Many of you already know how I feel about Elie Tahari’s handbag line: it’s probably my favorite addition to the contemporary marketplace in the recent past, mostly because Tahari has proven itself rather skilled at taking a basic, functional shape and making it special with texture and details. Not only are the bags beautiful, but they’re usable, which is just as important.
The Elie Tahari Leslie Shoulder Bag is just another example of the brand’s success. A reader wrote to us on Twitter and asked our thoughts on this bag in particular, but I had already queued it up for a review because of the beautifully soft pleats and classic shape.
This bag has a lot going for it – the dark silver has just enough shine to stand out against the blacks and greys of a cold-weather wardrobe, the chain strap is long enough to loop over heavy coats all winter long, and the leather looks incredibly soft to the touch. Because of the material’s texture, the pleats aren’t too rigid or structured. They remind me a bit of a fishtail braid, which is something I wish I had enough hair to create. I’ll happily settle for the bag, though. It’s also available in black for anyone in search of a modern, moderately priced alternative to the Chanel Classic Flap. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $498.
