Marc by Marc Jacobs

If there’s one thing I love, it’s getting more for my money. $300 for a bag is about mid-range for the Marc by Marc Jacobs line (let’s face it, even for a non-leather bag), and for the average price of one of their bags, if you go with the Marc by Marc Jacobs Miss Marc Beach Tote you get…*counts*…FOUR THINGS!

That’s right, folks. Not only do you get a cute, clear beach bag with the ever-popular Miss Marc character on it, but you also get a beach towel, hat, and flip-flops with similar designers and cute purple color scheme. The flip-flops are one-size-fits-all, and I know that some people will gripe about that, but I think it would be incredibly difficult to introduce sizing to handbags. It’s hard enough to find what you want anyway, even when everything is the same size. Plus, I have average-size feet, so I’ll be fine and that’s honestly my main concern. Even if the flip-flops are the wrong size for you, though, you still get three other things with which to entertain yourself. Buy through Saks for $298.

I really, really WANT to like the Marc by Marc Jacobs Linda Suede Clutch. Why do I want to like it so much? Well, a few reasons. First, I’m generally a big fan of most of the things that the brand does, and I think they really know their customers and do a good job of designing things that are both fashionable and functional for the people who are likely to buy them. Second, I love a good clutch, and I LOVE the size and shape of this one – it’s perfect, not too big, and easy to carry in your hand. Third, I like my small bags to have a lot going on, and this one definitely does.

Yet, I just…can’t. I can’t get on board with this one. I don’t like an entirely suede bag as a warm-weather option, and a suede clutch seems like a particularly bad idea. Think about it – a bag with no strap has to be constantly put down somewhere, and suede is the material most likely to pick up dirt and grime from any surface it encounters. It seems like a poor choice for that type of bag, particularly if you plan to use it with any regularity. And then, there’s the colors. They’re a little too bland, a little too washed out, and a little too hippie-dippy for me. I’m all about brights during warm weather, and this just wouldn’t work with what I like to wear. Maybe it’ll work out for someone, though. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $270.

So, this is not a handbag. I get that. I didn’t overlook it, it’s a purposeful decision on my part. Because we talk about bags all day, every day, and now that it’s spring and the sun has come out once again, it’s time to talk about another fun accessory for a moment – sunglasses. Specifically, the Marc by Marc Jacobs Angled Frame Sunglasses. Something I’ve always loved about this particular sunglasses line is their price point – they’re all between $90 and $115 in a market where people routinely pay $300 for similar styles. The materials seem to be much the same, and $90 hurts a lot less than $300.

Almost all of the styles are adorable, and this is my favorite from this season. Large plastic frames can get heavy and uncomfortable in warm weather, and these frames are just thin enough to give you the look without the bulk and the weight, in addition to a great vintage look. And to all you girls out there wearing black sunglasses – please try a pair of tortoise shell! When you’re wearing anything on your face, you have to be conscious of how it looks against your skin tone, and browns are much more forgiving than black on most people. Just a little something to think about while you’re not thinking about handbags. Buy through eLuxury for $115.

When I first took a look at the Marc by Marc Jacobs Standard Supply Utility Tote-ally Tote, I thought, “What a great school bag!” and then I realized I don’t go to school anymore. And then I thought, “Well, it’d be great to take to the gym!” but let’s face it, I don’t go there either. “Maybe a weekend bag?” I’ve got bags for that. “Well you could stuff it full of old t-shirts and use it as a pillow while you lay on the couch and watch ‘Dexter’ on dvd!” Yes, that’s really the only use that I would have for it, but I think it’s fun nonetheless.

I also think that Chanel could learn a thing or two from Marc about how to price and market something that looks like a shopping bag, and a canvas version for under $150 is a lot more palatable than a leather version for $3000. The price on this bag may be a little high, nonetheless, but such is the problem with being a consumer of designer goods; all of the prices are a “little high.” Now if only I actually had a purpose for which to use it or anything to put inside of it. Buy through ShopBop for $178.

Side note: anyone think Marc is getting a little ridiculous with the names?

I’m one of those girls that honestly doesn’t need a big bag. I don’t really take anything anywhere. The biggest thing I carry is a pair of Gucci sunglasses, and I usually forget those at home anyway. I switch bags a lot, so my must-haves have been whittled down over the years to just my keys and my Blackberry, with a cardholder attached to my key ring. As a result, I often feel super silly carrying any kind of oversized handbag, because I can’t come close to filling it. Some people have files and paperwork they carry for their jobs, but I work from home. Some people have laptops they carry for school, but I graduated. So for those of us that feel weird at times with a giant handbag, Marc by Marc Jacobs has created a smaller version of one of their most popular handbags: the Classic G Baby Groovee Satchel. I love the original, but my phone and key ring get lonely at the bottom all by themselves. This bag, at 13″ long, is about 3″ shorter than the original and would look absolutely adorable carried by hand or in the crook of the arm (it comes with a shoulder strap, but skip that option). Plus, this purple-pink is so pretty for spring! Buy through Nordstrom for $348.

There is one very, very important thing that you need to know about the Marc by Marc Jacobs Puckered Linda Clutch that you can’t tell merely from viewing it online – the leather is wonderfully, hopelessly, ridiculously soft and supple. I’m a big fan of Marc by Marc Jacobs bags in general, of course, but I have yet to encounter one with leather as amazing as this brand-new line. It’s got the same kind of texture as lambskin; ultra-matte and almost suede-like in its softness. None of the sites that currently carry the line will tell me what kind of leather it is, but for the reasonable price of $258, I doubt it actually IS lambskin. But that is probably why I love the brand so much – they give you great materials in their leather bags without charging exorbitant prices for them. Not only is this clutch inexpensive and super soft, but it’s also a great size at over a foot wide. Some people may not like the embossing, but a little texture never hurt anyone and it’s not super obvious when the bag is carried. Plus, for a great clutch made out of great leather that will hold all of my stuff for less than $300, I’m willing to overlook some branding. Buy through eLuxury for $258.

Leave it to my friends at Marc by Marc Jacobs to come up with a cute name for something I’ve seen a lot of lately – a bag that, despite having two handles like a tote, is shaped like a hobo. They’ve added such a bag to their popular Totally Turnlock line and dubbed it the Marc by Marc Jacobs Totally Turnlock Tobo. Get it? It’s a TOBO. A tote and a hobo, all in one. Huzzah! Brilliant! It has a name! Words are kinda my thing, and now that I have something to call the multitude of other bags that have lately shown up with the same structure, I’m a happy girl. I’m not particularly excited about the bag itself – it’s a fairly standard edition to the line, and for some reason the color is called Saffron, even though it’s not even close to yellow. I’m sure the leather is great, as it is on all of the similar Totally Turnlock bags, and I’d probably be more excited if it came in a more interesting color, but as it is, I’m excited to have such an appropriate word to use in future posts. Who knew that handbags would ever increase my vocabulary? Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $498.

It’s rare that I see a bag I’m not excited about online and then change my mind about it in person. I’ve spent a large enough portion of my life looking at and thinking about handbags that I do a pretty good job imagining what a bag will be like based on pictures. As such, I can confidently say that pictures do not do the Marc by Marc Jacobs Huge Hillier Hobo justice, particularly in Indigo. The first and best thing about this line of bags is the leather – it’s thick, soft, and there’s plenty of it on this enormous bag in particular (the name is apt). On someone very petite, this bag might be overwhelming…good thing I’m not petite! It’s still reasonable sized for someone of average height or taller, and there’s no question that it’ll fit everything you need for the day and more (you might even be able to stick a small laptop in there). But what’s really surprising about this bag when you see it in person, as opposed to in photos, is the color. It’s two shades shy of navy and has some serious depth and saturation to it. I was wearing dark jeans when I tried it on, and the dark blue bag/dark blue jeans clash is usually something that keeps me away from bags like this, but for some reason, it was fine. Beautiful, even. It didn’t compete with my jeans and looked great against the black top I was wearing. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner. Especially for that price. Buy through eLuxury for $498.

The Marc by Marc Jacobs Croc of Q Linda Clutch is a perfect of example of the old adage that sometimes, the best things come in small packages. There are a lot of bags in this super-bright, croc-stamped, patent-finished line. Lots of them, and some of them are enormous. And when a bag is big enough to tote an Olsen Twin around, perhaps it doesn’t need to be bright and croc and patent. It’s a little bit much, as I witnessed in-person at the mall today. But in general, the smaller the bag, the more crazy things you can do with it at once. The Linda Clutch is perfectly sized to carry as both a clutch and a small shoulder bag (it comes with an unobtrusive, removable matching strap). It might look a little plastic-y, but things that are cheap-looking in larger bags can be perfectly fun and wonderful in a clutch. This is one that I wouldn’t mind adding to my wardrobe at all. Buy through eLuxury for $248.

Those of you that have read a lot of my posts probably know what I usually like – oversized, simple hobo bags made out of nice leather with limited exterior adornment or hardware. It’s a simple formula for a functional, stylish bag and is great for showcasing high quaity materials in all their natural glory. Another thing I really like is the Marc by Marc Jacobs line – the bags are usually simple, youthful, and affordable. Taking both of those things into account, I should probably really like the Marc by Marc Jacobs Picnic Flat Hobo, right? Wrong. Something about this one is throwing me off. Well, maybe several somethings. First, and perhaps this is just the pictures, but the leather looks uncharacteristically thin for this brand, and the glazing does not help. Second, the rounding at the bottom looks awkward to me and makes it oddly reminiscent of an egg, or maybe an egg wearing a diaper. Third, that extra strap. I’ve said a lot about extra cross-body straps on this blog, so for this one I will only say this: at least you can remove it. Buy through Shop Bop for $428.