I’ve always been critical of Christian Louboutin handbags in the past, but I’ve seen a few that I don’t hate in the past season. With all the design genius in that company, I knew they would pull together their handbag line sooner or later, and they appear to be slowly but surely turning out some purses that do justice to their drool-worthy shoes. The Christian Louboutin Lolita Montone Bag is surely a step in the right direction.

The biggest criticism I have of this bag is that it’s a bit plain, but since most of Louboutin’s bags are very simple and clean, I’ll chalk that up to a fundamental difference in personal taste between me and whoever is in charge of this line. The pleating, which is the bag’s main visual element, is soft but still refined, and the gold chain handle and Louboutin logo give bag a little bit of shine. Besides, I’ve always been partial to gold hardware with white leather – it just looks right. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1195.

The bag is made entirely by hand by famed stylist Simone Harouche, who’s known for her singular ability to transform and style stars with looks they’ve never imagined; witness Christina Aguilera’s Back to Basics Tour. But clearly she has a fun sense of color and whimsy, contributing to this boho gem.

Apparently, looking for something different in the handbag world, Simone made a few of these bags for her and her pals and then it just took off. It’s simple understand why; besides the current fascination with all that’s gypsy or prairie-related, the perfect mixture of seemingly mashed-up vintage textiles coalesce to form a patchwork design that’s so quirkily fantastic it’s probably possible to wear with almost anything, provided you have the courage and the eye for combining the colors of all the crayons in the box. And let’s not forget the art-box and oriental details; the mirror paillettes, poofy poms, and bursts of embroidery make this an artsy step up from any other flower-child-esque bag. Buy through Ron Herman for $1,495.

Oh Donna Karan, I think you are understanding the handbag world! We first saw the Donna Karan Pleated North-South Tote back in July, but the picture was not doing the bag justice. But it was Blake Lively who showed me just how lovely the Donna Karan Eldridge looks when worn.

So I started to lust after this bag. But it was sold out. And now Net A Porter brings us an exclusive version which has an entirely different look and I adore it. The Donna Karan Eldridge features monochrome pleated crease-print leather. This finish is going to be seen more and more for Spring 2010, giving us a bit of a tie-dye feel but a totally grown up version. The cream and black leather with crease print could look harsh, but it does not. Donna Karan has a way to combine these two opposite colors in a magnificent manner. The gunmetal designer tag is edgy-cool.

There are actually two convertible handles which makes this a versatile bag. You can wear it multiple ways; with the strap converting longer for cross-body wear, handheld, or thrown over your shoulder. Ultimately the bag can be worn four different ways. As far as the inside of the handbag goes, there is an internal zipped and pouch pockets.

Cream and black leather pleated bag with crease print. This Donna Karan bag has two convertible handles, snap fastenings at top, a gunmetal-tone designer metal tag with multi-chain hoop at handle, seam detail at base, keyhole detail at base corners, snap fastenings at base and sides, internal zipped and pouch pockets, is lined and can be worn in four different ways.

A great way to start a week is with a handbag that has my attention just as this Donna Karan bag does. Buy exclusively via Net A Porter for $1,495.

I’ve got to say at least one nice thing about this bag: Dolce & Gabbana, I like your enthusiasm.

No, actually, I love it. Because the kind of chutzpah it takes to put together seven (that I can count) types of fuzzy animal print onto one bag is the kind of chutzpah that it takes to occasionally create a stinkin’ awesome bag. But at this point, ladies and gentlemen, I have but one caveat: the Dolce & Gabbana Miss Martini Flap Bag is not that bag.

Oddly enough, I think that what this bag suffers from the most is not that there are too many patterns, but that all of the patterns are too similar. Instead of creating contrast and visual interest, they all sort of meld together into one big tan animal print glob, and the result is decidedly “craft store.”

Not that it would have been any better had they added in, say, zebra print or snake print. This idea was more or less dead in the water from the get-go, but if it takes making a thousand ridiculous bags to finally get to one that’s genuinely great, then I’m okay with that. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Buy through Nordstrom for $1075.

I’ve never been a Tod’s fan, by and large. I’m sure that their bags are well-made, but they always seemed to be lacking in the design department, and for that kind of money, I want a bit of visual flair with my perfect construction.

And in the Tod’s Ribbed Leather Bag, I may have found it – this is easily my favorite of their bags in quite a long while, if not ever.

The ribbed leather reminds me of Louis Vuitton epi, except for slightly softer and slouchier. Which is to say: slightly more awesome. The shape is also great – slightly triangular and with handles that would allow it to be either arm or shoulder carried, depending on your preference.

The thing that really makes the bag, though, is the closure strap over the center. Indeed, its boldness and studded facade are not something that you’d normally expect from the brand, but that’s what makes me like it. Instead of blending into the background unnoticed, this bag would be an equal part of any outfit, and that’s exactly what I want in a bag. Buy through Bluefly for $1316.

See, there’s these people called “hipsters.” They’re the ones that have been wearing skinny jeans since 2003, and Wayfarers as well. They shop for lamé leggings at American Apparel and live in Brooklyn (or Silverlake or East Atlanta or any other number of enclaves) and are responsible for a lot of music, most of it terrible but some of it reasonably good. They also wear some ridiculous accessories and handbags, most of them vintage, and most of them looking strangely like the Chloe Polka Dots Leather bag.

And since these hipster people can be thanked as either the starters or early adopters of a lot of what we see going on in fashion today, I can’t blame Chloe for giving them a nod. The thing about borrowing from hipsters, though, is that you have to be very careful about what you take and how you interpret it, and this particular bag is probably a bit too far over the line to be successful. It’s kind of cute as a novelty piece, but as a bag for a serious purse lover, I don’t think it measures up. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1450.

I can’t even describe how excited I was to see that Luisa Via Roma had started carrying Balmain handbags, but that feeling of joy was quickly eclipsed by abject disappointment when I saw what those bags actually looked like. Why is a brand that makes such glam, inventive, rock star clothes and shoes making bags as boring as the Balmain Crystal Leopard Suede Bag?

It looks far more Betsey Johnson than like something that Christophe Decarnin would create for Balmain (and even then, I doubt Betsey would make something this simple). Normally, something crystal-encrusted and black and silver leopard-printed would be a recipe for awesomeness in my mind (and a recipe for incredible disaster in others’), and I have no idea how they managed to take all of those elements, combine them, and make something so completely devoid of personality. Does it look a bit QVC to anyone else? Like it might go over well in a retirement community? Bueller? Buy through Luisa Via Roma for $3587.

The Marc Jacobs Wrath Studded Bag is somewhere circa that line, although I’m not sure what side it’s on. But I am sure that I love it, in spite (or maybe because) of its wealth of personality.

We’re all well aware that studs and industrial details are THE trend of the moment, and I can’t help but think that Marc Jacobs is using this bag to poke more than a little fun at all of the metal-covered fashionistas that are starting to hit the streets.

But even when Jacobs does tongue-in-cheek, he does it beautifully. The multicolored, multi-sized studs are attached in swirly lines that cover nearly every inch of the bag. It’s over-the-top, in-your-face, and a host of other hyphenated phrases that mean that it’s, in the immortal words of Rachel Zoe, BANANAS.

My favorite part, however, is the thick, tough, oversized chain handle. The bag is such a statement that nothing less than a handle like that would be appropriate, and I’m glad that designers still have the nerve to do things that not everyone will understand or enjoy. Buy through Net-a-Porter UK for £4,100

The combination of simple shape and intricate material, plus a few Lanvin-signature extra, have me absolutely salivating for this bag.

Despite my general distaste for neutral that aren’t black or grey, I can’t help but adore the Army green color that Lanvin chose here. It reminds me of the jungle, which is reinforced by the luscious, texture-heavy python hide that is the bag’s primary material. The combination of the two isn’t too “safari” to be chic, but it’s just thematic enough to show a solid point of view with a bit of French flare on top.

Oddly, perhaps my favorite part of the bag are the little tchotchkes with which the bag is adorned. I’m normally not one to encourage a designer to hang random crap from their bags, but the little brown die and silver coin sort of work with the brand’s winking humor. If anyone can pull it off, it’s Lanvin, and they do it quite well here. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $2790.

I’m not sure which one it is, but I’m absolutely sure that I love the Yves Saint Laurent Flap Shoulder Bag. There’s a beauty in its simplicity that I find irresistible.

And really, how could you not love it, or at least appreciate the restrained hand that created it? The leather that YSL chose is sumptuous, textured and with slight color variations, but none of those things is present in quantities that would make the bag look over-processed or unedited. The folds that create the flap are elaborate and luxurious, but when you look at the closed bag, they all fall perfectly in to line.

The hardware on the bag might be my favorite aspect. The hook handle attachments are something that YSL has shown on several other bags this season, and I can’t get over how much I like them. They’re sculptural and elegant while still being thick and tough; it’s an effect that matches exactly with the soft but weathered leather that makes up the bag, and the details are subtle enough to not overwhelm the deceptively simple construction.

I know some people will say that this bag is boring, but I would strenuously disagree. Everything that’s done with this bag is done with the utmost care and attention to detail, and I’d rather that a designer focus on getting a few key things exactly right than bog down a bag with poorly conceived design elements just for the sake of visual interest. My love affair with YSL continues. Buy through Saks for $1895.

And as luck would have it, Fendi saw fit to make a non-skunkified version for our significantly increased viewing pleasure, and as it turns out, the Fendi Peekaboo Roll Bag is not nearly as terrible as its hairy predecessor.

As it turns out, when you remove the fur, the bag is perfectly fine. It’s not dazzling, but it has the sort of blank-canvas appeal that means Fendi could turn it into a thousand different things, just like they did with their greatest success, the Baguette. I don’t think that this particular purse will get similarly launched into the fashion stratosphere, but they’ll probably find some fairly entertaining ways to adorn it, just like they did with the Peekaboo Satchel.

It’s non-offensive, the shape subscribes to one of the prevailing trends of the moment, and they could do some decent things with it, if they so chose. Looks like I’ve found a Fendi bag about which I don’t have a bunch of hater-y things to say. Surprising. Buy through Saks for $1460.

Not only is the Lanvin Happy Sac Partage Bag bag quilted, but it also has a chain handle, and its a flap bag with a front closure, just like a few other bags we’ve all seen in the past.

In fairness, this bag is made of navy blue velvet instead of the black leather that Chanel uses time and again. So that’s a difference, although Chanel is no stranger to velvet in general. And it’s quilted in a chevron pattern instead of the diamond shape we’re used to, so that’s another one. But on the whole, the feel is just sort of…similar.

Which disappoints me, since Lanvin is one of the most exciting brands that there is right now. They make collection after collection of interesting clothes and shoes, but their bags lag behind the rest of their creations (with a few notable exceptions). I’d rather they made awful things than make boring bags that we’ve seen done better elsewhere, which is exactly what they seem to be up to lately. To make matters worse, I’m not every going to pay $1500 for a bag made of velvet. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1500.

But there’s also usually a problem with creating eccentricity for its own sake, which appears to be what was done with the Dolce & Gabbana Miss Charleston Chain Flap Bag. And I think we can all tell that it didn’t work out particularly well.

The best fashion trends come from the cool kids. And I’m not talking about the popular kids in high school – I mean the kids that looked different, that wore things you’d never think of wearing, and that are authentically cool despite doing precisely what they felt like. They existed in a universe that was sort of parallel to the normal popularity structure, and they probably will for the rest of their lives. Many of those girls go on to be “fashion people.” They’re tastemakers, it’s part of their personality. They’re the reason that Alexander Wang is selling handbags hand over fist right now.

But instead of embracing trends that come organically from people that are cool enough to make trends, Dolce & Gabbana appears to have simply decided to make something weird for the sake of being weird, which doesn’t really work. I don’t think I’ve ever said this before, but I think I could actually make this bag myself, given the proper tools. All it appears to be is woven grosgrain ribbon (the weaving isn’t even particularly straight) and some beads stuck in the chain, and perhaps it’s presumptuous of me to think that I could recreate it, but I don’t really see why I couldn’t. And even if I could, I wouldn’t want to. But rest assured, if I did, I wouldn’t charge anyone $2600 for it. Buy through Nordstrom for $2595.

Alexander Wang hit big this season with the must-have Coco Duffel. I liked it, but I wasn’t buying it. The reviews coming in have been mixed about the actual bag itself, though I feel like the price was so great it justified a little less quality than expected. Other bags from Alexander Wang include multiple pockets and a look I am just not digging. Don’t get me wrong, the celebrity carrying list is long, but a) did they actually pay for the bag and b) I still don’t like them.

Then there was the Alexander Wang Bianca Vest Bag, which we keep staring at and wondering if, when, and how it will catch on. There is success with the bag though, the success of publicity. We may be hating on it, but we are talking about it and that is giving Alexander Wang that much more press.

What is my point of this post you are wondering? ShopBop found a model that looked more comfortable sporting this vest bag and she makes it look believable and edgy it as a backpack. I do not want it and if I wore it I would look ridiculous, but Wang may have intended for this bag to be worn by a select few. You know who would totally rock this bag ridiculously well? Rumi from FashionToast. Vest bag still available via ShopBop for $850.

Lanvin is my new obsession. After I saw the Lanvin Happy Partage Metallic Bag I could not stop picturing myself with that bag. Jeans and a white tee, little black dress, skirt. You name it, I pictured myself with it.

Then I saw the Lanvin Wrinkled Shoulder Bag, and while I did not fall head over heels as I did with the other, I still felt love. Lanvin just continues to get it right. Their bags are quirky, colorful, multi-dimensional. I want one. I need one.

The wrinkled lambkin gives an extra dimension to the bag. Without it, the bag is still stunning and I suspect many of you would prefer the bag without the wrinkles. I may be wrong, tell me what you think. The matte gold hardware looks beautiful against the taupe lambskin. Of course there is the signature blue ribbon handle with coin and large ribbon detail. Another Lanvin Love. Purchase via Net A Porter for $2750.

Or even more important, how would anyone wear this? Oh wait. That was a silly question. Clearly this is meant to be worn as a vest, hence the name. But now I’m back to square one, which is the big question of Why Wear This.

Is it possible that Alexander Wang has made a mistake and made something that is just too strange for us, the fashion-obsessed? Rihanna, that wonder who can pull off anything, has not even pulled this off… yet. I think even this Shopbop model has a hard time pulling it off. Ok, and if a paid model can’t pull this off… who does Alexander Wang think we are, a culture of models? Hmph. Well, I wouldn’t wear it. Even if I do like the fact that it has many little zippered compartments. But Mr. Wang has other bags for that. Well, I don’t like the pebbled leather anyways. So you see- this is what a freakish bag will make you think like. Buy through Shopbop for $850, if you dare.

Then maybe the Marc Jacobs Cartoon Paisley Rage Bag is exactly what you need: a bit of the collection in wearable colors, at a palatable price.

Instead of the neon that made up much of Jacobs’ runway love letter to 1980s New York glam, this bag features a more sober palette of black and white, but in a similar print to the previous bags. As a result, it’s not less graphic and bold, but might be easier to incorporate into the average wardrobe. After all, neon pink clashes with things, ya know? Also, instead of the glazed python that we saw in the collection’s previous bags, this one is rendered in smooth satin, which lightens not only the weight but also the price. It retains the previous bags’ chain detail, but the shape is a bit more basic. The bucket structure appears to be a bit awkward, I would have much prefered it as a flap bag, but I guess we can’t get everything we want.

Buy for $650 through Nordstrom.

Salvatore Ferragamo is a silent warrior of meticulously created handbags. Typically the brand flies under the radar, much like Tod’s and Bottega Veneta, but the admiration for the craftsmanship remains. While many Ferragamo bags tend to be simple, the Salvatore Ferragamo Shoulder Bag is oh-so-lovely and touches on every aspect of a bag that I adore. First off, the soft Italian leather is a must and it is paired perfectly with a braided shoulder strap to add a nice dimension. The signature brass closure also has a small pouch attached, though it appears as if you can remove it. I simply love this bag. It caught my eye from the get-go and I still love it. It is different than most bags in my collection and can easily fit in with many outfits and occasions. Measurements are 15″W X 11″H X 3″D. Buy through Saks for $1490.

The juxtaposition of the blush leather with the black trim and light gold chain handle gives the bag a more authentically retro look than just a solid color by itself. At the same time, the combination is positively Parisian, giving the bag an obvious audience in fashion’s many Francophiles (and probably not staving off any of the nagging Chanel comparisons any time soon). The proportion of the bag is petite enough to be worn to a fancy dinner or cocktail party, but I could also easily see it paired with dark denim and a cashmere sweater for fall and winter. I think you can get something more interesting for the price, but if you like this look, the bag is indeed pretty cute. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1395.

Just another version of one of the coveted Proenza Schouler bags. We have introduced you to nearly every version of the Proenza Schouler PS1 that has been released and this one is not much different. Main difference is the size, this is the Proenza Schouler Extra Large PS1 which not only is larger but also moves the price tag up into an extra large number. I prefer the medium size but if I am being completely honest with you I really just want the Crocodile Satchel. The chocolate suede looks scrumptious. What are your thoughts on the size? Buy through Net A Porter for $2,350.