Custom Design

I fully admit that I’ve never been the recipient of a Valentine’s Day gift from a real Valentine; this is excluding the bouquet of wildflowers my lovely father sends me every February 14. And just last week, I received a wonderful care package from my mother including a plastic lunchbox with a printed smattering of pink and white hearts. That was very interesting, but in the case that I do have a real, live Valentine this year, this is what I’d love him to get me. But keep in mind, pals, the flowers are enough. Remember that you’re talking to (erm, reading about) a girl who was massively excited by a plastic case.

1. Purple Irises: Part of the reason why I love my wildflower bouquets is because they often come with some irises in a vibrant shade of purple, my absolute favorite color. I know, purple foxgloves can appear in these bouquets as well but I find them alarming because they are tubular and can induce poisoning. Sorry to ruin the mood, guys. Buy through Beyond Blossoms.

2. Alexander Wang Darla Pyramid Clutch: This clutch is neither pink nor red, but it’s my current clutch obsession so I see no objection to including it on my wish list for the most lovable of days. It represents the birth of my now-growing love affair with Alexander Wang, so despite its rugged, pebbled, and studded exterior, it’s symbolically perfect for the holiday. Buy through Shopbop for $490.

3. Hunter Stripe Socks: Since I have an inordinate amount of stuffed creatures from my childhood years, and apparently stuffed animals are commonly given on this day, I’ll substitute those for a lovely pair of socks. I know, they’re two totally different things, but I need some new long socks and these ones nearly knocked me down by their softness a few weeks ago in Nordstroms. Since I don’t wear pink, I’ll happily take the navy and yellow version and tuck them into my obscenely high Sam Edelman Zoe Boots- that’s right, the ones I asked for in my Chanukah Wish List. Buy through Nordstrom for $14.90.

Original post by Anna Cooperberg Gonzalez

You probably remember the Mulberry Mitzy Hobo that we picked for Ideeli to giveaway just a bit ago. Well, since things went so well, our friends at Ideeli have asked us to pick another amazing bag for them to giveaway. How could we hesitate? So, this time, the Burberry Fielding Leather Tote is up for grabs! This highly coveted bag is sold-out in most stores; one more reason to enter.

Today, November 6th from 1:30 pm EST through 8:30 pm EST head over to Ideeli and register to win! Make sure to act fast and good luck!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

Original post by Shannon Mahoney

I’m having a vintage moment lately. Last weekend, I spent 3 hours on Friday afternoon looking for vintage art deco costume jewelry on eBay. I really want a 70s faux fur jacket. The Stephen Sprouse collection for Louis Vuitton won me over long ago. And then this morning, I was lucky enough to find the utterly charming Chanel Vintage Le Train Bag.

When there are so many bags that are weathered and treated to look old when they’re actually brand new, it’s refreshing to look at a beautiful bag that is actually a piece of fashion history. The train illustration on this coated-canvas tote is so adorable and utterly Parisian that it serves as a wonderful reminder of not only the brand’s inventiveness, but also its cultural significance.

I like this bag better than most anything I’ve seen from Lagerfeld & Co. lately, and I wish that more of the irreverent French influence found its way into bags like this today. I don’t know that I’d be willing to pay the asking price for this piece (particularly since it’s not leather), but if I had the extra money laying around, this would absolutely be at the top of my list. Buy through ShopBop for $2420.

Original post by Amanda Mull

We’ve covered the Mulberry Mitzy Hobo before, and we generally try not to repeat bags, but I can’t help but be totally obsessed with the ultra-deep blue cracked finish that Mulberry has debuted for Fall 2009.

I wear so much black that I’ve sort of shied away from navy blue accessories, even though the combination of the two can be super glam when done correctly. As with anything, it’s hard to find exactly the right bag.

But I think that the steely, silvery undertones on this bag make it a perfect option to pair with black and dark grey. In fact, the handle itself is black, which should make the color combination a fairly obvious way to style it. The shiny finish makes the color all the more vibrant, which is the perfect way to incorporate navy into an already dark outfit. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $895.

Original post by Amanda Mull

South Florida is an amazing place to live. The ocean surrounds us and the palm trees are endless. But the Sunshine state is missing my absolute favorite season, fall. Everything about Fall is amazing for me. The leaves turning to warm hues of red, orange and yellow while the air is crisp and cool puts an automatic smile on my face. It is great to live in Florida, but I am in desperate need of fall. Luckily we have a trip to NYC and Ohio planned for next month.

So it is time for fall colors and wardrobes to be brought out of hiding. South Florida is full of bright eye-catching colors all spring and summer, and while they work mostly year around, I still like to bring out my fall bags. I absolutely adore gray in my wardrobe. As I was going through my closet I noticed a lack of gray bags. WHAT? I do not own many gray bags? Actually, unless I have a stash of handbags hiding in my imaginary closet, I am nearly gray-bag-less. And that is oddly shocking to me.

The hunt for a new gray bag begins. You will be seeing many gray bags in the upcoming weeks, so I apologize in advance for those of you that dislike gray bags. Gray bag option number one, the Mulberry Suede Bayswater with a light gray crocodile stamped finish.

The Mulberry Bayswater continues to be a coveted design from Mulberry and in the handbag world. The double top handles and simple box shaped body is gives a classy and clean vibe. But you all know the Baywater, lets delve further into this rendition.

Suede is always hard to to keep clean. But gray is a great color option on a suede bag. The corners will wear more easily, which on some bags actually gives a bit of character rather than looking unkempt. I adore seeing crocodile stamped leather, Yves Saint Laurent perfects it. The large stamping on this Bayswater adds an extra dimension. Overall, this is a great design, a great version of the design, and the price comes in under $1000. Buy through Net A Porter for $995.

My hunt for a new gray bag has only just begun…

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

Jimmy Choo may have just accomplished the impossible - they may have designed a beige bag that doesn’t make me feel totally blah. I guess the secret to doing that is not actually making the bag beige.

For some reason, they want us to believe that this bag is gold. Maybe the lighting is bad, but Nordstrom’s pictures are usually among the most accurate on the Internet, and on their website, the bag looks beige. Metallic beige, maybe, but beige nonetheless. In my household, the color is much reviled and derided, but on the Jimmy Choo Metallic Mandah Hobo, it works pretty well. The shimmery finish goes a long way towards banishing my boredom, and I could see this working really well as a metallic winter white. How cute would it be next to a fuzzy grey sweater? Buy through Nordstrom for $1595.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Original post by ChicInspector@gmail.com (Chic Inspector)

Sang A handbags have captivated me. The shapes are very different from many bags that you find in the market, which is hard to say for other designers. One of my favorite Sang A bags is the River Square Tote. And the yellow python version was top on my list after seeing one of […]

Original post by Megs

Although the 12 Day of Handbag Giveaway is starting to wind down, there are still some gorgeous handbags up for grabs. Today, Purse Blog and Luxaholics bring you an absolutely breathtaking clutch by Mary Norton. Mary Norton is known for her sophisticated, fierce and beautiful handbags. This clutch is unbelievable (make sure to click on […]

Original post by Shannon

I have to say, I feel so lucky sometimes. An example of this would be the opportunities I have to interview new designers. But, more than that, when I speak with an amazing designer who makes gorgeous handbags, I can’t wait to share everything with all of you! Not that long ago, I had the […]

Original post by Shannon