Month: April 2011
Celebrate the Royal Wedding with Spring 2011’s best bridal bags!
Judith Leiber Blue Bows Crystal Minaudiere, $6995 via Judith Leiber
Do you know what day it is? Of course you do, it’s Royal Wedding day! The ceremony started at 6 a.m. but your mimosa hangover will surely last into the afternoon, so while you contemplate why you got up before dawn to watch two strangers get married in another country (Go ahead, guess who among us doesn’t have Royal Wedding fever! But that’s ok, Megs has enough for both of us.), we thought you might also like to contemplate some pretty, sparkly, too-small-to-be-functional wedding handbags.
Wedding bags don’t have the rarified spot in bridal lore that wedding shoes enjoy (and for a rundown of those, check out yesterday’s feature from TalkShoes), but that doesn’t mean that they’re any less important for those of us who love purses above all other things in fashion. Plus, bags have the special distinction of being able to be worn by the bride or the guests, so long as those attending don’t choose all-white ensembles to go with their special little clutches. Our picks for the best, after the jump.
Shop Tuesday’s Botkier.com sample sale with a special discount from PurseBlog!
Don’t you just love the Internet? The deal-laden world of sample sales was once restricted only to those living in the world’s fashion capitals, but now more and more brands are bringing their sample sales online to give their worldwide fans a shot at some serious savings. PurseBlog favorite Botkier is staging its first-ever online sample sale on Tuesday, and not only will it include some of your favorite Botkier bags in never-before-seen colors, but you’ll get an extra 15% off the top, just for being a loyal PurseBlog reader or PurseForum member. Check back on Tuesday at 9 a.m. for a live link to the sale and the discount code, but for now, tell us which Botkier bag is your favorite and check out a video of my personal pick after the jump.
PurseBlog Asks: Are you in the market for crocodile?
The Gucci New Bamboo Crocodile Shoulder Bag, $14,200 via Net-a-Porter
It’s easy to become price-blind when you spend your days hunting down and discussing designer accessories, but sometimes life has a way of reminding you just how much a dollar is actually worth. I experienced that recently when trying to buy my first set of post-college, post-Ikea Big Girl furniture and found that I could decorate my bedroom rather elaborately for the same amount of money that I’ve been contemplating spending on a crocodile-embossed Celine Phantom Luggage Tote this fall.
For real croc, like the Gucci New Bamboo Crocodile Shoulder Bag? I could probably do a whole one-bedroom apartment, including a nice TV. At fifteen inches wide, this is a generously sized bag for the sort of structure it employs, but $14,000 means something different for me now than it did last week. Would you ever pay that much for a bag? Are you interested in crocodile at all? Buy through Net-a-Porter for $14,200.
[poll id=”80″]Fill in the blank: The Marc Jacobs Snake Clutch is…
Marc Jacobs Snake Clutch, $1095 via NAP Without looking at the name of this clutch or a close-up image, you might miss that a snake design is separating the raspberry suede and orange leather colorblocking. What makes the snake design stand out even more is the fact that it has a face and is created … Read more
Let’s revisit the Yves Saint Laurent Roady
The Yves Saint Laurent Roady has had a place in the sun for well over a year now, which means that it’s only fair that we step back and reevaluate its popularity in the context of what’s going on in accessories at the moment. Is the Roady a bag that you still want to own?
It may be bigger than current trends dictate, and I don’t think we’ve seen a python version of the Roady so far (although Fall 2011 promises python versions of every bag ever made, so the odds are good), but I’m still a big fan of the Roady and its minimalist, functional shape. I would make but two improvements: A lighter interior lining to make it not such a black hole and a small exterior pocket for my cell phone. On the side that would face my body, of course.
Jil Sander Floral Print Envelope Clutch + MWM Graphics
Jill Sander Floral Print Envelope Clutch, $325 via NAP. Crystal lasers exhibition image via MWM Graphics. As the old saying goes, life imitates art, and fashion is one of the rare occasions that art and utility combine to form something fantastic and functional. Going forward, we’re going to be featuring some guest posts by Amateur … Read more
Would you splurge on a raffia bag?
Miu Miu Leather-Trimmed Raffia Satchel, $1450 via NAP
And now for Ralph Lauren Collection’s weirder bags…
Ralph Lauren Collection Fringe Embellished Shoulder Bag, $3995 via Net-a-Porter. Ralph Lauren Collection Bull Head Embellished Leather Shoulder Bag, $995 via Net-a-Porter.
When I think of Ralph Lauren, there are some automatic associations I have that the brand has spent decades making sure I think of: Polo shirts, horses, women with carefully tousled blonde hair, people who have more money than Oprah. The reality of the brand’s average customer may be a little less glamorous, but based on the women who I normally encounter inside of Ralph Lauren Collection boutiques, those brand images do come from somewhere. What I can’t figure out is how that ties in with the Ralph Lauren Collection Fringe Embellished Shoulder Bag and the Ralph Lauren Collection Bull Head Embellished Leather Shoulder Bag.
Hoppy Easter
The PurseBlog team wants to wish all of you a Happy Easter and Passover! We decided to spring into the holiday with some bunny accessories, because they are the perfect addition to your Spring wardrobe. On the Savvy side, I found the Coach Mink Bunny Key Fob which I plan to put on my key … Read more
Get your springtime on with Valentino
Valentino plies its floral, verdant trade year-round, but its spring bags are always the most fun, not to mention the most season-appropriate. Really, the only month out of the year where I’m so excited for warm weather that I’d consider carrying a bag that’s literally covered in flowers is April, which makes today the Valentino Fany Woven Flower Tote‘s lucky day.
The urge to break out the linen pants and tank tops is very strong at the moment, which makes this tote look all the more appropriate. By the time that the truly hot and sticky weather of summer rolls around, I’m sure I’ll be sick of flowers and girlishness in their entireties and just want someone to turn on the air conditioner and leave me alone. For now, though, I’d love to take a stroll through a park with this tote on my arm.
Celine Fall 2011 Bags
Veruca Salt (from Willy Wonka) loves chocolate like I love Celine bags. Meaning, ‘I want Celine. I want all of the Celine bags. I want to lock them all up in my closet. It’s my brand of handbags. Give them to me now.’ I hope you’ve not only seen the movie, but also remember that … Read more
