Chloe is well known for their heavy leather, chunky accessories, and paddlocks but now they would like to break into a new dimension. Braided leather. We all know that Bottega Veneta lives on top of the world with their woven leather, but can Chloe break in at all? The Chloe Heloise Bag features a stunning shade of taupe leather with gold tone hardware and a chunky braided top handle.

So many have gone gag-ga over the Chloe Paddington bag, from the leather rendition to the croc. For Fall 2007, Chloe has released the Chloe Jacquard Paddington that is more affordable and made with Jacquard canvas and trimmed in leather. The price point is right under $1000 at Luisa via Roma.

What are your thoughts? Fab or Drab?

While some parts of the world dress up more than the folk in the USA, I find the casual wear perfectly fitting for my lifestyle. Chasing a 3 year old around means I need to be able to move quick and not worry about any dirt, food, spit, etc stain. So many think that we as Americans are sloppy, but I prefer to label us business attire challenged.

The Paddington craze created chaos among those searching for one and the lucky who nabbed one feeling a bit of shoulder pressure. The craze is still there, the supply is just much higher. I myself have two Paddington’s; one satchel and one tote. Chloe proves they are a receptive brand, taking in criticism and using it constructively. Love the lock but hate the weight of it?

I’m the person who carries her wallet as a clutch many times. So it does matter what my wallet looks like, because it is not hidden in my bag, but out visiting the world. Vlad treated me with a stunning Christian Dior wallet, which still looks like new, but I think it may be time to add another wallet to the collection.

The chic Bal Harbour shops recently opened up a Chloe store. Vlad and I checked it out last week, of course to see what handbags were there. We were both psyched to see that Chloe has finally begun listening to its crowd, they are releasing Paddingtons with much smaller padlocks. I am happy because it means the bag won’t hurt me, and Vlad is happy because it means that he will not have to hear me complain.

This Chloe Maggie Double-Fram Bag is heavily featured in Chloe’s ad campaigns, and it is pretty adorable. The cinnamon and mahogany trim constitute an unassuming color scheme that nonetheless packs a lot of personality. The leather looks smooth and smooshy and rich, and goodness knows Chloe can do great leather. The detailing is spot on – love the little closure on top, love the Chloe button, love the flap with the tiny turnlock, love the ruching that is so dangerously close to evoking cameltoe, but escapes looking just cute.

I’ve been underwhelmed by most of Chloe’s recent handbag creations, both the new ones like the Bay and the countless uglified reincarnations of Phoebe’s designs. For a Chloe enthusiast like me, such a series of disappointments was rather disheartening. Thankfully, I saw this Chloe Alice chain evening clutch sitting demurely on display at Nordstrom the other day, and my enthusiasm was revived.

Most of this week I have spent shopping for bedding. Yes, bedding. And it is more of a pain than finding the right pair of jeans. And for a gal that is 5’10, finding the right pair of jeans is not easy. From Saks to Macy’s in person, Restoration Hardware to Horchow online, and every other thing in between, finding this bedding is so hard.

Image via GR

Ready for a vacation far far from the paparazzi, civilization, and anything that resembles a camera, Britney Spears enjoyed lunch with a sombrero, eyelet white dress, a brunette wig, and a lovely piece of arm candy. While the Chloe Bay Bag first gave me the creeps that a face was staring at me through the bag, it has grown on me a tad.