Evening Bags (Page 5)

I’m so relieved that Alexander McQueen (the brand) will continue to function after the death of Alexander McQueen (the man). He was a visionary, and his legacy deserves to be continued in the wake of his passing. By all indications, the McQueen clothing and accessories that we will see in the near future owe a considerable debt to the founder’s aesthetic, just as it should be.

Skull clutches have been a McQueen accessory signature for some time, and the brand looks to continue that tradition with the Alexander McQueen Union Jack Stud Clutch. Skulls, studs and Anglophilia were all motifs which McQueen embraced, and if this bag is any indication, they’re not going anywhere in the brand’s forthcoming work.

When we talked about the Louis Vuitton and Lanvin striped mother of pearl clutches last week, I still partly believed that the similarities of the two evening bags were a coincidence – after all, two bags does not a trend make. Three bags do, however, and that’s exactly what this Judith Leiber Resort 2011 is: a sign of a burgeoning trend.

The method of inlaying more closely resembles the Louis Vuitton, as does the diagonal inlay, while the color choice is more similar to the Lanvin. The major difference is that the bag is framed with gold, which unfortunately gives me flashbacks to the 80s – as a result, this clutch is my least favorite of the three.

Well. That was quick.

We found out quite a while back that Marchesa was going to debut a line of clutches to compliment their gorgeous, highly detailed evening dresses, and since then we’ve seen no shortage of celebs toting them down red carpets from New York to Los Angeles. Finally, yesterday morning, they were available online! And then they weren’t. The recession might just be over, folks: the bags, priced $2274-$3475, sold out in a matter of hours. Pictures of all the bags you can’t currently buy (but maybe soon!), after the jump.

Doth my eyes deceive me? Could this be, could this really be the most beautiful Judith Leiber creation yet? Yes, I do believe so.

When it comes to Judith Leiber, all handbag lovers know what to expect: exquisite, luxurious and head-turning pieces. While this is what I certainly expect, there is a good chance Judith outdid herself this time. I came across this bag a little while ago and have spent more than a bit of time drooling over it. Everything you’ve come to expect from a Judith Leiber creation is here – and then some. In fact, I am almost a bit concerned that the pictures we have can’t even do the bag the kind of true justice it deserves, but I’m sure going to try!

Yesterday one of our lovely Australian readers, Baguette, wrote in to ask me to weigh in on the Dicha Pavlova Bag. Because I’m always happy to oblige someone that has already done the work of finding a bag on my behalf, I’m here to fulfill her request.

She’s a vintage lover just like I am, which for both of us also extends to the love of both vintage-style pieces that aren’t actually old and restored things that have been made to look new. The Dicha Pavlova bag is the latter, but sadly, it’s not working for me or the reader that brought it to my attention. I couldn’t tell you exactly why Baguette doesn’t like it, but I can speak for myself and say that it’s just way too much.

Lucite and I are having a moment lately. Well, not just Lucite, but any kind of clear acrylic – it may be best known as the main component in stripper heels, but it also has many lovely modernist applications, particularly in home decor.

It also has its place in a slightly more retro aesthetic, which the Judith Leiber Streamline Frosted Lucite Clutch displays beautifully.

When you were young, do you remember dreaming about all sorts of grandiose events you would attend when you were a “grown up”? I know I did. It wasn’t about money, it wasn’t about what it stood for, it was, well, about being a grown up. Now that I am a grown up, I’m still not attending the kind of events I used to dream about. I’m not complaining but I just am not there yet.

I remember being young and watching my mom get ready before she went out to a huge event with my dad. I remember her slipping on a gorgeous evening gown, fastening her necklace and any other jewelery. But more than anything else, I remember her grabbing a gorgeous evening bag and packing just the essentials into that bag. I thought about that night for myself for a while. Now I am a grown up and I think of carrying a Judith Leiber bag to one of those events.