November 2011 - Page 3

3.1 Phillip Lim’s Spring 2012 bags are by far his best yet

Nov 16, 2011 by Amanda Mull

If you follow me on Twitter (and you totally should, I’m only annoying about 40% of the time, which is not the majority), you might have seen me get a little squeal-y and excited over 3.1 Phillip Lim’s Spring 2012 handbags. There’s good reason for that: this minimal, modern, not-astronomically priced collection is easily my favorite of the upcoming season so far. I haven’t seen everything yet, but it’s going to be hard to beat these pieces for things that I would actually buy and carry.

Why? Because they’re basically perfect. These extremely clean, well-edited designs showcase the gorgeous leather with which they were all made, and nearly every piece comes in a host of neutrals, plus blue and yellow. When a bag is this spare, it becomes nearly impossible to disguise flaws in quality or construction, and as far as I can tell, these bags have none. The best part, of course, is that 3.1 Phillip Lim bags generally cost less than a thousand dollars; I defy you to find anything as beautifully rendered at the same price point. Suddenly, I can’t wait for spring to get here. Check out more of the collection after the jump.

Fill in the Blank: The Christian Louboutin Bikini Pouch is…

Nov 15, 2011 by Megs Mahoney Dusil

Christian Louboutin Bikini Pouch, $995 via NAP I searched PurseBlog and realized we only have a handful of posts on (most likely) my favorite color: cobalt blue. Blue has always been my color, but there is something about a bright shocking blue that is not overly aggressive but still lures me in so strongly. Celine … Read more

Et tu, Proenza Schouler? Really?

Nov 15, 2011 by Amanda Mull

Proenza Schouler PS1 Keep All Small Satchel, $1250 via Net-a-Porter

It’s been a rough week already and it’s only Tuesday. First Balenciaga, makers of my favorite handbags of all time, decided to desecrate one of their classic bags with inexplicably bad fur trim. Now Proenza Schouler, another of my can-do-no-wrong favorites, has made a version of their usually lovely Proenza Schouler PS1 Keep All Small that I just…don’t like.

This bag is not as egregious as the Balenciaga tote, for sure, but most Proenza bags are so effortlessly cool and (in my mind at least) perfect that to see one of the brand’s classics miss the mark is jarring, to say the least. I like the shape and I like the materials when considered individually, but together? Eep.

And I always thought Balenciaga could do no wrong…

Nov 14, 2011Nov 14, 2011 by Amanda Mull

Balenciaga A4 Papier Tote, $2795 via Barneys

…and then I saw the fur-trimmed version of the Balenciaga A4 Papier Tote, and I knew I had been mistaken all along. Today is a sad day in the life of this Balenciaga fangirl, PurseBloggers.

Spring 2012 Line to Love: Tod’s

Nov 11, 2011 by Megs Mahoney Dusil

Yesterday, Amanda and I popped into the Tod’s showroom to preview the Spring 2012 collection. Seriously you guys and gals, this collection is so absolutely fantastic that I can barely contain my joy – even at this moment. Last month when Amanda posted a sneak peek of what Tod’s had in store for us for the upcoming season, I already started to feel a bit of handbag-yearning. But upon seeing this bags up close and personal, my yearning has turned to a full-on obsession.

Tod’s has never let me down when it comes to quality products and classic designs, but in the past few years, Tod’s has lacked that certain “oomph”. Sure, the bags are gorgeous and well-made, but they were almost too demure and too classic to grab my attention. All of these problems have been fixed in the Tod’s Spring 2012 Collection, where bright colors, unique combinations and wearable designs reign supreme.

Lauren Santo Domingo taps designer friends for charitable mochila bags

Nov 11, 2011 by Amanda Mull

Images via Moda Operandi

Very few people will ever own a one-of-a-kind bag from their favorite designer. Under normal circumstances, you’d have to be a longtime client of the company with a history of lavish purchases to even have the chance of being given such an opportunity, and even then, one-off creations are usually rare and reserved for the Daphne Guinnesses of the world.

What if all of the proceeds from that bag were then to go to charity? Almost unheard of. But that’s exactly the opportunity that Moda Operandi’s Lauren Santo Domingo and the BeLive Wayuu Mochila Project have teamed up to do – Santo Domingo tapped eleven designers from Valentino to Maison Martin Margiela to design traditional woven mochila bags to benefit over 30 Colombian charity organizations.

The Mulberry Evelina is simple and chic

Nov 10, 2011 by Megs Mahoney Dusil

After I wrote the title for this post, I realized that I am an over-user of the word chic. Still, though, many times it seems like a fitting word for many different items, and the Mulberry Evelina deserves to be called chic. In the past, I’ve found many Mulberry bags to be a tad masculine, and the Evelina’s name matches the silhouette. A touch of femininity with a ton of usability makes me love this Mulberry bag.

I’d like to add this little Gucci pug to my list of most giftable bag charms

Nov 10, 2011 by Amanda Mull

Gucci Oliver Pug Dog Key Chain, $185 via Net-a-Porter

Have any of you ladies ever seen Life with Father? It’s a 1947 movie starring Irene Dunne and a 15-year-old Elizabeth Taylor, and it is absolutely hysterical. If you’ve never seen it, it’s a great movie to watch with your mom while visiting over the holidays, if you can get your hands on a DVD copy. I can personally promise that you’ll laugh more than you ever have at a classic movie.

The reason that Life with Father is relevant to a post about the Gucci Oliver Pug Dog Key Chain should be obvious to anyone familiar with the movie – in it, Irene Dunne has an unbelievably funny argument with her long-suffering husband over how she intends to get their son a suit of clothes for free from a department store by returning a ceramic statuette of a pug (which she calls a “pug dog” each time she refers to it), and the idea of returning one item to justify the purchase of another and convincing yourself that you’re getting the second for “free” should sound familiar to most shopping addicts. I’d never return this cute little pup, though. Not a chance.

With party season fast approaching, make sure your clutch game is tight

Nov 10, 2011 by Amanda Mull

Alexander McQueen Punk Skull Box Clutch, $2720 via Net-a-Porter

We’re readying a much more extensive guide to sparkly little bags for the holiday season, but while that’s in the pipeline, I couldn’t help but post about the Alexander McQueen Punk Skull Box Clutch – after all, it really deserves to stand on its own. Feathers and rhinestones and beads, oh my!

With the bag, McQueen manages again to do what it always does so well – successfully combine multiple heavy design elements in a way that doesn’t feel overwrought or silly. The company makes that kind of light touch look easy, but it’s not – just as whoever’s behind Christian Louboutin’s handbags. A clutch like this one is to be celebrated as something of an accomplishment.

For Michael Kors Spring 2012, “safari chic” is only the beginning

Nov 9, 2011 by Amanda Mull

Images via Vogue.com

Anyone who read our covering of Michael Kors’ Spring 2012 show should be surprised at how the accessories are shaping up – earthy, simple and inspired by seemingly every nature-loving culture in the world. As with any bold aesthetic, some looks (any of the python) are better than the others (furry mohawk bag, anyone?), but they all paint a very vivid picture of how Kors is feeling for spring.

Surprisingly (to me as much as to anyone), I think I like the tie-dyed bag the most. I could see it looking just as chic with a ratty old pair of shorts and a slouchy tank is it would with a white linen sun dress, and that kind of versatility isn’t something you often find in a patterned bag. Check out the rest of the bags and let us know which is your favorite, after the jump.

PurseBlog’s Holiday Pick: Tory Burch Quilted Cut-Out Mini Bag

Nov 9, 2011 by Megs Mahoney Dusil

Tory Burch Quilted Cut-Out Mini Bag, $350 via ToryBurch.com

I’m still in shock over how fast this entire year has flown by. When we were walking around town yesterday, I saw holiday decorations going up around the city. While the season may have taken us by surprise, I am still thrilled; this is my favorite time of year. Tory Burch asked me to pick my Holiday Pick from her diverse stable of items, and I have my heart set on the Tory Burch Quilted Cut-Out Mini Bag.

Pairing the right amount of sporty and chic, this bag is both classic and on-trend. When I think of a quilted leather bag and gold chain, Chanel immediately pops into my mind. But Tory found a way to integrate very traditional touches to a bag while making it stand apart from others that we all know and love.

PurseBlog Poll: Are you done with leopard print?

Nov 8, 2011Nov 8, 2011 by Amanda Mull

Gaging a trend’s lifespan can be a precarious endeavor, particularly when that trend is born out of something like leopard print, which is an innate classic whether its haters want to admit it or not. It’s been around for ages, and even though it tends to fall in and out of favor cyclically, it will never leave the style world entirely. For leopard lovers like me, that’s a beautiful thing.

Over the past couple of seasons, though, leopard has been pushed by every brand from Givenchy to the Gap. I find this Yves Saint Laurent Cabas Chyc Tote in leopard haircalf exceptionally beautiful, but thanks to overexposure, it does occur to me that some of you might disagree. We’ve set up a handy-dandy poll to measure your leopard fatigue after the jump, or you can buy this bag via Nordstrom for $2795.