Images via Vogue.com

As we already discussed in our general review of Diane Von Furstenberg Spring 2012, DVF was all about lightness for spring, much more so than usual, and that choice certainly carried over into the season’s handbags. There are a lot of whites, ivories, lilacs and dove greys to be found among these leather goods, with an occasional shot of emerald or cobalt to make sure that everyone stays awake.

Not that it would be a problem without the brights, of course. Von Furstenberg’s company has shown great growth in its handbag designs, and although I’d chuck the folded, hand-slotted clutches out of this collection entirely, everything else makes beautiful sense, both in the context of the clothes and the season itself. Pay special attention to one of the newcomers: a ladylike, structured shoulder bag with an elongated top flap. I can’t wait to see the full range of colors it will be available in at retail.

Images via Vogue.com

Although Mulberry has brokered its handbag popularity into extraordinary success above and beyond the world of leather goods, the British brand always remembers on which side its bread is buttered: accessories. Mulberry never fails to include lots of handbag goodies in its runway shows for those of us who are more interested in what the models are carrying than what they’re wearing, and Mulberry Spring 2012 included bags of nearly every type imaginably.

There were quirky-girly evening bags with sparkly peace sings (the brand has been very successful with the hippie chic look, so I don’t blame them for running with it), the larger leather classics that we know and love in yellow patent that managed to be simultaneously soft and bright, and a couple of new takes on Mulberry’s most successful shape, the crossbody satchel. My favorite looks were the ones that mixed textures and exotics, but if you prefer your bags neutral, the collection included a surprising amount of tan and beige leather. A full gallery, after the jump.

Belstaff Cotton Canvas Messanger Bag, $395 via Net-a-Porter

Oh Man Bag Monday, we have left your category so under-loved the past few weeks. I promise it was not purposeful, it just…happened. But we are back and giving the men who read PurseBlog and the ladies who shop for their men who don’t read PurseBlog our suggestion for a bag this Monday. Thus far many of the bags we have covered are much pricier than what many men would ever consider spending on their bags. Today I found a very fashionable but rugged and affordable look in the Belstaff Cotton-Canvas Messenger Bag.

Because of Fashion Week shenanigans, I didn’t get to see or recap last week’s episode of Real Housewives of New Jersey. Naturally, that meant I had to watch that episode prior to recapping this one, and it was literally so stupid that it gave me a nose bleed. That’s new, as-yet-unexplored depths of stupidity, in case you’re keeping score at home.

Was last night’s episode even worse? Maybe. Our Housewives took flight for a few days in the Dominican Republic, and we all know what happens when those broads cross international borders. (Hint: Nothing good.) In fact, I’d say that the only good thing that came out of last night was the knowledge that the airline lost one of Teresa’s suitcases. Little by little, the universe is trying to weed her tacky clothing out.

Images via Vogue.com

If I’m being honest, the bags from New York Fashion Week were a little…mediocre. We still have several collections to show you that I liked, but I didn’t find much that made me feel all fluttery in the handbag part of my brain. That’s not necessarily uncommon; the fluttery feelings mostly happen at foreign fashion weeks, because let’s face it, the Europeans really know how to do luxury leather goods. Usually, though, I get a little bit more excited than I did last week.

Easily the brightest spot so far, at least when we’re talking about bags I’d actually like to buy and carry for myself, is Derek Lam’s Spring 2012 handbag collection. Lam isn’t known for his leather goods any more than for his clothes or shoes, but this group of bags really stood out to be as modern, interesting and different than the rest of what we’ve seen from American designers this week. Kudos to Mr. Lam, because these designs have been a welcome palate cleanser.

Images via Vogue.com

Marc Jacobs moved his show from its customary spot in the middle of New York Fashion Week to the very end because of the work days lost thanks to Hurricane Irene, which just made the presentation, always among the most highly anticipated of New York Fashion Week, all the more a special occasion. For some reason, though, the bags in particular left me feeling cold. Maybe it was the fact that Thursday marked my 12th day in a row of 16- to 18-hour workdays, or that the dizzying pace of fashion week means that nothing that comes at the end ever seems as great as it should, or maybe it’s just that some of Marc Jacobs’ Spring 2012 handbags look a lot like a Coach bag I had in 2004. Maybe it’s all of the above?

Even while watching the blurry livestream of the show late on Thursday, I mentioned to Megs that the bucket bags in particular reminded me of Coach, and she agreed. And that’s fine; those bags are actually pretty cute in their technicolor calf hair combinations. The problem, of course, is that based on Moda Operandi’s pre-order pricing, these bags will cost in excess of $2900. That’s not great when you consider that they remind me so strongly of a design that cost less than $500, but there are still a few cute bags in the group. Judge for yourself, after the jump.

Images via Vogue.com

Proenza Schouler’s runway bags have always been a horse of a different color. While designs like the PS1 and PS11 are act as aesthetic pillar’s of the brand’s identity no matter the season, the bags that show up on Proenza’s runway are meant to be accents to a particular collection’s visual mood. They often have limited functional or retail potential, but they tell you a lot about where Jack and Lazaro’s heads were when creating the entire collection.

That was all true for Proenza Schouler Spring 2012 Handbags, but to a lesser extent, which I don’t think is just a happy accident. Bringing seasonal runway accessories a bit more in line with consumer expectations will a long way toward continuing the booming growth that Proenza has experienced, and the collection’s cute structured canteen bags and boxy satchels could go a long way toward bringing the runway ideal and the retail reality into harmony. As with every Proenza Schouler collection, there’s a lot to be excited about here.