Clutches have long been an obsession of mine. A small handbag which fits in your hand and speaks to you and others. Clutches are like a little piece of fashion heaven. We all know the typical designs, but to find a design that stands out and will be remembered by all who view it is a special piece indeed. This is why Paige Gamble has caught our attention; her one of a kind and limited edition clutches tantalize our handbag loving senses.

Paige Gamble uses exotic skins including alligator, stingray, anaconda, python, and lizard. On top of that she implements exotic gemstones and minerals found around the world. Her clutches have our attention as there is no detail left unattended. A little black dress with a standout clutch will catch attention from anyone. Our pick, the Paige Gamble Ostrich Fish Clutch with its sky blue matte ostrich body and hand-enameled goldfish. $1400 through PaigeGamble. We have our eye on Paige Gamble now and will continue to bring you more of her fabulous designs!

Have you ever seen a woman in the mall or wherever who is impeccably coifed and seems to just have that air of luxury about her? If you know whom I am talking about, because we have all seen her, this Chloé Sally Calf Leather Shoulder Bag is what she’d be carrying. Doesn’t it just exude a quiet sophistication? The structure especially points towards times past where people just didn’t walk around in sweatpants or ripped jeans, but where polished was a must. That said, this bag would look equally amazing with a starched white button-down and slacks as is would with a white tee shirt and boyfriend jeans.

The accent to detail in this bag is what makes it gorgeous. Notice the careful gold hardware outline of that makes the subdued violet color pop, the delicately woven gold straps, and the overlap on the double-flap front. By taking advantage of Net-a-Porter’s Zoom-In feature, you can get a close-up on the gorgeously pebbled calf leather. It’s a fancier bag and you can see that in the construction, which is exactly why I’m lusting over it. And of course it helps that my favorite color is purple. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1396.50.

Perfectly poised in a pretty azure blue, this pocket tote handbag from Hype is the perfect bag to pair with summer whites. The turquoise reminds us of the deepest blues of the seas surrounding our favorite Greek isles. The gloss of the snake embossed leather is a charming contrast to the gold tone hardware. The flap’s oversized clasp enclosure conceals a pocket and on the back side of the bag is a snap closure pocket perfect for keys or your mobile.The best part is the price, $177. Find the Hype azure snake embossed Jordan pocket detail tote and other handbags at Bluefly. Save $30 off your first order at Bluefly.com with Coupon Code – THEFIND30 . Good through June 30, 2009.

Via The Find

I’m in a big Yves Saint Laurent mood lately, and I’m not sure why. Normally, I like things that are a bit weirder, a bit flashier, or just a bit more unexpected. Which is not to say that YSL is boring, but their aesthetic is normally just a bit more tailored and simple than my own.

I keep finding YSL bags that I really like in the past couple of weeks, however, and the Yves Saint Laurent Deerskin Hobo is the most recent. I even like the shade of almost-chocolate brown that they used, which is exceptionally odd for me, and possibly means that I need to lay down for a moment. But it seems like it would be usable in most people’s wardrobes (if not my own, which is exceptionally heavy in black) for a variety of occasions and for most of the year. The seaming at the ends gives the bag a slightly more interesting shape than your average small hobo and the small chain elements to the handle add a bit of visual interest as well. All in all, another solid effort from YSL. Buy through Bluefly for $895.99.

I’d like to begin by saying that I generally try to make an effort to appreciate innovation, even when it might lack in functionality. If no one attempts innovation in the first place, then we never have any new concepts for designers to eventually incorporate into bags that we can use in our everyday lives. Which is why I like the Miu Miu Basket Tote, at least in theory, if not in practice.

I think the uses for this bag, as it is, are fairly low. It would be an awfully chic grocery tote, should you need to run around the corner to grab a few things to make dinner. It might also make a decent pool tote, if you folded up your towel in the bottom to prevent your iPod headphones from dangling out. Miu Miu usually errs on the safe side with their bags so its nice to see them do something a bit different, but they fall short on practicality here. This bag would have been both innovative and functional if they had included some sort of soft leather lining inside – maybe in a cream or light grey, for maximum contrast. I would have left the lining loose instead of sticking it to the frame throughout the bag, which would leave the cage effect intact. That way, not only is the idea intact, but the bag is highly usable too. Miu Miu is halfway there, and I kind of like the idea so far. Buy through Bluefly for $660.

PurseBlog has been on Twitter for about a month now and we are loving it! Once we figured out what was going on, we became hooked. And who wouldn’t. All of our handbag loving friends are there along with websites we love. If you are not on Twitter yet, you need to sign up! And if you are not following us yet, start following us now.

I promised you a better look at the Jimmy Choo Martha Clutch that we covered earlier this week. After I reviewed the bag I realized that the picture on NAP had the middle of the bag zipped up, which does nothing great for the look of this particular clutch. All of the Jimmy Choo Zip bags look better unzipped. This is a fact; every single zip bag from Choo looks 10 times better unzipped. My only gripe with this clutch is that it is flimsy. I like a hearty handbag that keeps its shape. If you don’t mind a lack of structure and you love animal print, then this clutch will be perfect for you. Again, I am not hating on it, I am just wishing for more structure on an otherwise stunning clutch. At least it will pack well for trips. Buy through Net A Porter for $1595.

As much as I love scoping out great handbags, I also love taking a step back and appreciating the craftsmanship that goes into making the bags. Tod’s handbags, like many other high end designer bags, are known for exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail. When you are dropping mega bucks on a bag, you better hope that the bag will withstand the test of time.

The Tod’s Hel.Zip Sacca Hobo is an updated take on a classic Tod’s bag. While I would prefer my Tod’s bag to be made out of leather, there is something unique and eye catching about the nylon and leather trim of this bag. The shoulder strap looks like it would fit perfectly on your shoulder without digging into it or falling off. Plenty of zippers and compartments adorn the bag. But, would you spend this kind of money on a nylon bag? What do you think? Buy through Saks for $950.

Our wait is almost over – Project Runway returns to the airwaves August 20th, according to the new issue of Entertainment Weekly. They’ve got a cover story on the much-missed series this week in which they speak with Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum about the future of the series, the difficulties of waiting, and what we can all expect from our favorite fashion show.

First, the show’s move from New York to L.A. isn’t completely permanent. According to Tim and Heidi, the show will alternate seasons on each coast in order to reap the maximum benefits that the cities have to offer, which should be somewhat of a relief to a lot of the fans that couldn’t fathom shooting a show about fashion anywhere in the country except for New York (I am one of those people). Also, despite the new location, the new network (Lifetime, about which I will not snark since I got in trouble for it in the comments last time), and the new production team (of The Real World fame), Heidi reports that the runway set is more or less exactly the same. Lifetime execs said that they recognized that they already had a winner on their hands with Runway and did not wish to fix something that wasn’t broken.

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Botkier bags have been a longtime favorite of the Purse Blog team. There is a category for them on Purse Blog savvy which they so deserve but I still want to talk about them on Purse Blog sometimes as well. Amanda already covered the Botkier Venice Hobo on PB Savvy and now I am here on Purse Blog to share my love of this bag with you as well.

Let the lusting begin. The Botkier Venice Hobo is designed with smooth supple leather. The leather from Botkier is amazing, this I can attest to. Ample front zippers and tassels add an extra dimension that looks super chic. The hobo will fit perfectly under your arm and not rub right under your arm with the 9″ drop. All sorts of pockets are on the inside for storage as well, a zip and three open pockets. And this hobo is extra roomy, dimensions are 16″W X 13″H X 2½”D. I love this bag. A yellow version for $595 at Nordstrom is available (they have a magnificent yellow hue) or opt for black or caramel (which is my pick) at Saks for $595.