Brands

Sometimes I think about where designers are going to go next with new handbags. I mean, to me (and clearly, I am not a designer), it seems like you get to a certain point and then just start recycling ideas. But every time I find myself thinking about this, I am reminded why other people are designers; they are able to continue to reinvent themselves and their lines. Megs covered the Jalda Pink Croc Clutch a while ago, and recently I’ve found myself becoming more and more interested in the line.

The Jalda Washed Lambskin Annette Handbag intrigues me. To be honest, the first thing that caught my eye was the zipper. Sure, the goldtoned double chain handle is shimmery, but how often do you see a handbag with a center zipper? Not that often right? I really like the look of the washed lambskin soft grey leather. Now add to it the center zipper and double chain handle – you have an eye catching bag. I am still a tad worried about the zipper. I wouldn’t want to open up the bag in a hurry and have my stuff begin to fall out. However, I want to believe that the thought which went into the bag took this worry into account. Either way, I still find myself leaning towards the side of liking this bag. If you want to give it a try, get your hands on it through Bag Borrow or Steal.

I’ve always liked Bulga bags. It is probably due to a combination of the colors used, the inspiration behind the bags as well as the overall look and feel of each bag. I am sure there are a few out there I am not totally fond of, but the Bulga Large Studded Hobo Handbag isn’t one of them. I definitely like this bag. At first glance, the bag has a whimsical feel to it. This is probably due to the soft color of the bag, the bit of fringe and the gold hardware detailing. The bag certainly aligns with a bohemian look. And actually, this is the first Bulga bag I have seen that leans towards the bohemian side of things. But again, the smooth satin-blue leather is seamed and studded which clearly demonstrates the bohemian flare. Inside, the bag has colorful lining and a large zip pocket. I can see it now, a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, my hair worn down and a little sloppy, plus this bag… perfect! More than anything, doesn’t this bag just scream casual cool? I certainly think so. Sign me up! If you happen to agree, you can get your hands on this bag through Bag Borrow or Steal.

You know, from time to time I find myself wondering about what my life would be like if I grew up somewhere different, if I studied something different in college or if I had different passions. I am not looking to change anything about my life; I have an awesome life. But I can’t help but think about what it would be like to be a marine biologist, an ER doctor, or maybe even a cowgirl. I guess I started thinking about this again when I saw the Hayden-Harnett Ramone Shoulder Bag. For some reason, this bag reminds me of days back on the family farm. No, we didn’t grow up on a farm, but we would visit every summer, run through the fields, fish in the pond, and watch some of our family members tend to all the animals. Ok, my summer time memories are really neither here nor there; back to the bag.

I like it. The bag certainly has a bit of a rugged feel going, but at the same time, I don’t think anything has been compromised. This handbag certainly still has a feminine feel and looks to be extremely wearable. Brandy, the color of the bag sort of reminds me of the color of a saddle, maybe that is why “cowgirl” came to mind. What I really like is the front flap with d-ring and tie details. The tie adds that little something extra which I think makes this bag all that more interesting. With the flap closed, right behind the tie your eye is drawn to the topstitching and hardware; the piece just all comes together nicely. And of course, I am sure you already know this, but just imagine how much wear you can get out of this bag! Buy through Bluefly for $202.

I know there might be some of you out there who might be interested in venturing out into the world of handbags a little more than you currently do. I know that is how I started. I wasn’t the kind of person who had tons of handbags while I was in high school or even college for that matter. Then, slowly but surely I started to expand my collection. I remember the first handbag where I thought to myself, “this is definitely different than what I am used to”. Well, it wasn’t a handbag, it was a wallet. So, when I found the Furla Red Croc Stamped Leather Continental Wallet I figured I would talk about it a bit and perhaps help some of you out there who are interested in venturing out to the amazing handbag world.

This wallet is fabulous. The red croc stamped leather and silvertone hardware combination is so chic. As to be expected, the interior has 8 card slots, slip pocket, and expanding compartment with two-zip pouches. If you aren’t ready to do a little overhaul on your handbags, you can always start slowly with a wallet like this. Each time I look at it, I love the red color – it just pops. Help spice up your collection with this wallet and buy through Bluefly for $110.

Right on first glance, looking at the smaller image of this bag, I liked it! Then there was a mini downer, the downer that showed embossing of the Tory Burch name across the bag. Do I yearn for this look? Not exactly. The thing is, I am not a huge lover of over-logoed bags. Read what I have said at Purse Blog, no over-logoing, thank you very much. But as much as it was a mini-downer, the Tory Burch Embossed Jordana Tote does not show off the logo too intensely on the patent leather bag. In fact, you can get away with just thinking that the bag has some texture to it, rather than the Tory Burch logo all over it. And at first glance, I love the bag! Especially in bright sunny yellow patent-leather. The contrast leather trim and logo studs at the front and back offsets the sunshine gleaming from the yellow leather. There are double top handles and the interior is lined and offers a zipper pocket and two patch pockets. Measurements are 11.5″H x 16″L x 3.5″D. And while there is a black version (blah) and a frost grey/brown version, the yellow version has my attention. So my final thoughts, well, I need to see how Tory Burch this bag is in person. Does it call out too much or does it slide by perfectly, showing the designer name but not over-doing it? Buy through Shop Bop for $495.

Do you ever find yourself looking at something and you don’t know why, but you just like it? Well, that is how I feel about the Gryson Lola Liquid Nylon Bag. As much as I like to find bags that stick with classic shapes, I also like to spice up my collection every now and again. Now, don’t think I am uber plain or anything like that, because I know you might be sitting there thinking, “umm, Shannon, this bag isn’t *that* out there”. But for some reason, this bag really caught my eye because it is so different than anything I currently own. I actually really like the way the bag has a mixture of texture and color. Shimmery Italian eggplant colored nylon is accented with black leather trim, a rib patent stripe and lined with my favorite… suede. All of this is then tied together with silvertone hardware and stud detailing. A snap closure secures the contents in your bag and there are several different interior pockets to store items you need to be able to quickly grab. I think more than anything else, this bag seems fun and who doesn’t like fun? At the same time, the bag is practical and versatile. I don’t think you would grab this as you head out in an evening gown, but there are plenty of places you could wear this bag to. Buy through Saks for $475.

What’s your favorite handbag style? I think most of us have a favorite, be it practical or not. For those of you who are familiar with Purse Blog you certainly know about my love for clutches. Of course I need a day to day handbag and a clutch wouldn’t be very practical, but I can’t help myself when it comes to clutches. I saw the Goldenbleu Carmen Clutch and had to take a minute to write about it. I like this clutch because it is fairly casual. This is the kind of clutch I would take with me as I head out for movie night or to grab dinner or drinks with friends. At the same time, with the right outfit I could see this clutch being perfect for a Friday or Saturday night out. With handbags, as much as I love to splurge, it has always been important to me that my handbags are versatile. I think that is one of the reasons I think this clutch is great. The crinkle patent leather clutch is perfect for holding the necessities: credit cards, money, ID and maybe even your lip gloss. Actually, the interior lining has credit cards slots which really couldn’t be any more perfect. Again, I simply love how usable this clutch could be! Buy through Zappos for $203.

Can you ever have too many black handbags? To me, the answer is, no. I absolutely love the color black. Black clothes, black cars, black handbags… love them. For whatever reason, I feel as though black is the kind of color that can look classy or laid back at the drop of a hat. That being the case, you can always spice up your wardrobe with something black and then a splash of color. The Lauren Merkin Rebecca Tote in black is fabulous. This is a great day to day bag which really emphasizes what she wants. The Lauren Merkin line promotes durable yet classy and fun handbags. When I looked at the tote, I did think it looked very durable while at the same time it had a soft touch. This glazed leather handbag has is accented with pleating at the front and back plus a splash of gold hardware. The double handles mean the bag can be carried by hand or thrown on your shoulder without a glitch. Who doesn’t like options? At the same time, the tote is roomy enough for everything you might need as you run around to work or on weekend errands. Buy through Shop Bop for $575.

Pumpkin Pie… delish! Well, actually I am not a huge fan of Pumpkin Pie, but I do like the smell of it. And while we enter Fall, I can’t help but notice the change of decorations in not only retail stores, but also grocery stores. Just the other day when shopping for groceries, I noticed the plethora of pumpkins that were available. I have to say, I truly love the deep, rich colors of the Fall, especially shades of orange. So as you can imagine, this orange Cole Haan Village Shoulder Bag instantly caught my eye. In fact, Cole Haan calls this color harvest orange which makes me like the bag that much more. (It’s the simple things in life that make me happy.) The silvertone hardware, belted sides plus a front flap pocket with buckle detailing all bring the bag together nicely. To state it simply, just looking at the bag you can tell that it is put together with thought and detail in mind. And of course, going back to what I originally said, I think the color is absolutely perfect for the Fall. Even better yet, although the bag is orange, it can go with many outfits! Buy through Neiman Marcus for $325.

I think it should be clear by now: Kooba is a brand that keeps my attention despite making at least a couple of missteps per season. I’ve already written about one Kooba bag I loved and one bag I hated for their fall collection, and I’m about to write about yet another one: the Kooba Halle in red (also available in black and brown, but you know me…).

So do I love this one, or hate it? This one, I LOVE. Well, I love it without the chain. The chain is kinda awkward, right? But I love the color (the red leather is really saturated and bright, unlike a lot of red bags), I love Kooba’s super-soft signature leather, and I love that the flap is asymmetrical and with an unexpected zipper for emphasis.

Kooba went through a weird phase for a few seasons where their bags got increasingly more expensive, and I felt like they were pricing themselves out of their market a bit – their bags weren’t selling at nearly $700 for a regular-sized purse, so their stuff was continuously in the sale section. This last season, though, was a bit of a change – most of their really popular bags seemed to be in the $500-$600 range, and a lot of them never made it to the sale sections of our favorite shopping websites.

This season seems to be a continuation of that trend – the Halle, a perfect everyday bag, is a mere $495. I can personally attest – for the quality of leather that I’ve had in my previous Kooba bags, that’s a steal. Buy through Shop Bop for $495.