Totes (Page 15)

I immediately thought of Indiana Jones (Jane?) when I saw this convertible tote. Not him, really, but his rugged style- he always looks as though he’s ready to jump off a green army truck into some desert to fight some bad guys. Anyways, that is what I thought of while looking at this Jerome Dreyfuss Didier Convertible Backpack/Tote. There are both good and bad aspects to this bag.

I switched from carrying a backpack to using a tote for books when I went to college (late, I know) and I still remember how much lighter my load seemed in a backpack. This bag provides that functionality. Not carrying much? Use it at a tote. Suddenly you have to bring your computer and a bunch of books and papers across town? Simple, use it as a backpack. But on the down side, it’s Indiana Jones-y (not in a cute rugged kind of way, but in a real rugged kind of way). And unless you’re rockin’ that kind of safari attire, I think this looks a little rough to wear with summer wedges. Study abroad in Egypt, perhaps? Was $1095, but get it now through ShopBop for $766.50.

One of the things I hate most in life is having to have a joke explained to me. Usually, I’m one of the jerks that will just laugh right along and pretend that I’m brilliant and that I got it, and then Google whatever reference it was that I didn’t understand later (if I remember, which usually, I don’t. So I stay in ignorance). The deal with writing for an audience, though, is that if you don’t get the joke, then you can’t really pretend you do and write about a supposedly funny bag anyway.

The biggest problem I’m having with the Anya Hindmarch Meat and Poultry Tote, though, is that I’m not entirely sure that there’s a joke in the first place. I feel like there’s some sort of humorous intent with the sizing of the roosters and the meat/poultry dichotomy, but I’m not entirely sure. I could be entirely wrong, maybe the designer just thinks that multisized roosters are cute, and maybe I’m the only one left wondering if there’s some sort of clever joke that’s being told here. But if you SEE the clever joke, for God’s sake, explain it to me. It’s driving me insane. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $98.

There are two things that I hope to do before my handbag career is over: own an Hermes bag and own something in crocodile or alligator. Those two dreams are both far off in the distance, but that doesn’t mean my wandering eyes can’t check out the merchandise. And lately, I can’t get the image of the Nancy Gonzalez Large Crocodile Tote out of my head.

I first covered this bag in a different color for Bag That Style, and this is another one of those situations where seeing it on a person makes all the difference. The pink looks like a wonderful sugary confection, but I’m more interested in the super-dark, shiny black option. What is it with me and giant black bags lately? I’m not sure, but if this is wrong, I don’t want to be right. The finish of the crocodile gives the bag a younger, edgier slant than most similar exotics, and the price could be a lot worse – Nancy Gonzalez charges for croc what a lot of other brands charge for python. Buy through Saks for $3350.

I’ve resisted the fringe trend for quite a while now. I’ve posted a few examples of fringe bags that I like on PurseBlog Savvy over the past few months, but I wasn’t ready to come out and love the trend as a whole. I thought it was messy. I thought it was floppy. I thought it was a little too hippie-dippy for my personal taste. But then I saw Whitney Port carrying a fringe bag and my mind changed. Pretty much instantly.

And since then, I’ve decided that the fringe bag I’m mostly likely to invest in is the Linea Pelle Janis Fringe Tote. Unlike the rest of the Purse Blog crew, I’m not lucky enough to already have a fab Linea Pelle bag, but from what they’ve said, I know the leather on this one is going to be soft and wonderful and the bag will most likely be one I’ll find myself reaching for again and again. I think I like this bag above all other fringe bags because it’s so well-edited and comparatively understated. The fringe isn’t hanging from every last surface, it’s concentrated in the corners and a bit less cowgirl than carrying something covered in hanging bits of leather. Yes, ladies, I think this is the one for me. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $425.

I’ve had my eye on the Mulberry Roxanne A4 Tote ever since its first red patent leather iteration came out several seasons ago, and now that it’s back (and less expensive) in purple patent-coated canvas, I can’t help but fawn over it again.

One thing that I think Mulberry does very well with their bags is that they make them completely and totally functional. They seem to consider the purpose for which the bag will be used just as much as they consider the way that the bag will look, and what they end up with is a great collection of bags that can be used every day and for a variety of purposes. All kinds of women could have these bags in their closet. I have but one gripe with this bag in particular, and it’s purely aesthetic: the straps and the pocket flaps. They’re a different material, which I like for an accent, but I wish they were smooth instead of pebbled. The pebbling really, really bugs me. A lot. Other than that, though, I think purple patent will go with a lot more than you may realize. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $795.

Perfectly poised in a pretty azure blue, this pocket tote handbag from Hype is the perfect bag to pair with summer whites. The turquoise reminds us of the deepest blues of the seas surrounding our favorite Greek isles. The gloss of the snake embossed leather is a charming contrast to the gold tone hardware. The flap’s oversized clasp enclosure conceals a pocket and on the back side of the bag is a snap closure pocket perfect for keys or your mobile.The best part is the price, $177. Find the Hype azure snake embossed Jordan pocket detail tote and other handbags at Bluefly. Save $30 off your first order at Bluefly.com with Coupon Code – THEFIND30 . Good through June 30, 2009.

Via The Find

I’d like to begin by saying that I generally try to make an effort to appreciate innovation, even when it might lack in functionality. If no one attempts innovation in the first place, then we never have any new concepts for designers to eventually incorporate into bags that we can use in our everyday lives. Which is why I like the Miu Miu Basket Tote, at least in theory, if not in practice.

I think the uses for this bag, as it is, are fairly low. It would be an awfully chic grocery tote, should you need to run around the corner to grab a few things to make dinner. It might also make a decent pool tote, if you folded up your towel in the bottom to prevent your iPod headphones from dangling out. Miu Miu usually errs on the safe side with their bags so its nice to see them do something a bit different, but they fall short on practicality here. This bag would have been both innovative and functional if they had included some sort of soft leather lining inside – maybe in a cream or light grey, for maximum contrast. I would have left the lining loose instead of sticking it to the frame throughout the bag, which would leave the cage effect intact. That way, not only is the idea intact, but the bag is highly usable too. Miu Miu is halfway there, and I kind of like the idea so far. Buy through Bluefly for $660.