy upon seeing another pretty blue bag. But this is not a Celine bag, it is an Alexander McQueen bag. To further my love, the Alexander McQueen Cites Chanter Hobo Bag is designed with supple matte python skin which is my favorite way to see the skin used. DROOL.

Unlike many Alexander McQueen bags, this hobo is rather subdued in its design, offering a very classic over the shoulder shape. The inside looks spacious enough for everyday use and the shoulder strap has a 9″ drop. Honestly, if the price were lower, I would have to keep my fingers from magically typing in my delivery information. Buy via Net-A-Porter for $4,645.

While all of us on the PurseBlog team love handbags, we also find ourselves constantly coveting a plethora of other items. We discuss a wide range of topics at the PurseBlog offices, from real estate to fur coats, and this week I can not stop staring at these three products in particular.

Beautiful skin, the perfect body-hugging dress, and a funky notebook are the items I find myself drawn to. From the highly decadent La Prairie Advanced Marine Biology Set to an ivory Alice + Olivia Victoria Peplum Dress to a quirky Lanvin notebook, these are three things I want this Wednesday.

1. La Prairie Advanced Marine Biology Set | $135 via Neiman Marcus
Our new Director of Sales and Marketing, Hilary, can not stop talking about her obsession with this brand and the Marine Biology collection. She says the foaming mousse cleanser feels like cashmere on your skin and using this line has kept her skin from looking like the winter blues took over.

2. Alice + Olivia Victoria Peplum Dress | $264 via ShopBop
I love a good peplum and am entirely thrilled to see more designers using peplums in their collections, not to mention that Alice + Olivia has a way to be completely on-trend without breaking the bank. Instead of opting for black, I think the ivory will showcase the design elements much more.

3. Lanvin Printed notebook | $55 via Net-A-Porter
I carried an Hermes notebook around fashion week in my bag at all times. Sure, Hermes is divine, but for a simple notebook to jot down important notes I like the idea of a something a little spunky. The Lanvin notebook features fun drawings by Alber Elbaz that really spice up a simple pad of paper.

A bag standoff between two Celine giants. In the blue corner, the Celine Cobalt Blue Mini Luggage. Entering the red corner, the luscious Celine Triptyque.

So different, yet both equally lovable. Which one captures your heart?

The Cobalt Blue Mini Luggage is available via Barneys NYC for around $1,750. The Triptyque runs $2,300 via Kirna Zabete SoHo at (212) 941-9656, ask for Everest.

You wouldn’t think the words Chanel and Sport would go together. Leave it to Chanel to make traditional sporty items incredibly chic by adding their luxury touches. While there are countless items in their sports category, it seems that none of these are currently available. I even searched on eBay and had no luck tracking down the amazing yet silly Chanel rugby football.

Why do I want these items, you ask? Well, because I am one of those people that buys into hilarious over-priced gimmicks and wants to place them around my house and office. I’d much rather use a set of Chanel hand weights as paperweights than the usual offerings. Yesterday, I found myself desperately seeking the Chanel football and hand-weights, but since they are from 2007, they are nowhere to be found. All that means is that this Wednesday I am truly wanting these items and I also can’t have them. That is the worst combination ever. If Chanel is listening, all I ask is that you create more items that I don’t need but I seriously want.

Shop the 797 Handbag collection at ToryBurch.com

Today is the last day of August. I realize we all share the same calendar but I needed to say that out loud to remind myself that summer is over and fashion week is a week away. INSERT PANIC HERE. Kidding, kind of. Fashion Week is one of the best times to be in this industry, because not only do I get to attend the shows I love most, but also I get to dress up to attend them as well. Of course I take my job seriously, but I never forget how much fun it is at times, and fashion week is one of those times.

One of the shows I look forward to seeing is the Tory Burch Spring ’12 show. I have Tory Burch items floating in my closet to choose from and the bag I desperately want to finish my look with is the Tory Burch 797 Suede Messenger Bag.

Tory Burch 797 Messenger Bag, $525 via Tory Burch

This week I can not take my eyes off the Tory Burch 797 Collection. On September 8th, the Tory Burch Manhattan flagship at 797 Madison Ave opens, and this collection was designed in honor of the opening. From a clutch, to a messenger, to a satchel, the collection was inspired by a vintage military bag Tory found on a trip to Europe.

While I would take any of the editions of this bag, I truly want the Tory Burch 797 Suede Messenger Bag in Navy Blue. I love the combination of suede and leather as it works seamlessly with the different lines of the design. The bag possesses a feel of downtown cool meets everyday chic. Prices for the line are $425 for the clutch, $525 for the messenger, and $625 for the satchel – all through ToryBurch online.