Custom Design

When we set the date of February 20th, 2009 for our wedding it seemed as if that day was so far away. Slowly but surely the day creeped up on us and as it got closer to the wedding day, the amount of work for the wedding grew exponentially as did my excitement. And finally, when the day arrived, I was overtaken with excitement, nerves, and love. One week ago today, I was lucky enough to marry the man of my dreams. Seems so cliche, but it is absolutely true. Vlad and I have been together nearly six years. We swam together in college. He moved to Germany. We started a website together which turned into our company and full time job. He moved back from Germany. We moved to Florida. We went though so much together, but from day one I knew I was going to marry him and live my happily ever after. Our happily ever after began six years ago, but the wedding last Friday was the last little piece of the relationship finalization.

I woke up on the wedding morning with a bit of wedding day jitters. Hair and makeup came at 10 am (many more details on hair and makeup in a later post). I am the Purse Blog Queen, so my accessories truly had to be fit for a queen. Luckily, I had the most ideal wedding handbag and jewelry to complete my look. My handbag that I carried on my wedding day has a special place in my heart. Two years ago over two-hundred of the lovely members of Purse Forum shocked me with a gift that left me speechless. For my birthday I was gifted the ultimate gift of all time, a gift that I knew would be a major part of my wedding day. I anxiously opened the orange box to find an extremely rare Hermes Kelly Longue in white with palladium hardware. Tracking down this bag was a massive feat in and of itself, creating quite the chase around the globe for a white Kelly Longue. But with persistence and perseverance the bag was found. This was the first accessory that I thought of and knew I HAD TO CARRY. I planned on carrying this bag with my on my wedding day before I was engaged. THAT is how much I love and adore this bag! Thank you again to every single person that made this wedding day dream bag a reality. {Read more this gift at tPF}

Now when it comes to the bridesmaid handbags, there will be another post! Once our photographer, Jeff Kolodny, found out that we were unofficial King and Queen of purses, we took many shots of me with my Hermes Kelly and the bridesmaids with their matching Adriana Castro clutches. We will share many shots of the rest of the bags later.

Back to my accessories! The lovely Elana of Future Fashionista outfitted me with the most sophisticated, stunning, and perfect bling for my wedding day. I wore a pair of diamond chandelier earrings that caught the light with every small movement and were the perfect piece for my overall look. The details on these earrings are so intricate. Absolutely unreal! I opted to go necklace-less and pair the earrings with a diamond bracelet, also from Future Fashionista. The bridesmaids gifts were specially made by Elana as well, details of those to come in a later post. A very special thank you to Elana and Future Fashionista for making my wedding day full of sparkle and bling!

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My shoes will go on another post as well. In fact, my shoes are so magnificent that I am now on the hunt to find a shoe cleaner to help spiff them up so I can store them to someday show my daughter. Since many handbag lovers are also shoe lovers, I think the shoes will be appreciated! For many of the photos we carried our handbags rather than flowers, but of course I had a bridal bouquet. Jorge from Dream Occasions was so much fun to work with and gave me the bouquet that I dreamed up in my mind. Garden like, elegant, flowing; and he completed this look with white mini calla lilies, champagne and ivory roses, green amaranthus, ivory stock, green berries, seeded eucalyptus, and an ivory ribbon crystals finish. The bouquet was perfect for our part garden wedding, thank you Jorge and Dream Occasions!

The last wedding day accessory I will share with you all today is my wedding day gift from my groom. Close your eyes if the mushy-gushy-so-in-love comments drive you crazy. Vlad is most certainly a romantic. Sure, it took a bit of time for him to come around to this, but since he figured out how much I love romantic gestures, he has been amazing. A homemade meal, a date night plan, random flowers. It is not the gifts that get me, it is the thought and meaning behind them. But my wedding day gift was beyond thoughtful, beyond generous, and is a reminder of the best day of my life. Vlad went to our jeweler and designed a pendant for me. The pendant is made with matte gold and in diamonds reads 2.20, our wedding day.

Our wedding day was the best day of my life so far and a day I will never forget! Thank you to everyone who made the day so special for us. We appreciate it more than you all know.

And yes, many more details and pictures to come!

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

So, the 1980s throwback trend is, like, a thing. I get that. I’m even a moderate supporter of it, when done correctly. The 80s were a time of excess and fashion-forwardness and questionable taste, and everyone loves that, right? Right. Except when it’s done like the Pauric Sweeney Padded Patchwork Top Handle, I don’t love it. At all. Not even a little. It kind of makes my eyes hurt to look at it. This isn’t just a winking reference to 80s ridiculousness - this is taking something that was already fug back then and making it more fug and more expensive 25 years later. And I, for one, am not fooled and not impressed. In order to do “retro” correctly, a designer has to somehow make it sleeker and more modern than it was to begin with, and there’s nothing about this bag that looks updated in the least. It wasn’t cute then, and it’s not cute now, sadly; it’s a retro-gone-wrong monstrosity. Even if this bag was given to me for free, I sincerely doubt I would wear it to anything but a costume party. Buy through LuisaViaRoma for € 810.00.

Original post by Amanda Mull

In commenting on one of my previous posts over on the Forum, our lovely member gacats mentioned a piece of classic style advice that I think many people (designers and fashionistas included) have totally forgotten lately: when dressing, always remove one accessory before leaving the house. It may sound a bit conservative to some folks, but it’s a great way to ensure that you don’t look like a fashion victim or someone wearing a costume. Now, if only certain bag designers would take that advice. Consider the Thomas Wylde Colossus Scorpion Bag, for instance. There are things about this bag that I love - the leather looks so soft that I have the strange urge to rub it on my face, the bike-chain handle is a cool, industrial touch, as are the spikes at the handle attachment, and the overall effect is full of edgy-but-fashionable personality that could really do wonders for the average outfit. And then…there are the scorpions emblazoned on the front in silver studs. I know that’s sort of Thomas Wylde’s thing, with the random stuff depicted in studs, but I wish his look would evolve a bit and maybe become a little more subtle. This bag would still have attitude to spare without the bugs on it, and with them, it seems just a wee bit silly. Part of me also thinks it looks a lot less luxurious than it could - the scorpions break up all that delicious, wonderful, touchable leather. So, Thomas Wylde, please consider heeding some sage advice - next time you get the urge to put bugs on a purse, let it pass. Buy through eLuxury for $2500.

Original post by Amanda Mull

I don’t even really know how to begin. I am bringing you a Christian Louboutin handbag that isn’t a clutch? I think this is a first. While there are times I write about handbags for no reason other than shock or surprise this time, being surprised is a good thing. I am so pleased with the Christian Louboutin Piercing Softy Hobo I almost don’t know where to start. The soft “makeup” colored leather is a shade that can go with so many outfits during so many different seasons. The way the leather is gathered as well as the pleating and vertical welts draw the eye to the detailing that went into designing and crafting the bag. And of course, as you might be able to tell, this is a bag that would be perfect to use during the day. Yet at the same time, I could see myself carrying this during the evening as well. If you aren’t a fan of the color, fear not, the handbag comes in black as well. If you ever doubted that this was truly a Louboutin handbag, open it up and you will find the signature bright silk satin lining. Gorgeous. And since you are pretty much sure to drop a pretty penny or two on a Louboutin, maybe a larger bag like this one can be more justifiable than one of the clutches. Buy through Saks for $1895.

Original post by Shannon Mahoney

Lately, Marni has been going slouchy and I like it. Sure, growing up my mother, grandmother and various family members would always tell the kids, “don’t slouch”. Well, I’m going to go against that and tell the folks over at Marni to keep slouching their way into our hearts and our closets! A little while ago, Amanda brought you the Marni Slouchy Leather Bag. Although that bag received mixed reviews from our readers, I had to bring you another Marni bag. The Marni Slouchy Shoulder Bag demonstrates how a bit of asymmetry can actually work. The caramel slouchy leather with silver-tone hardware, shoulder strap, zip across the top and turnlock fastening all come together nicely. In a season full of bright, Bright, BRIGHT colors, it would be nice to add a neutral bag to your wardrobe. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1410.

Original post by Shannon Mahoney

Tandy Leather Factory, Inc. (AMEX: TLF) announced today that the Company’s Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase program, permitting the Company to repurchase up to one million shares of its common stock at prevailing market prices not to exceed $2.85. In addition, the Board has adopted a plan under Rule 10ϙ-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to facilitate the repurchase of the shares pursuant to this authorization.

Original post by no@spam.com (Maxamillion Blick)

 Skins Inc. (SKNN), a developer of revolutionary, patented, two-part interchangeable footwear, announced today that the Spring/Summer 2009 order from its Brazilian manufacturing partner HENRICH E CIA LTDA will be air-shipped to Skins this week and the balance by the middle of next week. The company decided that it would be more prudent to make sure the product was manufactured perfectly rather than to rush delivery into stores by the end of February. The company now expects to ship to stores during the second week of March with all product in stores with our retail partners no later than March 14th.

Original post by no@spam.com (Maxamillion Blick)

LaCrosse Footwear, Inc. (Nasdaq/NMS:BOOT), a leading provider of branded work and outdoor footwear for expert users, announced yesterday its Danner^&reg subsidiary received a new $6.7 million delivery order from the U.S. Army for the Danner Combat Hiker boot. Danner anticipates delivering this order of the Combat Hiker boot beginning in April through August of this year.

&nbsp…Women’s Lacrosse Shoes…

Original post by no@spam.com (Maxamillion Blick)

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

Yes, I’ve said it before, I love celebrity gossip. It really is a guilty pleasure of mine. I don’t know why, but as soon as I open a celeb infused magazine or type in a celeb heavy site, I am fixated. It’s not that I am trying to emulate one celebrity or another, but I love to see where they go, what they wear and who they are hanging out with. I can’t help it. And to be honest, I know many of you sitting there reading this feel the same way. Whether you openly admit it or feel some sort of shame admitting it, so many of us love celeb gossip! Today I came across some very interesting images of Sienna Miller. Many view her as a fashion icon or at least someone who keeps up, if not sets, trends. She could be in rainy London, sunny LA, or fast-paced NYC and she is always photographed and her clothes almost always commented on. Today is nothing different. A red cape? Really, Sienna? I realize she is in London, and it is probably frigid, but the Little-Red-Riding-Hood-look makes me go “hmmmm”. I can’t decide if it is fashionable or a fashion faux-pas.

One thing I did NOT think was a fashion faux-pas was the handbag she was sporting. I love the black Kooba Claudia bag. I know it is from a few seasons ago, but that does nothing but speak about the longevity of Kooba handbags. And again, I will mention that I still sport my favorite Kooba that is going on 6 years old. Not only do I carry it with pride, but I continue to get compliments on it. Now, as I can say that about Kooba bags, I am not sure I can say that about the cape Sienna is wearing. Maybe I am totally wrong here and feel free to correct me if you disagree. So, here is a question, between Sienna’s red cape and Kooba Claudia bag, which one would you choose to sport for years to come?

Original post by Shannon Mahoney