Marc by Marc Jacobs

I very, very much want to like this bag. I’m a big Marc by Marc Jacobs fan and I particularly like the Classic Q bags, but I’m not feeling the Marc by Marc Jacobs Classic Q Aidan Bowler.

In many ways, it’s a nice bag. The leather looks incredibly thick and sumptuous, particularly considering the reasonable price point, and the finish and variation of the distressed milk chocolate leather is perfection – every brown bag should be so lucky. What’s not so fortunate is the bag’s proportions. It’s quite large – probably big enough to throw carry a change of clothes for an overnight trip – and yet it’s also incredibly dome-shaped, and it’s handles are almost comically small in comparison. Maybe if they were set a bit wider, or if they were a bit bigger or thicker, I wouldn’t be getting such a weird visual impression when I look at it, but I find it a little unsettling. Because I like the line so much, I’d consider picking it up on sale, but the overall look isn’t doing it for me at full price. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $548.

Sometimes I like a bag overall, other times I like a bag only for a specific purpose. The Marc by Marc Jacobs Croc-Printed Riz Hobo is one of the latter type.

I normally balk at non-leather bags in this sort of price range, but it’s been raining so much in my area recently that I can’t help but think about solutions for the problem of taking my nice leather bags out when it rains. I don’t want to get water spots on any of them, but I still want something stylish and functional to carry. Which is why I think I’ll be buying something from the croc-stamped Marc by Marc Jacobs line. The material has been altered from last season so that it’s not quite so stiff, but the coated canvas is still incredibly lightweight and, from what I could tell when I saw it, should be completely water-resistant. The bags are priced accordingly for non-leather bags in this line, so picking one up for use on rainy days doesn’t seem like a half-bad idea. Buy through Saks for $278.

Anyone that reads this blog with any regularity knows that I am a huge Marc by Marc Jacobs fangirl. I love almost every bag that they’ve made in recent seasons, and even the ones that I don’t love are still pretty good, by my own estimation. I’ve even turned my mom into a fan of the line.

But after a good bit of thought, I just don’t think I like the new Marc by Marc Jacobs Bombay Satchel. My first reaction to it was positive, but the more I look at it, the more I’m just not sure that it works. I think my main point of contention is shape of the straps. They start out skinny but quickly get wide at the point where they attach to the bag, and the quick change in width is just a bit too drastic and comes off a tad cartoonish. If that one element was different, I could see myself being a big fan of this cute little satchel – I like the lock on the front and the black leather looks extra soft and touchable. Sigh. If only. Buy through Saks for $498.

As a consumer, I always get stuck between wanting to buy a bag that satisfies a trend that I like and a bag that will outlast trends and be useful for a long time. Which is what has stopped me from buying clutch-sized crossbody bag so far – it’s a trend I find interesting, but also one that will look outdated eventually and not my favorite shape to begin with.

Well, I think that Marc by Marc Jacobs may have solved my problem with the Marc by Marc Jacobs Totally Turnlock Percy Bag. What they’ve done here is take one of their large wristlets and given it a long crossbody strap so it can be worn as part of the current trend. The genius, though, is that the strap is completely removable, so when you get over the whole tiny crossbody thing, just take it off and use it as a cosmetics case or hand-carried clutch. The perfect solution to a trendy problem. Buy through Saks for $198.

I complained several days ago about the unexciting design of the Juicy Couture Padlock Grace Tote and how all of the extra seaming and doo-dads made it look like the designers were trying too hard, but it’s always difficult to try and explain things like that in words. Lo and behold, I’ve found a great illustration of exactly what seaming as a design element should look like: the Marc by Marc Jacobs Large Salma Satchel.

Instead of just adding in a few rows of almost-parallel unnecessary stitches to give a boring design some visual interest, Marc uses seaming to overlap the leather in a way that gives the bag a subtle hint of the origami-inspired trend that has recently emerged in some parts of fashion. The leather is pieced together in an unexpected way to achieve a specific look, and as a result, the design is successful and sleek. The folks at Juicy Couture could learn a thing or two here. Buy through Saks for $398.

This bag is not new to anyone, or at least it shouldn’t be. It’s one of the most well-executed all-purpose hobos that you can find at any sort of reasonable price, and it has come in a variety of colors and hardware options every season for the past few years. I have one myself in cream from two summers ago.

So why am I writing about the Marc by Marc Jacobs Totally Turnlock Faridah when we already know what it is and what it’s about? Because sometimes, it’s not about the next big thing. In a crisp white with nickel hardware, this bag is as fresh as it was the day it debuted and just as functional and durable as it ever was. My cream version has weathered extremely well for a light color, even though it has some dye transfer from jeans and dark shirts on the back, and I still get compliments on it. Structurally, the bag is completely intact and the leather still feels great. If you’re on a limited budget and need a versatile bag for this season, I can’t recommend it enough. Buy through Nordstrom for $448.

Ladies and gentlemen, I don’t know if I’ve ever been quite as excited to see a bag reissued for a second season as I am to see the Marc by Marc Jacobs Dr. Q Convertible Clutch make a comeback. I remember the first time I ever saw this bag – it was in green, croc-stamped patent at the beginning of last season, and I was in love immediately with it’s shape and size. It’s small enough to be worn as a clutch for a night out if you tuck in the strap, but big enough (and with a substantial enough shoulder strap) to be worn as a small hobo the next day if you’re too lazy to switch your stuff back to your regular purse.

And that scenario? That scenario defines more or less my entire life. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve taken a cute little clutch to the grocery store in my sweats the day after a good night out, and I’ve looked completely ridiculous every time but was too tired and lazy to switch back to a more appropriate bag. This bag completely eliminates that possibility and would be as valuable to me as more or less any other two handbags. I’ll take one in every color. Buy through Nordstrom for $348.

I. Want. A. Wristlet. I want a wristlet! And when it comes to actually PURCHASING things of this nature, I am woefully indecisive until something just HITS me over the head and it becomes totally obvious that, yes, that is what I shall purchase. I spent a day last week scoping out handbags at one of the better malls in Atlanta, and of all the wristlets I saw (and there were many, I assure you), the winner has got to be the Marc by Marc Jacobs Classic Q Wristlet.

The leather is the same soft and wonderful kind that’s used in the rest of the bags in the Q line, it’s big enough to put my Blackberry in (and my Blackberry takes up more than a bit of space, mind you), and the wrist strap is long enough to slide easily over my hand (I was shocked at how many wristlets had straps so tiny that I had to fight to get them on – my hands aren’t that big!). And that’s all I really need or want in a wristlet – it’s supposed to be simple and inconspicuous, hold only the essentials, and be easy enough to get on and off of my wrist. So, check, check, and check. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner. Buy through Saks for $168.

I really, really like Marc by Marc Jacobs bags, but it never ceases to amaze me how many different ways the brand can find to recombine previously made shapes with leather colors and types they’ve used in other bags to form still more bag options. They put out an enormous number of bags every season, but a lot of them tend to look like bags they’ve already put out. That’s the issue I’m having with the Marc by Marc Jacobs Dr. Q Remy Bag.

It’s a shape that they made for pre-spring in a kelly green, croc-embossed patent, plus a color that they’ve been using for several months in their other Dr. Q bags. So, instead of making something new, they took the two and combined them to make a new bag for which they can charge full price without actually making anything new. I don’t rant (or even say anything genuinely negative) about Marc by Marc Jacobs very often, but they make such cute bags that I can’t help but wish that they would make more different types of them. Buy through ShopBop for $528.

There is, perhaps, something to be said for buying a bag that is already the color of what a white bag looks like when it gets dirty. It would, potentially, mask much of the accumulated dirt while still being even in tone and color, allowing the carrier to own a light-colored bag without quite the worry of something pure white or pastel.

If you think that might be up your alley, give the Marc by Marc Jacobs Softy East/West Jorie Bag a shot. The super-functional leather tote comes in a pale shade of grey, making it a great neutral for almost any outfit and less likely to show dirt than its white counterpart. Because of its larger dimensions, it would probably fit a reasonably sized laptop and be a great option for a student or young professional looking for something fun that they can actually use on a daily basis. As always with MbMJ, the leather of the Softy line is super thick and soft. If only I had a use for a work bag… Buy through ShopBop for $458.