Archive for April, 2010

Tory Burch Small Jaden Tote

April 28th, 2010 | Purse Spotlight

My husband would say that I am a little tote bag crazy. Okay, tote bag obsessed. What he doesn’t get is that tote bags are the workhorses of  the bag world. You can use one to pack for a trip, you can take your lunch to work in one, you can saunter home from the market with a tote bag full of bread and wine. And of course each of these tasks needs the perfect tote bag.

I have all shapes and sizes and if I added one more tote to my collection, I think it would be this one-the Tory Burch Small Jaden Tote.

Tory Burch Handbags

I love the dark purple shade and the simplicity of the leather accents. This is the Audrey Hepburn of tote bags. Chic, simple and not at all intimidating. The canvas is rugged enough to take to the beach but the design is classy enough to carry on a date.

You can buy the Tory Burch Small Jaden Tote at Nordstrom for $195.

50 Great Purses Under $50

April 27th, 2010 | Purse Trends

The Budget Fashionista recently published a list of 50 great purses under $50. While a few are so cheap looking I wouldn’t spend 50 cents on them, there are also some cute, trendy bags to amp up your summer wardrobe. Check out the full list here. Which is your favorite?

Lottery Bag: Marni Raffia Cross-body Bag

April 26th, 2010 | Lottery Bags

If I won the lottery I would buy…

Crossbody purses

The Marni Raffia Cross-body Bag

I love the black and brown together and the fact the pattern is so eye-catching. I imagine this is the type of bag I would need in St. Tropez or Portofino to look effortlessly chic.

The price, however, means I would have to choose to go to St. Tropez or choose to buy this purse, but probably not both. Wait! What am I talking about? I won the lottery. I’ll take both.

You can buy the Marni Raffia (Yes, raffia. Not even leather.) Cross-body Bag for $1430 at Net-a-Porter.

Tan Cut-out Satchel Bag from Miss Selfridge

April 21st, 2010 | Purse Deals

Miss Selfridge HandbagsI saw this purse on the British site The Bag Lady and I was instantly drawn to it. The cut outs give it a nice boho vibe but the metallic backing keeps it from looking too Woodstock. I think I also like it because the cut outs remind of the spirograph I had when I was young. Anyone else have a spirograph?

It is made of polyurethane, not leather, so it is machine washable but I wonder how good it looks in person. You can buy it from Miss Selfridge for about $40 including shipping and they have a very fair return policy. Someone let me know if you buy it because I’d love to get your opinion on the materials.

PLUS…

Amazon.com is having another great sale. 35% off orders of $80 or more on select Big Buddha, Puma, Calvin Klein and Melie Bianco purses. Offer good for today and tomorrow with most bags eligible for free shipping.

Buy What You Love and Love What You Buy

April 20th, 2010 | Tips and Quips

I have talked before about the Budget Fashionista, Kathryn Finney. Her website and book are full of great advice for buying clothes and accessories but the one tip that has stuck with me the most is this:

“Buy what you love and love what you buy.”

She means that if you are not in love with an item, if it doesn’t make you feel smarter or prettier or make you look your best, don’t buy it. Don’t get something just because it’s cheap or just because it fits. Buy it because you feel great in it and would be really excited to wear it.

Conversely, if you find something that really puts a twinkle in your eye, buy it! It’s not everyday that you come across a purse or a coat or a pair of shoes that make you feel fabulous, so if you can afford it, don’t let it pass you by.

I realize sometimes clothes shopping is not so cut and dry. You may need clothes for work that are not fabulous, but unless you’re a postal worker, you usually have some control over what you wear. So pick things that make you look good and feel good and your days will be a bit brighter.

Halston Heritage Metallic Canvas Sac Bag

April 17th, 2010 | Purse Spotlight

Halston Heritage HandbagsNeed a simple but stylish bag that will go with everything? Take a look at the Halston Heritage Metallic Canvas Sac Bag. The beautiful gold tone is stand-out but not blinding and the single strap shape is simple enough to go with a sundress but chic enough to take into evening. This Halston bag is available from Saks for $175.

Design a Tote for Bloomingdale’s and Win a $2000 Gift Card

April 14th, 2010 | Announcements

Love shopping and have a bit of design sense?

Bloomingdale’s is running a contest to see who can design the newest, coolest reusable tote bag. The winner’s tote will be chosen and produced by well-known purse designer Rebecca Minkoff and will be sold exclusively on Bloomingdales.com

The best tote design each day wins a $100 gift card, the overall winner wins a $2000 gift card and the runner up gets a $1000 gift card.

Only 11 days left to enter so get to designing!

Purse Stalking at TJMaxx

April 14th, 2010 | Tips and Quips

As ridiculous as it may be, I stalked a woman in TJMaxx on Saturday.  For half an hour. For a purse.

Here’s what happened. I was browsing the purse section and while I was checking out one purse I looked to my left to see another that I really liked. I hung that one up and reached for the other one but it was gone! I audibly gasped (more…)

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