Almost every season, Marc by Marc Jacobs is a shining beacon in a sea of endlessly expensive handbags. I’ve owned several of the brand’s bags and small accessories, and I’ve had consistently good luck with both the quality of materials and construction of the bags. With almost the entire line under $500, that’s a pretty good endorsement.

For Spring 2012, I’d really, really like to have one of the Marc by Marc Jacobs Wedie Satchels – this is the kind of bag that feels both current and like it could be an everyday staple. Now I just have to decide – neutral or colorblocked?

Ok, so we’ve spent plenty of time lately talking about brights, neons and other assorted eye-assaulting colors that you might want to wear for spring. While Megs and I love and adore those kinds of bags, we realize that they may not be for every, either in a practical or an aesthetic sense. If you’d like something a tad more neutral but you still want to update your bag wardrobe for spring, you’re in luck – snakeskin is still the texture that everyone wants to have.

We’ve covered the all-snake look in the past, but for many women, a bag that mixes snakeskin and regular leather is a more demure option that allows a bag to be acceptable in a work environment where it might have otherwise been a bit too showy. Plus, mixing textures is also a big trend, so you’re getting a little bang for your buck here. (Your metaphorical buck, at least. Stuff’s still expensive.) And yes, we included one bright option. It’s almost spring, I couldn’t help it.

I don’t know if you’ve tried to buy a Chanel bag recently, but it can be downright difficult to find even something as basic as a black Chanel Classic Flap. Demand for the brand’s bags seems to be nearly endless, and seasonal styles and collection staples alike are here today, gone tomorrow. Not to mention the prices, which are perpetually rising. Don’t even get me started.

If you’re a Chanel lover and a RueLaLa member (or if you’d like to become one – we have a link for that), you’re in luck. In exactly three hours, at 11 a.m. EST, Madison Avenue Couture’s pre-owned and vintage Chanel wares will be available for purchase. In addition to a healthy selection of classic Chanel bags in neutrals and vibrant colors alike, RueLaLa and Madison Avenue Couture also have clothing and accessories from the French luxury giant for your perusal. We have your exclusive first look at some of our favorite bags from the sale after the jump, or you can sign up for RueLaLa and shop the sale starting at 11 a.m.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or you don’t follow any fashion people on Twitter), you know that Chanel has made quite a splash in Las Vegas lately. Not only did the brand debut a lavish invite-only exhibition called Numéros Privés at the Wynn Las Vegas over the weekend, but yesterday, Chanel celebrated the grand reopening of its exquisite Bellagio boutique.

With that reopening comes five (5!) special edition bags that will be exclusive to the Chanel Bellagio Las Vegas. The bags, all variations on the brand’s much-lauded Classic Flap, have a little bit of extra sparkle to them that feels right at home when discussing Sin City. There’s even one with a dice charm – how appropriate. Take a look at all of the Bellagio exclusives after the jump, and to purchase, call the store at 702.765.5505.

Well that was a letdown.

This season of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills has been incredible so far – dramatic, sad, contentious, sometimes a little bit scary. It made for great television, even if I felt a little guilty watching it from time to time, and we’ve all been trained to expect a season finale to take things over the top one final time. This one didn’t, though; for how good last week’s episode was, the finale was a bit of a snoozer.

Pandora’s wedding was kind of pretty, though. So..that’s something. The most interesting thing that happened the entire night was actually on Watch What Happens Live, wherein Brandi admitted to a week-long tryst with Gerard Butler because she still hasn’t learned to lie about things. Can we get Brandi her own show, please?

Everyone knows the Celine Luggage Tote and the Celine Classic Box, but the Celine Bi-Cabas Tote has cruised along just below most people’s handbag radar for the last few seasons, largely the obsession of industry insiders and dedicated Celine fans. With its extremely minimal construction and huge colorblocking potential, the bag seems to be poised to make its biggest splash yet for Spring 2012.

But what if you don’t want to pay over a grand for something relatively simple? Well, the Rebecca Minkoff Toki Tote offers the perfect alternative, but you’re going to have to trade leather for nylon. You do win a healthy dose of neon in that trade, so it might be worth it.

Last night on Real Housewives of Atlanta, we spent the majority of our time getting to know Marlo, our newest quasi-housewife, a little better. Like Brandi in Beverly Hills, Marlo has yet to get called up from the farm team for a full time spot in the big leagues of housewifery, but she’s trying her very best to put on for the cameras and get a job other than Professional Girlfriend. Unlike Brandi in Beverly Hills, Marlo seems to have few redeeming qualities.

I thought that last night’s episode might be our first one in Africa since last week was such a placeholder, but no, we’ll have to wait for next Sunday to see the actual trip. This time, we just lazed around Atlanta for a little bit longer, getting full-body wraps and trying on things we can’t afford. Except for Kandi, of course, who was pushing a truck tire around a vacant lot while someone yelled at her from the sidelines.