Now this is a surprise. A fall bag utterly devoid of studs? But it’s true. The only hint of rocker on this Marc Jacobs Iggy Shoulder Bag is the fairly sedate chain-link strap. But that’s not the reason I was attracted to this bag, which, I admit, is an all-or-nothing bag, a love-it or hate-it bag.

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.

I am trying to be as open minded as possible but truly having a hard time. I came across this video and had to share with you all as I saw it being a very interesting blog debate. Pet groomer, Danelle German, found many of her clients bringing in their Persian cats and asking for their hair to be shaved off. Danelle German thought it was a waste to let the Persian hair go into the garbage can, so she decided to turn the cat hair into a handbag. After borrowing a spinning wheel from a friend, she began spinning the hair into yarn and then knitted the cat hair yarn into a handbag.

Read more about pet hair handbags...

We hope you all enjoyed our exclusive Bottega Veneta day on Tuesday! It was the first exclusive day at Purse Blog and we were so thrilled to have collaborated closely with Bottega Veneta. My reviews of the bags were not altered just because we had the chance to review them, I truly loved every bag. There is an appreciation factor that goes along with Bottega Veneta. The craftsmanship and natural beauty is completely alluring.

One of my favorite bags from the Fall/Winter 2009 line that we did not have in person to review is the Bottega Veneta San Marco Bag. Net A Porter has it in taupe right now though it is also available in Lilac. This bag consists of individual strips of leather which are bonded to Karung (snake) and twisted to create the desired effect. It takes 30 meters of these bonded strips to create each bag. All the edges and seams are hidden so that the bottom of the bag looks as beautiful as the top. The San Marco bag takes ample time to create as the process of twisting the strips needs to be done very carefully to achieve the exact desired position. While the price is high, it is indeed worth every penny. Buy the bag through Net A Porter for $3600.

More on the jewelery...

Is the Jimmy Choo Diego Straw Tote new, as it’s “pre-order” status on Saks.com would seemingly indicate? I’ve certainly yet to encounter it, and I check online retailers for new bags every day. And if it is brand new, then why is it just showing up now? August, really? People are surely still taking vacations to the beach now, but hasn’t the time for buying straw bags sort of passed?

Particularly for buying a straw bag that will cost, after tax, over $1000. That seems like a beginning-of-the-summer purchase, if you’re inclined to spend so much money on a straw bag at all, and most people contemplating big bag purchases seem to be looking forward to the next season and thinking about black leather, studs, and industrial details, not cutesy straw. The timing of this bag seems incredibly ill-advised, and since the design isn’t particularly strong, I’d bet that it’s destined for a long life on the sale rack. Buy through Saks for $975.

Fab Sugar attended Oscar de la Renta’s annual fashion show in Lake Tahoe [via Fab Sugar]

Ashley Olsen’s got her eye on a Crocodile Birkin [via My Fashion Life]

Summer Fedoras: Love ‘Em? [via Luxaholics]

Marc by Marc Jacobs + Don’t Miss The Marc Back To School Picks [via nitro:licious]

Ashley Olsen Talks Fashion: “Either You Care or You Don’t” [via Off the Rack]

Fran Drescher Gets Organic with New Skincare Brand [via Budget Fashionista]

We are loving the Diane von Furstenberg Belle Clutch with Studs [via Purse Blog Savvy]

Every brand uses exotics in a different way. Nancy Gonzalez crocodile looks different than Balenciaga crocodile. Chloe python looks different than Carlos Falchi python. And Gucci python is my favorite of all. Somehow, they manage to find skins that look somehow fuller and more touchable than some of their peers, and it’s always clear that their bags did indeed come from a living reptile. And I feel like it’s at least a bit more respectful to the animal to make a bag that really highlights the natural beauty of the skins that are used.

And Gucci has maintained their history of beautiful python bags with the Gucci Galazy Python Hobo. Sometimes natural patterns can be hidden when they’re done in black, but the finish here has a bit of a shine to it, so it reflects enough light that the scale differentiation is easy to see. Some brands treat their bags in such a way that the python scales lay perfectly flat, which has clearly not been done here. I’m sure that that sort of treatment makes bags for durable, but it also makes it feel less luxurious to me, so I’d rather that part was left out, even if it means the bag won’t last quite as long. I’d rather have it be as beautiful as possible for as long as that look will hold up. Buy through Saks for $3500.

Another major design house has joined the world of social media. As of August 1st, Yves Saint Laurent became official on both Twitter and Facebook to reach out with their fans and share news on fashion shows, products, special products and events, campaigns, and celebrity dressing.

Also, Yves Saint Laurent released the fifth edition of Manifesto featuring Christy Turlington, which was photographed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. The Manifesto will be distributed in the streets of Paris, New York, Milan, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and for the first time in Seoul on Saturday, September 12, 2009. We will bring you more on the Manifesto when it goes live.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a Lanvin bag that I wanted to carry everyday. Same for a brown bag – that color just doesn’t jibe well with my mostly black wardrobe, and as a result, I’m not commonly attracted to bags of that color since I know I won’t get much wear out of them. For some reason, though, those two things combine in the Lanvin Amalia Quilted Cabas Tote to make a bag that I’d love to wear.

A huge portion of the bag’s appeal is the milk chocolate leather. The bag is made entirely of lambskin, which looks so soft and tactile that I can’t help but want to reach through my screen and grope the bag. The surface is largely unobstructed by other design elements, and the result is a smooth expanse of leather that looks like it might actually taste like a Hershey bar if you licked it. Not that I’m advocating that you lick your bags, of course. But wouldn’t it be cool if it did? Even in it’s current state, I’d take this bag in a heartbeat. Buy through Luisa Via Roma for $1561.

Entirely unique, I will give this bag that much. And maybe that is what Emilio Pucci is going for. Why bring one more predictable clutch into the handbag world when you can bring an eclectic one to the bunch? The Emilio Pucci Bean Shaped Clutch truly is shaped like a bean and finished in a navy metallic shine. The body is a hard box clutch with a silver tone frame and push clasp opening. I would have to see this ‘bean’ in person to know exactly what would fit inside of it. This is a conversation piece. One of those funky bags you see someone carrying where you try not to stare but you continue to stare wondering what exactly it is and who created it. This is Emilio Pucci, it stays fun but strays away from his signature prints. The price tag is hefty and this is a clutch that I will be content to leave out of my collection. Though, I will admit, it did grab my attention. Buy through Net A Porter for $1385.