The Look for Less: Black and White Stripes

With the furious din of bold trends that have swept through fashion in the past few seasons – brights! neons! pastels! exotics! colorblocking! fur! embellishments of all kinds! – it feels positively refreshing to see the clean-lined neutrals that are coming forth for Pre-Fall and Fall 2013. I’m not sure about any of you, but I need a palate cleanser something fierce, and a black-and-white bag seems like just the way to get it. In our latest edition of Look for Less, both Prada and 3.1 Phillip Lim provide sharp-looking options.

Both these bags feature the same boxy shape and spare, center-stripe pattern, but the less-expensive Lim bag provides a bit of slouch and a more modernist feel with its soft leather and black hardware. The higher-priced Prada option gives you what will likely be a more long-term durable bag, what with the stiff, rugged saffiano leather and black leather covering the wear-prone corners. With gold hardware, the look is also a bit more classic and will likely appeal to a wider swath of consumers. Which do you prefer?

3.1 Phillip Lim 31 Hour Bicolor Bag
$795 via Neiman Marcus

Prada Bicolor Saffiano Zip Tote
$1,960 via Neiman Marcus