$600 - $799

Sometimes, a bag gets really close to being great and then, out of nowhere, completely fails. Designers shouldn’t underestimate the ability of small details to make a big difference, and sometimes they make all the difference in the world.

And it’s not that I don’t like the Isabella Fiore Pick Up Lines Angie Hobo – I do. Mostly. I love the covered studs, black leather and the amount of monochromatic detail that it has. It’s basically the same shape and structure as an Isabella Fiore bag I bought back in 2005, and that particular purse was one of my favorite ones that I’ve ever owned because of how comfortable and functional it was. This bag is so close to a home run for me that the one glaring flaw is extra disappointing: the distressed brass hardware. This bag is BEGGING for silver, any kind of silver. Silver is really the only answer here, and what do they give us? Not silver. It doesn’t fit the look at all, and it looks like they might have had some buckles left over from a completely different style of bag and decided to recycle them on this one. The finishing details are just as important as anything in a successful design, and Fiore stopped short here. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $695.

Admittedly I am a CC Skye fan; I love her handbags and accessories. Every time I carry one of her bags or wear a couple of her bangles, I get stopped. Since the bags aren’t as mainstream as say, Louis Vuitton, people tend to always ask me where I got my bag. And even better yet, when I do start talking about the bag, I begin talking about the line and how much I adore the designs.

As new designs begin to emerge, all I find myself saying is “ooooh, I NEED that”. I said that very statement today when I saw the CC Skye Mimi Bag in this new amazing purple color. In typical form, the leather looks down right hug-able. I wasn’t the least bit surprised to see chunky hardware and noticeable stitch detailing. If you don’t like hardware on your handbag noticeable, then this designer might not be the one for you. But, if you are like me and love to have a bag that makes a chic statement, then keep CC Skye on your radar. I’m definitely thinking about pre-ordering this bag ASAP! Snag this through Singer22 for $625.

Stock photos are, very often, terrible. There’s always harsh overhead lighting and a bunch of tissue paper stuffed into a bag until it might burst, and that’s just not any way to decide what a bag might look like in real life, with your stuff inside of it. I’m always surprised by how many bags look beautiful in person that I would have dismissed completely based only on their online pictures. There is a right way to photograph a bag, of course, just not many people do it. We do, though, and it proves that sometimes it take a non-stock photo to realize how tremendously beautiful a bag really is.

My favorite example of this phenomenon is the Gustto Donna Torsa Satchel. It looks perfectly serviceable, if a tad odd, in its stock photos from Bloomingdale’s. But when you take a look at the beautiful Bag Art photos that Megs and Vlad took, which can be found here, the bag seems much softer and slouchier than it does when stuffed with tissue and the overall effect is much more fashionable and chic. Buy through Bloomingdales for $790.

Being as it is such a nice, sunny day in NYC, my thoughts turned towards summery things, like swirly ice cream cones, lazy beach days, and of course, the ubiquitous straw tote. This gorgeous Anya Hindmarch Straw Tote would complete any summer look. Pick your fantasy: gallivanting on the white beaches of a private island or sipping cocktails on a megayacht, this bag fits right in. Hindmarch has become known for her famously detailed bags, most recognized for her “I’m Not a Plastic Bag” canvas tote, and this bag is no different. But would you really pay close to $700 for something you’ll plunk in the sand day after day, for a common beach bag?

Well, this is no common beach bag. The attention to detail is what makes the price; the straw is impeccably woven (no fraying here!), and the woven patent leather meshes perfectly with the straw. But still, almost $700! Perhaps this bag is just one for those jetting off to private islands, provided that they don’t plunk this creation in the sand, no matter how white. Buy through Shopbop for $645.

I’ve never seen a Gryson bag in person (I don’t think there are any stores that stock many of them around here), but from the pictures that I’ve seen online of the most recent collection, the leather that they use looks absolutely drool-worthy and the designs look functional but young.

So if you’re looking for a great everyday bag, maybe consider the Gryson Tutu Convertible Satchel. The leather looks exceptionally soft and matte, plus the dark charcoal grey color is a great compromise for people that want a neutral that will take them through fall and winter but don’t want to buy another black bag. The leather looks thick, which may make the bag heavier than desirable, but if your arms get tired than it comes with a crossbody strap that will give you a bit of a rest. For those like me that aren’t a big fan of extra straps, it appears to be completely removable. Gotta love options, right? Buy through Saks for $668.50.

I am usually very anti cross-body bags. I hate how the strap cuts across my chest while drawing attention to it. There is nothing wrong with flaunting what you got, but for some reason, this “attention” doesn’t seem as cute as a great v-neck shirt. However, the Treesje Royale Monaco Satchel is one cross-body bag that I would be willing to give a shot.

One of the first things I noticed was that even if the cross-strap doesn’t seem very flattering, the bag itself could be carried in your hand without an issue. The quilted leather satchel boasts gunmetal hardware (which I love), plenty of pockets and great foldover detail. And the cherry color is simply divine. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $615.

As the wonderful, fabulous, and always fashionable Tim Gunn would say, the CC Skye Kensington Bag is…a lot of look. And that’s not really a compliment, I’m sorry to say. The whole bag is just…a bit much. First, It’s a north/south tote. Those are particularly tricky to design and a bit prone to looking clunky and awkward, and unfortunately, this looks both clunky and awkward. The leather looks rather stiff and a bit too shiny, and the number of pockets (and how much those pockets stand out from the bag) is, uh, a bit much. There’s a strap over the top to close the bag, two straps to carry it in the crook of you arm, and then another, long strap to carry it as a shoulder or messenger bag.

That’s right, all that stuff in addition to four large front pockets with lots of shiny gold hardware.It’s just…well, like Tim Gunn says, it’s a lot of look. A bit too much look, in my opinion. It’s not ugly, per se, but it just doesn’t look like a good editorial eye was taken to this bag before it was produced, and perhaps one should be used when deciding whether or not to add it to your collection. Buy through Singer22 for $725.

For some reason, Alexander Wang continues to come up with handbags that I normally would REALLY dislike, but somehow don’t. The only reason I can think of as to why Wang makes me like things I normally hate is that his execution is often flawless. His bags’ details are perfect, and he strikes a note between kitschy and edgy that most designers go past, full steam ahead.

I saw the Alexander Wang Dorothy Shopper today, and it made me think – many of the things that I so strenuously profess to dislike are often just thinks that most designers don’t do particularly well. Adding an extra shoulder strap is an example, and suede is another example. This bag does suede and simplicity really well, though. The lines are super clean, letting the sometimes-overdone material take center stage, and it features no exterior adornment or other visual interest. It’s plenty interesting on it’s own, though; sometimes a big ol’ slouchy bag, when done correctly, is all you need. Buy through ShopBop for $795.

There are several things that I like quite a bit about the Coach Bonnie Leather Large Tote. In the interest of positivity, and because I’m in a good mood and slept in today, we’ll start with those.

First, the color combination. Brilliant. I wish more brands that are hell-bent on doing bicolor bags would do it this well. The crispness of the large white section plays beautifully off of the deep, almost-navy blue accents. These colors were made to go together and they’re great for the onset of warm weather that most of America is currently experiencing. They also use silver hardware, instead of gold or distressed bronze, which was a great choice. The other options would have made the color combination look a bit too sailor-y for my taste, but the silver is understated enough that this doesn’t cross over into theme-bag territory.

Now, for the thing about it I really don’t like: the odd little coin purse stuck haphazardly to the outside. I’m not opposed to things like that on the outside in my bag, if done in an artful or interesting way, but this one just looks like a complete afterthought and breaks up one of the bag’s clean, straight lines. I would be 100% happier with the end result of this purse if it had been entirely left off. Buy through Nordstrom for $648.

I love nothing more than when a designer realizes they have a good thing on their hands and acts accordingly. Too often, I find a bag I love and it’s gone after a season, never to be seen in additional colors or materials. Despite the fact that the bag sold out in its best colors the season before, some designers never seen to think, “Hey, maybe we should make this again in some different colors. People seem to like it.”

But thankfully, Kooba has not made that same mistake with their lovely Blake Tote. It was widely popular last season, particularly in its patent purple incarnation, and they’ve brought it back this season in patent black and white. And it’s just as good now as it was then – understated, well-tailored, functional, and versatile. I particularly like the white patent version because I have the (perhaps mistaken) belief that white patent is harder to stain and ruin than regular white leather, and I’m a white-bag-ruiner if there ever was one. Patent might stand up better to my abuse, and with how much I’d use this bag, it better! Buy through ShopBop for $645.