It is an absolutely gorgeous day here in South Florida. And when I say gorgeous I mean it; blue skies, an ever so slight breeze and extremely warm. I know, South Florida is always warm, but we’ve had some really gross rainy weather for the past few weeks and days like today make me wish I was sitting poolside sipping a mojito. So, although I can’t be sipping a mojito yet, I couldn’t help but be inspired to find a fun handbag to write about. The Lauren Merkin Eve Metallic Clutch fits my current mood. The clutch is fresh, fun and chic. Originally, I was looking for a bright bag, but then remembered that we are in the middle of the Fall. D’uh. Ok, so this clutch – it’s fabulous. The metallic-leather front and back pleated clutch also boasts metallic-stripe lining. No matter what part of the world you live in and no matter what the weather is like outside, this clutch would be the perfect accessory to so many outfits. Not only that, but this is definitely the kind of clutch you can use and reuse for seasons to come. Buy through Shop Bop for a very reasonable $180.

I love when I stumble across a new designer where I continue to be pleasantly surprised. This is how I feel about Kale handbags. I hadn’t heard much about the line before this week, but as I continue to look at the handbags a little more closely, I have to say, I like what I see. The Kale Chilton I Shoulder Bag was a breath of fresh air. No, it’s not anything fancy. There aren’t any out of this world bells and whistles, but I think the bag is perfect for day to day and even night time use. The walnut washed lambskin looks soft yet sturdy. This certainly looks like a handbag that will age gracefully. The brasstone hardware offers just the right amount of accent along the extended leather handles. Usually, I am not sure how I feel about extended handles. I feel like they either fail miserably or totally work out – no middle ground. Here, the handles look great. Now, I know I said the bag didn’t have any crazy bells and whistles, but how about this: fuschia suede lining. Brilliant. Buy through Bluefly for $417.

Can Cole Haan give you the woven Bottega Veneta look?

So, we all love designer handbags and have our wish lists. However, let’s be honest, we can’t all spend thousands of dollars on each handbag we purchase. Sure, there are special occasions, but more often times than not, we might need to try and capture a certain look for less. Over at Purse Blog, we’ve talked about the fabulous Bottega Veneta Bags before. In my mind, there is no other way to describe them other than gorgeous. Yet, they are definitely on the pricey side. Luckily, I think I may have found an alternative, the Cole Haan Marigold Woven Leather Small Hobo. No, it’s no Bottega Veneta, but it is an option. The shape is similar and both bags boast woven leather. Plus the woven leather shoulder strap has the same look, shape and overall feel as the Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Hobo Slouch Bag. I know, I know, the Cole Haan bag doesn’t have suede lining and it doesn’t have the Bottega Veneta label, but I don’t think it is a bad choice. The question remains, do you think while saving up for the Bottega Veneta bag, the Cole Haan hobo will do the job? Buy the Cole Haan Hobo through Bluefly for $177 or if you are ready to splurge, buy the Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Hobo through Net-a-Porter for $2,450.

For as long as I can remember I’ve been a fan of the color purple. I remember when we moved into a new house and our mom asked if we wanted to paint our rooms a certain color or if we wanted wallpaper put up. I begged and pleaded to have my room painted a “soft” shade of purple, but mom was reluctant. I guess I can see where she is coming from; I bet she thought it was a color I would get sick of rather quickly. Although I lost that battle, I’ve definitely always noticed my eye is still drawn to purple. Perhaps that is why I like the Botkier Morgan Large Satchel in Grape. And actually come to think of it, I’ve found myself taking notice when it comes to Botkier bags like the Botkier Gemma Tab Flap Hobo. The Botkier bags I’ve written about seem great because of the space! Day to day, I need a handbag that can withstand my running around. I think the Morgan Large Satchel could do the job. Plus, I love the color, the shape the fringe accents, and really, more than anything else, how completely gorgeous and fun the bag is. I am sure if I am out running errands and throw this bag up on the counter as I pay for my groceries, someone will comment. What do you think, is Botkier soon to be a front runner in your closet? Buy through Singer22 for $775.

Shop Linea Pelle

As most of us know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Of course, it saddens me to think that a disease is so widespread that an entire month is dedicated to it. However, at the same time, I think it is absolutely wonderful to see socialites, business men, celebrities, designers and “every day people” like you and me coming together to raise awareness and money for the cure. Linea Pelle, a Savvy favorite of ours is going above and beyond to help with the cause. Linea Pelle has launched the “life is beautiful” campaign for breast cancer awareness. This Savvy brand will donate 25% of the purchase price of any of the “life is beautiful” handbags from October 1, 2008 – September 30, 2009 to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.

Keep reading to find out more about how to score these bags and help the cause!

A while back when we began thinking about how we’d like to see Purse Blog grow, we had all sorts of ideas. Shoes? Clothing? Accessories? Well, it sort of dawned on us that for now, we should probably stick to what we know – handbags. As we got ready to launch Purse Blog Savvy we picked the Savvy brands and Kooba made the cut. I’ve mentioned it before, but a Kooba bag was one of the first handbags I ever had that I truly loved. I loved and still love everything about it – the shape, the color, the versatility, and of course, the compliments I get from others. Well, not only am I thrilled to feature Kooba more often on Purse Blog Savvy, but I am beyond ecstatic about the fact that during their next trip to NYC, Megs and Vlad will be meeting with Abbe Held, the creative director behind Kooba. In order to tempt you just a bit, Abbe was gracious enough to answer a few questions we had. We hope you enjoy this teaser and eagerly await the full interview like we do! Click here to read the questions we asked!

I’m sure you’ve noticed; oversized clutches are everywhere. When I first saw them, I wasn’t sure I was a fan. I mean, I guess there is part of me that thought, “if it aint broke, why fix it?”. But, I’ll be honest, as time passed I have to say, oversized clutches have begun to grow on me. Of course there are some I don’t like at all, but this JJ Winters Yellow Croco Leather Envelope Clutch I would love to have. More than anything, this clutch is classy, fun, and practical. And guess what, this clutch is also a staple of celebs like Hilary Duff and Paris Hilton. Duff has been seen sporting this clutch to various functions with various outfits. I love when a handbag is versatile. Frankly, this is the kind of clutch that can be used as you head to the movies for a low key night or for a spicy night out on the town. I’m also a huge fan of the shape of this clutch. The envelope style and croco leather add just a little extra flare. Plus, the color yellow is one of my favorite fall colors! Buy through Singer22 for $309.

Yikes! This looks like a handbag that went terribly, terribly wrong. I mean, maybe hundreds of years ago a pouch like this would have been considered gorgeous and desirable, but I can’t think of a single place I would ever tote this Antik Batik Eryx Pouch. And actually come to think of it, the only time in my entire life I might have been interested in the handbag was when I was really young and played dress up. You know, the kind of dress up where you put on just about as many bracelets and necklaces as you can; the gaudy kind of dress up. I am just not a fan of this purple velvet pouch nor any of its beading or faceted stone detailing. More than anything, I am still at a loss for who this bag is geared towards, what kind of audience is the designer trying to reach? Well, if you disagree with me, you can buy this handbag through Shop Bop for $125.

I’m confused. Seriously, when I first saw the Kale Stella Shoulder Bag, I went “huh?”. I’m pretty sure the issue I have is with the way the photograph was taken. I mean seriously people, handbags don’t need to be contorted into shapes worthy of an America’s Next Top Model photo shoot. You can’t make a handbag look fierce. It either is or it isn’t. So, what do we think of this bag? As soon as I got over the sort of awkward picture, I really had to sit back and think about it for a bit. Now, to me, this is the first sign that I don’t really like the bag that much. But, as I kept looking, I found myself actually kind of liking the bag a bit. It is different and fun.

I used to live in Washington, DC (for 3 years) and for those of you who live in cities where using mass transit is actually easy, you know what it is like to want a bag you can just throw over your shoulder, hop on the metro/subway and go. I’m not sure I would use it as I headed off to work, but this bag could be perfect for a weekend of strolling around the city. I hated carrying big bulky bags on the metro because during heavy traffic times, as you run to catch the train, it isn’t unheard of to get your bag caught in the doors as they close (I’ve seen this happen way too often). But this fuchsia washed lambskin, accented with gunmetal hardware bag seems roomy enough for the essentials but small enough to keep close to your body. Now, speaking of fuchsia, is it a hot color right now or what? Dior came out with a pretty awesome bag in the same color. The Kale Stella Shoulder Bag has a magnetic-close front asymmetrical flap,is pleated in the front and rear of the bag and has fabulous suede lining. I feel like I’ve been all over the place with this review, but, hey, it happens. Add to your collection through Bluefly for $285.

Rafe Totengco has made his Rafe New York Handbag line famous, accruing various awards and being the first designer to partner with Target back in 2006. A long time ago I ran into a few Rafe bags that I was not super fond of. But with time Rafe the designer grew as did we, and now I have found a beautiful jewel hued bag from this fashion designer. A perfect hobo option, the Rafe Hudson Blake Large Hobo Bag is designed with supple lambskin and accented with patchwork details and antique brass hardware. The bag is larger than it appears (16″ wide x 11″ high x 5″ deep, strap drop: 11″), meaning it will not overpower you by appearing too small, and a large hobo is a staple to every woman’s outfit. There is a single wide shoulder strap and a front zip pocket. We look forward to seeing more from this fabulous designer. Buy through Rafe for $575.