handbags

July 10, 2008
post written by Bag Bliss blogger: Alicia

Perforated Balenciaga Bags
The Balenciaga Motorcycle Bags are mainly known for their wonderfully distressed leather, the limited seasonal shades they come in, and hardware details. But this season, the design house of Balenciaga has added a few new twists to their handbags, with one being an outline of perforations. Pictured above are two perforated bags from the upcoming fall season. When I first saw these, they instantly appealed to me. I thought these little decorative perforations were a great pattern to accent the leather with. I think Bal made a good move by making these subtle and not over the top.

However, if I was going to finally get a Balenciaga City bag, would I buy a perforated piece? I thought about it and decided that even though I admire Bal’s creativity, I think I would still stick with the traditional bags. I have a feeling that these might be a little on the trendy side, and that is why I wouldn’t actually purchase one. And besides, you can’t go wrong with a classic Balenciaga! Anyways, as far as pricing goes, I’m not exactly sure what these are marked at. Though I’m sure they’re higher then the traditional Bal bags.

So, are the new perforated Balenciaga bags a hit or miss with you?

[ The Bag Forum: Perforated Balenciaga Bags ]

(average: 2.45)

July 12, 2008
post written by Bag Bliss blogger: BrS

Handbags: What Every Woman Should Know (Book Review)
So here I was casually browsing in my local bookstore the other day. I wasn’t really looking for anything in particular, just wanted to see what was new and exciting. I wandered over to where they have the books on “collectibles” and I spotted this intriguing looking book sitting on the bottom shelf. The title? Handbags: What Every Woman Should Know. It’s a book written by Stephanie Pedersen. And although this book didn’t provide me with any new information, I did have a lot of fun looking through it.

Okay, I’ll be honest. This book is not for someone who is looking for hardcore information on designer handbags. What it does offer though is a look into the history of the handbag. It also features cute little tidbits of “advice”. Here’s one that I thought was funny:

Quote:

Advice for handbag addicts: Do you have more handbags than shirts? More purses than pants? Consider reversing the formula: Buy your handbags first, then plan your outfits around them. Yes, it goes against the advice of fashion.

Of course this probably stating the obvious. Well, “the obvious” when it comes us handbag junkies that is. But I think its really fun to see it actually written on paper. I know my love for handbags can lead me to do crazy things sometimes, so it’s nice to be able to laugh at myself (and fellow bag addicts) every once in a while.

Handbags: What Every Woman Should Know, written by Stephanie Pedersen, can be found over at Amazon.com. A nice gift for any handbag lover, just don’t take it too seriously!

[ The Bag Forum: Book Review - What Every Woman Should Know ]

(average: 5)

Dooney & Bourke Large Multi DB
Remember Dooney & Bourke’s “It” collection, you know, the one with the multihued miniature “DB” logo which made its debut months after Takashi Murakami’s infamous Multicolore line for the French luxury brand Louis Vuitton? OK… the long question with excess information was unnecessary; as I’m pretty sure you gals know what I’m talking about. Whether you owned an “It” piece or if you despised the line from the beginning, you must admit, they were pretty darn popular for quite some time. As you can see, the All-American brand is not done yet, as they’ve released yet another rainbow logo line, meet the Large Multi DB. I can’t claim to hate it, as I myself own other logoed designer pieces, but Dooney has got one really boring design going on here. The font, the repetitive hues, and the way the DB’s overlap is pretty much tacky, there is just no way I can like this design. Ladies, what’s your imput? If you dig this line, you can find a wide range of handbag silhouettes to fit your taste with prices ranging from the $100-$200+, pick your price! Or as I’ll suggest, just wait until they hit the sales rack.

Breast Cancer Awareness Purse Hangers
As you probably already know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. As a person who works in retail, I can tell you that this is a big deal at many different department stores. Most usually have a display that contains various items that donate their profits (or a portion of their profits) to breast cancer research. Customers, young and old alike, go absolutely batty for this stuff. Personally, I think it is wonderful that stores offer so many items that help support breast cancer research. My only regret is that they don’t seem to put as much effort into the research of other types of cancer. Hmm, perhaps this is because their customers are primarily women? I really don’t know. At any rate, if you’re like me, then you might want to help support this good cause but don’t like the idea of being all decked out in pink. So I tracked down these adorable little purse hooks/hangers — perfect for any handbag junkie wishing to show their support. The one pictured above is my favorite. I love the pretty pink crystals! It can be found on Amazon.com for less than $15.

Also available are these two styles:

They range in price from $12.95 to $14.95, with a portion of the proceeds going to fund free mammograms for women in need. You can find them at Shop to Benefit The Breast Cancer Site

I know this is not your typical tote, but an important one to say the least. For the connoisseur of good wine, the Vinaferro Wine Country Tote is stylish and practical to boot. Made of natural leather, this exceptional tote features a detachable padded shoulder strap, with many pockets to accommodate a bottle of your favorite beverage, blanket, and a good book. Measuring 14×18x10, it sells for $140 at Wine Racks, Plans and More. Picnic ready.

Introducing one of many hot new bags coming your way this fall is this very classy Dior 61 Medium Shopper. A fashion stand-out to say the least, and made of smooth grained leather you’ll definitely get noticed carrying this little number. With features such as polished silver metal hardware, and a removable oversized “D” charm, it measures 16×16.5×7. Elegance at its best, you can buy this very sophisicated shopper at eLuxury for $1,850. Remember, it’s only money…

Okay, let me just start off by saying, this is the weirdest shaped handbag that I’ve seen in a long time, but I absolutely am just plum crazy for it! The Twisted Toffee Satchel from Anthropologie simply caught my eye first thing, especially the braided leather handles. With a total of 7 pockets, and a detachable crossbody strap, I’ll have to say this is most certainly going on my ‘it’ list of must have bags for fall. With a price tag of $188, you can’t go wrong no matter how you look at it. Simply stunning…