Furla

We haven’t covered a Furla bag in a little while. To be honest, sometimes I forget about Furla, but I really shouldn’t. These bags are functional, fashionable and versatile. Oh, and they usually come at a pretty good price point too. As I came across the Furla Carrie Tote today, I had to stop and pay attention. For starters, of course I will acknowledge that this is a pretty simple and classic tote. Yet, the subtle attention to details has captured my interest.

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Sigh. Furla, why, oh why did you add that extra strap to this otherwise lovely bag? Honestly, there is no reason to attempt to make this bag a shoulder bag. It would look oh so much better as the nice shopper it was meant to be. The Furla Elisabeth Medium Shopper is one of those bags that was so close to hitting it out of the park until someone went and added a strap that really has no business being there.

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I’m not a big suede fan. It looks kind of dated and at times kind of cheap, and because of the texture, it gets dirty oh-so-quickly. I’ve never seriously considered buying a suede bag, and I doubt that I will any time soon. It’s not part of my personal style.

But someone’s got to be buying them, because people keep making them. And if you’re in the market for suede, the Furla Elisabeth Camoscio/Croco Hobo might just be a great bet.

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So, how do we all feel about navy blue bags? The trend has been ongoing for a while now, and we’ve all had time to get used to the idea. Have any of you guys bought them? Do you get as much use out of them as you would a black or grey bag? Would you buy them again?

I haven’t bought one because I fear that it would clash with my wardrobe, which is largely comprised of blacks, dark greys, and brights. I don’t think navy would work with the amount of black that I normally wear, and you have to be kind of careful about mixing brights with other colors. So I’m not sure that navy is for me, but if it was, I’d be lusting after the Furla Adriana Slouchy Hobo. As far as bags that I would buy, it’s prototypical: hobo shape, decent elbow clearance for swinging it onto my arm, slouchy-and-thick leather. If it was a different color and had an outside pocket for my Blackberry, you could sign me up for one of these today. Buy through Saks for $495.

When it comes to shoulder bags, I find myself taking extra time to figure out if they are worth it or not. Here is the major problem I have, some bags that are labeled as shoulder bags actually do NOT fit comfortably on your shoulder. This is a definite handbag pet peeve of mine! Anybody else out there with me on this point? Although I have doubts that this bag would fit nicely on your shoulder, I am brushing that aside and focusing on the good.

The Furla Lara Shoulder Bag is a gorgeous and affordable handbag. As I first began to take a look at the bag, I noticed a very apparent balance of sophistication and fun. Some bags are very sophisticated; others seem like they could be the life of the party; this bag combines the two aspects perfectly. Grape colored leather has croc printed leather trim and polished silvertone hardware. I simply love the overall look and feel of this Furla bag. And you know me, I am a sucker for bags that I feel can be used during several seasons. So, despite the fact that I am not sure how this would feel on my shoulder, I think I can look beyond that, carry the bag in my hand and be a perfectly happy handbag lover. Buy through Bluefly for $248.40.

As regular readers know, my opinion has started to soften a bit toward fringe. Maybe it’s just because the initial shock of the trend has worn off and now I’m used to the idea, or maybe it’s just my brain moving on to find other things to rage about, but I’ve seen more and more fringe bags that I like lately. Most of them have a few things in common: almost all of them are black with silver hardware, and the fringe is usually short and a bit more subdued.

Which is probably why I like the Furla Halley Fringe Bag so much – it fits those two criteria perfectly. It’s full of fringe, but it’s short and in neat, organized rows which helps to temper a bit of the madness that fringe can create. The rest of the bag is subdued and sophisticated, with understated hardware and a cute twisted handle, which I think provides the perfect counterpoint. I would, of course, remove the extra strap. Because this is me we’re talking about here. Buy through Bluefly for $468.

There’s just something I love about a good berry shade. I know that they reached their height in popularity last season and yellow and blue have taken over for summer, but I just can’t help it. They’re my favorite thing to use for a bright-as-neutral look and they go really well with my skin tone and eye and hair color. Because of their blue undertones, they work well on a variety of people (much more so than, say, yellow).

The Furla Elisabeth Hobo is a great example of the beauty of berry. The ostrich-embossed leather gives the oversized hobo (it’s really a tobo – it has two straps) all the visual interest it needs and allows the stunning color to take center stage. I think Furla is an under-appreciated brand in general for what beautiful, soft leather they normally use, and this slouchy bag is no different. It’s a great shape, a great color, and the type of bag that can be worn with a multitude of other colors and with almost any outfit to provide a bit of a pop. Until you’ve owned a bag in a similar shade, you don’t realize how versatile it can be or how many compliments you’ll get. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $495.

Furla has done it again – a handbag I adore. I’ll be honest with you, I was just turned onto Furla handbags last year. And actually, I was having a conversation with Vlad about how impressed I was with this brand when he told me how the brand has been uber popular in Europe for years and years. Sure, like any brand, some bags are hits and others are misses, but I definitely think this bag is a hit. The Furla Rock Snake Embossed Matilde Shopper is a great shape, has a fabulous design and is downright wearable. Glossy snake embossed leather with silvertone hardware come together for a great rocker-chick look. A hint of pleating detail at the front and rear of the bag helps gather some of the material and add a bit of dimension to the bag. When it comes to large bags, I hate when it looks like the material just hangs but loves when the material seems to have dimension and depth. I love how I can see myself carrying this bag with several outfits and to several different events. Another plus – the price. Buy through Bluefly for $309.

Just yesterday I was talking about how I would like to see some larger handbags that have a little more color to them. The See by Chloe Flap Jack Tote was a good example of a splash of color. Then today I came across the every so bright and bold Furla Fenice Hobo. Personally, when it comes to the color red I don’t think I can pull off large bags in that color. However, this bag made me think twice. Once again, Furla does a great job of using soft and touchable leather – always a plus. The silvertone hardware is great. If I could add anything, I might add a bit more hardware; I think it would help break up all the red just a little. I love the pleated and buckle detail along the sides and a top zip closure holds the countless items you might store in this bag. The one other thing I am not completely fond of is shoulder strap with a 7″ drop. For such a large bag, I feel like it might be awkward to carry on your shoulder. But hey, that is just me. Buy through Bluefly for $279.

I’d like to see the Furla Ninfea-Grande Chain Shopper in person before I make any definitive pronouncements, but I think it might be my favorite spring and summer bag that I’ve seen so far this year. I mean, look at it. It’s so sailor-y. And boat-y. And I feel like I should wear something blue and white and possibly a large straw hat with it. Something with stripes…anyway, yeah, great bag. It’s white, but not TOO white, which can make leather look fake. It’s also got an oversized chain detail, but it’s obscured enough to be interesting and different. The chain is also tonal to the handbag, giving it a leg up over the scads of bags with giant metallic chains. But I have one point of contention, as always – the extra strap. No one needs that strap. The regular straps are plenty long for easy shoulder carrying. And this one does not appear to come off. What a pity. Other than that, we have a winner on our hands here. Now if I only had a boat… Buy through Nordstrom for $595.