Diane Von Furstenberg Stephanie BagI’ve got good news! A lot of you have expressed interest in the Diane von Furstenberg Stephanie Slouchy Hobo that Megs wrote about last week but were unable to find it. I can totally understand the interest – I can’t wait to be able to see it in person, and I can’t take my eyes off of the few pictures of it that I’ve been able to find.

It sold out quickly on the brand’s website and had yet to ship to many retailers, but over the weekend it became available on tPF favorite ShopBop. They ship all ground orders for free and most US orders are sales-tax free, so if you’re looking to try out this bag, you can’t do a whole lot better than that. Hurry, though – with all the interest in this beautiful hobo, who knows how long it’ll stay in stock. Buy through ShopBop for $995.

Action Shot: DvF Stephanie Hobo

Mar 23, 2009 / Posted in Diane von Furstenberg Handbags, Reviews by Megs Mahoney Dusil.

Megs with her DvF Stephanie bag From the first moment I saw the DvF Stephanie Bag I knew I absolutely had to have it. This DvF bag is different from every single bag in my handbag closet. It is super large, it is super slouchy, it hangs low. It is the type of bag you would expect to see on a hipster, only it is not just intended for hipsters. This hobo gives off a rocker vibe, but there is something very goddess like about it as well. The most interesting part of this bag is the chain-link metallic leather. Upon first glance the bag may look like it is actually made of metal, but this bag features leather woven together in a way I have not seen on any other bag. I carried my new Diane von Furstenberg bag over the weekend and I am absolutely in love with it. Vlad loves it too. The bag is super oversized, but I am 5′10 so with the strap hanging low and me in flats it still hits nicely and is not dragging on the floor. I already received compliments and am sure that there are many more compliments to come. Vlad is planning to shoot this bag much more in depth, but for those of you who have been emailing me to ask about how it looks, fits, etc, I have a picture to share now (also the shot of Beyonce shows how the bag looks on). And the best news is that ShopBop is now carrying the bag! Buy through ShopBop for $995.

Fendi Spy: Love it or Leave it?

Mar 23, 2009 / Posted in Fendi Handbags by Megs Mahoney Dusil.

Black Fendi Spy Bag The Fendi Spy Bag has been a longtime favorite here at Purse Blog. And by here at Purse Blog I mean with me. It was my first high-end designer handbag after starting Purse Blog and it was a major splurge. I cringed at the price tag, as I went from below the $1000/bag spending to over $2,000. I have a Honey Spy which I absolutely adore. The color is just right, the leather is smooshy, and the design I love. I am drawn to the Fendi Spy design as it is so entirely different from many other handbags. It is not a classic hobo, or tote, or satchel. It is truly its own shape. The handles are stunning, the hidden compartments are genius, I just love this bag! The Spy was huge a few years ago, it was one of the “it” bags. But is everyone over it now?

The Spy is one of the few Fendi handbags that truly had people going ga-ga. Wait lists piled up with people willing to shell out over $2,000 for a handbag. And a few years ago, not all handbags broke into the $2,000 range like they do today. Everyone HAD TO have their Spy bag, and Fendi caught on and released countless renditions of the Spy (mink, denim, beaded, jeweled, you name it!). But is the Spy fame over? After I saw this Black Fendi Spy Bag on Saks I thought how lonely it looked there. No “Sold Out” written underneath it. Just a hidden Spy bag looking rather lonely on the Saks website. Buy through Saks for $2,250.

What do you think about the Spy Bag: Love it or Leave it?

Marc Jacobs Alyona Patent Leather Satchel

Mar 23, 2009 / Posted in Marc Jacobs Handbags by Amanda Mull.

Marc Jacobs Alyona Patent Leather SatchelAnother day, another Marc Jacobs bag that I like. I swear I’m not on his payroll (although Marc, if you’re out there and you’d like me to be on your payroll, I’m not above a little conflict of interest), I just tend to really like his bags and his line is one of the largest out there, meaning there’s constantly something new to write about from him. And now, we’ve got the Marc Jacobs Alyona Patent leather Satchel.

First, I’ll say this – I like red. It’s always been my favorite color (which is apparently rare, according to an old graphics professor I had) and it’s one of my alma mater’s colors. I also really like patent leather in almost all incarnations – we all have questionable aspects to our taste level, and that’s one of mine. I don’t care how inappropriate it is, make it shiny! With the Alyona, the design is so simple and so free of other unnecessary adornment, that doing such a bright color in such an eye-catching material actually works. At least I think it does, but like I said, I have some taste-level weaknesses. Buy through Saks for $1350.

Michael Kors Woven Raffia Clutch

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Mar 23, 2009 / Posted in Clutches, Michael Kors Handbags by Amanda Mull.

Spring has sprung, PurseBloggers! It’s officially here! Well, it’s been officially here for a few days now, but I’m a blogger, you can’t expect me to be up on things like dates and calendars. That wasn’t in my contract. But I’ve crawled out from under my rock (or, more realistically, off of my couch), looked outside, and realized that the sun and warmth I’ve been bellyaching for for months is actually OUT THERE. RIGHT NOW. Who would have known? And more importantly, why don’t I have a spring clutch already? In Athens, everyone goes out at night. We’re a college town, and the bar scene is the basis of our social structure (and the wind in most people’s wings). Since I now work from home, a daytime bag for every occasion isn’t necessarily crucial (since, let’s face it, I don’t get out that much), but a nighttime bag? More important than ever.

Michael Kors Woven Raffia Clutch

And for that purpose, I submit the Michael Kors Woven Raffia Clutch for your consideration. Fun color? Check. It’s a red with both pink and orange undertones, making it eternally sunny and capable of matching and coordinating with numerous other colors. Appropriate material? Check. Tightly woven raffia is the most obviously warm-weather fabric out there, and the weave on this is a bit different than most and interesting to look at. Correct size? Check. It’s not too big to lug around all night, but it’s not too small to fit my giant, janitor-sized key ring. Reasonable price? Check – sort of. In the broad scheme of bags, it certainly isn’t bad, but I have some kind of mental block against shelling out cash on any clutch I’d actually think about using, since I would inevitably destroy it. This is a bag I’d consider ponying up for, though. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $350.

Clothes on Film: Armani and “Duplicity”

Mar 20, 2009 / Posted in Celebrity Style, Fashion by Amanda Mull.

Clive Owen in Armani in the movie "Duplicity"Based on the activity on the Forum, it seems like our readers are very, very interested in trying to identify what celebrities are wearing, both in real life and in movies. In general, there’s more interest in female celebs, but when we got these great pictures of Clive Owen in the new movie Duplicity, I thought that this was something you ladies would like to see. Or at least something I wanted to spend some time looking at and thinking about. Ahem.

Click for more pretty pictures

Lanvin Ou La La Clutch

Mar 20, 2009 / Posted in Clutches, Lanvin Handbags by Shannon Mahoney.

Today is a great day. First of all, it has finally stopped raining. It’s been raining down here in South Florida for the past few days. Although the rain is usually received with a warm welcome, it is a friendly reminder that the rainy season is on it’s way. But for now, I will focus on the gorgeous blue sky and put the thoughts about rain on the back burner. Another plus would have to be the fact that I have two amazing friends in town visiting. I love visitors!!! And of course, it is Friday. All in all, a great day. And I can’t think of a better way to round out this amazing day than with an amazing clutch.

Lanvin Ou La La Clutch

The Lanvin Ou La La Clutch might seem a little “bla” at first, but trust me, give it another chance. Without the jeweled flower, the clutch would seem a little “bla”. But, add this jewel to amazing gray satin and you have nothing short of a classy clutch. To me, the clutch really revolves around the jewel and that is perfectly ok! Since the rest of the clutch is rather understated you can definitely use this clutch to dress up or dress down an outfit. The price is a bit steep, but hey, if you have the funds, go for it! Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1575.

Versace Frame Satchel

Mar 20, 2009 / Posted in Versace Handbags by Amanda Mull.

Oh, Versace. We’ve had this conversation before. But before we starting talking about the sticking point that I always have with this brand, let’s talk about some positives. First, I think this is a really nice-looking bag. The Versace Frame Satchel reminds me a bit of the iconic Marc Jacobs Stam in shape and proportion, and that’s a good thing. People loved, and still love, that bag, and part of the reason was because it’s simple and functional. I like that Versace included their bit of bling in the top frame by making it all metal, and the zipper trim is cute and a bit unexpected. The leather also looks beautiful.

Versace Frame Satchel

The problem I have though, is that the leather is not exotic, and for the price tag, it absolutely should be. $4000 is too much to spend for a regular leather bag, which is exactly what this is. My Stam cost about $1300 at regular retail, and this bag is not any more fantastic than that one was. I continue to be baffled by Versace’s pricing scheme, and they don’t appear to have the avid following to support it. Buy through Nordstrom for $3995.

Donna Karan Metallic East West Tote

Mar 19, 2009 / Posted in Totes by Amanda Mull.

I don’t think I was a particularly dramatic teenager, as far as teenagers go (feel free to correct me in the comments, mom). I didn’t drink. I didn’t smoke. I didn’t sneak out to see boys. I was captain of the debate team. But you know what I did just now, at 23 years of age? I totally just did the dramatic teenage sigh-and-eye-roll when I saw the Donna Karan Metallic East West Tote. Why? Because it’s terrible and they want to charge everyone over a thousand dollars to have it.

Donna Karan Metallic East West Tote

The proportions are bad – really bad. You could possibly carry a very small, rolled-up yoga mat in it. What we have here is a ton of width with no depth to balance it. And the outside of the bag is just kinda plain. It’s lambskin, so that’s a plus, but there’s no visual interest at all. The way the handles are attached is boring, it has a little tag hanging from it, and it has two seams. Aaaaand…that’s it. I fail to see why it merits a price tag upwards of a grand, particularly since Donna Karan isn’t exactly an icon in the handbag marketplace and probably can’t rely on a gaggle of super devoted fans that will buy any bag she puts out. So unless you have a super tiny yoga mat that needs toting, I wouldn’t recommend this particular purse. Buy through Saks for $1095.

Proenza Schouler PS1 Leather Pouchette

Mar 19, 2009 / Posted in Clutches by Amanda Mull.

Hey everyone, let’s give Proenza Schouler a warm welcome to the handbag marketplace! Their current collection is the first evidence that I can find of any foray into the major purse leagues, and if I’m correct in that assessment, then I’d say they’re also the Rookie of the Year. I love the entire line, but I think my favorite is the Proenza Schouler PS1 Leather Pouchette.

Proenza Schouler PS1 Leather Pouchette

At 11″ long, though, I wouldn’t call this a pouchette – I’d call it a great day-to-night clutch. For some reason, the double straps are totally winning me over and giving this bag a very retro-meets-modern, edgy look. They remind me of the belt-like straps that schoolkids use in old movies to hold their books together, and I think the idea translates very nicely as a way to hold together everything that you need for your day-to-day life. The name also reminds me of how New York City names their public schools, although I’m sure it’s meant to denote the brand’s name and their inaugural handbag line. I’m going to pretend it’s supposed to be school-y, though, because it goes along better with my personal conception of the bag. Buy through Barney’s for $895.


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