Every now and then, I have a visceral reaction to a bag. Sometimes it’s a grimace, sometimes it’s a smile, and this time, with the Pierre Hardy Neoprene and Patent Tote, it was an exclamation of “YES!” and then some contemplation as to why exactly I had that reaction to begin with. Maybe it’s because the bag is just so freakin’ geometric and architectural – the lines are incredibly clean, and it’s made out of materials that lend themselves to precision. The hot pink section of the bag is neoprene, which I believe is the material used to make wetsuits, and the black trim is patent leather. In an odd way, this is hitting me as a good beach bag, although I highly doubt it is intended to serve that purpose. But with the neoprene, why the heck not? It’s so enormous and neon that I have no idea where else or for what other purpose I’d wear it, but for some reason, I love it. It’s just so NEON. So completely, unapologetically neon. It’d be one of those bags that I’d be completely thrilled and excited to buy, and then wear twice, because there are really only two places I could wear it. I’m not entirely sure where those places are, but I’m sure there are at least two. It hasn’t hit stores yet, so I don’t have any pricing information for you, but odds are it’ll be prohibitive for a bag made out of a wetsuit, no matter how fabulous that bag is.

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First, I’d like to say that I don’t like pink bags. Or pink in general. I was a tomboy as a kid and although I’m a girly girl now, I don’t think I ever quite grew out of my irritation over the belief that all girls love pink. We don’t! That being said, I’d like to completely contradict myself by liking the Chloe Ethel Tote. It’s pink. Quite pink, even though Nordstrom calls it purple. And not a shade of pink that I normally embrace. Maybe it’s the kicky little orange handles that are clouding my judgment, but this leather (it’s lambskin, drool) looks so soft and smooshy and WONDERFUL that it could be the color of poop and I’d probably still want one. If there’s one way to make my eyes glaze over and my jaw go slack, it’s lambskin. So maybe I’m merely willing to overlook the pink in favor of embracing the leather, which is nothing if not embraceable. Also take note of the price – while certainly not a bargain by any means, Several people complained about the price point of the Chloe Sally Bag that we reviewed earlier this week, and this one comes in a full $600 lower for a bag with more supple leather. Suddenly, $1395 doesn’t seem so bad. Pre-order through Nordstrom for $1395.

Suede? Not really a springtime fabric. It’s too plush and matte and touch-y. Most lines stay away from using it in their warm-weather lines, saving it instead for winter when its tactile nature is more welcomed by most people. But Jimmy Choo? Jimmy Choo does not listen to your silly fabric rules. If they want to make a spring bag out of suede, then that’s exactly what they’ll do! As a result, we present the Jimmy Choo Monna Large Tote. And despite the fact that suede and summer seem like an unlikely duo, I think the combo totally works here. There are two reasons why, the color being the first and most obvious. I LOVE THIS COLOR. It’s awesome. It’s so summery and will do that bright-as-neutral trick really well. If you’re feeling totally uninspired in the morning, put on a white skirt and a solid colored top, then add this bag, and suddenly you look great. Add some gladiators, and BAM! Perfect summer outfit. It also works because the suede is an accent, instead of the entire bag. An entirely suede bag is still a no-no for the heat because the material is so…absorbent, for lack of a better word. It shouldn’t be near the body if you might sweat. On the other hand, this bag is mostly leather, and the suede inset provides an interesting textural accent to the rest of the material. Well played, Jimmy Choo, well played. Buy through Nordstrom for $1995.

So, if I’m being honest with you guys, I’m just looking for a reason to post this photo. That’s all this is. Because this is possibly the coolest bag pic I’ve seen ever, and that’s saying something. It’s the lead shot for the Net-a-Porter Bag Guide, something that may interest you in and of itself, but I’m more distracted by the picture. Not only is the model’s dress adorable, but she’s got an enormous Alexander McQueen Large Patent Tote to climb into, and who could really ask for anything more than that? The bag is big enough in real life that an Olsen twin could probably move in to it, and as it is in this shot, I think it might have more square footage than my apartment. I’m looking for a new place – I wonder how much the rent on this one would be? Buy through Net-a-Porter for $2395.

So, a while back I found myself fixated with Lamarthe Handbags. I think it was the leather that really did me in. The leather is absolutely gorgeous, soft, supple and down right touchable. As you can imagine, being a girl who love deals and steals, I was nothing but thrilled when I saw that Ideeli was hosting a Lamarthe sale. Today, over at Ideeli you can shop Lamarthe handbags and save over 60% on these fabulous bags. One of the other great things about this line, these bags will last. You can tell that attention to detail has not been sacrificed. Click here to shop and save!

And now, for something completely different…Balenciaga Fall 2009 is certainly a big departure from the ultra-structured, futuristic, at times minimalist collections we’ve seen from Nicolas Ghesquière over the past couple of years. There’s nothing space-aged about these strongly Parisian clothes, and that only serves to prove what a versatile designer Ghesquière is and will continue to become. Anyone that can do suits so structured that just looking at them improves my posture and silk dresses so languid and airy that I want to laze around all day in them is worth whatever amount of money the Balenciaga’s parent company is paying him. A one-trick pony, he is obviously not.

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I’ve been sitting on this bag for a while now, which is odd for me. Usually, when I decide that I want and/or need to write about something, I do it immediately. The screen shot of the bag sits on my desktop for a day, at most. Generally, I feel like my first impression is the one I should go with and that it’s the one that most of you guys will identify with (if not always agree). But when it comes to the Marc Jacobs Robert Jennifer Shoulder Bag, I just can’t decide which way is up. I’m sure I HAD a first impression of it, but I don’t remember what it was, and even if I did, I’m not sure it’d be particularly relevant. This bag is making me wishy-washy in the extreme; it shows great attention to detail, but I’m not sure the overall effect is something that I can get on board with. I do, however, like the shape and size – perfect for that flap bag trend I keep mentioning – and I think it’s a great example of how a chain strap doesn’t have to be a Chanel ripoff. And I like the IDEA of the multicolored woven leather, but it just seems a little too busy and the colors a little too autumnal for a spring bag. With all the colors, the tassels, the woven chain…it’s a little too much all at once. I give it a passing grade overall, but just barely. Buy through eLuxury for $1995.

At first glance, I was on board with the Mulberry Creased Patent Mitzy Hobo. I like big leather hobos, and I like Mulberry, so I didn’t give the whole thing much of a second thought. But upon further consideration…I can’t get behind this. Patent leather hobos are extremely hard to structure correctly – it’s a shape that is supposed to slouch, by definition, and patent is a material that is much more conducive to creating structure than slouch. So, strike one. Because of the apparent lack of slouch, the handle isn’t long enough. I don’t think it would be comfortable to carry on my shoulder – I’m not a fan of having leather poke me in the arm pit. Strike Two. Then, the color. Oh, the color. Mulberry calls it “Lipstick,” but I certainly don’t have any lipstick in this shade, and I don’t think I would want a bag this color, either. it’s kind of salmon-y and a little too pastel for my taste, which is the same problem I had with the last Mulberry bag I reviewed. Pastels are hard to pull off and tend to make people look either washed-out or sallow, and I think this particular color might have both effects on my skin. So, strike three, it’s out. Buy through Shop Bop for $695.

The new must-have handbag floating around the DvF offices is the metallic Diane von Furstenberg Stephanie Bag. This bag is a favorite among the DvF staff (wonder if Whitney and Olivia are vying for it!). Celebs already carrying the bag include Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, and Jessica Biel. Because I am thoroughly obsessed with The Hills and now The City, I can image this bag being the handbag of choice on Whitney and her bff Erin. The DvF Stephanie Bag is a slouchy hobo which stands out with its knitted metallic leather, either gold or magenta, and an adjustable leather strap. The shape of the bag will slouch beautifully next to your body, give you both hands, and lend that boho chic vibe. I can see why this is the new beloved DvF bag and it is totally my style. I would opt for the gold. Buy through DvF for $875.

UPDATE: ShopBop currently has the DvF Stephanie in stock: $995 via ShopBop.

In general, I’m an enormous fan of everyday objects turned into art objects. Celebrating the beauty in everyday, functional things is a worthwhile pursuit; the design equivalent to “stopping to smell the roses.” And perhaps if we begin to blur the line between beautiful things and functional things, we would end up with more things that are BOTH beautiful and functional, and then we all win. Taking pleasure in the everyday is nothing to sneeze at, after all.

Chanel’s contribution to this idea is their Spring/Summer 2009 Essential Handbag. Modeled after the iconic shopping bags of their 31, Rue Cambon flagship location in Paris, the bags are produced in smooth calfskin in Chanel’s signature palette of black, white and pale pink. They come in three sizes – small for $1525, which is the only of the three available pale pink, medium for $2625, and large in $2995. From the information that we received from Chanel, it’s unclear whether the small is also available in white and black – if you’re interested, a call to your local boutique may be warranted.

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