My personal feelings about fur notwithstanding, when I first saw the Roberto Cavalli Squirrel-Trimmed Brocade Shoulder Bag, it actually seemed like a rather judicious and attractive use of the material. And then I read the word “squirrel,” and it screwed up my entire perception of this bag’s reality.

Is it just me, or is there something positively Deliverence-esque about wearing squirrel fur?

Christian Louboutin has been far more successful with shoes than he has been with bags, and I’m having a hard time figuring out exactly why that is. Surely the design processes for each is decidedly differently, but for a brand with as many resources and as much style as Louboutin’s, I would expect better results.

Most of CL’s shoes have an inherent feminine sass to them that just doesn’t come through in designs like the Christian Louboutin Trophe Stud Bag.

If you think that drawstring bags are too trendy and youth-focused to be relevant to your day-to-day style, the Donna Karan Metro Bags is here to prove you wrong. It’s current and stylish without being too obviously trend-driven, which is the perfect combination for an everyday bag.

Even for a dedicated lover of Balenciaga handbags like me, it can sometimes be hard to remember that the brand makes purses other than their famed motorcycle bags. When the brand is mentioned to me, I always conjure up an image of a City or Day bag with giant silver hardware, but there’s much more to Balenciaga’s accessories that just that.

No one knows exactly how long the mini crossbody trend will last, but put me on the record as hoping that this shape stays around as a wardrobe staple for years to come. Not only are minibags delightfully functional, but they’re easily modified to embody nearly any style from hippie to industrial. In this case, the mood of the Gucci 1973 Small Shoulder Bag is clear – it’s all about the retro throwback.

Leopard print has obviously been around forever and the trend has been building for some time, but as far as handbags go, the look is about to reach critical mass. Since some people are apprehensive of the pattern and unsure of how it could fit into their wardrobes, we’ve taken the liberty of styling the Dolce & Gabbana Miss Charles Leopard Print Bag for both night and day to demonstrate leopard’s versatility.

Swoon.

You hear that? I’m swooning. Pretty hard. I’m a bit desensitized to beautiful handbags in the same way that I imagine fashion photographers are desensitized to beautiful women – when you look at them all day from a business perspective, it’s can be kind of hard to recapture the feeling of excitement that they once gave you. Well, folks, the Pauric Sweeney Metallic Python Shoulder Bag has me giddy like a schoolgirl all over again.

I wish with every fiber of my being that more online stores stocked vintage luxury bags. There’s something that I find so alluring about vintage – much of it, particularly those items made by luxury houses, has the feel of true exclusivity that even most high-end bags are missing these days.

Most of us know that almost everything we buy is made in factories, not by a talented artisan that cares about his work, and that makes luxury goods a bit less fun.

Happy Friday PurseBlog readers! In addition to being happy for the simple fact that it is Friday, I am really happy to share an exclusive with you. Today through May 13th, you can receive 30% off any of the Linea Pelle Joey Bags! In typical fashion, these bags are fabulous and versatile. And hey, with Mother’s Day around the corner, perhaps this would be perfect for a last minute gift.

Despite my overwhelming love for black, I always seem to bypass black handbags. My theory is that since I wear so much black clothing, when it comes to accessories, I should experiment with color in at least my handbag and shoes. I’m a big fan of a black-on-black look, but if you’re pale like I am and wear too much black all at one time, well, people start to stare.