Marc Jacobs has combined two of the season’s top trends into one compact clutch. The Marc Jacobs Python Thrash Clutch ($1895 at Barneys) touts a python quilted and embellished with studs. The quilting AND studs seem to be a bit of texture overdose on this very petite bag. But somehow the angular shape of the diamond shaped studs combined in a criss cross pattern of quilted stitching seems to unify the design. Although, I am a bit confused about the metal padlock which seems to be dangling without a purpose in the middle of the bag.

Overall, the Marc Jacobs Thrash Clutch does have the important rocker glam appeal which is so important this season. You can see Lady GaGa here at the front row of MJ’s Spring Summer 2010 show wearing the Thrash Clutch standing next to Madonna. It is a fun little bag and goes well with Lady GaGa’s eccentric style. I would wear the Marc Jacobs Thrasher clutch with a my pair of Rich and Skinny black jeans and a super cool Rick Owens cut away leather black jacket. This is definitely one of the more unique and eye-catching studded clutches out there this season. The quilted design makes it a bit more classic than trendy, not sure how many seasons this look will last though. What do you think of the Marc Jacobs Thrash Clutch?

via The Find

Yeah, I kind of feel like that about the Marc Jacobs Frame Wallet Sequined Purse.

This bag was so close to being the cute, 80s, glam rock evening bag that I so wanted it to be. I can almost taste it. But then it looks like someone stuck your grandmother’s mauve billfold wallet to the back of it, and it’s ruined.

Not only is it ruined, but it’s basically a bag mullet, but in reverse. The party is in the front, the business is in the back. And since that idea doesn’t work for hairstyles, I’m not sure why any designer would think that a similarly-structured bag is a good idea. Pry the wallet off the back, and I’m absolutely sold on the high-wattage sequin clutch that would be leftover. As it is, I wouldn’t touch this with a ten-foot pole. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $595.

The Marc Jacobs Wrath Studded Bag is somewhere circa that line, although I’m not sure what side it’s on. But I am sure that I love it, in spite (or maybe because) of its wealth of personality.

We’re all well aware that studs and industrial details are THE trend of the moment, and I can’t help but think that Marc Jacobs is using this bag to poke more than a little fun at all of the metal-covered fashionistas that are starting to hit the streets.

But even when Jacobs does tongue-in-cheek, he does it beautifully. The multicolored, multi-sized studs are attached in swirly lines that cover nearly every inch of the bag. It’s over-the-top, in-your-face, and a host of other hyphenated phrases that mean that it’s, in the immortal words of Rachel Zoe, BANANAS.

My favorite part, however, is the thick, tough, oversized chain handle. The bag is such a statement that nothing less than a handle like that would be appropriate, and I’m glad that designers still have the nerve to do things that not everyone will understand or enjoy. Buy through Net-a-Porter UK for £4,100

Consistent with the softer color palette of much of MJ’s collection, we saw a lot of champagnes, light and medium blues, creams, and whites in the accessories collection. Many of the bags were made of multicolored lattice leather, sometimes in what looked to be several different textures – I definitely spy some python, at the very least.

There was also Jacobs’ signature quilting, with many of the quilts bearing forth rivets and tassels. I liked the addition of texture, but these were not my favorite bags of the show – the tassels and their cords looked like tentacles to me. Not a good look.

And last put not least, apparently fringe is not over yet, at least not in Marc’s mind. Many of the latticed bags had nearly a foot of fringe swinging from them in the same colors that made up the bag’s body. I have a feeling that this will be shortened somewhat before the products are shipped to stores, but I didn’t hate it. In fact, quite the opposite – I thought that it was quite appropriate, considering the construction of many of the pieces Leave it to someone like him to make us all take a second look at fringe.

Pictures via Style.com

Throughout the sculptural-yet-feminine presentation, there were nods to Japanese culture, Comme des Garçons and Jacobs’ own seminal grunge collection at Perry Ellis, among a slew of other things. We had ruffles galore, lots of layering (as is to be expected with Jacobs), underwear-as-outwear (also not the first time we’ve seen that from Jacobs, and it reminded me a bit of this year’s Christian Dior couture presentation), and more pastels than I can remember seeing at Fashion Week since…well, ever. I hate pastels, but if MJ can make that gorgeous steel blue into a trend, I might let the peach and lavender go.

Overall, the more I look through the show’s looks, the more I like them, but not as much as I did his grimy, glam lover letter to 80s New York from Fall 2009 (or his brilliant show from a year ago, for that matter). Perhaps it’s the colors that are turning me off, or maybe the organza genie pants. I appreciate that his models all more shoes that were either completely or almost flat, the bags looked like they’d be intricate and fantastic on closer view, and the clothes are growing on me and looking more brilliant by the minute. There was one obvious masterpiece, though: the show’s final look. It was an ephemeral, effervescent confection of a gown that defied gravity and looked like it had been made out of spun air. It wasn’t overdone or underdone, but done just enough to show the skill with which it was tailored and the eye with which it was edited. Perfection.

Like the collection or not, that dress should be enough to convince anyone that Jacobs is still the king. It’s taking a while for the ideas behind these clothes to settle with me, but the journey through this master’s mind is nothing if not enjoyable.

Pictures via Style.com

The Marc Jacobs Rockabilly Leather Bag is yet another instance where I find myself loving and I mean absolutely loving Marc Jacobs. The impeccable MJ was able to to take a leather bag and add a laser-cut swirl pattern that doesn’t destroy the bag, it makes the bag. Since it is black leather, a simple single strap would be a great way to sport this edgy bag. Add a splash of silver-tone hardware, lattice detail at the side rings and to me, the best part, the bag is lined in fuchsia satin that sneaks through from time to time. Marc, let’s grab a cappuccino, talk fashion and realize that we are long lost friends – I’ll sport this bag! buy through Net-a-Porter for $1350.

Yes, yes. Quilting, tonal studs, chain handle, we get it. And it’s on-trend, but for some reason it’s just not exciting. Or maybe it would be more exciting if this bag, which is made of absolutely zero leather, were priced in a more appropriate way for a non-leather bag. So exactly how much is it?

It’s $1695, which blows my mind – Jacobs is usually much more reasonable on pricing when it comes to his satin or nylon bags, but not here. And that’s not to say that this bag doesn’t look well made – it does. The quilting is incredibly precise and the satin is just plush enough to make it look luxe. The tonal studding is a nice nod to one of this season’s big trend. It has some things going for it.

But overall, $1695 is too much to pay for a satin evening bag without obvious proof that some serious artistry or hand work has gone in to it, and that’s just not evident here. Knock about a thousand bucks off of the price tag, and maybe we can talk. Maybe. Buy through Nordstrom for $1695.

Then maybe the Marc Jacobs Cartoon Paisley Rage Bag is exactly what you need: a bit of the collection in wearable colors, at a palatable price.

Instead of the neon that made up much of Jacobs’ runway love letter to 1980s New York glam, this bag features a more sober palette of black and white, but in a similar print to the previous bags. As a result, it’s not less graphic and bold, but might be easier to incorporate into the average wardrobe. After all, neon pink clashes with things, ya know? Also, instead of the glazed python that we saw in the collection’s previous bags, this one is rendered in smooth satin, which lightens not only the weight but also the price. It retains the previous bags’ chain detail, but the shape is a bit more basic. The bucket structure appears to be a bit awkward, I would have much prefered it as a flap bag, but I guess we can’t get everything we want.

Buy for $650 through Nordstrom.

No, I like it for the unique purple and teal color, which is heightened by the quilted python design. I mostly like the purple color because I am a massive fan of purple handbags. I also really like when I see brightly-colored bags, because so often bags are in darker colors- brights simply draw your eye to the bag. Plus, isn’t that tiny lock on the front just adorable?

The only complaint I have (about the bag, not the lock) is the length of the chain strap. It’s so short that it seems out of proportion considering the size of the bag. If only it had a little more length, then one would be able to sling it comfortably over the shoulder. It seems to me that it’s a little to short of a strap to do that… unless if the bag slouches sufficiently. One can hope! Buy through Saks for $1,295.

And I mean that in the nicest way possible – I love this bag so much that I could just drool all over it. The name of the last Stam I reviewed reminded me of Sin City, and now this; does anyone else think that maybe Marc should consider doing a glizty, glamorous Las Vegas-inspired collection? Sequins would be the perfect place to start, and I love the ones on this bag because they’re not as expected as sequin-covered bags usually are. They’re small enough that at a distance, they blend together to form a shimmery, shiny whole instead of a bag covered in sewn-on crap, and the silver, off-center, abstract pattern at the bottom gives the bag a modern edge that helps it avoid the grandma-bag pitfall of multitudinous sequins. Viva Las Vegas! Er, uh, New York! Buy through Saks for $1995.

And that’s exactly what the Marc Jacobs Misfit Top Handle is – a bad decision that ultimately proves how sublime it can be to occasionally make them. Nothing about this bag should work – the dueling neon colors, the pattern that they don’t match at all, the quilting on top of said pattern. And a lot of people will probably disagree with me, but I think the combination of so many ridiculous ideas into one bag is actually sort of fantastic. I wouldn’t necessarily wear it (ok, maybe I totally would, but I don’t think I could bring myself to buy it), but the fact that a major designer has the chutzpah to make something so terrifically weird and in defiance of traditional aesthetic standards makes me love this bag in despite of itself. Buy through Luisa Via Roma for $1728.

I continue to love the Marc by Marc Jacobs line. The bags are beating out the overly gaudy and overly heavy Marc Jacobs bags and adding a look that is so much more appealing. Even these boots in the ad, amazing! I can say one thing: I am all for having the Marc by Marc Jacobs line not only look better than the Marc Jacobs line but also cost less.

Not only do I love the name (it reminds me of Las Vegas, a city which I am newly obsessed with thanks to The Hangover), but the updates are subtle enough to retain the charm of the original Stam while still being interesting enough to catch the eye of any handbag fan that’s familiar with the line. Studs are a somewhat trendy bag accent, but the ones here are small enough to not overpower an already iconic design. Plus, there’s the color – a beautiful, bright teal that will add a pop of color to any drab winter outfit. I’m usually not much for gold hardware, but I still think that it’s the only way to go with the Stam, and the combination here is beautiful. Buy through Nordstrom for $1450.

When we first covered the Marc by Marc Jacobs Dr Bag, everyone went crazy bananas over it and we actually had the store sell out in a matter of hours. Since then, Marc Jacobs has expanded this line to included clutches, patent leather, hobos, totes, satchels, you name it, it is there. And this is why our weekend obsession this week is the Marc by Marc Jacobs Q line of handbags. They are versatile, fun, usable, chic, and most important affordable. I don’t think I can even remember the last Marc Jacobs bag that I loved over a Marc by Marc Jacobs bag. And why this is good for all of us? The Marc by Marc line is more affordable. I don’t own a piece from the Q line, but it is truly an ideal line for many reasons. Rock on Marc!

Must. Share. This. Bag. That’s right, here is a great example of a handbag that I had to stop and write about. We all know that Marc Jacobs is known for exquisite and must-have bags. I admit, there are times when I wonder why some of the bags are sooo sought after but of course there are other times when I know EXACTLY why an MJ bag sells out close to instantly. But, this bag my friends, I can’t tell if is a knock out or a rip off.

The Marc Jacobs Safari Pouchette Bag is a ferocious bag with an unbelievable price tag. Thank goodness for the several different image options Net-a-Porter provides, because when I first saw this bag, it looked like a pile of material with some sort of rope-thingy.

Yet, when I saw the bag being held, I thought, “hmmm, not too bad”. This bag is definitely not one you see everywhere you look so I have to acknowledge the individuality it possesses. Zebra-print ponyskin has a draw string closure, adorned with tassels, leather flower charms (which I adore) and lined with blue leather. However, the price, yowza! Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1895.

I don’t even like glazed leather, but for some reason, I can’t take my eyes off of it here. Purple is, unabashedly, my all-time favorite bag color and more versatile than you’d think when used as a neutral, and the folks at Marc Jacobs have used it to capture my imagination and lure me in. This is one of the first fall offerings to surface, and wouldn’t it look great with a charcoal grey wool coat and dark denim stuffed into vintage-looking leather boots? A bag with such a vibrant but winter-appropriate color is essential when the weather gets cold and clothing colors get dark, and although the color will remain warm for some time, it’s never too soon to start planning for fall. Buy through Nordstrom for $925.

The blue coated cotton clutch has bold and noticeable goldtone hardware. When I say bold and noticeable I mean that in a good way, not a bad way. Open the front flap and you will find several pockets for any storage needs you may have. The thing I like the most (other than the color)? It would have to be the casual look of the bag. It isn’t over the top but it isn’t really that boring either. While I would definitely use it during the day, there are plenty of situations where carrying it at night would be perfect. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $495.

The way that the material is faux-wrapped and then safety pinned in place in the center of the clutch reminds me a lot of a traditional Obi belt, but it’s not so literal and obvious that it will be out of style when the Japenese influence that we’ve been seeing in some parts of fashion lately runs its course. The safety pin is oversized enough that everyone will notice the clutch’s cheeky little details, and of course it’s a great (but understated) way to reference this season’s 80s punk inspirations. I haven’t liked one of Marc’s clutches this much in quite some time. Buy through Nordstrom for $595.

Just when we all thought that Marc Jacobs couldn’t possibly find something new to do with the Stam, we all get proven wrong. Let’s look back for a moment: we’ve seen Stams in python, jersey, patent, Swarovski crystals, leather both flat and quilted, and ostrich. We’ve seen both gold 80s chains and demure silver box chains. Baby Stams, big Stams, hobo Stams and east/west Stams. Crap, at this point, there might as well be green eggs and Stams.

And now we’ve seen it all, because we’ve seen the Marc Jacobs Safety Pin Stam. I’m a bit biased since I do own one of the original black quilted bags, admittedly, and I’m forever an MJ apologist…but this makes even me want to say “ENOUGH ALREADY.” I don’t even think it’s a bad bag. I kind of like the idea of safety pins, since I was one of those punk kids in high school that pinned band patches to her floppy corduroy bag. It brings me back a little bit, and I love nothing more than a punk or industrial reference. And we’ve got some interesting and subtle patching going on here, and a cool, different chain. But ENOUGH. Give it a rest, Marc. Maybe just stick to the original for a season or two. Because we get it. Stams are awesome. But if you keep making new ones, eventually some poor, misguided soul is going to be buying a Stam made of lint and old chewing gum. Buy through Nordstrom for $1375.

Now that summer is knocking on our doors, it is time to bring out our bright and bold colors in full force. I have pulled out my yellow Botkier Morgan for our vacation we are going on today and bringing a bright green Line Pelle clutch as well. Forget the Marc Jacobs handbag line, go to Marc by Marc Jacobs for colors! From clutches to totes to shoulder bags to shoes, Marc by Marc Jacobs infuses fun and vibrant colors for the spring and summer season. They have the ever popular Dr. Q line, remember how much everyone loved the Doctor bag?, along with many other options. Shop Marc by Marc Jacobs at Net A Porter.