Oh my goodness folks, this is a Lauren Merkin clutch. Who would have thought? I’ve become so used to the classic design of Lauren Merkin clutches that I actually did a double take when I came across the Lauren Merkin Snake Fringe Clutch. After I got passed my state of surprise, I found myself liking this clutch.

An exclusive to Shopbop, this metallic snake-embossed leather clutch has tiered fringe throughout the entire bag. The way that the tiered fringe is executed could easily make or break the bag. Since, the fringe is delicate, it totally works. This is a perfect clutch for so many of your different outfits. Pair it with a skirt, dress or jeans and it can work. The bag isn’t too over the top nor is it boring. Thank you Lauren Merkin, thank you for stepping out of your comfort zone. Buy through Shopbop for $225.

I can’t help it. I’m in love with the color of the Lauren Merkin Lucy Glossy Croc Clutch. It’s just teal enough to be eye-catching without being bright and obnoxious. It would go with a variety of neutrals and brights and either stand on its own or blend in a bit. I’ll even forgive the fake stamped croc.

I’m really not much for non-exotic exotics, but in tiny clutch form, their sins are less apparent. The bigger the bag, the more likely it is to look plastic-y and cheap, but when you shrink it down to miniature size, the effect is similarly lessened. Which bodes well for this particular bag – Merkin often makes two sizes of her signature clutch shapes, and this is the smaller size of this particular design.

The more I contemplate this color, the better it gets. It’s dark enough to wear with dark winter neutrals and not too dark to wear with the lighter colors of summer. I can see this with both charcoal grey and bright white, and few colors are really versatile enough to do double duty, no matter how much we try to convince ourselves that they are. This, however, is the real deal. Buy through Luna Boston for $250.

I started out liking the Lauren Merkin Bailey Saddle Bag, but it has somehow managed to take me prisoner with it’s overwhelming blah-ness. Ms. Merkin makes a lot of great, functional bags, but I think this one is a miss.

The color is just so depressing. In Craig Ferguson’s stand-up act, he says that in his homeland of Scotland, “damp” is considered a legitimate color. I never understood exactly what he was getting at until I saw this bag. It’s the color of damp. It’s in Sadville, which resides somewhere between grey and beige.

And the huge suede inset isn’t helping – it just makes it look more depressing and kind of dirty. I started off the day liking this bag, I really did. I don’t know what happened. But somewhere, things went off the rails and looking at it now makes me want to close the blinds and take a nap. Buy through ShopBop for $395.

I know that has nothing to do with the bag itself, but it makes it harder to analyze. Ok, the Lauren Merkin Ostrich Paige Duffel Bag is certainly a fashionable option for a duffel bag. I am a huge fan of the grey ostrich-embossed leather and sturdy looking double rolled handles. When it comes to a duffel bag there is a pretty good chance you are going to put tons of stuff in it, so you better have sturdy handles to grab onto. Contrast banding at the pockets and bottom of the bag adds slightly subtle yet noteworthy detailing. I could definitely see myself using this as a carry on bag. Buy through Shopbop for $575.

In fact, if you are in the NYC area you are really the lucky one. Head over to the Lauren Merkin Showroom: 231 West 29th St Suite 201 (between 7th & 8th ave) Tuesday, August 11 – Friday, August 14th between 11 am – 7 pm or on Saturday, August 15th between 11 am and 4 pm to see which great bags you can snag. Know this much… not only will you get a great bag, but it will be yours at 40-70% off! Talk about fabulous! And while I wish I was there to see what I could call mine, if you have a chance to attend, make sure to come back and share with the rest what you picked up with the rest of us.

Lauren Merkin did a nice job with this clean black and white clutch. The Lauren Merkin Silk Satin Blake Clutch is the kind of handbag that demonstrates how the less is more idea can be executed nicely. Smooth black and white satin come together in an elegant yet fun way. This is an unbelievably amazing option when you are going for that sleek look. Buy through Luna Boston for $275.

And despite the use of the superlative, I stand behind that initial reaction. The clutch really is beautiful; the texture of the leather combined with the dark gunmetal color sort of reminds me of asphalt shining in the sun after a hard rain (and I mean that in the absolute best way possible). It’s not overly bling-y or glam, but it has a subtle elegance to it while maintaining a bitch of the edge, probably because of the shade of silver used. Pewter or gunmetal are my favorite color to wear in a clutch since they’re seasonless and go with virtually everything, and this unique texture and low price point just can’t be beat. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $195.

Remember when you were younger and you would leave birthday parties with party favors? Well, Lauren Merkin is celebrating 7 years as a handbag designer and she wants to share some party favors with you! Head over to Lauren Merkin now and sign up for her newsletter. On July 31st, 7 lucky winners will win a bag of their choice!

I think it’s the ostrich that takes the cream color to another level. By itself, a cream clutch might be a bit… ordinary. But the ostrich, it makes it so versatile. At once, I can imagine it with a Rihanna-esque rocker ensemble (and I do think this would look amazing), a 50’s wasp-waisted dress with a tiny hat, and of course, with the timeless LBD. This clutch is really all about the texture: the soft bumps of the ostrich skin mesh seamlessly with the pleats and the rounded shape. And that, I believe, is what can take this clutch right from rocker to the Ritz. Buy through Shopbop for $250.

The fact that I love the trend so much makes me all the more disappointed in the Lauren Merkin Silk Feathers Lotte Clutch. This bag COULD have been so cool, but it misses the mark, mainly because of the colors chosen for the feather pattern. Peacock feathers are full of teals, bright blues, rich greens, and deep golds and browns and have some of the most beautiful color combinations that I can think of. Why, then, did they choose olive green and aqua as the principle colors on this bag? Not only do they not go together, but they’re not the nearly the first colors that come to mind when someone mentions peacocks. Overall, this clutch seems like an opportunity wasted. Buy through ShopBop for $200.