A Royal Post

What's red and blue and carried all over?

Purple handbags, a must-have for fall.

Below is a collection of purple bags in all shapes, sizes, and shades, along with my snap judgment.

Pretty good effort, but this bag would be much more successful without the huge plaque in the middle of the top flap. Otherwise, I think it's a perfect weekend bag to be paired with jeans and a neutral top.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Dr. Q Liz Riz Bag
$428 at Saks

I liked the Histoire until Angelina had to ruin it and buy little Shilo a matching miniature version. And somehow the purple patent leather just doesn't work with this shape. Perhaps a deeper hue of purple would be more appropriate.

Valentino Histoire Patent Tote
$1,795 at Saks

I actually kind of love this bag. Trust me, I'm as surprised as anyone. It has a sort of 70s retro vibe. And chain bags are super in right now. A perfect bag for Fall.

Marc Jacobs Daydream Flap Shoulder Bag
$1,195 at Saks

Oh, Prada. What is this bag doing for me? Absolutely nada. If pepto bismol came in purple, it would be this color. And the big bow? More like Bow-so the clown. Ick.

Prada Nappa Fiocco Crossbody Clutch
$795 at Saks

I don't know if this bag is technically purple - it's more of a burgundy, probably - but I LOVE it to pieces. We all know by now that I'm a fan of the Muse shape (look at the bag at the top of our blog for evidence), and the color is glorious. It's a psuedo-neutral, and can be worn with most colors that might be in your wardrobe. If you're looking to buy me a present, this is at the top of my wish list.

YSL Larg Muse Zip Top Bag
$1,395 at Saks

When I first saw this Botkier I hated it, but its appeal has grown tremendously in the last day or so. I'm not so much a fan of fringe, but the use of it on this bag is relatively restrained (unlike this DISGUSTING Prada), and I think it actually adds something to the overall look. It would look perfect paired with some dark jeans and a neutral top. It's comfy and slouchy and would be a great weekend bag.

Botkier Morgan Hobo
$675 at Saks

what's in your wallet

this whole time we've been talking about bags, we've never broached the topic of: what's inside of them?

what you keep in your handbag says a lot about you. after all, it's where you keep all the things you have to have with you.

aside from the obvious wallet and house keys, what else do you consider important? shannah noticed today that i have a flash drive. that, along with my daily planner (life planner would be a more appropriate term), are two things that i would be lost without. raspberry chapstick i'm ashamed to say i've had since middle school (ok, whatever, bonne bell stopped selling it, and i will cry when it runs out. just the smell of it makes me so nostalgic. i remember thinking it would be just the perfect flavor to wear during my first kiss). less important, but no less omnipresent, are old receipts from the grocery store or ATM machine that for seem reason i can't seem to throw away.

it's interesting to think - no matter how your style changes in the handbags you choose to carry, somehow those things nestled in their depths will pretty much remain the same

kitty's got a brand new bag

so i'm bringing my fabulous cat down to stay with my sister while i'm away in the good old PRC. while he's not persnickety, i am. hence the purified water bowl and automatic feeder. and a new lambskin lined carrier so he can fly in style.

uncle monkey pet flys carrier at the awesomely named bitchnewyork.com ($115)

nantucket pet tote at the oddly named kwigy.bo.com ($132)
at least this way, when the passenger next to you is forced to smell cat pee for the two hour flight, he'll have something nice to look at!

Walk Softly, And Carry a Big Canvas Bag

On my way to work I pass the Massachusetts State House, a favorite spot for protesters to gather, chant, and pass out literature. There's been a recent uptick in the number of protests recently.

The thing is, though, that the protests are rather sad. They all seem to be based on important issues, yet the number of people involved in each is oh so depressing. For example, yesterday I passed a "protest" on bi-lingual ballots (in favor of, not against). Except: there was only one lonely, sad person participating, handing out flyers, and looking hopefully at passers-by (I took a flyer because I felt bad for her).

Today was marginally more successful - about 20 people stood in a line, hands full of cardboard cut-out keys, passing out flyers asking for the government to helps stave off imminent housing foreclosures.

So this got me thinking: what's the appropriate bag for a protest? This is not a superficial thing, people. Bags make a very important political statement: how the HECK am I going to carry around all this sh*t and have free use of my appendages at the same time?

I based my selections on several criteria:

• Bags that are large enough to fit the appropriate literature, bullhorns, snacks, water, vinyl gloves, aspirin, etc.
• Bags that are sturdy enough to withstand possible gassings, water sprayings, handcuffs, popo tug of war, and property siezings
• Bags that are diverse enough to be used in multiple occasions. Many people only protest once - no point in shelling out dough for a bag, just to see it hanging in the closet for eternity, conjuring memories of happier times

And suddenly it struck me. The perfect bags for a protest - and, coincidentally, a true environmental saver - the oversized canvas tote! Large, sturdy, approrpiate for multiple occasions, and, most importantly, trendy.

Follow Miss Marc on her journey to save the planet AND get an appropriate protest bag in one tiny package.

Marc by Marc Jacobs
$128 at Bloomies Spice up your life! Neutral one one side, bright on the other. Red spaceships (?) can be removed and thrown at cops in self-defense*.

Kidrobot Reversible Canvas Tote
$148 at Nordstrom

If I had a nickel for every time I heard someone say "I wish I could protest and study the Seattle skyline at the same time", well, I'd have zero cents.

Nordstrom Reusable Tote
$21.95 at Nordstrom

Picture it: Bannockburn Elementary School, 1991. Earth day. The phrase that would be forever stamped on my brain. Now stamped on a bag.

Beau Soleil Raw Cotton Tote
$45 at Saks

Note: *Total fabrication

The Designer Look for Less

Want your very own Chloe, but don't have $2,000 to drop?

Direct your browser over to Bloomingdales, and check out Chloe's significantly lower priced See by Chloe line.

My personal fave is the red canvas tote.

Cotton / Leather Reversible Tote

$495 - Available in red, navy, and white

Rainbow Logo Canvas Tote

$75 - Available in black and red

Oversized Rainbow Logo Canvas Tote
$135 - Available in indigo and red

so apparently vogue is saying "so long, structure. this fall, bags have more in common with the haute-to-tote reusable grocery sack"

i'm confused. how is this a good thing? especially when you consider what they photographed as their example:
sorry, i couldn't find it on the actual webpage for loewe. but i can tell you that it's $8000.

now look, i love ostrich; i have a coin purse made of that exact material in that exact color. but i can't even put into words how much i DETEST the look of these bags. there's absolutely no thought put into them - loewe might as well have taken a rectangle of gorgeous material and cut out a swath in the middle to make straps and called it a day. oh, and then stolen the padlock idea from chloe. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa i'm so FRUSTRATED!!!! and IRATE!!!!

gasp. air. i need a stiff drink.

I'm Working on the Highways and Byways

The other day I ran an errand to CVS, and on the way back to work I came upon a group of gentlemen who I first took to be good samaritans.

Then I looked a little more closely and observed the following:

1. The men were cleaning trash off the sidewalk and almost seemed happy about it
2. The men were being watched by some burly, blue-clad police officers
3. The men were all wearing t-shirts in the brightest shade of neon green I'd ever seen

Conclusion: a modern day chain gang!

And so, to these hopefully non-violent felons I say: thanks for keeping my city clean, and thanks for reminding me that t-shirts and bags should never be made in bright neon green

Like this Marc by Marc Jacobs shoulder bag:Marc by Marc Jacobs
Lil Riz shoulder bag
$430 at net-a-porter.

Totes an Awesome Tote

This is Stella McCartney's Textured Tote, and it's a great bag for every day use. Sure, it's base is a very traditional tote bag shape, but side pockets and intermittent silver hardware make it unique.

Many people think that that navy can be hard to wear, but it's actually a pseudo neutral and can be worn with a variety of colors. Even black! This isn't the 50s anymore, people.

It even comes with the cutest little matching inside pouch, connected by a chain.

Now that's off the hook.




















$1,295 at net-a-porter.

A Diamond in the Rough

I was kind of hard on Miu Miu when I saw their initial batch of Fall bags. And I still 100% stand behind my assessment.

But recently some new Miu Miu bags have appeared in stores and online, and the good news is: they're not completely hideous!

Por ejemplo, take the Diamond Quilted Bag. In a way, it's pretty simple. Basic black, relatively standard shape for Miu Miu, and a traditional short handle / long strap combo.

But the beauty of the bag lies in the somewhat subtle and yet intoxicating details. First, the handle is not simply a basic leather strap, but instead is composed of a gorgeous braid. As if that weren't enough, the body of the bag is composed of a beautiful and intricate diamond pattern.

I don't think the diamond pattern would work if the bag was more than one color, but because it's all black, it's a diamond in the rough :).

Great for work or daytime - pair it with a bright colored dress and a jacket, as in the net-a-porter mock up above.

$1,595 at net-a-porter

My New Toy, and a Pleated Hobo

I haven't posted in a while.

You see, I got this thing called an iPhone on Saturday. I waited in line for ~2 hours at the Apple store I was sure Murphy's law was going to be enforced - reading about the iPhone had led me to believe that anything that could possibly go wrong, would.

But guess what? It was easy as PIE! So, that's my excuse. I've been playing with my little technological baby since Saturday afternoon, and therefore obviously haven't had any time to blog.

In case you are wondering, iHEART it.

And now onto other things that I heart. I went to the Natick Collection (aka Mall) last night to look at some new concept stores (e.g., Gilly Hicks, Madewell, Blue Mercury and the like). It was fun times.

The mall has a luxury wing, so I went to check out what new temptations my European idols were offering up. Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Bottega Veneta, oh my!

The bag that stuck out was the Medium Woven Hobo from BV. This was introduced a few weeks ago, but I couldn't tell from the picture if it would be a winner or not. Turns out, it is. The beautiful woven leather hobo, but with a twist. The pleats add a feminine detail without de-classy-ing the bag.
Available in red and black from Niemans for $1,895.

bon voyage!

as i prepare for my journey to china, i've been looking into chic but practical carry-ons.

most favorite (prada in gorgeous red. nylon has never looked better):
second favorite (tory burch):
as an aside - tory burch usually annoys the hell out of me, but i have to say this bag is quite nice

least favorite (but still awesome, stella mccartney):

this is quite an unexpected shape and perhaps an impractical color, but i love it. it looks soft, spacious, and luxurious (and is just as good as a regular handbag!)

if i didn't worry so much about things getting soiled or stolen, i really think i'd spring for the prada...
one might wonder why i don't just wait to go to shanghai to buy everything at a fraction of the price. apparently, luxury items there are ~1.5x U.S. prices, since those that can afford them are typically so price insensitive (counterintuitively!) that designer products are sold at a premium.

should you wish to repay me for this tidbit of trivia, send checks to bagsforb.tches@gmail.com.

Dolce & Gabbana, Magician

In the Lily Satchel, D&G has become the master of the optical illusion.

I saw the first picture and thought, cute bag! Great shape, nice long handles, good use of hardware (the lil key is so cute!), and a fierce bright colored lining - in all, a winner!

And then I had the misfortune of looking at it from a different angle. The bag quickly plummeted from winner to lahoo-zahur. This bag is absolutely HIDEOUS! I don't understand the shape at all, or how it could be at all comfortable to carry around. And, thanks very much, D&G, but I prefer to leave my rainbows in the SKY, not on my bag. Oh, and the gratuitous use of zippers...don't even get me started.


So now I feel cheated by D&G, the great bag tease of our time. I guess I learned my lesson: before getting excited about a bag, view it from all possible angles.

$1,400 at Neimans.

Handbags 101: Is Ombre the New Slang for Umbrella?

Welcome to a new edition of Handbags 101. Today we discuss the meaning of the word "ombre," a term that seems to be thrown around more and more in the land of bag.

First off, no, ombre is not shorthand for umbrella, conjured up by people hoping in retaliation for Rihanna adding six extra syllables to an already multi-syllabic word.

Ombre, in fact, is french for shaded, and it's used to describe a bag (and other items, of course) that evolves gradually from one shade to another. This is best illustrated by looking at some pictures of ombre bags, below:

Stella McCartney Ombre Chiffon Clutch

$395 at net-a-porter

Mulberry Ombre Bayswater Bag

(No longer available in stores)
[Image courtesy of The Purse Blog]

Lodis Ombre Romano Leather Starlet Clutch

$229 at Zappos

Tiny Purple People Eater

The floor of the building I work on is undergoing massive construction so that my company can take over the entire floor (as a move towards our ultimate goal of world domination). So far, it's been supremely annoying. It's loud, dusty, dirty, and, strangest of all, the construction zone smells exactly like Elmer's glue. I really hope the construction workers are using stronger adhesive materials than that.

This has nothing whatsoever to do with the bag I'm posting on. I just thought the Elmer's glue tidbit was interesting and wanted to share it, and try as I might I could not think of a way to link my anecdote with a handbag. Bummer.

A couple months ago I went on a historic rant about how I basically hated all handbag designers because they're unoriginal fuckwits who couldn't conjure up a classy design if their life depended on it. In that post I covered the Dr. Q Groovee Satchel, a great basic black bag for every day use.

Marc-y Marc has now come out with the Dr. Q Groovee Satchel in a lovely shade of purple and I LOVE it. It's dark enough that it's almost a neutral that you could use for every day. Buy it fast - this color won't last! (And then remove the ugly shoulder strap as soon as possible)

$498 at Barneys

From London With Love

I think I mentioned in a previous post that I recently lived in London for six months. My experience was a whirlwind of double decker buses, train rides, customs officials, cheap B&Bs, late nights, and much, much more. I took bus 148 every morning from Walworth, the "cosmopolitan" London semi-suburb that I called home, to my company's office located a stone's throw from Victoria Station.

My 40 minute plus bus ride typically consisted of scouting the upper deck for the most strategically placed seat, but every once in a while I was distracted by an object of such immense beauty that I completely forgot about playing musical chairs. Obviously, I'm talking about a bag.

It was a Jimmy Choo Malena Patent Leather Satchel in the most beautiful shade of ruby red. The woman who carried it always wore the same neon green faux-fur coat, and the contrast between the coat and the bag was simply to die for. I'd gaze at the bag, wishing it could be mine, hoping against hope that one day I would be the proud owner of the breathtaking patent leather ruby red patent satchel.

And so when I got back to the US, I made it my life's mission to find it.

Alas,

the color was nowhere to be found.

I should have stolen it when I had the chance.

But today's trip to bergdorfgoodman.com yielded something almost as good. It was another Jimmy Choo Malena Patent Satchel, but this time, in black. No, it doesn't possess the same whimsical quality of Ms. Fake Fur Coat's ruby version, but it's a hell of a lot more practical.

And in this case, practicality = good.

$1,895 at Bergdorf.

I Cause Enough Destruction Myself, Thank You Very Much

Once when I was in high school I went to Montgomery Mall and purchased a pair of jeans. They were really cool at the time - kind of tattered looking, a couple small holes in the legs, frayed at the bottom. I'm sure you wore them too. And man, I thought I was cool.

That was until I wore them the next day, and before dinner that night my dad looked them over and said something to the effect of, "Shannah, I think it's time you bought yourself a new pair of jeans. Those have seen better days."

I didn't have the heart to tell him that it was my first time wearing them. But on the inside, I felt like a fool. And I learned my lesson, too: I was no longer going to pay a premium for someone to make my brand new jeans or any other items of clothing look as if they had been purchased from the thrift store down the street.

And I've stuck to it ever since. It hasn't been difficult, of course, because this trend went the way of acid washed jeans and leg warmers. Now in order to get that signature worn-in-hand-me-down look, you have to put the work in yourself.

So, I wasn't thrilled to see one of Mulberry's latest bags reprise the look that I thought I had left behind years ago. The Milton shoulder bag has the "distressed look of a well loved vintage bag." I personally would prefer a REAL vintage back that's really distressed, and not just designed to look like one, but that's just me. The color is divine, yes, but otherwise this bag just misses the mark. I have enough distress in my life, anyway.

Mulberry Milton Shoulder Bag
$1,595 at net-a-porter

Another Stunner from Our Favorite Swindler, Martin

I've covered bags by Martin Margiela twice now, and it's no secret that I'm not a fan of his work. His MO seems to be to take an ordinary household objects (bindlestif, towel, etc.), add a strap, and then sell for hundreds of dollars to all of us suckers who covet designer labels. I had predicted that a tissue box would be his next victim, and that we'd all be walking around with Kleenex boxes around our arms, but apparently I was off the mark.

Meet the Swindlers new creation, the high-priced-bag-made-from-an-ordinary-object-called-a-laundry-bag. Yes, that's right, a LAUNDRY BAG is what Martin has chosen as his next object of the moment, his "it" trend, his money-making scheme du jour.

Use it as a laundry bag, or throw it over your shoulder and invite the stares of confused passers-by. What could be more fun?

Maison Martin Margiela MM6
Long Leather Bag
$385 at eluxury

patchDOESN'Twork

It's probably no surprise to you that I hate patchwork. I've truly never seen a patchwork bag that I didn't not like. The mixing of colors just really doesn't do it for me, and I doubt that it ever will. This is partially because I like my bags to be simple, and for me, simple = three colors or less (typically one for the outside, one for the hardware, and one for the inside). Start throwing in multiple colors on the outside of the bag and I just get confused!

The other reason I'm not a huge fan of patchwork is because the colors tend to be oh-so-ugly together. It's really bizarre to me, because designers should have pretty good vision when it comes to knowing what colors go well together, but they just don't seem to be able to figure it out. As evidence: this Celine Watch Me Dance clutch. Alone, these colors would probably make for a very nice bag. Red, black, blue, ivory, yellow: all compelling colors for a clutch, sure. But you put them together and suddenly you have a puzzle that doesn't quite fit. This is a case where the whole is equal to significantly less of the sum of its parts.

Am I on my own here? Do you have a patchwork bag that you covet, or do you hate it like me?

Celine Watch Me Dance clutch
$1,200 at net-a-porter

A Few Good Ostriches, One Bad Color

I seem to have an easier time being ok with exotic leathers when they are used to make a gorgeous bag. When, however, the product is hideously ugly, my inner PETA emerges.

Like, for example, this unfortunately-colored mustardy brownish pea green ostrich hobo. The style isn't horrible, per se, but the color - oh, the color - is absolutely dreadful.

Those poor, poor ostriches.

Nuti Medium Ostrich Hobo Bag

$3,980 at Saks

Stick to Shoes, Please

Methinks Christian Louboutin, the illustrious red-soled shoe director, should stick to designing shoes. They may cost 800 smackers, but they are lovely and red-soled and beautiful.

His bags, on the other hand, are FUGalicious. Don't quit your day job, Sir Louboutin.

Newspaper Patent Clutch
$525 at Saks

Framed Clutch

$740 at Saks. Also in Fushia.

I'm baaaa-aaaack

Lately I've been feeling like there was something missing in my life. And then I realized: I have't posted in three days! Apologies, my fellow readers, but little things like a possible case of food poisoning, a client presentation, and some other fun surprises have gotten in the way. Oh, joy.

Now that the food poisoning and presentation have subsided, it's back to the daily grind of posting bags for your viewing pleasure. First up: this lovely Anya Hindmarch Cooper Mirror Bottom Hobo. Yes, that's right, the bottom serves two purposes: 1. It protects your lovely bag from every day wear and tear, and 2. you can use it to reapply your lipstick or check out your hair.

I also love the color - it will go with almost everything in your wardrobe.

This bag in a word: "elegant"

Also features:

Golden hardware

Metallic window detail on strap, 9½" drop

Magnetic closure

Outside front pocket

One inside zip and one open pocket

Inside pen holder and key ring popper

Suede lining

$1,195 at Saks.

ok, i lied

i had previously said that my first real bag purchase was a derek lam.

when it was, in fact, a fendi.

a fake fendi, bought on the streets of beijing.

i never used it.

i think i realized that even though china (and the U.S. too) was aswarm with fakes, and no one would notice, much less care, that i had joined the bootleg-bandwagon, *i* would realize that on my shoulder was perched the fendi devil (and here we all thought he wore prada).

then, in college, i told a boy i was semi-seeing at the time about my dream of purchasing a real handbag. although i had gotten through the rigors of fall recruiting and had landed a dream job, i somehow still couldn't get past my broke-ass-student frame of mind to reward myself.

he bought me, what he thought, was a gucci purse.

it was toiletry bag. much to my initial dismay.

but... then i realized, i would have been so upset if he had been the one, and not myself, to fulfill this promise to myself.

so years later, many winding bag-adventures later, i have my derek lam. he's mine, and he's all real.