I haven’t heard all that much of her work, but I do know that she’s a solo female artist doing her own thing, which is incredibly difficult in the male-dominated music industry where female solo artists are expected to look, act and sound a certain way in order to be viable artists. And not only does Santigold march to the beat of her own drummer stylistically, so does Matt & Nat.

As many of you probably already know, Matt & Nat’s handbags are made entirely of environmentally friendly materials that contain absolutely no animal products. This particular bag is made of distressed PVC with an interior of recycled pink faux suede. The subtle zipper details are on-trend and hip, and it also comes with an extended gold chain handle that I’d use instead of the one pictured. Buy through ShopBop for $185.

And there’s an unending amount of handbag knowledge to be gained about the bags that the characters on Gossip Girl carry, so we thought we might drop a little on you today. It’s our job, after all.

In this week’s episode, we spotted Hilary Duff’s Olivia character carrying a bag by one of our favorites: the Rebecca Minkoff Fringe Darling Hobo. This bag is the slightly more complicated version of the lovely Rebecca Minkoff Darling Hobo, another bag that we absolutely love.

Any bag that’s carried on this show looks totally glam by association, and they do a great job of picking their wardrobe overall. But this bag is the real deal, we think. Buy through Luna Boston for $495.

Clearly this is the kind of bag that is truly unique. I can’t remember the last time I saw a bag like this, can you? The embossed metallic gunmetal leather is actually the perfect pick for such a small bag. You can pull off the embossed croc and metallic look without seeming too over the top when you are dealing with a small bag (dimensions: 6″w x 6″h x 5″d). I think it is fair to say that this bag would be best used as an evening bag or a statement piece. There is no way that you can stuff everything you might need into it, so you have to be very selective as to what you would like to bring with you. Yet, there is something celeb worthy about this bag. I can think of quite a few celebs who would without a doubt carry this along with them. It’s definitely a fun, cute bag for a special occasion. My challenge would be trying to pull it off. Could you? Buy through Luna Boston for $275.

From what I’ve seen, Judith Leiber clutches will usually do between two and six thousand dollars worth of damage. That’s a lot of scratch for a little sparkly clutch, but they’re extremely precise and often quite unique, so a lot of women love them. But what if you don’t have the type of money to spend on an evening bag you probably won’t use often, but you still want a little bit of glitter in your life? Then you buy the Anya Hindmarch Marano Glitter Clutch.

Sure, it’s not Swarovski-covered, but that comes at a price that not everyone is interested in paying. Instead, this little bag is covered in multicolor glitter that reminds me of the holiday cards we used to make out of construction paper, glue, and sequins during this time of year in elementary school. My only bit of trepidation is that I sincerely hope that this clutch is glazed. Glitter is like the herpes of the accessory world – once it gets on your skin, you’re never going to get rid of it.

But as long as the sparkle stays in place, I think this is a colorful, fun alternative to a more serious holiday clutch. And although I was a bit dubious of the multicolor glitter at first, the more I think about it, the more it seems like a good idea. Not only is it a lot younger-looking than it would be if the materials were simply silver or gold, but it could probably be coordinated with just as many things. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $425.

For example, I’m not an overwhelming fan of the Marc by Marc Jacobs Pretty Nappa Lil Lissy Shoulder Bag, but I have a feeling that this sad tan of a neutral isn’t the only shade that it’s going to come in, and that sort of frees me up to think about the bag as a shape only. Which is great, because that color? Blech.

It just looks so soft. And when a bag is soft, functional, and assumingly comes in a color that is not the one that we see here, what else is there to worry about? The knotted handles slightly increase the casual, weekend feel of this little shoulder bag, but the overall design is simple enough that it could easily also be worn in a business-casual atmosphere, particularly in a somewhat staid color option like black. Buy through Saks for $378.

This bag has probably been more highly anticipated than any other in the young brand’s handbag history, and with good reason – it neatly refines L.A.M.B.’s sometimes erratic point of view into something that is totally wearable while still being edgy and different from the average black hobo.

My main criticism is that I’m not a huge fan of the quilted logo that covers the black leather, but since it’s tonal and fairly intricate, it’s not easily identifiable as a logo unless you look up close. I wish that they had incorporated texture through another type of quilting, but if it’s a logo, so be it.

My favorite part, though, as with this bag’s little cousin, is the acid green trim that stands out so brilliantly against the matte black leather. I don’t have a single thing that color in my wardrobe, but it reminds me of the shiny, neon trim on the sneakers I wore as a child in the 80s and early 90s, and a fashionable wink towards childhood never hurt anyone, now did it? Buy through ShopBop for $495.

The Kate Spade Tumbled Cowhide Stevie Tote boasts some of the things I look for in a great handbag: a classic shape, a classic design and a classic color. Looking at the bag from the front on, the bag might look a little blah. However, look a bit more and you will see that this is the kind of bag that is full of grace and elegance. The tumbled cowhide is downright touchable. While I am not always a huge fan of drawstrings on handbags, the drawstring accents along the sides of this bag add the right amount of flare to the otherwise streamlined bag. Finally, the color, it is perfect for so many outfits and so many times of the year that this bag will definitely get quite a bit of use. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $395.

It is always great coming home. Living out in California is fabulous, but it is so refreshing to be back in Florida with the rest of the family for a couple weeks. This morning Megs came over to the house and she carried a gorgeous studded bag. Recently I’ve become a little bored with studs, but seeing a fabulously executed studded bag made me want to find others out there.

So as I embarked on my studded mission, I was really happy to come across the Treesje London Clutch. The soft brown leather and goldtone hardware studding contrast so well against one another. Of course, in the midst of the Fall season, I love this clutch even more. The dark hue of the leather is rich and clutch-worthy. Add the studded front flap and you’ve got just enough shine to have your bag stand out. Buy through Bluefly for $165.99.

We’ve covered Rebecca Minkoff clutches more than a few times, but the latest incarnation of the signature clutch, this Rebecca Minkoff Croc Clutch, has completely blown my socks off- if that’s not a legitimate expression, than it should be. That’s all not to mention that I heard about this clutch in an entirely new way. How, you ask? My mother called me to rhapsodize about it.

And it’s reasonable to understand why. Anyone looking for a classic black evening clutch but frustrated with the obsession over tiny, tiny, impossible-to-fit-anything-in-this-thing clutches can look at this classic prize and breathe a sigh of relief. The croc embossing transforms the oversized clutch from late night bright, as we’ve seen it before, to benefit party ready. And if your little fingers get tired, it of course comes with a sophisticated chain strap to hook on at a moment’s notice.

The texture gives it a bit more of an exotic, worldly feel, and that, combined with the unique hardware, rounds it out as an overall winner in the clutch/shoulder bag category. Let’s not forget the price, which is just peachy for such a sophisticated and versatile clutch. Buy through Shopbop for $340.

Now, through November 18th, buy any Linea Pelle Dylan bag and receive a whopping 25% off simply by entering promo code: PURSEBLOG25 at check out.