Jimmy Choo Solar Studded Hobo, $1795 via Neiman Marcus

I warned y’all this was going to happen, so don’t say that I didn’t.

In fact, I warned you back in May that Jimmy Choo seemed intent on foisting the Jimmy Choo Solar Studded Hobo on the fashion world, and it took a little longer than we (or the company, probably) anticipated to get here, but did you use that time to prepare yourself? To prepare your eyes to view…this? I bet you didn’t. (more…)

Reed Krakoff Alligator Hobo, $30,000 via Net-a-Porter

A $30,000 price tag always sticks out to me, probably because when I was growing up, that’s how much I thought a car cost. Naturally, I’ve since learned that sometimes cars cost less, and even more bizarrely, sometimes handbags cost more. The Reed Krakoff Alligator Hobo, however, comes in at 30 grand on the nose.

Black alligator seems to be the preferred method of delivery for that many thousands of dollars worth of handbag, if this design and The Row’s backpack (which has now been identified as alligator instead of our original guess of crocodile) is any indication. For my money, I’d want something a little more adventurous, but I suppose that versatility is of the essence when one is actually considering spending that much money on a single bag. (more…)

Chloe Gabby Bucket Bag, $2395 via Saks

It should be noted, before we continue, that this Chloe collection got at least one designer fired. Hannah MacGibbon, who had been creative director for the brand for several years, was shown the door after Chloe Fall 2011 was roundly panned. Other shuffling in the brand’s ranks weren’t announced, of course, but based on how much better Resort 2012’s accessories are then those of Fall 2011, one can only imagine that a significant shakeup did occur.

The problem, though, is that we still have to wait a few months for the new stuff to come out while bags like the Chloe Gabby Bucket Bag populate the brand’s shelf space at department stores. Ladies, this is a runway bag. Someone put this on the runway. I’ve known that for almost half a year now, but the mind, it still boggles. Try and remember that better Chloe bags are around the corner, ladies. They’ll be here soon. (more…)

Salar Juni Woven Leather Shoulder Bag, $810 via Luisa Via Roma

By the very nature of this job, I end up writing about a lot of bags that couldn’t be further from my personal style. And that’s ok, because it’s part of being successful in the fashion industry: The ability to see the value in things beyond your own narrow point of view. But sometimes, a bag like the Salar Juni Woven Shoulder Bag pops up and presents itself as exactly the type of bag that I’d love to carry, and those are always exciting days for me. You have to take pleasure in the little things, people. (more…)

After ogling pictures of the green Proenza Schouler Continental Wallet for the past few days, I went to the mall yesterday morning to try and find a kelly green bag for less than $500 that would satiate my desire for the color without completely breaking the bank. I was brutally rebuffed. The only green bags that called my name were those far outside of my impromptu splurge budget.

I should have known better than to start my search in-person than online, though; I seem to have much better luck with computer-based shopping than any other form of bag-hunting these days. And that’s how I found the Tano Reality Starlet Hobo, which can be yours for the low, low price of $199. And yes, it’s made out of real leather. (more…)

Texture is one of the big fashion words on everyone’s lips this year, which means that finding a unique way to incorporate it into your wardrobe is going to be a big challenge in a few months. Most of you seemed a bit tepid toward the prevailing ideas about python and its many uses, and I can’t say I blame you – I saw enough snakeskin during the Fall 2011 shows that I’d be perfectly happy if I didn’t see it again until 2012.

Thank god, though, that we can always rely on Marni to give us an uncommon take on a common idea. The Marni Studded Leather Shoulder Bag makes a bold texture statement without being a slave to one trend or another, and it does that while being neutral and functional enough to use every day. This bag has enough personality to not appeal to absolutely everyone, but who wants to carry a bag that can be seen on the shoulder of every other woman walking down the street? Certainly not me. (Unless it’s a Celine Luggage Tote, of course. Then GIMME GIMME GIMME. Ahem. But that’s beside the point!) (more…)

Do you like tan? I generally don’t. I passed up on buying a very cute sweater today because the only color it came in was tan, and even though I tried it on and tried to convince myself that I like it, tan just doesn’t work for me. I’m not sure if it has something to do with the undertones in my skin or if I’m just far too used to looking at myself in black and grey when I choose a neutral, but the preponderance of tan clothing out there seems to indicate that most people don’t have the same problem.

And if you’re one of those people who wear tan with reckless abandon, then the ROMYGOLD Weave Hobo might be a strong contender for your spring weekend bag. Or maybe not, if you’re not into random strips of leather. (more…)

Maison Martin Margiela is one of those brands that you either like or you don’t, so of course the company’s MM6 diffusion line is similarly divisive. I don’t get the urge to buy or wear all of Margiela’s stuff, but I do have a healthy respect for how the brand sticks to its distinctly urban off-kilter aesthetic and appreciate a lot of the pieces that it produces.

The Maison Martin Margiela MM6 Slouchy Leather Hobo might just be my first piece from the brand, though. The signature Margiela triangular hobo shape paired with beautifully distressed leather just can’t be beat for the price if your personal style tends to skew a little bit industrial-chic. (more…)

Faux exotics are something of a precarious proposition. Just like it’s nearly impossible to make convincing fake leather, turning real leather into fake python or crocodile is difficult at best and an exercise in futility at worst. Just like alchemy, exotic embossing is a pseudoscience that rarely reaps results that are worth a second look, but the Furla Carmen Python Hobo might be one of the exceptions to that proves the rule.

Furla tends to be better at embossing than the average brand because it does so much of it, despite an occasional misstep like the fluorescent tote we discussed recently. This bag is another luxurious-looking winner. (more…)

It’s rare that color causes a real obstacle to my appreciation of a particular design. Although not every color fits into my wardrobe, I can usually see how they might fit into the wardrobes of others, and thus, I can appreciate their merits. The middling beige-tan color of the Marc by Marc Jacobs Framed Hobo, though? No thanks.

If I were in a diplomatic mood, I might say that it’s the color of a latte. Instead, there’s a grey undertone that I just can’t shake, no matter how faint it might be, and the wrinkly pleated leather at the center makes it sort of look like brains. There, I said it. Brains. Does anyone else see it, or have I had one too many Diet Cokes today? (more…)