Haute or Not: the Kate Spade Sherwood Ida

All of us bag addicts look forward to the changing of the seasons which means a whole slew of brand new bags. So when spring and summer are coming, we start to check out the options – same goes for fall and winter. But when I’m on the hunt for fall bags, I’m looking for some nice designs with earth tone colors, possibly some metallics, and an evening bag or two – I’m not actually looking for a bag that represents fall - literally. And then I stumbled upon the Kate Spade Sherwood Ida, a new bag for fall that looks like it fell out of a tree. An owl? Really? Who wants to walk around carrying a $425 canvas and suede bag with creepy googly eyes and looks like it hoots? It’s named after “Robin Hood’s mythical forest” and is said to be “built for brave shopping forays and any occasion that could benefit from a dose of lighthearted fashion”. Um, yeah. Sorry Kate, but it looks more like leftovers from a homemade Halloween costume. Try again.

Would you wear it?

Haute or Not: the Foley + Corinna Bar Clutch

I would think that the brand behind the iconic “City Tote” would come up with something better than this. The Foley + Corinna Bar Clutch looks like a flat black lunch bag with a gold majorette baton as a handle. Really, Foley + Corinna? Is this the best you could come up with? There’s no real design here; the bag looks cheap and highly impractical. I mean really, what can you put inside of it? And to get inside, you have to use the side zip closure. So to retrieve your things, you have to turn it sideways with the gold bar hanging from one end. And then turn it back so the gold bar and lunch bag can dangle aimlessly from your arm. What woman would want to carry it either way? Even the model looks pissed! I imagine that it would be extremely difficult to manage, plus it’s a sight for sore eyes. And the price is utterly ridiculous - $268 for this? Thanks, but no thanks - I’ll pass.

Gustto Umbria Bag

Chic carryalls are hard to find since they usually come in the form of a shapeless tote or bulky bag. But the
Gustto Umbria Bag
, despite its odd shape is the cutest carryall you can find. The super soft leather bag features puckered pockets on the sides, quilted, layered, angled front pockets secured with a large buckle, and a roomy top opening that zips closed. Two double handles allow you to carry in the crook of your arm or in your hands but the bag features a long, diagonal shoulder strap as well. Carry your stuff to work or the gym in style. This big bag is hot!

Turn on the Woodworks

I love to see ordinary materials transformed to give the illusion of unlikely pieces. Like the materials on this Isabella Fiore “Woodworks” Handheld Bag. Complementary leathers have been treated to resemble wood, and with the washed brass hardware, the result is a crisp, simple fall bag. It’s nice to see Isabella Fiore tone down their usual embellishments to do a simple purse.

In Fashion, You Don’t Always Have to ‘Conphorm’

Though I rock the double G’s (Gucci), appreciate the bourgeois browns (Louis Vuitton), and even fawn over the double F’s (Fendi), I can’t help but long for something simple and logo-free.

Enter Conphorm. Designer Josh Jakus, a former architect, combined sensibility with a minimal design aesthetic and created a chic, unadorned collection of pressed wool felt carry-alls.

Not only are their shapes sophisticated, but their bags cleverly unzip and lay flat, saving space when not in use. Finally, fashion that is truly functional. Not a bad concept.

Geometry Rules

I hated geometry but I love fashionable geometric shapes. That’s why I’m a fan of the Tria ($199) from Poesis and the Risk Taker ($100) from The House of Muses. Created by a former research scientist, and former model, respectively, the triangular shapes of these bags are symbols of high–fashion. The clean, sharp lines give the bags an edge while maintaining that haute couture look, but on a budding fashionista’s budget.