Summer is here!

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial kickoff to summer and I couldn’t be more ecstatic! It’s the perfect excuse to do more shopping, and of course that means buying more bags. Bags are especially important accessories in the summer since there are no bulky coats, scarves, and winter layers to hide them. I’m always on the lookout for great summer bags that work well with many outfits, since I don’t care to change my bag every day.

Catherine Rapetti has some sleek, simple summer bags that I love. The small ‘Margaret’ Tote is a great day bag. Made of canvas trimmed with brushed gold leather, this piece is a great investment at $300 - it also doubles as a chic beach bag. The ‘Lydia’ Clutch ($350) is a great addition to the tote - cracked metallic leather is lined in summery bright orange suede. Tuck it inside the tote for that after-work date or happy hour jaunt.

Hayden Harnett Friends and Family Sale

Shh…it’s a secret - Hayden-Harnett is having a sale on their fabulous bags and apparel, including dresses, jackets and coats! Get 30% off everything, plus free shipping from now until May 25, 2007.
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A Celi for my ‘Celly’

The bag that I’m currently carrying is a lovely oversized satchel, since I’ve been known to tote around everything. And I mean EVERYTHING! So of course, I can’t ever find what I’m looking for which is usually my cell phone, credit card, drivers license, and lip gloss. Despite the multiple inside pockets, everything seems to get lost in the black hole that seems to be inside my bag. So when I heard about the Celicase, I felt like it was the perfect solution to my needs. My Celi is small, lightweight, stylish and sturdy and holds everything I need to grab fast.

Made of Turkish leather and available in tons of colors, the Celi has both a removable clip (which also doubles as a money clip), and a detachable shoulder strap, in case you want to carry it as a bag. It’s priced at $60, which is a tad bit expensive for a wallet-style bag, but the materials and bag are both of excellent quality, and in comparison to the money you probably spend on those “It” bags, its money well spent.

Marc-y Marc’s 18th Century Mistake

Louis Vuitton has so many fugly bags coming down the pipe I don’t know where to begin. The
Someone should tell Marc Jacobs that 18th century lace has its place in fashion, and that place is not on a Louis Vuitton bag. And if you’re going to use something a delicate as lace, don’t add a chunky gold chain and thick brown leather strap. This bag is just wrong on so many levels. Including the £1,220 price tag.

BE&D’s Mix & Match Clutches

I’m so glad Spring is finally here! The warm weather and summer clothes makes me so happy! And of course, I’m thrilled about all the new bag choices. I prefer oversized bags for work so I can carry everything at once, but I like to tuck a clutch inside for after work events. BE&D’s ‘Greta’ Clutch is a petite and pretty pick for a summer clutch. (I’m ecstatic that they finally moved away from those HIDEOUS super studded bags and onto something more chic and classy).

The ‘Greta’ has a minor amount of studs on the strap, a faux buckle, and comes in so many beautiful colors. There’s aqua, gold, orange, lime, and of course, a sassy black patent. Although it’s a bit on the expensive side for a clutch ($635), it’s definitely a versatile bag and you can probably use it for at least several seasons. I want them all.

Available at Net-a-Porter and BE&D.com.

Mike & Chris’ Hoodie-Inspired Handbags

Husband and wife design team Mike and Christine Gonzalez reinvented the hoodie with their eponymous line, Mike & Chris. They succeeded at creating the perfect stylish hoody for women, and now they’ve ventured into handbag design and the result is equally fabulous, hoodie-inspired purses. The styles consist of easy pieces that look as comfortable as their hoodies; that is, if you could ‘wear’ a handbag. The bags are made of distressed, weathered leather, giving the look and feel of relaxed urban street style.

The Alister Antiqued Leather Duffel ($968) is a double-flapped, zipped shoulder bag that has just the right combination of edge and class for day and night.

The Berkeley Antiqued Leather Hobo ($438) is a super slouchy shoulder bag that is Andrea Brueckner meets biker babe.

The Austin Large Antiqued Leather Saddle Bag ($875) is a military-style shoulder bag with exterior front cargo pockets and a snap closure.

Check out more of Mike & Chris’ chic urban styles here.

Who Did It Better?

In the world of fashion design, everything is ‘inspired’ by something or someone. Big-name brands are notorious for ripping off the designs of emerging designers, and many times, vice versa. These two turquoise bags are almost identical in design, style, and even color. I like them both, but which one do you prefer and why?

Neal Decker ‘Slouch’ (in Turquoise Italian Leather), $285

Coach ‘Ergo’ Leather Tote (in Turquoise Glove-Tanned Leather), $328

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It’s a Drawer! It’s a Clutch! It’s Superbag!

I have discovered the perfect super bag. Anyone who knows me knows I carry extra-large bags with excess amounts of stuff. I’m talking phone, wallet, comb, brush, lipgloss, bronzer, bills, magazines, work papers, water, gum, glasses, jewelry, lotion,…you can stop me anytime now. The point is, I carry it all. But I can’t ever find what I’m looking for. Many bags boast compartmentalization but this bag really does it. The Convertible Bag by Antrobus actually has TWO DRAWERS that pop out on the side! It’s like carrying your jewelry box around all day, but in a chic way. Also, the bottom of the bag zips out to become a clutch! The overall bag is absolutely gorgeous, and the fact that it has a built-in jewelry box and clutch makes it even more appealing. So you can spend over $1,000 on an ‘It’ bag that everyone else has, or you can spend $1,250 wisely on this super multi-bag.


Available at Vivre

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