With a flap fastened by their signature turn-lock, no key required or present, this bag is undeniably Coach-style, yet unmistakenly Hermès-inspired.

The Hamptons Leather Flap Tote
(in Coach’s oft-literal naming style.)

I would totally buy one of these, but only if/when…

1. I make more money again… paying rent + utilities now and times are tougher..
2. They shorten the handles a bit.
3. They do some punchier colors. Red or blue? Something still neutral and wearable.

Still I think this goes in the positive ranking for Coach.

Chloé has put out soo many fantabulostest bags this season, it’s mad! Many aren’t happy with new (and recently sacked) designer, Paulo Melim’s clothes, but come on - those bags! I’d hire him if I didn’t do all my own designing and well, owned a huge company. Just for bags, of course. To me, this will be Chloé’s big year, aside from 2005 - there are just way too many bags I’m dying to blog about, even with my newer philosophy to stick to only the most notable (good or bad).

So yes, I’m behind this Spring… and where to start? Well why not where I have a little pun already popped into my mind - even though it’s just an update on my favorite, and I recently blogged about the Paddington, but oh well! It’s a fave for a reason, perhaps.

Yes, the Paddy, that I have dubbed…

The Pattenton

Basically, the Paddy’s out in patent now, which actually is notable for a bag known largely for its smooshy leather. I say since they recently failed to keep up with the quality, why not just go patent? Not forever, but it’s amusing, aaaaaaand surprisingly gorge! I love the matching tone on the new padlocks, too, and that blue is giving me cravings! Other tiny details were altered, as well, which always keeps the bag-candy browsing interesting … even if I can’t afford such a bag right now. And it’s not one I can easily “copy” and make, either. But that does just keep the love deeper.

If you want to and can snatch one up - good luck - Paddies are widely sold out, at least online.

Oscar de la Renta’s bags at Fall 2008’s fashion show were all about animal skins. The rulers of this purse kingdom were:

Dutchess:

A taupe patent gathered tote

Princess:

a variegated grey patent round-top handle clutch - divine!!

And, the Queen:

Lizard skin clutch with front poofy pocket - to die!

I love my bold, large, yet apparently understated - compared to these - giraffe print Medium Sac. Now Dooney & Bourke has new Zebra-printed handbags in several over-the-top color schemes, for their new twisted-strap Sacs. With their slight metallic sheens, I do love the white/grey, as a large day to night, “I’m-fabu” bag. But if you still need a little more tameness in your already sassy animal prints, then the Twisted-Strap Sacs in the zebra line are still available in black/white!

The Medium Sac is sized 15.5″ w x 12″ h x 5″ d; the Large Sac: 19″ w x 14″ h x 5″ d. Despite equality in size and a snazzier design, the new sacs are actually lower in price from the basics, from $325 and $395 to $240 for medium and $260 for large.

And all that’s “less” in this version is a thinner strap, as far as I can tell. So really, it’s a win overall. A serious no-brainer. There’s no sin in this temptation, why not make the kill and buy one of these wild steals.

Click for more (story, photos, etc.) »

Sacré Bleu! Non, Sacré Noir! What I’ve hoped for from Louis Vuitton is here; black monogram, in their signature denim this time in their newest shapes. Funny thing is they call it “Monogram Black Denim” instead of “Monogram Denim Noir“, which is just a tiny little setback in my dream come true — I mean I’ve just envisioned it a different way. Another setback; no Speedies. I do love their Neo Cabby MM, but the Speedies are more toward my price range these days.

The line also comes in Neo Cabby GM, XL Denim (Hobo), gorgeous scarves, a belt, and two pairs of shades (although I don’t think they have actual denim on the sunglasses).

The Louis Vuitton Monogram Black Denim Neo Cabby GM features side buckles to adjust size, boasts grained calfskin trim, is sized roughly 15″ x 10″ x 5″ and runs $1,500.

Well more good news is that these bags will age quite gracefully for eBay in years to come. Click for more (story, photos, etc.) »

Unearthed, an exotics worker who makes accessories for sale on Etsy.com, seriously amazes me. She often uses these exotic skins, like lizard, for wrist cuffs and bags. And she’s a reasonable artist, too. I’m talkin’ a python purse would run in the mere low hundreds, NOT $10,000!!!

The bag I’m featuring tonight has rich brown leather trim, fun studs; all surrounding a funky, textured wool body. The bag is slightly reminiscent of COACH, but would compare to their $700~ish bags. The pricetag of this purse? $345, but it’s honest pricing folks! The designer chose the finest of leather and you can clearly tell the purse it well put-together.

I say, if this (The Unearthed Oslo Bag), is what Indie can do - let it be the future!

Kaboodle.com is a social shopping wish list site I’m sure many of you have heard of. One cool feature is the ability to make and vote on “Help me choose” polls. You can also publish them to you blogs, so here we go!

It’s a cool, fun and helpful feature to get more exposure if you really need the help. Don’t have a blog, but have a cool handbag poll - send it to me through my contact form (which has a new script, finally)!

*Update: I just realized that the code doesn’t work AT ALL in WordPress, so I’ve added a link to the image leading to my polls page on Kaboodle. Sorry!*

Red. It’s the hottest color of the season. And why not? We’re living in spicy times, and autumn is aflush with warm hues that fight any bad weather.

I’m scouting red bags around the web - preferrably more affordable ones, since it’s trendy, bold and we DO want to collect collect collect! So .. how about COACH?

Hamptons Leather-Signature Hobo - $368

Carly in leather - red - $398 (I personally want this one)

Hamptons Leather-Signature Flap Satchel - $498

Plus there’s more! Search Coach bags by color at www.coach.com!

Dooney & Bourke really knows how to pick a celebrity to give them a little publicity, while also targeting one of their main demographics: teens (no, not sci-fi buffs). Hayden Panettiere has designed a bag for the brand, to come out for the Holidays 2007. Like a hero, super star Hayden, who plays Claire Bennett on the wildly popular, Heroes TV series, actually designed something a bit more toward the classic end of Dooney’s style - no, she didn’t go the teeny-bopper pattern route. (Miss P., you are redeeming yourself from your past escapades of friend’s shirt licking!) Maybe the subtle look of the actress’s design will help to mature her peer’s own senses of fashion?

A limited edition bag, due to arrive to order in early December, it is however just a bit lacking in creativity and that something special to warrant its exclusivity, stature, and the slightly higher price tag than many Dooney’s, at around $500.

Really, in order to warrant me buying a Claire Bennett purse, a kind of plain one, a bit too expensive one — well I want it to be a true super hero bag and be indestructable, with a warranty for free repairs - or “regenerations” by the Dooney company.

But that’s just the Geek Chic in me!

via Bag Bliss

I need to tell you the back story that brought on the awe for this bag …..

Sunny in autumn, newly a Floridian, I tried a familiar hair salon company’s new hometown franchise. I had wanted red for Fall, orangey, yet natural. What in MA had been friendly, professional, but amazingly inexpensive, here there was a big language barrier, only “one” shade of “red” hair color (????), assumptions, blindness, stubbornness, greed, and well … one disastrous hair coloring and a plain cut later (surprisingly, she got the bangs right) and I went browsing the mall … apparently for a pick-me-up.

An obviously designer-inspired handbag lured me inside for a little guilty pleasure browsing. The bag, metallic, tacky — wayyy too Chloé Bay. But another. Clearly the constructor took liberal cues from what had to have been a far more talented eye. Another designer copy - probably. But not already knowing, and thus knowing, no well sorry hoping, it wouldn’t be an obvious leech — I just had to purchase this awesome-looking bag (with the “unique” closure). I needed a little giftee for my pain. (For an almost painless price, $70 is steep for pleather.) But it was red! I had to start collecting red things to match my new crayon-hued tresses. Oy.

Not being able to work as much on the computer, setting up my apartment, being on my own with all these expenses — (No flashlight or cooking oil of my own….. all the building blocks piling on the hundreds of dollars in actual necessary spending) — means I have to wait and save for Coach bags at a discount, forget some pipe dream IT designer name. While I still didn’t know the true creator, I could buy innocently…. enough.

Then last night I came across it. MY bag. In a sea foam green — there were hints at a name, so further investigation brought me to the true design.

A Ferragamo Marissa Bag aka Capra Vernice Satchel. (Find at Neiman Marcus.com)

Oy. $1,1900. Barely any being sold. Nary a color choice. So for now I love, commit a fashion crime red-shouldered (cause I love that big, deep bag, I tell you!) while I wait for a red version to drop below retail authentically. Don’t you understand? It must be red!