New designs that are affordable and fun all at the same time are hard to find. But with the internet, a few clicks can lead you to a great hidden treasure and that is precisely what I have come up with when I stumbled upon the Diana Eng Fortune Cookie Coin Purses. Aren’t these adorable?
When I started PurseBlog in 2005, I owned 2 bags. My love of handbags has been with me from a very young age, but my collection didn’t start to expand rapidly until after this site was already up and running. As a biproduct of having carried so many different bags in that time, I’ve learned not only about the intricacies of the purses in my collection, but also what I think makes for a good bag overall. To share the results of our trials and errors, we’re introducing a new category to PurseBlog, Purseonals.
Amanda and I will get purseonal with our readers and share honest reviews of the bags we own and rate them on our Purseonals scale. We’ve come up with the five major categories within our rating system: Aesthetics, Usability + Functionality, Quality + Construction, Value, and Staying Power.
Images via WWD
If you’ve done any shopping in the contemporary department of your local high-end department store in the past few years, then you’re probably well familiar with the slightly retro, very It Girl look of Vena Cava. The brand works brilliantly with off-kilter prints and vintage inspiration to create memorable clothes at a somewhat attainable price point, and according to Women’s Wear Daily, we’ll also be seeing handbags from the insider-favorite line in the near future.
During the designer’s presentation dinner a few days ago, the duo behind Vena Cava gave editors and buyers a little thrill by including bags, which they called “purposefully nondescript,” on the arms of their model-muses. There aren’t any detail shots just yet, but almost all of the lookbook outfits include bags, and it seems as though Vena Cava has the basis for a bright handbag future that will make the brand’s devotees very happy. The line will be priced from $275 to $550, and we have more photos after the jump.
L’Wren Scott Lulu Python Satchel, $4307 via Matches
Admittedly, it’s two bags for the price of one still-quite-expensive handbag, but just look at ‘em! It’s kind of hard to find fault with structured dark grey snakeskin, in my very humble (ok, not-so-humble) opinion. The L’Wren Scott Large Lulu Python Tote echoes the design of L’Wren’s famous dresses – strong, modern and tailored to great effect.
Growing up, I had my lunch made for me every morning by my mom. In a brown paper bag, she meticulously packed healthy foods that no one wanted to trade for at lunch (thanks mom, you were ahead of the curve!). My childhood was filled with brown paper bags, and for this reason the Marie Turnor Picnic Bag called out to me from the first time I stumbled upon it.
You can’t tell me there is not a tinge of nostalgia you feel when you see this bag. Whether you had an awesome hard case lunchbox or bought lunch everyday, the brown paper bag was part of all of our lives in someway or another. Marie Turnor uses this design to give us a pouch-like bag that can easily work as a clutch or be placed inside of a larger bag to hold some essentials.
Well that was quick! We told you just last night about the newly announced capsule bag line that Current/Elliott founders Emily Current and Meritt Elliott would be doing for Kate Spade, and now we have images of all seven bags for you to peruse. As expected, the designs of Westward by Emily and Meritt for Kate Spade New York marry the competing East Coast and West Coast aesthetic of the two brands, and hopefully this time, no one will get shot. (RIP to Biggie and Pac.)
Photo via Marie Claire
The Row has two interesting and and seemingly incongruous distinctions: It’s a clothing line owned by former child stars Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and it’s one of the most expensive ready-to-wear lines in the entire industry. By all accounts, the prices of The Row’s garments come as a result of the Olsens’ desire to make clothing in as exacting and precise a way as possible instead of just having Another Celebrity Clothing Line, and even if the prices are out of your budget, their desire for quality instead of another quick buck is to be commended.
With the sisters’ bag choices being a topic of discussion in the fashion world for some time, it was only a matter of time until The Row launched a line of bags, as it has for Fall 2011. And wow, are these things expensive. The price points for the regular leather day bags and smaller lizard and ostrich bags are in the $5000 range, but I’ve been unable to find firm prices for the alligator pieces. To me, that means, “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.” And, well, that’s probably true. The bags will be available exclusively through Barneys and Barneys.com. As many photos of the collection as I could find, after the jump.
RHOC: “The ones who don’t talk about it are the ones who are doing it even more.”
RHBH: “What name did Giggy call you on Twitter?”
RHBH Reunion: “Being friends with you is like playing chess with Bobby Fischer.”
RHOA: “I doubt very seriously that Emily Post has a chapter in her book about aggravated assault.”
