Tory Burch gets it right. Again.

I’m a broken record when it comes to Tory Burch‘s handbags: they’re simple, sophisticated, and very appealing. The one over there at the left? It’s no different. Ms. Burch is just not capable of disappointing me lately.

The Tory Burch Dayton Satchel is only the most recent in a still-growing line of sartorial successes. And indeed, it’s everything that I mentioned above, in addition to being a bit reminiscent of Yves Saint Laurent (unless that’s just in my own head, which is entirely possible).

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Help me decide: does this Valentino bag work?

I’ve never had much of a problem forming an opinion, but for some reason I have yet to make up my mind about the Valentino Aphrodite Satchel. Is it great, or is it ever-so-slightly off? Do all of the elements work together, or does it look like two disparate bags joined into one?

After the jump, I’ve listed the design’s pros and cons and also provided a convenient poll for your voting pleasure.

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Fashion Meets Function: Bright laptop cases are a back-to-school must

It wasn’t so many years ago that I was schlepping a 15-inch MacBook Pro around a far-too-large college campus, but it seems like tech options for stylish students have exploded since my graduation in 2008. Honestly, I’m a little jealous – my black neoprene laptop sleeve is positively awful compared to all of the options college kids have now.

Now that high-end brands are hopping on the bandwagon at somewhat reasonable price points (my boring black sleeve cost about $60 with no fancy design whatsoever), we have a whole new category of bag to discuss: the luxe laptop case. Here are four of our favorites – larger pictures and price information are after the jump.

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Finally, something other than the Miss Sicily: The Dolce & Gabbana Miss Charlotte Satchel

I don’t mean to be glib, but it’s been a while since I can remember seeing an interesting Dolce & Gabbana bag that wasn’t a Miss Sicily Satchel. That particular model has seen a lot of success for the brand, but it seems as though the various Miss Sicily satchels have cannibalized most of Dolce’s bag line for the past couple of seasons. They Italian label has released other bags, of course, but I’d be hard-pressed to name any of them off the top of my head.

Finally, it looks like they’ve come up with another design worthy of our focused attention: the Dolce & Gabbana Miss Charlotte Satchel. I don’t remember seeing this one in the past, so if it is indeed new, then I’d like to offer it a hardy welcome and express my sincere hope that it sticks around for a while.

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Look for Less: Prada Gaufré

Now that Prada is bringing back its ruched leather Gaufré bags for fall, I’m sure that plenty of women will be looking for a way to get the look without paying nearly two grand for a bag like the Prada Napa Gaufré Tote.

Luckily, fashion has conspired to provide us with an exceedingly attractive, relatively inexpensive alternative. The Elie Tahari Beverly Tote is made of attention-grabbing soft braid-effect leather, and it’ll set you back over a thousand dollars less than its Prada counterpart.

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If you simply must buy a fur bag, then perhaps this Marc by Marc Jacobs is for you

Not only do I dislike real fur, but I really dislike fur bags. Faux fur can be styled to look modern and interesting, but handbags generally do not have the scale or structure necessary to accomodate such a dense material in an attractive way.

Instead, almost all fur bags tends to come out looking like the giant fuzzy blob that is the Marc by Marc Jacobs Cheeky Nico Fur Bag. At the very least, the designers chose to use the fur of an animal (lamb) that is also used for meat and leather, which probably minimizes ethical issues for some shoppers.

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Valentino’s designers have clearly been watching ‘Mad Men’

Confession: I don’t watch Mad Men. I know that I should. I know that I’d love it and become utterly and completely obsessed with Joan. I believe all of the people that tell me how great the show is. I have no excuse.

Thankfully, it appears as though Valentino’s accessory designers aren’t as behind the times as I am. Mad Men‘s midcentury style has influenced designers far and wide since the show’s advent in 2007, and with the fourth season set to debut on AMC this Sunday, the show’s fashion caché is unlikely to subside anytime soon.

Fall runways saw a nearly universal embrace of 60s style, including shoes and accessories like the Valentino Jolie Framed Patent Bag. This prim, streamlined handbag would be right at home on Betty Draper’s gloved arm.

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If just the print isn’t enough, Judith Leiber lets you carry the entire animal

If you haven’t realized that leopard print is a huge and soon-to-be omnipresent trend for fall, you haven’t been paying very close attention. In fact, we discussed the impending importance of leopard bags just last month.

As with all things, though, bedazzler to the stars Judith Leiber is here to take the trend to its absurdly literal extreme. If you’re attending a very glamourous event this fall and want to be on-trend, these clutches are one of the best (and sparkliest) ways to do it. My favorite is the tiger – which would you choose? Pricing information and larger images, after the jump.

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Surprise, Surprise: More Elie Tahari love

Of all the brand to spawn new bag lines in the past couple of years, Elie Tahari may be my favorite. I’ve had the chance to see a number of the label’s purses in person, and not a single one has failed to impress me. The leather quality is high, the details are precise and the overall effect is almost always chic and expensive-looking.

The Elie Tahari Amber Clutch is only the latest in a long line of Tahari bags that have caught my eye, mostly because it’s managed to do something particularly difficult: look bohemian and high-end simultaneously.

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If you’re still looking for a summer clutch, try Elaine Turner

Fall fashion may be rolling in to online retailers left and right (for pre-order, at least), but in most of America, it’s still scorching hot outside. I was reminded of this all too abruptly last week when I spend five days moving out of my apartment – it’s hot out there, you guys.

With approximately three months of warm weather left in my neck of the woods, it’s not too late to be looking for bags to carry at cookouts and pool parties. If you’re in the same boat, check out the Elain Turner Bamboo Handle Clutch.

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Prada’s fall knit now available in tote form

When I recently wrote about Prada’s knitted leather clutches, two things were noticeably missing from the brand’s website: the same material rendered as a tote and my favorite color scheme from the Fall 2010 show. Luckily, both have surfaced in the form of the Prada Knit Nappa Tote.

I still love this bag just as much as I did on the runway, and the knit technique is so much fun to look at that I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these bags in person. The only thing that I find disappointing is the price: $4500 is a lot for any bag, particularly one with a very season-specific design that might look dated quickly. The all-black version would likely age more gracefully, if you’re so inclined, and this bag will surely turn heads when cold weather arrives. Larger photo after the jump. Buy through Saks for $4500.

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