Marc by Marc Jacobs

It looks like I’ve been finding a lot of clutches lately. I guess that is no surprise, my eye seems to always be drawn to them. Yet, the Marc by Marc Jacobs Magazine Leather Clutch has a different look and feel than many of the other clutches I’ve written about lately. The oversized fold-over clutch offers a hip, young, and unique spin on a clutch. Pastels typically remind me of spring and Easter eggs, but this pastel orange is one that even I could see myself carrying (I typical steer away from pastel handbags). The clutch has a zip top compartment with contrast print lining - always a plus - as well as smaller internal pockets. Does the leather look as soft to you as it does to me? I also love the slouchy feel of this handbag. Although the light color makes me wonder how quickly I could get it dirty, it might be worth giving a try. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $350.

Ok, I know I just wrote about a Marc Jacobs handbag yesterday, but when I saw this one, I had to write about it too. You all know that I am a huge fan of the color blue, but this baby blue Marc by Marc Jacobs Pretty Nylon Little Hobo is just too baby blue for me. And actually, it is quite simple, I just don’t like the bag at all. First of all, it looks way too immature to me. I swear I had a bag that looked like this when I was back in grade school. At first glance I just noticed the color which I think is just too light to be carrying around during the fall and winter months, no matter where you live. But then, the oversized letters embroidered on the slouchy hobo simply turned me off. This nylon bag is a definite no-no to me. With Marc Jacobs hitting so many home-runs over time, I am almost surprised this bag made it to the public. The only thing I like about the handbag is the price (which I don’t even think I would drop for it). But, buy through Saks for $158.

I was unsure of this iteration of the Marc by Marc Jacobs Dr. Q Groovee bag at first, but I’ve made a decision. I like the original version, and I really liked the new one, particularly in purple. And my verdict on the Marc by Marc Jacobs Metal Check Groovee Bag is thus: cute! I originally saw the grey, which came out a little while ago, and wasn’t sure…the grey looked more like a brown next to the metallic, and brown ain’t for me. I spotted the black and silver version on ShopBop today, and that made my decision much easier. It’s fun, kicky, and with just enough metallic to be young and different. Not many designers mix both matte and shiny leathers, and the woven pattern makes me think Bottega for Hipsters. It’s not exactly an office bag, but it’s spice of a casual outfit immediately, and I think it’s a great combination of colors for the cooler weather that’s on its way. The bag might have an age limit in the eyes of some people, but I don’t think it’s too blingy or bright to be carried by pretty much anyone, and the black leather limits the shiny silver to just enough glitz. Buy through Shop Bop for $418.60.

Oh my GAWWWWD, it’s NAVY BLUE! I’m not sure I’d ever wear a navy bag - it doesn’t go with my color palette, but I love the color for others. And I also love the Marc by Marc Jacobs Dr. Q Groovee bag - I love it a lot! So now, it appears that Marc has made two new colors to keep us occupied; indigo and light brown (boooo). Light brown is always a swing and a miss, but I think the dark blue is adorable, and not a color that you see in a bag that often. It could stand to be a bit lighter, possibly, but that may just be the photography.

And the hardware is silver! I love it when Marc does silver on any of his lines. The gold hardware went on for so, so long, and it seems like silver might be here for a little while. With a neutral color and silver hardware, this is a bag that can be used for years, and Marc continues to price his diffusion lines reasonably: buy through ShopBop for $498.

The Marc by Marc Jacobs Sequined Shopper is not rocket science. It’s just a cotton tote bag covered in small, black sequins. And honestly, I think that’s why I love it. It’s an unabashed, unapologetic injection of glam-n-girly attitude into any outfit, and because of the size and simple shape, you can wear it with a casual outfit for a bit (or, maybe, more than a bit) of a pop. Because the sequins are very small, it’s more subtle than those terrible, cheap, shiny paillete bags that were so popular with teenagers around here a few years back, and limiting the color choices to black is wise since it keeps the purse just this side of gaudy. And maybe it says something about my taste level, but I love things that are ALMOST gaudy, but not. I may regret it later, but right now, I totally want one of these. Buy through Saks for $298.

The Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show began yesterday and is running through November 3rd. Living in Ft. Lauderdale has several perks, but one definitely has to be when the Boat Show is here. You might not know this, but Ft. Lauderdale, believe it or not, has been referred to as the Venice of America. With tons of intercoastal waterways, it is a great location for boats of all shapes and sizes. When I came across the Marc by Marc Jacobs Graffiti Standard Supply Tote, I am not sure why, but I instantly thought of the Boat Show. For whatever reason, I feel like this would be a great tote for a day of yachting. Ok, don’t judge me if you think I am way off my rocker. I am not a yachter; I am only going off of what I imagine. I actually really like the graffiti-print canvas handbag. No, this is nothing fancy; it isn’t one of those designer handbags you pick up for one of your dress to impress outfits. But, I can see how this could come in handy. The simple black and white means the handbag can go with so many different outfits and be used for several occasions. If you were cruising the intercoastal on a yacht, could you see yourself carrying this with you? Buy through Shop Bop for $148.

I cannot for the life of me think of how this bag would come in handy. So here is the deal. I have come across this bag for the past couple weeks and every time I have I cringed just a little bit. I guess I finally had to write about it. The Marc by Marc Jacobs Dot Hobo is a complete miss in my book. Apparently this hobo is supposed to fit comfortably on your shoulder, but I can’t imagine this resting ever so gracefully on your side. In fact, I feel like the shape of the bag is a bit awkward. On my shoulder I think I would be spending most of the time trying to carry it a little behind my arm as the bag keeps rubbing up against it. I don’t know about you, but one of my biggest pet peeves about bags is when you look like you are fighting with it in order for it to just be still! The color is ok, but on this bag it looks like it is too much. Again, with a large hobo, there will obviously be plenty of room for you to store anything and everything you might need. This hobo is no exception to the rule; it is huge. Maybe it would be ok for a day at the beach, but otherwise, I don’t think you would ever see me carrying it around. However, if you disagree, you can buy through Bluefly for $173.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Double Flap Clutch

It is not that Marc Jacobs can do no harm, but it is that Marc Jacobs is a master at branding himself. I have said many times before that the Marc by Marc line is many times just as good as the more expensive big sister. Maybe the quality is a step or two down, maybe the look is a tad younger, but somehow, he pulls off this line amazingly. And my new Marc by Marc love is a black patent leather clutch, the Marc by Marc Jacobs Double Flap Clutch. The clutch is designed with black patent leather and has a double flap top with logo turnlock fastenings. The gem of the clutch can be found on the inside, with blue spot and star lining, which is the perfect treat. Also inside there is a zipped pouch. This gets an A+ for the outside and inside from me. Buy through Net A Porter for $230.

My mother is a woman with very specific requirements for a bag. It has to be soft, it has to fit over her shoulder, it has to zip or otherwise fasten at the top, the inside has to be divided into at least two large compartments (the more the better), and there have to be outside pockets. Bags that do not have all of these characteristics, no matter how awesome or attractive or drool-worthy they may be, shall not be considered. As such, it takes my mother about eight years to pick out a new bag.

A brand that mom mother has had an oddly high amount of luck with, however, is Marc by Marc Jacobs. I say that this is odd for one reason - MbyMJ simply does not consider her part of their target demographic. If you were to ask anyone in their marketing department who their customer was, they would tell you that it’s a young, hip 20-something with a slightly odd (but not too odd) aesthetic and possibly a newly-gotten degree in a creative field. In short, they want ME to buy their bags, and they don’t give a whole lot of thought to my mom. Being the awesome lady that she is, however (I mean, she did beget yours truly, after all), my mom does not believe that she is not cool enough for these bags (because she obviously is), and she just bought her second Marc by Marc Jacobs bag - the Totally Turnlock Teri. Click here to keep reading...

Ummm, what? What is this? We all have our own sense of style, our own taste and preference, but I honestly don’t get this bag at all. I mean, sure, it could be used as a conversation starter, but other that that I am struggling to see if I owned it, when I might ever take it out of the closet. Perhaps the idea behind the Marc by Marc Jacobs Miss Marc Metallic Tote is to try and appeal to a younger market? I could see some teenagers toting this around to the mall or maybe even to school as a way to tote their books around. But, what are those two red lines on the girl’s face? It looks like scratch marks to me and even if you are trying to give off a “tough girl” image, scratch marks aren’t the way to go. Am I being too harsh? I guess I am just a little disappointed because I am typically very pleased with the Marc Jacobs line. But hey, I guess everyone can have an off day, right? If you are interested in the bag, it’s good to know that there is a zip top closure, interior patch pocket, cell phone pocket and leather-trimmed zip pocket. The bag is on the large side, so there is plenty of room to carry around all of your belongings. Purchase the bag through eLUXURY for $148..