A cautionary tale: French 1946 Speedy-style bag.

I confessed in another post that I'm the laziest blogger ever, and I'm confirming it now by recycling what I posted about the French 1946 Speedy-style bag in a purse forum.

I ordered the Black Shadow design -- all black, including a black metal lock, keys and hardware. I was excited when the bag arrived, but when I opened the package and saw the nylon zipper I was immediately disappointed.

It would be a great bag for a ninja or a spy; I think gold or silver hardware would have looked nicer.
12 in. Sacoche - Black Shadow

Definitely of the good: The bag was 102.00 on sale. It'll make a good knock-around bag, and probably a good bag for rain, since the fabric is water-resistant, according to the website. For 102.00 it's not bad. The construction is solid and the bag seems sturdy. I carried it to work once and added another check in the plus column: there's a leather strip lengthwise down the bottom of the bag, which means that even though the bag was pretty loaded there was no "Speedy sag." Yay!

Of the bad: The aforementioned nylon zipper. One of the handles is pretty shoddily sewn -- the stitches are tight but crooked. It's a good thing the thread is black to match the leather, because contrasting stitching would have looked awful.

Again, for the price range, not bad. After carrying it for a day I might buy the herringbone version when/if it goes on sale:

12 in. Sacoche - Herringbone

One thing would keep me from ordering: crappy customer service.

I wasn't happy about the 20.00 shipping charge, especially since - at the time - the banner at the top of the site said "Free shipping in the U.S." When I called to ask about the discrepancy I was told that they'd "look into it." What this meant was that they updated the website, changed the banner to remove the "free shipping" statement, and didn't offer to make good after misleading me. Great P.R. there, fellas.

Today's bag: blue Pierotucci Birkin-inspired bag loaded up for tomorrow.

Black bag squee! Multiple bag squee!

While perusing the August issue of Shop Etc. this afternoon, one of the bags in the 'Luxe for Less' section caught my eye. If you haven't seen it, 'Luxe for Less' shows how to put together a similar look within three different budgets - Deluxe, Luxe and Less. This month's look was composed of a grey tank top, a black pencil skirt, and black belt, booties and oversized bag. As usual, the bags were my main focus.

The deluxe and luxe bags were nice (Kate Spade and Rafe, respectively), but the third one (Steve Madden) was really the most interesting, a huge, slouchy frame bag in the spirit of - among others - Celine's Clandestine. Even better, all that style at a $225.00 price point really piqued my interest. Before I got too excited though, I hit the Steve Madden website in order to find bigger, better pictures. Sadly, the fall styles aren't on the website yet, but I thought I'd take a look around since I'd never been there before.

There aren't many styles listed in the regular section, but the clearance rack yielded gold. I bought three bags! Leather bags, crazy prices! Each of these is offered in black and one other color. I'll show the styles in the colors I purchased.

This is the biggest of the three, listed as ANXIOUS. 16 1/8 in. L x ¾ in. W x 20 ¾ in. H, regularly $175.00. Clearance price? Believe it or not, $35.99.

It looks better in black, but since the bags I bought are all variations on a theme, I didn't want to buy three similar styles in the same color. It's not a classic deep brown, but this color should work for fall.

This one I got in black, since I've been jonesing for a black bag. It's on the large but everyday size, at 13 ¾ in. W x 4 in. H x 19 ¾ in. It's listed as STRESS, regularly priced at $118.00. Clearance price? A jaw-dropping (my jaw, anyway), $34.99! Leather, people! Leather!

It's also available in brown. I'm very excited.

This is the smallest of the lot, 15 in. L x 4 in. W x 15 ¼ in H. It's FRENZY, in tan, and it's regularly priced at $150.00. Clearance price, an amazing $39.99.

Finally, I'll have a bag in the ivory/bone/taupe (kinda) family that I've been thinking about since early spring. It's a nice light color for spring and summer, and I might try to squeeze it into the early to mid-fall range, too.

These bags are definitely a little more ornamented than I usually go for (studs, tassles, ring hardware up the wazoo), but at these prices, I figured I could definitely afford to ride the trend. I've already decided that the tassels are going to come off as soon as I've got these babies in my clutches. I don't know anything about Steve Madden and the quality of their bags, but the pictures look pretty good and honestly, I'm willing to take a chance.

Three bags for less than the cost of the most expensive one at regular price - and that includes shipping! I'm definitely excited and more than a little pleased.

Today's bag: Yellow Coach tote.

Black bags: The madness continues.

I seem to have overcome my inability to find a black bag that I like. Lately, black bags have been fairly falling out of the sky and pelting me on the head.

While perusing Neiman's fall bag preview (That just kills me. Fall bags in June.) online, I actually uttered, "Oh, my God," out loud when I saw this bag.

It's Prada! I'm not normally a Prada girl, but I've seen a few designs lately that have increased my heartrate dramatically. And I have to say it again: Oh, my God. I love this bag. The Prada Logo Tote.

It's relatively simple, but the gold hardware and largish, rectangular logo plate add just enough flash to nudge it firmly toward the "workplace diva" category. And might I add that I love gold with black - I know lots of women prefer silver hardware on black bags, but I've always found that kind of cheap-looking for some reason. Was I traumatized in childhood by a particularly ugly bag? I'll probably never know. One thing I do know is that this bag is not only beautiful, it's fairly large, 14"H x 15 1/5"W x 6 2/5"D, and the full body provides what looks like plenty of room for just about anything you've got to tote for the day.

Sadly, as with many Prada bags of promising design, this lovely thing is made of nylon with deerskin trim. Nylon! $1550.00 for a nylon bag! That's just not going to happen in my world. Oh, it makes me cry.

Today's bag: Kooba Ada.

Let's play stylist!

I fully intended to take the new bag for a spin yesterday morning, but alas, I was caught unawares by a Star Trek marathon on the G4 channel (seriously). While I watched Spock, Kirk and the gang do their intergalactic thing, I cruised the 'net building an outfit in response to Create an outfit around this, posted in the Budget Diva blog.

I'm newish to the fashion blogsphere, so I've been a bit reluctant to add my two cents in these "let's see what you think!" kinds of things. Not because I'm particularly shy, but I like to get the feel of things before I jump in there. When I saw the shoes the outfit's supposed to be built around - rose gold metallic ankle-strap heels - how could I resist?

I found the skirt first, which (along with the shoes) served as the inspiration for the rest of the outfit. I was surprised at how difficult it was to find a top. What I eventually found (and fell in love with) was the complete opposite of what I'd been looking for - which is usually what happens, it seems!

Since the purse I started with wasn't exactly budget, the search was on for a replacement. Again, what I found (and again, fell in love with!) was definitely not what I'd originally had in mind. I found a beautiful necklace to top it all off, but there were no matching earrings. Since trying to match the necklace would be insanity at best, I think that gold stud earrings are the best way to go. Once I settle on the earrings my outfit will be ready to go.

To end on a bag-related note, here's the clutch I originally planned to use for the outfit I mentioned above. At 230.00, it isn't exactly a budget item. By E.D.E., it's 10" wide x 1 1/2" deep x 6" high, and you can get it from the Purse Store.

I'm not normally a clutch girl and I've never owned one, but lately they've been catching my eye. I love this! I love the leather. I like that it looks hand-crafted, but not as though it had been put together in someone's kitchen. It's just ornamented enough; the rivets and the hardware give it a tomboyish edge, but the rounded corners add softness and femininity. This is definitely a clutch I could own.

Black bags: Yet another chapter.

I saw this bag a while ago and thought it rated pretty high on the 'adorable' scale. Ralph Lauren Pink Pony mini-tote handbag. L 5 1/2" x W 5" x H 5 1/2".

It's 45.00, 10% of which benefits the Pink Pony Fund for Cancer Care and Prevention.

I spotted the black version tonight and fell even more in love.

It's almost painfully cute, but seeing it with the key reinforced just how tiny this bag is. Too tiny for me! While a small bag is a nice change of pace, I do prefer something a little bigger on a day to day basis.

Then I saw this one. I am officially in love. It's the Pink Pony small tote, 11" x 5" x 9 1/2". Again, 10% of the 75.00 cost goes to cancer research.

This one looks perfect. It's small enough to be adorable, but big enough to at least hold my makeup bag and wallet as well as my keys! Black canvas would be fun for summer and fall, and would definitely stand out in the sea of super popular white bags this season. Hmmm...

Today's bag: Kooba Ada.

Black bags: The ongoing saga.

I mentioned the Marc Jacobs Quilted Ursula Tote in an earlier post. Go to eLuxury to check out the closeups. 13" x 18.5" x 4.5" and 1175.00. It's absolutely gorgeous!

Then I saw two bags from Burberry's Fall 2006 line, listed under their online Trunk Show. I am so in love. One of these may be my first bag over $1150.00.

This one is listed simply as Large Quilted Bag. $2330.00, 17 1/2" x 13" x 7". I couldn't take it to work because I wouldn't get anything done - I wouldn't be able to stop looking at it!

This one is the aptly named Manor Bag, because yes, you'd certainly look like the lady of the manor strutting around with this on your arm. It's pretty in black but the more I look at it, I think it's even prettier in what they call beige, but I'd call stone or putty. First the black...

...and now the beige.

So, so pretty. 14 1/2" x 9" x 7", $1680.00.

Today's bag: I didn't go to work today, so I still have the Pierotucci on deck. I've been itching to whip out my yellow Coach tote, though. I have to go shopping for a baby gift tomorrow, so we'll see what I'm in the mood to wear when it's time to go.

Black bag dilemma, take two!

It looks like my black bag dilemma is turning into not so much of a dilemma after all. Suddenly I'm finding black bags left and right that I could (presumably) not only live with, but love. I found another one today at Luna Boston, Hayden-Harnett's Lorca Flap Demi Bag.

I was surprised by the dimensions - 16"w x 7.5"h x 1.5"d - which is a lot bigger than both the styling and the word 'demi' would imply. It's only a bit smaller than the Marc Jacobs I wrote about two posts down (17.5" x 10.5" (with folded top) x 2" ), but not bulky, which I like, and big enough for serious tote-age, if need be. I like the styling and the leather looks good, and you can't beat style and substance for $273.00!

As a possible addition to what seems to be a growing collection of brown and almost-brown bags, Hayden-Harnett's Havana hobo caught my eye. Also at Luna Boston.

It's like the punky little sister of the Marc Jacobs Polina hobo. It's a bit bigger than both the Lorca Flap and the Marc Jacobs. It's 18" at its widest point x 12"h, x approximately 3"d. Mmmm, that color is luscious. So's the price, $383.00! I could get both of those babies on one order. Hmm.

I think the Lorca Flap is winning the black bag race. Stay tuned.

Today's bag: Still the Pierotucci Birkin-style bag.

Black bag dilemma.

There's something about black bags that I just don't connect with, for some reason. I can only remember owning one or two in the recent past - a Liz Claiborne backpack style, and an oversized grandma-ish vintage bag from the thrift store. Anyway.

Like the rest of the women in the free world, I've been looking at hobos this spring. I've never had a hobo, so I thought I'd buy one for test drive purposes. I found one at the thrift shop, a black microfiber that looked practically new. For two bucks I had my test bag.

I loved it. I usually carry leather bags, so the practically weightless microfiber was a nice change. The unstructured interior meant that I could pop just about anything (within reason) into the bag, if needed. Also, I discovered that it was useful to have a black purse in my accessories arsenal. The test drive was a mighty success. I began s-l-o-w-l-y shopping for the perfect hobo.

Well, the other day my husband commented twice on the bag, and not in a good way. He wondered why, with the "cool" bags in my collection, I was carrying such a plain jane purse. He said, "You need a new black bag!" I heartily agreed with this pronouncement, especially since the hobo had been a stop-gap to start with. Let the serious black bag shopping commence!

You can probably guess what's coming next. Because I don't bond with black bags the way I do other colors, I've been having quite a time finding a leather shoulderbag/hobo I like in a reasonable price range. Reasonable, because it would be ridiculous to drop a ton of cash on a bag I already know will see limited wearings. If not for my self-imposed restrictions, I'd have jumped on the Marc Jacobs Quilted Ursula Tote in a heartbeat. So, so gorgeous.

These are the two I've finally settled on. I love this Donald J. Pliner tote. The leather looks gorgeous! I like the quilting, I'm a sucker for a tote, and the handles look long enough to slip over your shoulder if persuaded. It's $229.00 on sale at Bloomingdale's. Not bad!

The Marc Jacobs Eyelet Leann is the other choice. It's huge, and with the casual styling, it's more of a knock-about bag than the Pliner. I wouldn't have a problem toting anything around in this baby. It's $428.00 at eLuxury, and it's bigger than it looks in the picture. It's huge.

Since the bag is mostly for work, I'll probably go for the dressier option, the Pliner tote, but I'm still deciding. This is the kind of dilemma I like!

Today's bag: Pierotucci Birkin-style bag.