Custom Design

My Balenciaga fangirldom is by now common knowledge around these parts, and despite Megs’ ongoing inability to find her perfect Balenciaga bag, I just keep discovering things from the brand that I need in my closet with a fierce urgency. Funny how that works, eh?

The latest object of my lust is the Balenciaga Giant City with rose gold hardware, and although I’m late to the rose gold party, I hope that I still get bonus points for earnestness. I brushed off the rose gold color choice as too “niche” when I heard about it, but after encountering this very bag in person, I can ignore it no longer.

At first I assumed that rose gold hardware would clash with most of my jewelry and my general sense of style, since I mostly associate the metal with expensive, gaudy jewelry that is very much not my style. In typical Balenciaga fashion, though, the designers behind the hardware gave it a weathered, gritty appearance that transforms it into something that fits right into my wardrobe.

Only the front zipper has a bit of shine to it, and the contrast is an interesting before-and-after demonstration of what the studs and buckles used to look like. It might prove more difficult to match rose gold hardware with Balenciaga’s famous bright leathers, but the rose and black combination works just fine for me. Buy through Matches for $1551.

Original post by Amanda Mull

I didn’t get and invitation (lost in the mail somewhere, surely) to the 2010 Emmy Awards, so I’m just going to show you a life-size picture of the Alexander McQueen Crystal-Encrusted Skull Clutch and imagine it in my hand. Since my invitation never came, I was also forced to give back my Marchesa dress and let Heidi Klum wear it, but she didn’t have the clutch to pair with it. So, in that regard, I still win. Except that she’s Heidi Klum, and I’m a blogger who doesn’t actually own this clutch either, technically speaking.

Ok, so maybe I don’t win. Either way, you can keep up with our coverage of Emmy fashion and weigh in on your favorites (and least favorites, because that’s way more fun) over at BagThatStyle.com!

Buy through Alexander McQueen for $2215.

Original post by Amanda Mull

At this point, if you don’t like leopard print, I feel kind of bad for you. It seems as though every brand under the sun, from high-end to low-end and everything in between, has released some sort of leopard bag for fall. The trend is inescapable, which is great if you’re like me and you already had a pair of glittery silver and black leopard leggings left over from last year. Yeah, I said it.

If I had an extra four grand laying around, this Chanel Strass and Tweed Leopard Classic Flap would be the perfect compliment to my admittedly tacky-but-fun leggings. Or to a black dress of any sort. Or any outfit, really.

I don’t adore the actuality of this bag, but the idea is wonderful. The scale of the leopard print needs to be a bit smaller for the bag since it’s rendered in separate crystals and not a solid color, and the combination of the size and material makes the end result a bit awkward. It wouldn’t need to be much smaller – just a tad. But for the price, I’d want it to be absolutely perfect (not to mention made of leather instead of tweed). Buy through Chanel for $4000. For more purchasing information and assistance locating this bag, please contact Chanel at (800)550-0005.

Original post by Amanda Mull

We usually feature bags from Lockheart over on PurseBlog Savvy because of the brand’s very reasonable price points, but sometimes a mid-range bag impresses us so much that it richly deserves to make the jump to and be considered alongside much more expensive bags. The Lockheart Priscilla Fanfare Shoulder Bag is clearly one such occasion.

Lockheart is a master of intricate texture at a reasonable price, and the Priscilla Fanfare bag fits perfectly into the brand’s aesthetic. The use of black allows the pleated, ribbon-accented leather to do all the aesthetic work for the design, and the finished product looks very much like something Valentino would think up. The only difference is that the Valentino version, were it to exist, wouldn’t cost $345.

Not only is the bag reasonably priced for the amount of detailed leather work that went into it, but it’s really two bags in one. The shoulder strap comes off to reveal a perfectly detailed clutch for nighttime use, and at a little over twelve inches wide, the bag is the optimal size for use as either a day or evening option. Black bags can be boring, but this one is anything but. I’m guessing that most women could find a place for this purse in their closets, particularly at such a reasonable price. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $345.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Dolce & Gabbana, the perennial providers of bustier tops and leopard print, is probably not the first brand that springs to mind when you think of wear-to-work accessories. When I think of wearing the brand’s clothes, the kinds of situations I picture usually involve skintight pencil skirts and very posh VIP clubs.

With the Dolce & Gabbana Cervo Doctor Bag, the signature sexiness is hidden on the inside in order to provide an exceptionally functional and ever-so-slightly conservative bag for a working woman. Save the leopard dress for nighttime, but this bag is just as comfortable in the daylight as the brand’s sexiest clothing is after dark.

At first, this bag reminded me of some of Prada’s Saffiano totes, but the doctor’s closure and multiple compartments not only make it more interesting as a design, but also more functional. Many women dislike having to throw all of their possessions into a single dark compartment, and this construction would be ideal for people who want to stay more organized. Plus, the leopard lining gives you a little reminder of who you are when you’re off the clock every time you open the bag. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $1945.

Original post by Amanda Mull

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m craving winter so badly. Yesterday I wore jeggings (don’t judge me) to the mall in silent protest of the 95-degree temperatures we’ve been having since…May. It’s been a long summer.

I live in Atlanta, so I have about six more weeks of genuinely warm weather before I even get to think about breaking out any kind of long-sleeve options for daytime wear (and even then, that’s only if I’m lucky), but the sight of the Yves Saint Laurent Studded Suede Roady has me wanting winter even more.

Something about the combination of rich suede and the way that the studding is organized in a triangle pattern just screams “cold weather” to me. Perhaps it’s because the triangles are a bit reminiscent of the patterns on traditional sweaters, but whatever the reason, I imagine this bag being worn with a fluffy scarf and knit hat at all times. What I wouldn’t give to be in need of those items (and this bag, of course) right now…Buy through Saks for $2295.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Things from Jimmy Choo have been a bit “blah” lately. They’ve continued to make a lot of popular styles from previous seasons in new materials and finishes, which should make the brand’s devotees happy, but I always prefer to see something new alongside old favorites.

The Jimmy Choo Rosa Satchel maybe not seem all that striking or innovative to the casual observer, but for Choo, it’s something a bit different. Many of the brand’s bags have been a bit over-designed in recent seasons, and with that in mind, the restraint and editing that went into this design are admirable, not to mention very attractive.

Many brands have been looking to pare down their offerings into sleeker, more subdued shapes that will appeal to today’s recession-addled consumers, and this is the right way to do it. This bag doesn’t lack in glamour or sophistication, but its lines are a bit less aggressive than what we might have seen in 2006, for example. The embossed lizard gives the bag texture on top of the already shiny leather, and the way the light hits the finish of the bag creates a sophisticated shine that you just can’t get by dunking a bag in a vat of sequins or glitter. Well played, Tamara Mellon. Buy through Nordstrom for $1750.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Chanel (and more recently, Marc Jacobs) has made an empire out of diamond quilting, but even for the most ardent fan of the Classic Flap bags, it can get a little repetitive. Still, quilting is one of the best and most versatile ways to add texture and detail to a handbag, and it shouldn’t be discounted just because so many others have done it in the past.

Alexander Wang has the right idea about how to make quilting unique with the Alexander Wang Isis Frame Clutch. The classic motif reminds me a bit of what another famous Alexander (McQueen) has done for Fall, but Wang keeps the colors dark and the details industrial in order to tie the look back into his brand’s style.

The results of Wang’s foray into quilted texture are great, if a bit expensive for his bags’ usual prices. The clutch is big enough to serve as a suitable shoulder bag with the included chain strap or go without as a hand-held, and either way would be great. The more ways a woman can work a textural, visually intriguing bag like this into her wardrobe, the better. Buy through ShopBop for $1050.

Original post by Amanda Mull

When you look at the camouflage, fur and fringe that dominate Prada’s fall collection, it can be difficult to remember that Prada is a label whose bread and butter is basic, somewhat conservative leather bags. And yet, it’s true – year after year, these bags fly under the fashion radar but are picked up by thousands of women of every conceivable age and lifestyle to add a note of sophistication and luxury to their wardrobes.

Bags like the Prada Soft Calf Tote probably won’t be featured prominently in Vogue editorials or spotted on the arms of endless starlets, but they’re the bags that make Prada a great source for accessories year after year. While half of the line chases trends, the other half looks like this – the kind of bag that most women would love to have in their closets. Or at least the kind of bag that I’d love to have in mine.

This design doesn’t attempt to break new handbag ground, but it does recreate a traditional shape very well. The draped leather emphasizes the material’s pliable, soft texture, and the placement of the brand logo provides a touch of asymmetry to balance the luggage tag on the other side of the bag. At 13 inches wide and 11 inches high, the bag is a nice medium size that likely wouldn’t be too heavy for everyday use. As long as Prada keeps making bags like this one, I will never begrudge the brand some of its sillier offerings. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $1650.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Most of the shock value of Coach releasing a bag with a four-figure price tag wore off years ago, but the disparity between the prices of the Coach Madison Calf Hair Brynne Satchel and the Coach Madison Ocelot Sabrina Satchel truly caught be off guard.

The Brynne, left, is made of printed calf hair with leather trim and is 14 inches wide. The Sabrina, on the right, is nylon with leather trim and measures 12 inches across. If you had shown me the bags and asked me to guess, I would have pegged the Brynne at about $700 – one of Coach’s pricier offerings, but not out of the brand’s normal range these days. The Sabrina would have been much lower, probably about $300. On one count, I would have been remarkably close (not much of an accomplishment, considering that this is my job); on the other, not so much.

The nylon Sabrina, as I had guessed, is priced at $298. On the other hand, the slightly larger Brynne, rendered in calf hair, rings up at a whopping $1400. Surely there’s a large difference between the wholesale prices for calf hair and nylon, and likely increased difficulties in processing, dying and sewing calf hair, but an $1100 difference for a brand whose bags normally cost far less than a thousand dollars is a bit quizzical.

Coach has many, many loyal fans who love the brand’s bags (not to mention the many other products it now offers), and I can’t help but think that those enthusiastic Coach customers have to be the primary audience for such an expensive bag. For $1400, I’m running straight to Balenciaga. Then again, that’s my favorite brand, so I can understand the why Coach fans feel the way they do about their label. For that amount of money, though, I’d suggest they buy the Sabrina (which would even be useful in the rain!) and save the other $1100 for two or more other future Coach purchases.

$1400 via Nordstrom.

$298 via Nordstrom.

Original post by Amanda Mull