Jimmy Choo Handbags and Purses (Page 8)

The first thing that struck me about the Jimmy Choo Lucy Hobo was the name – Lucy! My parents have a seven-month-old English Bulldog puppy named Lucy that is just about the most adorable and aggravating little thing in the world, and whenever I hear the name I think of her. That’s neither here nor there, but everyone loves a puppy, right?

As far as the bag goes, I find it a little aggravating as well. I like the idea, and I like the theory behind the leather’s finish – what I don’t like is the execution. The stamped pattern and shininess seem a little too glam for the color, shape and hardware that were used. When I think about a brown bag, I want something casual with a soft, maybe even slightly rugged, finish. I want the leather too look like it’s been worn in and worked like a baseball glove, and what Jimmy Choo has done here just doesn’t seem quite right to me. Keep the hardware, keep the color, keep the hobo shape, maybe make the body of the bag a little larger, and lose the stamping and shiny finish. The flap is a little big and triangular, but that’s kind of a minor point. Follow that prescription, and they’d have a mighty fine bag indeed. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1495.

As we continue to grow, we continue to hire more writers, interns, and workers which has me writing a bit less and doing things behind the scenes a bit more. But I must admit I miss writing. I am not a product of a journalism school, but I am a gal who loves handbags and always loves to share what I think about them, which is precisely why we started this site. So I have worked it out that you will be hearing from me again much more. You are stuck with me, it is going to take a lot more to get rid of me!

Onto this Jimmy Choo handbag. Luckily we had this bag in our office so I can tell you precisely what it is like in person. Let me first say that I love the look of the Jimmy Choo Martha Pony and Suede Clutch, it is totally edgy and fun. The problem with this bag is its structure, rather lack their of. The bag is flimsy, and really has a hard time keeping its rectangular shape. The materials are great though, and obviously light, with a combination of multicolored pony skin and suede. This is another one of those brilliant zip Jimmy Choo bags which will help the bag expand or contract depending on what you want (leave it expanded, it looks so much cooler). So my gripe is merely how this clutch loses its shape. Every other aspect of this clutch I love. The version that we had was a bit different (images to come later) but Jimmy Choo keeps wowing us with their love of animal prints. Buy through Net A Porter for $1595.

At first, I really wanted to dislike this incarnation of the Jimmy Choo Maia Hobo. It is, as La Gunn would say, a lot of look. It’s suede and animal print and color-blocked and wooden-handled. It has an extra strap that Choo is pretending makes it a hobo (ha, it totally doesn’t) and it’s got a center zipper that makes the bag larger or smaller, depending on how you use it. The Maia? She’s no shrinking violet.

And besides the extra shoulder strap (a message to the folks at Choo – an extra strap doesn’t suddenly make a satchel a hobo. This is a satchel), I kinda like it, but only if the zippered portion is left open (which is my feeling about almost all of the Choo zip-center bags). It reminds me of the Louis Vuitton safari aesthetic of this season, but executed in a more edited and reasonable way. The material means it would probably get dirty fast, but if I had a bunch (and I do mean a BUNCH, it’s way overpriced) of extra cash laying around, I’d rock it. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $2995.

It’s really a shame that the one time Jimmy Choo makes a bag that doesn’t cost a bazillion dollars, it’s as bland and kinda cheap-looking. The Jimmy Choo Metallic Hobo has very little personality – one of its only points of visual interest is a simple exposed seam down the middle that holds together the two big pieces of leather. And it’s not even a contrast-stitched seam.

Perhaps its just the color, but does the leather look super thin and maybe a bit vinyl-like to anyone else? Maybe sorta like the PVC that they makes Target bags out of? Because that’s how it’s reading to me, and there is no situation in which that is a compliment to the bag. And if they’re going to have a bag this simple (read: boring) then they’ve really got to bring their A-game as far as leather goes, don’t you think? Gorgeous, thick, smooshy leather could have saved them and gotten a good review, particularly at this price point. But this bag looks entirely like an afterthought, and who wants to pay a grand for that? Buy through Saks for $1095.

As the great Nina Garcia once said on Project Runway, the fastest way to look cheap is to wear something short, tight, and shiny. I’m paraphrasing, but you get the idea – a confluence of characteristics can sometimes say exactly the wrong thing in a way that no one design flaw could say it by itself. That’s what appears to be going on with the Jimmy Choo Rosie Bag. First, the patent. Then the animal print. Then the color that no mammal has ever been accused of being. Then the overly trendy shape. One or two of these things, by themselves, may have been excusable.

It may still have been a cute bag. But when you combine all of these aspects together, they manage to simultaneously overwhelm and underwhelm me, if you get what I’m sayin’. I generally like things that verge a little bit into tacky territory, but this particular bag does cartwheels into it. And ultimately, it’s nothing if not mighty unfortunate. Buy through Saks for $895.

Info: Jimmy Choo Robin Biker Leather and Elaphe Snake Bag. $1,395 via Jimmy Choo or Net-A-Porter.

At this point, Jimmy Choo has made so many of these belt-top bags that I’m starting to get really confused. This one is called the Jimmy Choo Riley Hobo. Whatever it’s name, I’m sure to get it mixed up with all of their other belted options. Do I think that’s a bad thing? Not necessarily; it would be if this was their only line, but they’ve got a few other looks going on simultaneously. I’m ok with it, I think it’s a good look, and I wouldn’t mind owning one. They’re professional without being boring to look at, and that’s pretty rare. I’d take it in a color besides boring beige, though, but that’s easy to fix.

I like that this one can be more easily shoulder-carried than a lot of their tote options (I never, ever buy totes – they fall off my shoulder), but I would have preferred it with one strap. What’s up with companies lately adding an extra strap to their hobos? It’s so not necessary, and one strap on any two-strap bag is constantly fall off for me. Can we not all agree that hobos, at the very least, should be free of unnecessary extra straps? Buy through Saks for $1995.