If ever there was an excellent example of why almost no one can pull off the intricacy and texture that has become a hallmark of the Valentino accessory aesthetic, it’s the Nancy Gonzalez Crocodile and Whipsnake Floral Tote.

I’m not say that this bag is bad, because I really don’t think it is. It’s also not great or particularly inspiring, in the same way that Valentino bags usually are. A poor choice in coloring has sacrificed some of the bag’s visual texture, and despite the fact that I respect where the designer was going with all of this, I don’t think she ever got there.

Finally, Marc by Marc Jacobs. Finally. I had been severely underwhelmed by the recent offerings by the brand, which is one of my favorites, but it appears as though their Spring/Summer 2010 collection isn’t doomed to the sale rack after all. At least not if they continue to debut bags is pretty and functional as the Marc by Marc Jacobs Flash Leola Hobo.

When I see something in such a bright and cheerful shade, I can’t help but think of sun, sand, and warm weather. This beautiful blue is the color of the ocean off the coast of some far-off Caribbean island to which I have never been, but the bag does a good job of taking me directly there. Can I get a pina colada?

Confession: when I was at the mall last week, I went into a store and saw a turquoise and black leopard-print silk top and WANTED IT SO BAD. So much about it was not my style – the frills it had at the collar, the banded waist, the neckline that wouldn’t allow me to wear a bra, which is not an optional garment in my neck of the woods.

It was shiny and 80s and more than a little tacky, and I loved it all the more as a result. Sadly, the store was sold out of my size and I didn’t have the heart to send a salesgirl searching through the stacks in the back, having had to search through those stacks at a long-ago jobs once myself. However, I might have found a suitable substitute in handbag form: the Rebecca Minkoff Leopard-Print Canvas Tote.

If you’re a pop culture obsessive like I am, you’ve probably heard The Theory of the First Season. If not, it goes something like this: in any reality show, the first season is the only one that’s pure. There are a variety of reasons that that’s usually the case, but mostly it’s because the people that populate the show’s universe haven’t seen themselves played back in HD yet. Instead of performing the roles that have developed for them over time, they’re just flailing about, being mostly themselves. Which is exactly what we got on the series debut of Kell on Earth last night.

If you really love fashion – and not just pretty things, but fashion – you need it be watching Kelly Cutrone‘s show. For the first episode, Bravo dropped us behind enemy lines at New York Fashion Week to watch while the people of People’s Revolution fought a famous hooker, the office computer system, each other, and the always-ticking clock in an attempt to pull off not one, but two fashion shows.

Scarlett Johansson can be seen as the face of Mango campaigns and now also has partnered with Mango to design a handbag which will benefit the victims of the Haiti earthquake. The simple tote shape is adorned with ancient cartography of Haiti and at the top of the bag has the message “Supporting the people of Haiti. Designed by Scarlett Johansson”.

About this collaboration Scarlett Johansson said: “I’m thrilled to be collaborating with Mango to promote conscious consumerism and to benefit Oxfam’s Haiti Earthquake Response Fund. By purchasing this bag, which I specially designed, you are helping to provide life saving assistance like clean water to the people of Haiti.”

Ninona Vila, Corporate PR Director said: “Given the terrible events that have taken place, MANGO wants to support the victims of the Haiti earthquake. For this reason, we want to offer our clients the chance to collaborate in this project, as there are many people who need help.”

theOutnet, Net-A-Porter’s discount sister site, has many S/S 09 Marc Jacobs bags and clothing up for sale. Discounts are as steep as 80%, so don’t miss out before the goods are all gone.

As much as I love the shape of the Notting Hill Westbourne, it is the rich saturation of colors that has me ga-ga for the brand. To be honest, it is both aspects. The structured shape of the Westbourne is typically not one I am drawn to, yet the feminine and streamlined design is perfectly put together. Why I really love this bag is that it is perfect for dressing up but can still be worn dressed down. And for me, having a more elegant bag in my wardrobe that I can still wear with jeans is a homerun.

For Spring 2010 I could not pass up sharing the colors that Notting Hill has available in the Westbourne.