I have long been telling the story of my collection being Balenciaga-less. It is still Balenciaga-less, even though Vlad and I were on a mission to find me the perfect first Balenciaga bag when we were in NYC. What went wrong you ask, I’ll tell you below.

We started off at the Balenciaga NY store, which is truly off the beaten path near the Hudson River on 22nd Street. The store itself was confusing. As we walked through a cave-like entry way with boisterous music echoing loudly, we wondered if we ended up in the actual store or Balenciaga corporate headquarters. It was their store indeed, with fewer handbags than I expected and service lower than sub-par. Even if there were more BBags in the back room, no one asked us if we needed help, so we only saw what was on the floor. The bag selection was bleak and the service embarrassing, so we left still Balenciaga-less.

The next stop to try to find a Balenciaga bag was Barneys NY, which was right around the corner from our hotel. The service was impeccable. I was not certain of what color I was looking for, but both sale associates that helped Vlad and I went above and beyond. In fact, one SA filled both of her arms from shoulder to wrist with all of the Balenciaga City bags they had in the store. To my disappointment, none of them were a combination of color and hardware that I was looking for.

We left Barneys NY without a Balenciaga bag but with the pleasure of having received great service. Eventually I ended up with a different handbag on our NYC trip, a black Birkin. Yet I will still so disappointed not to find a Balenciaga bag. Don’t get me wrong, a new Birkin is out-of-this-world-amazing, but I had my mind set on a BBag.

Dear PurseBlog reader, I need your help. For all of you that know your Balenciaga colors and styles, help me finally find my first B-Bag. What I am looking for: Balenciaga City, smooshy leather, giant hardware, very wearable color (an everyday and every season color).

Help me out!

My favorite from Fall 2009 is Pommier, a beautiful bright green that this photo doesn’t do justice. From what I’ve seen, it’s more of a Kelly shade in real life, and I couldn’t think of anything more beautiful to wear with the blacks and greys of fall. It’s been a while since we’ve seen a green like this from Balenciaga, which is refreshing – they’ve taken to repeating some of their most recent hits in the past few seasons. I’d prefer it with giant silver hardware (since I prefer everything with giant silver hardware), but I’d settle for the regular hardware pictured here if I had to. Maybe if I can save my pennies, I’ll have one of these lovely bags to show you ladies in the future. Buy through Barney’s for $1095.

For me, the Balenciaga Arena Giant Envelope is an ideal clutch. It is a fold-over clutch with lambskin and giant silver-toned hardware. A magnetic closure is easy to use and there is a zipper pocket. I need this clutch. It is a perfect addition to my collection. I always have the same problem with Balenciaga, what color is best? The many color options actually send my head spinning rather than give me clarity on what I want. I am thinking pink. Once I finally get this clutch (and more BBags that I keep talking about), you all will breathe a sigh of relief not having to hear me try to decide on my ‘firsts’ for Balenciaga. Buy through Barneys for $995.

I believe I have outwardly voiced my love of the giant hardware Balenciaga bags previously, the silver hardware to be exact. It is not that I do not love gold, in fact I have found a new love of gold jewelry. But when it came to BBags, I thought silver hardware was the perfect color. Now I am questioning myself. After seeing some of the new combinations of giant gold hardware on some Balenciaga bags I am torn. The gold hardware has grown on me and I find myself leaning towards it more and more. Vlad and I will be in NYC next week and I may end up at the Balenciaga store, ready to make my first BBag purchase. It has been a long time in the making and I am ready to take a morning off of meetings to do some shopping. Do I go for classic hardware or take the plunge into giant hardware? Help me make my decision – and give me reasons why!

One of the most controversial things that Balenciaga has done was introduce “giant” hardware – I believe that came in 2007. The formerly tiny and dull (and by dull I mean non-shiny, not boring) hardware was now offered in oversized, polished silver and gold versions. Some people wept. “Too blingy,” they said, “It doesn’t go with the Balenciaga aesthetic.” I, on the other hand, rejoiced. Well, I rejoiced for the silver, the gold I still disliked. I had always loved the bags, but felt that maybe they needed a little extra pop, and the big, silver, thimble-like hardware was just what I was looking for to reinvigorate them in my mind. Juxtaposed with Balenciaga’s signature colored leather, the silver seemed to emphasize the beautiful dyes and bright hues that distinguish the brand from other manufacturers.

Several season later, giant hardware appears to be sticking around, at least in silver. I couldn’t be happier, and I know that some of the people who initially scoffed at the idea have come around to the style. If you’ve never seen these bags in person, I’d recommend that you try to in the near future; Balenciaga is more widely carried than it used to be, and the giant hardware makes a lot of proportional sense on some of their larger bags (I’m a huge fan of it on anything larger than a Day). So if you dismissed it initially, now that some time has gone by and we know it’s not just a fad, maybe think about revisiting it. I think it’s stood the style test over the past few seasons and is worth another look by all you handbag enthusiasts.

Picture courtesy of Style.com

This collection makes me want to move to Paris, find a tiny apartment on the Left Bank, and pretend that I’m as cool as the people that design and wear this stuff. I’m obviously not, and I don’t speak a lick of French, but a girl can dream and that’s exactly what these clothes make me do. There’s an outfit for every Parisian occasion here – sparkly fitted tops with beautifully draped silk skirts and pants, pretty suits with wrapped waists, velvet coat dresses with liquid silk sashes, and airily draped printed dresses of lightweight sheer fabric. There’s the occasional pair of regular pants, but there are too many beautiful things presented to think much about something so banal as a pair of menswear trousers. The collection also reminds me of the 1940s, but in a completely different way than the Prada war collection did – these are the clothes of movie stars that made escapist films about romance and frivolity, not hard-hitting World War II epics.

    

    

    

  

I’ve written about many a clutch on this site. At barely 23, I find myself at a time in life when clutches are possibly the most important bags I have – they have to go with the largest variety of outfits and fit in to the largest variety of situations. Dive bars, bottle service at a club, dinner out at a variety of restaurants, shopping with friends the next day when I’m too lazy to switch back to a day bag – my clutches go everywhere. I have a million inexpensive ones, but if I could pick just a single glorious clutch to have, I’d give all my cheap ones in exchange for the Balenciaga Arena Giant Envelope Clutch. There are a few reasons why.

First of all, Balenciaga is my favorite of the big designers. I’ve had several of their bags in several different styles since I started my handbag obsession, and I always get tons of questions and compliments on them. Their bags are often among the most functional I’ve encountered, and their featherweight construction makes it pain-free to carry everything you need. Second, the giant silver hardware is my favorite of the Balenciaga hardware varieties. It’s a bit punk without being over the top and I like designs with some edge to them. Third, few brands make colors as sublime and saturated as Balenciaga. They change every season, so if you see something you love, buy it before it disappears. We’ve got it pictured in mandarine, but Balenciaga makes too many beautiful colors to mention. If the orange isn’t your cup of tea, you can surely find a color, whether it be bright or neutral, that is. Megs also wrote about her love for this clutch a while back. Buy through Barneys for $995.

We covered the Balenciaga Crocodile Weekender previously in a rich hue of yellow and now are covering it in dark brown. Brown is always a wearable color, perfect for both genders, and will hide some wear well. Better yet it can be purchased through Barneys directly. So no need for calling up many numbers, just a few clicks of the mouse away. Buy through Barneys for $22,500.

Which travel bag in your dream world would you opt for?

If you were to ask me what one of the most coveted and famous handbag was I would tell you the Balenciaga City. Of course there are others, but from Balenciaga the black city is a classic. Of course Balenciaga is known for their colorful array of dyed leathers, but black is time-honored. Balenciaga was one of the first brands to start the huge craze in the handbag world. The Fendi’s and Gucci’s preceded, but the Balenciaga craze was entirely new. People scouring the world for the best color, the right seasons leather, and the perfect combination. Celebrities went into a B-Bag wearing frenzy as well, only making the buzz surrounding the brand grow more. And when it comes down to it, the house favorite size, shape, and color is perfectly combined on the Balenciaga City in black leather. Buy through Balenciaga for $1395.

And luck you! We have teamed up with Ideeli for our January giveaway. All you have to do is sign up at Ideeli and you will be entered for a chance to win a fabulous City. Contest runs until February 5th, 2009. Also, if you are already registered at Ideeli we will be providing a new link later today for you to use and sign up as well.

My love of Balenciaga continues to grow and I often find myself wondering why is it that I literally do not own one Balenciaga bag? I know, it is some sort of travesty that I do not own a Balenciaga bag. My collection is vast and covers many designers, but for an amount of time I could not see the craze behind the bags. When the giant hardware was added, Balenciaga got me right in the heart. As a self-proclaimed clutch lover, the Balenciaga Arena Giant Envelope is a stunning funky and edgy clutch. Designed with the signature lambskin, the wrinkled flap front with a magnetic closure offers a fun take on a fold over clutch. There is a zipper pocket and silver-toned hardware. I love this clutch and if I could figure out exactly what color to buy, I would (of course if in my small allotted bag budget for the year). Measurements are 7″ x 12″ x 1.75″. Buy through Barneys for $995.

That is right, DOUG! Doug Reinhardt. As in LC’s Doug. Then SPratt’s, “She can’t dictate all our lives”, Doug. Then friends with everyone else on The Hills Doug. And now Amanda Bynes’ Doug? I have to give myself a pat on the back, because when I first spotted this photo, it said with mystery man. My accomplishment of yesterday, that Vlad would not give me a pat on the back for, was letting the Photo Agency know that the mystery man was indeed DOUG! Rumor is flying around town that Doug’s facebook status currently reads: “Doug is in love.”

How many morning coffees have been thrown at the computer screen reading me write this? I apologize now. Back to the bags. Amanda Bynes sported her Balenciaga Giant City in black. This is a staple from Balenciaga, as the City is probably the favorite size and black is the ultimate classic color from Balenciaga. The Gold Giant Hardware spruces the bag up a bit. Buy this bag through Balenciaga for $1695.

Balenciaga Giant City in Charcoal Grey

Over the weekend Vlad and I made the journey up the state of Florida to Tallahassee, home of Florida State University, where my brother goes to school. It was family weekend, and we went up to visit him and go to a Florida State game. If you know me, Vlad, or my family, you will know that we are rather obsessed with college football. This was my first FSU game and we had a great time, who wouldn’t? Even better is FSU won. I did not own a FSU tee-shirt and had to head to the school store to FSU myself, Vlad, and my mom out. We got shirts and finally fit in with the rest of the school population. What worked out perfectly is that I took my Rebecca Minkoff Wine Nikki and my mom had her Linea Pelle Dylan Croco Shoulder bag in yellow. Perfect bags that showed off garnet and gold and we didn’t even plan it.

When I went to Ohio State I had a hard time finding the perfect red bag to wear to the games. Red bags are not always my cup of tea as far as the color goes, too bright, too dark, not enough oomph. So why not skip over the red and carry a grey bag to an Ohio State game (colors are indeed Scarlett and grey). I figured out the perfect college football game day bag, the Balenciaga Giant City in charcoal grey. This is the precise bag I would buy from Balenciaga, and next week while in NYC, we will most likely raid the Balenciaga NYC store. This Balenciaga bag is designed with soft vintage lambskin and accented with large palladium plated metal hardware. I have been a fan of the oversized hardware from its inception, so here it is, the ideal college football game bag. It is young, hip, funky, stylish, and comes in a plethora of colors that can suit your college team needs. Of course it would work for NFL, MBA, NHL, NBA, etc. And even if your school looses, a la Ohio State vs Penn State this past weekend, at least you will be cheering and feeling lousy over the loss in style. Buy through Balenciaga online for $1595.

Balenciaga City

There is this huge worldwide Balenciaga craze, and somehow I have never been part of it. It is not that I do not like Balenciaga bags, actually I like them quite much. I would go on to say I adore them even, as they are just my style. Is there a particular reason why I do not own one yet? I suppose the last few times we have been in NYC we had on our list to take a trip to Balenciaga, and we just never made it.

But our next trip to New York City will surely have a stop at Balenciaga and I will leave with a new BBag. Which one is not the question. Which color is the question. The color variety that Balenciaga churns out is so massive, so unbelievable, that it makes my super huge Crayola box look skimpy.

For one of the iconic Balenciaga styles, the soft vintage crafted lambskin looks sultry and stunning in black cherry on the Balenciaga City. The City is one of the most well-known designs from Balenciaga, and this color, well, I DIE! Love it. The deep black cherry is accompanied with aged brass hardware. The signature Balenciaga signs are evident; hand stitched handles, leather strings on zips, and leather framed hand mirror. Dimensions are 15” x 9.8” x 3.9”. Once I jump into Balenciaga, or even before my NYC trip, I know I will be coming to you all for suggestions! Buy the City through Balenciaga online for $1,295.

When Balenciaga introduced giant hardware on their already hit handbags, the accessory world was split. I specifically remember many not being fond of the large chunky hardware. The thing is, I always loved it, it fit my style perfectly. One of many top handle purses from the house, the Balenciaga Giant Part Time implements soft vintage crafted lambskin to give the perfect supple slouch that Balenciaga has become known for. The funny thing is, I am in no way a Balenciaga expert. You know who is? A huge group of BBag lovers on Purse Forum! This group can know the difference between a BBag because of the leather (some seasons has softer leather that people yearn to hunt down), color, and hardware. I just look and know what it is that I like. The Giant Part Time in pink bubblegum is a perfect mix of feminine colors with gold plated oversized metal hardware. There is a removable shoulder strap which helps with ease of carrying. Dimensions are 16.5” x 5.9” x 9.1”. There are quite a few colors offered, but the girly side of me has always loved Balenciaga Pink Bubblegum. Buy through Balenciaga online for $1,645.

They say when away the mice will play. That was quite true during my last trip; as I traveled around Spain, Vlad broke into my closet and attempted to photograph my entire bag collection. He got most pieces, but did not find them all . One thing quite a few of you noticed is my lack of a Balenciaga bag. Truth be told, I do not have one stashed anywhere, I simply do not have one. I do not have a BBag because I have spent years literally racking my brain trying to figure out which color on which style I want. Bubblegum has always looked delicious or what about the baby blue all the celebs carry. So many choices. On our next trip to NYC I plan on purchasing my first Balenciaga bag. Typically it is nearly impossible to find BBags online, but not anymore. Balenciaga has opened up their website to online shopping for the US only! This means more learning about their bags and being able to indulge online, which I am all for. And Balenciaga does not do anything small, as they have designed an exclusive online, the Balenciaga Giant City with Coquelicot Japonais print. I fell for the Balenciaga Giant Seau bag with the floral print when I first saw it, and now this exclusive has my heart. The colors are perfect for fall and winter! There is lambskin offsetting the printed textile and palladium plated metal hardware. Enjoy what Balenciaga has done, opening up online sales through their site! Buy this bag exclusively through Balenciaga online for $1595.

After bringing you stunning pictures of the Balenciaga Crocodile Work Bag, I had to find out more information about Balenciaga crocodile bags. It seems Balenciaga does dabble in the art of exotics every now and again, and when they do the skins are stunning and the colors pop. From the Fall 07 collection, the Balenciaga Crocodile Weekender in yellow was released and it is quite the show stopper. The weekender is just as large as its name suggests, and this yellow crocodile version will be sure to capture every eye on your weekend getaways. If you are in the market for a crocodile B-bag, you can speak to the boutique as they are all custom made. Balenciaga is known for their wide array of beautiful colors, so imagine picking another bright bold color and placing it on a crocodile bag. The price will surely capture your attention, at $22,500.

I called Balenciaga America Inc, and experienced amazing help from the people on the other end of the phone. A special thank you to Anette for going out of her way to find out more on this bag for me. If you are interested, call the Balenciaga NYC store, +1 212 206 0872, or inquire about other Balenciaga items from Balenciaga America Inc., +1 212 279 4440.

Balenciaga Crocodile Weekender

Balenciaga Crocodile Work Bag