$200 - $399

Rag & Bone Leather Clutch

Clutches are and continue to be a staple of my wardrobe. Why? They are easy, compact, and can snazz up an outfit. And while there are the dressy clutches, a gal like me, in her mid 20’s, needs something fun and hip. For all the dinners and nights out, I can not own an expensive clutch for each occasion. That is why I turn to the more affordable brands to give me a wide range of colors, looks, and bank account friendly prices. Take the Rag & Bone Leather Clutch for example, which is designed with soft and supple blue grained leather and trimmed with black leather, a perfect option for a casual night out. The aged gold metal hardware is the perfect touch and the flap top with clasp closure seals the deal. The dimensions are large enough to carry the essentials, and not leaving you with a tiny clutch, 12.25″x 8″x 0.5″. The inside actually has a zipped pocket. Simple and lovely. Buy through eLuxury for $255.

For whatever reason, from time to time, I find myself craving a handbag or piece of clothing (usually a top) that has an asymmetrical feel to it. It is almost as if I need something that seems a little edgy, a little off centered, a little different. I am not saying that I always go for clean, straight lines, but I definitely crave something edgy more than I crave something clean cut. This Dautore Celeste Leather Slouchy Pocket Satchel is a handbag I might need to invest in. What I truly like about this bag is that upon first glance several things stand out – and in a good way.

I love the color, the angles and how soft the leather looks. No, this shade of blue isn’t a color I would traditionally think of during the Fall season, but it works. The grain leather and silvertone hardware work draw the bag together. A 15″ shoulder strap allows the bag to be carried pretty much any way you’d like to: on your shoulder, hung on your arm at your elbow or carried in hand. But, as I mentioned before, I really find myself to be a fan of the angles. This handbag would add some spice to even the simplest jeans, white t-shirt and flipflops outfit. If the only thing holding you back is the color, fear not, the handbag comes in black too! Buy through Bluefly for $333.90.

You know what has been most fun for me while working on Purse Blog Savvy? Trying to find great bag at incredibly low prices. And while the prices are not low to the un-handbag lovers out there, they are quite low compared to what we typically post on Purse Blog.

Michael Kors, like many other designers (Marc Jacobs), has a more affordable line under his main Michael Kors line. The MICHAEL by Michael Kors line offers more entry level prices on designer goods. Many times the designs seem to gear toward the 20 year old crowd (perfect for me), but either way it is still a designer good. One of my favorite aspects of the ‘more affordable’ lines sent out by designers is that many times you can nab a high end look for much less.

The MICHAEL Michael Kors Wild Venus Large Saratoga Shoulder Bag is one of the savvy bags that really excites me. Here is exactly what I love about this bag: smooth vanilla grained leather, brushed gold metal hardware, elegant look, perfect price. Seriously, this is the kind of bag that just works. The inside has woven canvas lining, and for under $400 I would not expect suede. Dimensions are not tiny, 12″ (at base)x 12″x 7″. This is a homerun for Michael Kors! Buy through eLuxury for $348.

It seems as one of my eternal quests is to find a handbag worthy to be toted around to business meetings. I need a bag that is sophisticated but not stuffy. And let’s no kid ourselves here, as much as we want to be taken seriously in the work place, who doesn’t want to look good doing it? Luckily, I think the Ignes Mini Ormala could be the answer I’ve been looking for. Pictured here in Rasberry, the handbag is also offered in Dark Gray and Metallic Copper which clearly gives a wide range of colors to choose from. I love the double shoulder straps and how the bag is fastened with clasps. Now, if we stick to the idea that this bag could be perfect for business meetings and such, the long leather key strap, two zip pockets, double slit pockets for your cell phone and an iPod just make the handbag seem that much more practical. However, I don’t really want to focus on practicality alone. To me, the bag is gorgeous. As I am just beginning to learn about Ignes handbags, you can always refer to the subforum, Ignes, on the Purse Forum for all sorts of information. And you know, for everything you are getting, the bag is rather reasonable! Buy through Ignes for $380.

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.

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.

Longchamp Pliage Trolley

Vlad and I travel often, but I can’t say that we travel in style. I, of course, carry a designer bag with me as my purse carry on, but my actual carry on is typically a Samsonite Trolley. Not dissing Samsonite, because their luggage is super sturdy and durable. LV luggage? Nope! I still fly commercial and my luggage is thrown around like you wouldn’t believe. So would I spend money on a designer trolley? Nope. But what about the Longchamp Pliage Trolley? Longchamp is known for their sturdy nylon, but will this luggage do the job for your travel needs? Without seeing this trolley in person, I can not say for sure if it is a go or no go, but the perk is the price. This Longchamp Trolley is trimmed with cowhide leather and has a pull handle. There is a zip around closure. The material is polyamide canvas with PVC coating, which should be sturdy enough. 13″W X 20″H X 8¼”D.

Buy through Saks for $270.

Animal print is back! I guess when I think about it, animal print never goes away completely, but like many trends, animal print continues to cycle itself back into popularity. Just this week, we all went to grab a bite to eat at a restaurant in a mall. As we passed stores and did a little window shopping it was certainly evident that animal print is everywhere right now. The Kate Spade Spring Island 2 Evan with Rose clutch is a perfect example of what I am talking about. This is a classic clutch with all the features you would expect: flashy purple interior lining, back wall zip pocket, top flap with a magnetic snap closure and for a little extra something, a yellow rose accent. I am not sure how I feel about the rose accent, but maybe it is something that would grow on me. Other than that, I think the clutch is quite a hit. Usually, I am cautious about animal print because I hate when it looks like too much; kind of like this Charles David Satchel. But, in this case I think there is just enough animal print to make the clutch a spicy addition to your outfit. You can buy this ferocious clutch through Zappos for $299.

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.