One of the bags on my evening bag list is the Yves Saint Laurent Small Satin Chain-Strap Bag. As soon as I saw it a few months ago, I knew it would look great with so many outfits. This dark gray satin bag is elegant and exquisite. Then add the chunky gold-tone chain and you have a bit of an edgy feel going as well. The 8″ handle drop isn’t long enough to throw over your shoulder, and in fact it might look a little silly, but that doesn’t change the fact that this bag would be gorgeous carried in your hand. Certainly it is nothing too flashy, but it certainly is a lovely and timeless bag. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1295.

With so many handbags on the market, there are always options that can give you a look you love for less. Let’s face it, we don’t all have endless handbag budgets all the time. We have already given you a studded clutch option for less and a Chanel option for less. Now it is time to give you a Leather Hobo Look for Less.

As you know we are huge fans of YSL here at Purse Blog. I recently saw a leather hobo from YSL that was simply beautiful. The YSL Leather Hobo gives you a simple hobo shape, which is integral to your handbag wardrobe, in luxe taurillon leather (taurillion translates to bull-calf from French). The YSL Hobo features a 9″ drop, magnetic closure, and suede lining. Entirely effortless yet everyday usable. Price is $1595 via Saks.

If you love the look of the YSL hobo but do not feel like dishing out $1600, we have found a Look for Less. Bringing you a similar shape and size but a lesser price tag is the Hobo International Amelie Leather Hobo. Why did we pick this bag?

It also features butter leather, a soft and slouchy shape, and a single shoulder strap. The shoulder drop is 14″ versus 9″ from the YSL hobo. The lining is not suede like the YSL bag, rather cotton/rayon lining. But I will not gripe about the lining when the price is 1/6th of the price of the YSL hobo.

If you want to nab the YSL hobo look for less, grab this Hobo International bag via Saks for $268.

Perforated leather. We saw Louis Vuitton do this a few seasons back and there seem to be a resurgence. I have to admit I was unsure of perforated leather, but then I saw it in person. When perforated leather is added to a handbag it gives a subtly athletic vibe, adding a slight dimension and effect that helps the leather stand out.

The Yves Saint Laurent Perforated Leather Zipped Tote is a flat design that zips all around the top. The feel is casual yet chic. The logo tag detail also gives that laid back feel. If you know me, you know I want to be able to match most everything with jeans but also have the option of dressing it up a bit. This bag may be more of a jean and tee shirt look, but I have a feeling it could be dressed up as well. Only thing missing that I would love to see is a long cross-body messenger strap. Because that would gives this handbag the exact vibe I adore. Pre-order through Saks for $1,495.

Yves Saint Laurent is loving the chain under leather look for this season. First we saw all the celebs crushing on the YSL Roady. The Roady of choice for many of the celebs and customers alike is the black leather with metal chain insert. And that version of the YSL Roady has a very familiar feel to this YSL bag.

The Yves Saint Laurent Nappa Leather Clutch mixes chunky chain metal hardware with sleek gray leather. There is an optional shoulder strap which is always a nice touch. To go hand held or shoulder strap is the question? Sometimes I like to use the optional shoulder strap as a wristlet handle. I know, so bold and daring. Back to this YSL bag.

This is Yves Saint Laurent afterall, so we can be assured that the Nappa leather, chain detailing, and chocolate suede lining are all completely divine. I am sitting on a fence about my overall feeling on this clutch. If someone gave it to me I would take it in a heart beat, but I am not feeling a deep yearning for this clutch either. Don’t get me wrong, it is a great classic, but would I buy it? Long answer short is no. This clutch simply does not have the wow factor which is entirely surprising as the simply Roady hobo did it for me but this simple clutch counterpart does not. Buy through Net A Porter for $1,495.

What do you think: Love it or leave it?

For all of you who love brown handbags, I apologize profusely as it seems you got stuck with a group of gals who share more of an affinity to black handbags. When we find a great brown bag, we will not cease to share it with you. This time I think I found a brown bag with a black counterpart that I like even less. Ridiculous, right?

We reviewed the Yves Saint Laurent Studded Satchel and were pleasantly surprised to see YSL take on the studded trend. YSL did so gracefully with a refined touch. The studs on their bag are flush with the leather rather than protruding. Let’s take a more in depth look at this brown YSL handbag.

The leather on this bag is chocolate, which looks to be a rich hue of brown that will melt in your hands. The gold studs gives this bag a snazzy finish. We continue to see black leather with gold and silver studs, but seeing brown leather with gold studs is fairly new in the studded handbags department. This handheld bag is a chic piece from YSL with the studs creating a Y on both sides of the bag. Buy through Browns for $2,360.53

What do you think of brown leather with gold studs?

Despite my recent love affair with all things Yves Saint Laurent, this bag is coming off as quite clunky to me, and I think that the blame lies with the fuzzy material.

The bag itself is a charmingly simple 50s throwback, so I have little to complain about in that regard. Its lines could be a little sharper, but I’m pretty sure that that’s not what’s to blame for the effect that the calf hair is creating.

Because the real problem is that when I look at this bag, I get the distinct visual of crushed velvet. The combination of slick black and the fur simply does not create a high-end look, and the added embossed texture probably doesn’t help either. In the past, when I’ve seen calf hair, it’s often been used in conjunction with multicolored animal print, and the combination of textures usually conspires to mask some of the odd velveteen shine that we see here. On the whole, I think it’s better of on those kinds of bags. Buy through BlueFly for $1836.

On September 10th, Yves Saint Laurent officially launched their much anticipated YSL Roady. The YSL Roady has been garnering attention from editors, celebrities, and fashionistas alike. This launch remained important for YSL, as it is one of the first major launches since the success of the Muse and Muse II.

   

The list of celebrities already carrying the bag include; Mary Kate Olsen, Rachel Bilson, Selma Blair, Freida Pinto, Tilda Swinton, Leighton Meester, Kate Beckinsale, Katy Perry and Kylie Minogue. Some of the fabrications have already been sold out, my bet would be the chain Roady was the first to sell out (seen on MK and Katy Perry).

   

Designed by Creative Director Stefano Pilati, the Roady first debuted in the Fall/Winter 2009-2010 ad campaign with Christy Turlington. The Roady does not amaze us with its design, as the design is a simple hobo shape with a matching handle. The handle, however, is simple and beautiful with silver hardware and ring attachments to the structured handle.

      

The Roady options include black patent leather, blue leather, red textured leather, black (silver) stingray embossed leather, black leather, and black leather with metal chain insert detail. My favorite is the black leather with metal chain detail, it combines supple smooth leather with an added hidden dimension. Price range is $1195-1795.

Buy YSL via Saks. Patent leather version at Saks for $1,195 and black leather version available at Saks for $1,395.

Today, September 10th, is the official launch of the much anticipated YSL Roady. The simplicity of the hobo grabs your attention while the details and fit make it irresistible. We took the Yves Saint Laurent Roady with stingray embossed leather out for a day at the museum. A full review will come later today with many more pictures, but here is a preview of the bag that has celebrities going gaga. Price of the stingray embossed Roady will be $1,495. YSL available at Saks.

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.

The Yves Saint Laurent Studded Satchel is a trendy bag with a decidedly refined touch.

The base of the bag is one that we’re all very familiar with – YSL has done a million and one things with it over the past few seasons and has produced more iterations than I’ve been able to keep track of (the stamped sequin version has been my favorite until now). It follows logically that if they were going to chase a trend, they’d do it with this bag as the root of the design, since it’s the shape that they use as a canvas most often. Instead of spreading the studs throughout the bag, they’re all concentrated on the stitched Y-shape in the middle of the bag, and they’re not the studs that we’ve been seeing from other designers for fall. Instead of grungy looking and industrial, they’re smooth, flat, shiny silver circles that fit easily into the minimalist bags that we’ve seen from them lately.

They’ve taken the trend and made it their own, and I’d love to have this bag in my closet.

Buy through Saks for $1895.

Also, Yves Saint Laurent released the fifth edition of Manifesto featuring Christy Turlington, which was photographed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. The Manifesto will be distributed in the streets of Paris, New York, Milan, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and for the first time in Seoul on Saturday, September 12, 2009. We will bring you more on the Manifesto when it goes live.

If ever there was a pair of shoes that was worth an astronomical price tag, it’s these. The construction of a shoe that will cover that much of your leg has to be so precise and well-designed that I’m not sure how well this style will fair at retail. One of my favorite pairs so far is the Yves Saint Laurent Over-the-Knee Boots since they have a bit of stretch and will be more forgiving on more leg structures. If you can pull it off, though, I think you should absolutely go for it – maybe with some tights and a tunic for maximum boot exposure.

And what type of handbag should be worn with these boots? Probably something with a simple, clean design, although the size would be negotiable depending on whether you were rocking them during the day or night. The most important thing to remember with a shoe like this, though, is that what you’re wearing shouldn’t compete with them. So are you going to wear them once the weather turns cold? Buy through Saks for $1745.

The first thing to stop me in my tracks was the color – red with earthy brown undertones. It’s incredibly rich-looking without being ostentatious or showy in the least. Instead of screaming at you about how wonderful it is, it puts its hand on your shoulder and whispers in your ear. From there, I then noticed the subtle but important texture of the leather. Instead of being boring and smooth, it’s somewhere between a stamped exotic and a conventional pebbled leather. Like the color, it’s interesting and luxe without being unnecessarily attention-grabbing. It talks softly and carries a big stick. The refined, sleek shape is the perfect compliment – the structured handle provides a nice counterpoint to the soft, slouchy shape. The metallic hooks on the ends of the strap are the perfect finishing touch. Buy through Saks for $1395.

See, I’m a writer. I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was six. Writers often have an odd relationship with the old-school tools of our trade; pens, notebooks, things like that. I’ve even know writers that collect vintage typewriters. When I was little, I’d use the stray dollars and coins I collected from various things (mostly from my mom. Hi, mom!) to go to the school store (do they have those in elementary school anymore?) to buy office supplies. Pens, pencils, notebooks. I still have an inordinate amount of pens in my apartment and, until recently, had an entire cup-holder filled with them in my car. I also find it incredibly difficult to throw away a notebook I’ve written anything in, even if it was just schoolwork from a college career that’s been over for more than a year. It’s not a fixation I think about; pens and notebooks are just things I’ve always liked. And, as such, I love this clutch. The reference is done in a way that is so sleek and irreverent that I can’t help but smile when I look at it. Even for those that aren’t writers, I have to believe that this is interesting enough to have a certain sort of appeal. Buy through Saks for $395.

But this clutch solves that problem by having the creamy grey patent leather embossed with little round shapes, as if there were sequins. Ah, Yves Saint Laurent is clever. You get all the lustre without the annoying indents of sequins in your palm- although you get admittedly less shimmer and glitz; this bag is more sophisticated than just glittery. And the second reason for my satisfaction? It’s Yves Saint Laurent clutch for less than a grand. Need I say more? Buy through Bluefly for $556.

Buy through Saks for $995.

And some may disagree, but I think the Yves Saint Lauren Animal Print Muse II is done absolutely right. In order to temper a strong statement like leopard, it’s important to keep a bag’s other lines and features sleek and clean, which is exactly what the folks at Yves Saint Laurent did. The Muse II was a fabulous candidate for the animal print treatment because of both its inherent simplicity of design and also its status as a must-have It Bag. That way, if you don’t like the animal print, there are plenty of other versions available. And if you do, not only is it an It Bag, but it’s one that everyone who sees you will notice immediately. For better or for worse. But I think it’s for better. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $2295.

Today I bring you another amazing option that brings you lizard-print suede on the longtime favorite Yves Saint Laurent Muse. The Muse is a classic YSL bag and it is easy to see why. YSL continuously brings us designs that stand out from others, like the rounded top on the Muse. I am not drawn toward brown bags, but I desperately want this bag in for my fall wardrobe. It is truly perfect for the autumn; brown, suede, exotic print. Sure, it wouldn’t work in Florida as well, but imagine a brisk fall day when the leaves are turning and you have this perfect bag. There are double handles, a zipper closure, and inside pockets. Buy through Saks for $1395.

Having said all of that, I can’t decide for the life of me what I think about the Yves Saint Laurent Y-Bow Suefe Bowler. I’m in a Yves Saint Laurent mood lately, partly because I like the way that they unconventionally combine materials and textures in some of their recent bags. I like that they stamped suede to look like lizard skin here, it’s a technique that most designers wouldn’t use in this combination. I also think that I might like the little bow ends coming out of each side, but I’m not sure. It might not work, and I have no idea how to decide if it does or not. As with the texture, I like that it’s unexpected, but instead of doing something interesting with the bag’s form or structure, it’s just a stuck-on decoration to a basic satchel. But maybe I’m okay with that – I just can’t decide. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $1695.

I keep finding YSL bags that I really like in the past couple of weeks, however, and the Yves Saint Laurent Deerskin Hobo is the most recent. I even like the shade of almost-chocolate brown that they used, which is exceptionally odd for me, and possibly means that I need to lay down for a moment. But it seems like it would be usable in most people’s wardrobes (if not my own, which is exceptionally heavy in black) for a variety of occasions and for most of the year. The seaming at the ends gives the bag a slightly more interesting shape than your average small hobo and the small chain elements to the handle add a bit of visual interest as well. All in all, another solid effort from YSL. Buy through Bluefly for $895.99.