I both tweeted and facebooked about being extremely let down by a new handbag purchase. And this is it.

The Alexander Wang Rocco in a style that I was obsessing over for its sporty chic vibe. This version of the Rocco had my heart. The wavy-stitched detailing added such a nice dimension to the luggage-colored leather, alongside the ridged silver tone studs at the bottom. And when I saw it online I had to have it. Perfection!

The rest of the handbag-loving world is still mulling over the original Alexander Wang Coco with black leather and brass studs. In fact, I was hoping for the black and brass original myself. But when I spotted the camel leather version I got this weak feeling in my knees. It seemed perfect and I clicked SUBMIT ORDER on the Alexander Wang website quicker than my fingers could type my payment information.

The bag arrived last week and I immediately ripped the packaging open. Alexander Wang shipped it in a beautiful box, very Net-A-Porter like. It was wrapped impeccably and as I pulled back more layers of tissue paper I saw the bag emerging. Then came the feeling I was so hoping would not follow: disappointment.

The leather is stunning, thick and smooshy, and the wavy stitched detail adds such a nice touch. The studs are a great color, a ridged silver tone color which compliments the burnished silver-tone zip fastening. Each material was just as I expected and I loved it.

Now comes the disappointing part.

The bag is very heavy. I have tried on hundreds of bags over time, and always liked the stud trend, but this bag has one of the worst weight-to-size ratios I have ever held on my arm. With the studs being on the bottom, the duffel body has no option other than to slouch lacklusterly down to the ground, the weight of the studs pull the leather straight down.

The size is very similar to the Louis Vuitton Speedy 30, which is another bag that at times people dislike due to the lack of shape. The Rocco really lacks shape though, the body of the bag looks nothing like it does on the website. Obviously each website that photographs this bag will stuff it, which will give it the structure and shape that I so desperately desired.

It has been rare that I have pined for a certain bag, bought it, then felt let down. Part may be because I built this bag up so much for so long, hoping it would look exactly as I imagined in my mind. Now all I have to decide is if I will return the bag, which for me is something entirely rare.

You can buy this version of the Rocco via Net-A-Porter for $875.

Help me make a decision and share your thoughts on this bag below.

Our fabulous intern Anna had the chance to meet with Tory Burch last month for an intimate preview and discussion with Tory herself. While Vlad and I could not make the event, Tory Burch sent us some of her favorite bags from her new collection to review. Let me start off by saying that the bags we received were not some of the Tory Burch logo bags I have come to expect. Beyond pleasantly surprised when I opened the box, I found a new appreciation and love for Tory Burch bags.

Each of the three bags we were sent I can easily see myself wearing. While Tory Burch has become known for her signature emblem, it is not my favorite to see on a bag. But Tory has expanded her line and though you can still see that these bags are from Tory Burch, they are not over-logofied.

The Tory Burch Ambroise Hobo is one of a select few canvas bags I could picture myself buying in quite some time. Canvas seems like a simple material to work with, but the problem with canvas for me is that it shows wear and dirt so incredibly easily. The colors on this hobo will not show dirt as quickly and the mirrored appliques are the perfect touch along with the leather trim. The only way to note that this bag is Tory Burch is from the attachment T at the end of the shoulder strap. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $495.

This is my favorite of the three! The Tory Burch Tiled Teardrop Clutch is adorned with metal tile detail. It is an entirely different concept from most clutches out there, and I adore it! The tiles are attached on top of glazed leather. If you saw the review Amanda did on this clutch, you will see the version at Bloomindale’s is different from the version we had to review. Ours had a flap over top with the classic Tory Burch emblem. I loved how it was set up, it broke up the tiles and changed the clutch a bit. But the perk of the version on Bloomingdale’s is there is no signature logo on the bag. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $375.

The combination of ivory python print with contrast leather trim is clean and beautiful on the Tory Burch Matthias Clutch. The perfect amount of gold hardware mixes with the snake textured leather. I do love exotic skins, but sometimes a well-done print is not only more affordable but it is also sturdier. This was one of those bags you had to look closely at to see that it was printed python, not real python skin. That is the mark of a good print. There is a magnetic flap closure, khaki linen lining, and a zipper pocket.

Buy through Tory Burch for $495.

We have teamed up with many designers over the years to bring you exclusive information, giveaways, and bags. Working with Bottega Veneta in the past few weeks to bring you exclusive information on a product launch is not only exciting but something from our dreams. Known for its supple woven leather, Bottega Veneta has garnered a worldwide audience of fans. While their bags are stylish and on many must-have lists, one thing Bottega Veneta avoids is being known for seasonal trendy bags.

Today we are bringing you an exclusive product launch, a style from Bottega Veneta that you know well in a color that blends purple, taupe and pink perfectly. From the fall/winter 2009 line, the Bottega Veneta Lilac Campana symbolizes everything the brand is known for; beauty, timelessness, and impeccable craftsmanship. The shape of this bag seems light and feminine, just as the bag actually is. While the interior is roomy and has a cell phone holder and side zipped pocket, the size of the bag is not overwhelmingly large or underwhelmingly small. Touching this woven lambskin reels you in, as I have said time and time again Bottega Veneta picks the most amazing leathers and has the best implementation of weaving the leather together.

   

The next thing I must gush about is the color. The color is perfect. As I stated above it is a blend of purple, taupe, and pink. While they call it lilac I merely want to label it ‘perfect’. It brings a feminine touch without it being too light pink, which would show color easily. This color is wearable. Wearable in the summer, wearable in the fall, wearable in the winter, and wearable in the spring. For light pink colors I typically retire the bag for the fall and some of winter, but this color is again, ‘perfect’.

The Campana shape is a favorite of many Bottega Veneta lovers on the Purse Forum. The Veneta is a classic shape from BV, but the Campana adds a slight twist that I adore. There are double top handles and a magnetic enclosure on top which makes no hassle opening and closing of the bag. I always worry about shoulder bags being too snug on me, but this bag slid on my arm perfectly.

Most importantly, this bag is a staple piece to any collection. Shape and color is perfect, leather is divine, and overall product has me dreaming of the bag still. If you have been waiting for a piece from Bottega Veneta and want it to last you forever (literally), this can easily be the bag for you. Buy through Bottega Veneta for $1,980. This bag will be available at Bottega Veneta stores nationwide, or call 877.362.1715, or visit BottegaVeneta.com.

The Nancy Gonzalez Green Croc Tote accompanied us down South to Key West two weeks ago. Braided, spacious, exotic luxury, all new for Fall 2009. This bag was one of our favorites from an assortment sent to us to review from Nancy Gonzalez. The braided handles really added a nice touch along with the rouched crocodile body. The inside of the bag is lined with light green suede and features many usable pockets. Another perk is the weight of the bag, which will not weigh you down and is light and almost airy compared to many other bags I own. This bag will be $3300. Nancy Gonzalez bags are available via Saks.com.

Not only did this Nancy Gonzalez bag look out over the water for ships with us but also took a seat at a table with a sculpture. Very stoic and chic I tell you.

We are slow at deciding on our new category name for our exclusive photography section for Purse Blog, but we will be announcing our favorites this week from our giveaway! Until then, we still have more photos to share with you all that we know you will enjoy.

I feel like we have let you all down. You see, I have known the beauty and edginess of CC Skye for quite some time. CC Skye, the young and brilliant designer, has become known for her trendy handbags being spotted on celebrities and her bangles which are the perfect arm candy. And while we will be bringing you many more bags from CC Skye (and a fun giveaway for the next post, stay tuned next week), today I bring you my CC Skye obsession. The CC Skye Large Bardot Bag lives by the CC Skye motto, ‘edgy but elegant’.

This is another handbag that we had the pleasure of reviewing, and this bag was the talk of our office. Shannon and I literally fought over it and both of us did not want to send it back. The leather was super smooshy, super plush, super amazing. It was the kind of soft that you dream of, like silky smooth. And what I loved the absolute most was the shoulder straps. Not super tight, but offering the perfect amount of space for comfort, and light-weight. The cool-factor is the knot at the end of each handle. And then there are the gold plates which define CC Skye bags, showing in the center and bottom corners of the bag. There isn’t much else for me to proclaim about this bag, just my love for and of it. Perfect LA style, perfect NYC style, perfect South Florida style, and perfect for those who know how to rock a black bag. Buy through Singer 22 for $695. Also inquire through CC Skye.

Salvatore Ferragamo may be known for shoes, but the new line of handbags has me swooning. Not just a little bit of love, but there is a heavy amount of lust, or yearning, of floating on cloud 9. Part of the problem that many of us face with Ferragamo handbags is that we do not see the full line, the entire array. If only there were the entire collection available at Saks or Neiman Marcus, I know the sales online would sky rocket.

The Ferragamo office in NYC decided to tempt Purse Blog in a way that is just wrong, sending us the Salvatore Ferragamo Oversized Carlotta Alligator Tote to review.

This handbag is a dream bag, a bag that I only could find in my dreams. Because the price makes it way out of my league and the dreamy alligator skin on such a large bag puts me into my dream of driving to our Hamptons home in our Morgan Aero 8. So without the Hamptons home, the Morgan 8, and the bag, I am left in reality. But I’d rather dream. This bag is a piece of art. But not just art, wearable art. That is the beauty of this handbag. It is not just a collector’s item, or an expensive item, or an art piece, it is functional. And I yearn for it.

So I said expensive, right? And I meant expensive. It is time to let you down a bit (and by a bit I mean a whole lot). The Salvatore Ferragamo Carlotta Tote will set you back $35,000. No, I did not get the comma wrong nor did I add an extra zero. But the price is to be expected. This is a HUGE bag. By oversized they truly mean oversized. And this is why I continued to say that this handbag is the perfect weekend getaway travel companion. The bag that you throw your Hermes scarves and resort items into and jet off for the weekend (in the Morgan 8 if I could!).

But the beauty of the bag speaks for itself. The shape can be seen from clutches to oversized totes from Ferragamo this season. The luscious silver alligator is super soft and smooshy, not highly structured or stiff at all. Vlad and I opened the box and stared. Stared at this bag as if we had hit the lotto jack pot. Really? A bag of this caliber was sitting in our house looking us in the eye, begging us to try it on, put it over my shoulder, and throw it in the car. I did all but throwing it in the car. But I wore this bag around the house. It could be an everyday bag, but this is truly more of a weekend getaway bag. I can only imagine pulling up to a resort or my second home as all the onlookers gawked and stared. Yes, they would, and again, I need to pinch myself because this just a dream.

Vlad loved photographing this bag. Everything about the details will not let you down, but then again, what else would you expect from Ferragamo? Ferragamo is known for the most perfectly fitting shoes (I only have one pair, but I ADORE them!). And now, Ferragamo is on my map for handbags. Forget their shoes, I shall go barefoot if this bag could ever be mine. Inquire at your local Ferragamo boutique. Also, you can buy Salvatore Ferragamo at Saks.

Edit: I found the estimated dimensions from Ferragamo, 20 inches long and 15 inches high.

I have a new go to designer for luscious exotic handbags. She is not a huge secret, but she has been my little secret for the past few weeks. Her designs are elegant and simple, her bags speak for themselves, and the prices not as nerve wracking as many exotic handbags. Oh yea, and she is a beautiful designer who lives down the street from Vlad and I. And one last reason we adore her is that she went to a Big 10 school, and that means we are part of a comradery, just not on game day.

This is Adriana Castro that I am speaking of, the Colombian born designer who grew up spending much of her time exploring the pools and lagoons of her father’s crocodile farm, the zoocriadero. It is no wonder that she got involved in the exotic handbag world. Her designs have lured me in since I first spotted her exotic wallets (still at Lux Couture for a VERY amazing $450). It was her Adriana Castro Wallet that caught my attention, showing off the details of the skin with bright bold colors, on a wallet that can double over as a clutch.

Adriana Castro online for $1400. Right now you can get 10% OFF on any order with code ACSALE. Adriana Castro is also available through Lux Couture.

Linea Pelle is a brand that we have not covered much but deserves the recognition. Vlad and I had the pleasure of meeting with Andrew Cotton, the VP/Design Director of Linea Pelle, a few months ago in New York City. Andrew shares a love of handbags with me along with a dislike of pictures of himself that are not flattering (we bonded over this, because sometimes the camera dislikes me).

The brand had been on my radar for quite some time, but after meeting with Andrew we struck up a relationship and Vlad and I have been closely reviewing some of the latest and greatest bags from Linea Pelle. The much anticipated Linea Pelle Dylan Croco Shoulder Bag should be placed on your must buy list, right now. This is the bag that we recently reviewed; in Cognac (brown), Yellow, Topaz (orange), Emerald (green), Viola (purple) and Turquoise.

Ask me to choose which color I adore most and I will be at a loss. The yellow would easily work for fall, transition beautifully into Spring, and then be great for summer. The other colors are just as amazing. And while the color debacle has me stumped, the leather and overall look of the bag has me sold. To be quite frank, I was shocked at the leather being so supple, so touchable. The bag fit so beautifully under my shoulder, was light weight, and not too snug. And if you need to seal the deal anymore, talk to my mother. My mom, who does not always jump for joy when she sees a handbag, was OBSESSED with the Linea Pelle Dylan Croco Shoulder Bag. She was at my house when I received the box, and after cutting it open, she sat next to it like a kid under a Christmas tree. She had a bag on each shoulder, looked and me and reminded me of her upcoming birthday. She had a problem too, it was which color to choose. I feel her pain.

The practicality and usability of these bags are astounding. Like I said before, the washed Italian lambskin is super soft and luxurious. Because of this the croco embossing does not look fake or forced, it flows together ideally. The leather has a rich texture that is stunning! The hardware is sold brass and there are two usable font zipper pockets. Inside there is also a zipper pocket and funky zebra printed silk lining. We put the bags together for a lineup that made me never want to part with the bags. The rainbow of colors, the soft leather, the perfect fit, all have my heart.

These Line Pelle Bags will start shipping in September, so you have a bit of time to decide what color you want. Choose a color, but this is a must have bag, you will not be disappointed. Order through Linea Pelle for $575.

The new kid on the handbag block is fitting in perfectly, being highly sought after and not as widely available in the US as we (by that I mostly mean me) would like. Gerard Darel Bags are not new by any means, but their popularity in the US is blowing up. On my last trip to Spain, I was on a hunt for a Gerard Darel Bag. I left empty handed. But my yearning for this brand has not ceased and after getting a shipment of Gerard Darel Bags to review, I am hooked.

Now I must let you all know that our shipment was mostly leather bags, but there was a metallic python beauty that was included that outshines the rest. Once I set my eyes and hands on the Gerard Darel 24h Utah Python Bag, designed with a slight metallic gold python, my need for a Gerard Darel bag became insatiable. The style of the 24 Hour Utah Python bag is very casual but perfect for a casual lifestyle. The 24 hour style is not the largest, there is also a 36 hour, which would most likely fit me better (also a 48 hour but this might be too large). To be honest, I can not place my finger on what it is that I love about this bag so much. It was the over all feel, the finished product, the way it looked on me. And again, brutally honest, but the plain leather looked quite drab on me after I tried on the python. This python, as you can see in the enlarged pictures, had only a slight metallic shine. It would not gleam on its own, but in the right light, a shimmer of gold would catch the light. The python on this handbag is fabulous, the scales do not feel like they will flake off, rather they are softer and appear as if they will wear better.

Another major plus to this bag is its weight; it is incredibly lightweight. The Gerard Darel 24 hour Utah Python Bag is from the spring collection and will cost around $3,200. We got to review a few of the Gerard Darel bags, but the major downside is how hard they are to locate in the US. You can try your luck at Delcina and Shop Rumor. In fact, Shop Rumor just got a new shipment and they have a python GD Bag! I am not claiming the bag to be extraordinary, the inside is merely lined in canvas, the hardware is just enough, but when the finished product is hanging from your shoulder, you can see why the craze over Gerard Darel will not end. More information on Gerard Darel.