Replica Handbags,Prada Handbags,replica purses,Tiffany jewelry

Archive for July, 2011

I am officially jealous of this cake. Jealous of the receiver, jealous of the people that could actually create and design this, jealous of all who helped eat it. This is indeed a cool cake. Looks like this was given as a gift for a 21st 26th birthday. And while so many people equate lots of shots on their 21st 26th, a designer handbag cake would have been up my ally so much more. This is a Gucci Cake complete with a Gucci Boston Bag on top of a Gucci Box. Even the little cookie would have made my day. I can not imagine the price for a cake like this, novelty enough that it would end up being totally ridiculous, but isn’t it amazing? I am now rethinking our wedding cake. Why did we go traditional when I could have had a full fledged designer handbag cake for all of our guests. My birthday is coming in September though. Instead of Gucci, I would prefer more of a Chanel or Hermes. Gucci Bags 2011 In general, I think that phrase “too much is never enough” is useful when trying to explain certain sectors of fashion, particularly to those who aren’t interested in the industry or in understanding the genius of fabulous fashion eccentrics like Anna Dello Russo or Daphne Guinness. Rococo is always alive and well somewhere within the style world, even during harsh economic times, and its exuberant resilience is to the industry’s credit. Sometimes rococo runs headlong into a wall, though, as with the Marc Jacobs Large Sequined Stam. I like the Stam bags (I even have one from way back in the second season that they were around), I like sequins, I like the blush-nude color that we have going on here. But unfortunately, the end result is less than the sum of its parts.

I was looking at my handbag collection the other day and I realized that most of my handbags are very “safe”. There are typical shapes you would expect, typical colors, and typical materials. I can’t say that my collection is boring, but the day I was looking at my bags I felt the need for some spice and pizazz amongst my bags. I bought a new Marc Jacobs bag recently (reveal to come this week) that is so loud and edgy, it will surely bring an immediate burst of energy into my collection. But I am craving more. After I saw the Louis Vuitton Spring 2010 handbags and accessories at the LV boutique in Bal Harbour, I ordered two items. One is the colored fox tail that continues to be seen adorning the Spring bags. The other item I will not reveal, as it is one of the four bags I am having you vote on. But I am second guessing my choice and want your help. Help me decide which Louis Vuitton bag from the Spring 2010 collection will add more spunk and character to my collection. Top Replica Handbags Let’s talk some Burberry today. For a light start, we got the Burberry Luggage Tags for $130.00. A ridiculous amount of money, considering you can get generic tags for a buck fiddy or the free paper ones at the airline ticket counter. Still, if you don’t know what to do with your money, and you already spend several G’s on a full Louis luggage set, you might as well spend another half a grand on these tags to round off the luxurious bunch. They come in sets of two, in either Jacquard Canvas or Metallic Leather and can be ordered right here. If you ladies want to treat your man with something that’ll make him stand out at the weekly golf outing with his buddies at the range, get him this Burberry Bag set. For just under $500, you get a carry-all bag for all of his misc golf equipment, along with a useful seperate shoe compartment. The signature black check nylon canvas on lightweight, shower-resistant polyester assure that moisture, dirt and mud stay where they belong.

It has been quite a while since I last discussed a Gucci bag with you. The problem for me is that lately every single Gucci bag has been heinous. I really despise the Gucci Monogram pattern, while I am not much of a monogram fan in general, the Gucci monogram makes me cringe for some reason. Luckily, there is finally a little accessory I do not have to click the X out button really quick on. Purple or black patent leather pulled tight make the Gucci Crystal Evening Bag a stunning accessory. I absolutely love the purple patent leather. The color reminds me of fresh juicy grapes right off the vine. There is a Gucci script detail in the bottom left coroner which is the perfect touch. Another surprising factor is this evening bag is affordable in the world of designer handbags. Replica Handbags If Gucci Fall 2011 is any indication of what we’ll see from the rest of Milan Fashion Week, then I think my credit card is going to be begging for mercy when fall pre-orders start. The ready-to-wear had an easy, colorful, jet-set hippie feel to it with lavishly draped chiffon and vibrant furs, and the handbags were just as luxurious. Exotics outnumbered regular leathers and some models carried multiple bags, indicating Gucci’s emphasis on accessories for the season to come. What was perhaps even more interesting than the colors or materials were the shapes that they took. Gucci is the latest brand to embrace the so-called “lady scale” bag, and most of the runway options were sized for essentials only. If you’re a woman who needs to carry her whole life in her handbag, though, fret not; Gucci showed several larger New Jackie shoulder bags as well.

We spend a great deal of time around here telling you guys what we’re loving and hating. Season after season, bag after bag, we’ve got lots of opinions. But so do you! So now’s your turn – tell us what bags you’re coveting for spring. What would you buy if money were no object, and what bags are actually in your budget for the season? My ultimate Spring 2011 lust object finally arrived in the mail a few days ago – a Celine Luggage Tote in lipstick red. And if money grew on trees (and if I had any idea how to properly grow a tree), I’d also be picking up the bright blue Gucci Handmade Large Top Handle. Why don’t more brands make bags in this color? Can someone out there get on that? Kate Spade, I’m looking at you. Replica Hermes Now, this is a patent leather bag done the right way. Yesterday, I wrote about the Stella McCartney Patent Rivet-Detail Clutch and how I wasn’t sure if I thought it was properly executed. However, the Gucci Crystal Evening Clutch definitely scores a hit in my book. Of course you can’t really compare this clutch to the Stella McCartney clutch I covered yesterday but I think the one thing I found lacking isn’t lacking this time. This clutch is sleek, sophisticated and has just the right amount of detail. The horsebit ring buckle instantly caught my attention and had me wanting to hold this bag in my hand. Not only do I like this clutch, but in at a price quite a bit lower than the one I covered yesterday.

The Burberry Leather Tote is so beautiful and perfect that I can’t even bring myself to snark about it. And I can snark about almost anything, it’s just what I do. But on this tote in particular, there is nothing snark-worthy because it’s all beautiful. The color is a crisp white, the structure is equally crisp, and the handles are long enough and the body big enough to make it completely functional – this bag isn’t just a pretty face. My one criticism is that the handles are rolled instead of flat, and I hate rolled handles on a double-strap shoulder bag. They always fall off. But that’s but a small quibble, and the rest of the bag is so on-point and versatile and WEARABLE that I don’t even care what kind of straps it may or may not have. It’s subtle but expensive-looking, and I’m sure the white leather is to-die-for in person. I’m kind of afraid to encounter this bag at a store, though, for fear that I may be forced to purchase one. Hermes Replica I look through a lot of fashion shows and various accessories presentations. It’s an occupational hazard, particularly at this time of year, and it can be a little hypnotizing after a white. Click. Belted shift. Click. High-waisted trousers. Click. Oh, a cropped jacket. Click. If the show isn’t wow-worthy, it can be easy to flip through Style.com without really absorbing what I’m looking at, much like I did with my textbooks in high school (and, let’s face it, college). But I looked through Gucci Handbags Spring 2010 twice, with rapt attention – not only is this Frida Giannini’s best collection of clothing since her era at the brand began, but it’s also the strongest lineup of accessories that I’ve seen from the brand in years. The collection’s clothes have a way of being minimal and ornate simultaneously, and that’s the only way to describe the bags as well. Even the lean, angular clutches are fashioned out of candy-colored crocodile skin that makes me want to say “I’ll take one in every color,” hand over my credit card, and not look at the total on the receipt.

We spend a great deal of time around here telling you guys what we’re loving and hating. Season after season, bag after bag, we’ve got lots of opinions. But so do you! So now’s your turn – tell us what bags you’re coveting for spring. What would you buy if money were no object, and what bags are actually in your budget for the season? My ultimate Spring 2011 lust object finally arrived in the mail a few days ago – a Celine Luggage Tote in lipstick red. And if money grew on trees (and if I had any idea how to properly grow a tree), I’d also be picking up the bright blue Gucci Handmade Large Top Handle. Why don’t more brands make bags in this color? Can someone out there get on that? Kate Spade, I’m looking at you. Gucci Handbags 2011 Now, this is a patent leather bag done the right way. Yesterday, I wrote about the Stella McCartney Patent Rivet-Detail Clutch and how I wasn’t sure if I thought it was properly executed. However, the Gucci Crystal Evening Clutch definitely scores a hit in my book. Of course you can’t really compare this clutch to the Stella McCartney clutch I covered yesterday but I think the one thing I found lacking isn’t lacking this time. This clutch is sleek, sophisticated and has just the right amount of detail. The horsebit ring buckle instantly caught my attention and had me wanting to hold this bag in my hand. Not only do I like this clutch, but in at a price quite a bit lower than the one I covered yesterday.

When I was a little girl, I remember my first trip to London. For some reason all of the women (and men!) wearing Burberry really still sticks out in my mind. I wasn’t aware that it was a super designer brand, but I remember tugging on my mom and telling her I wanted something like it to. My mom informed me that a girl my age didn’t need something like that. What is that about? Depriving your child from something like Burberry??! JK mom, I won’t still hold it against you. But with time, the checkered pattern started to un-grow on me (yes, as in the opposite of grow). I guess it became too plentiful, although I still love my cashmere scarf from them. When I saw this bag, it didn’t call out to me like Burberry has in the past, but I still felt drawn to it. From the Burberry Prorsum Handbag line, I seem to have a liking to the Burberry Heather Suede Bag. This little number is made olive suede and is accented with a brown leather adjustable strap and brown leather trim. For a little more accenting, there is brass hardware that looks more like vintage gold than brass. Just in case you want to carry your pet hermit crab that needs to keep warm this fall, the inside is lined in wool flannel. The dimensions are 13 1/2″ x 7″ x 4″. If you are like me and you like this bag, Hermes Bag 2011 Among Gucci’s latest 2010 Cruise collection, there are several white GG handbags, almost covering all classic Gucci bag patterns. That is what called inherit and develop by combing the existed style and new color fabric. That is Gucci strategy. Although it is not that creative, I still like the White GG Washed Cotton Tote in the series very much. What attracts me most is its light color. The washed white GG is cheering for daily use, as if having witnessed all the past fashion hours and seasons. Kind of reminiscence. The light brown thread trim, the shining silver studs and the dedicate Gucci cotton tag make the bag much more elegance. The bag is not that formal, instead, it would be an idea leisure time carrying bag. The Gucci bag has a pretty large capacity for holding essentials. It measures 35 x 12 x 45 cm and has back zip pocket and inside pocket for convenient using. This designer bag can be carried in two styles. You can either hand hold it via double dark brown handles or shoulder it via an adjustable shoulder strap made from brown leather as well.

Prada has been flying below the radar. Nothing exceptionally amazing and nothing on the other end of the spectrum, exceptionally awful (ok I take that back, remember the Visone tote?!). Nevertheless, for the most part we have been un-phased by Prada. While we appreciate all of the additions and imagination that goes into making stand apart bags, sometimes we simply want a great and practical staple. This is precisely what the Prada Soft Calf Hobo brings us, exceptional craftsmanship and supple calfskin leather. Replica Hermes Handbags No one knows exactly how long the mini crossbody trend will last, but put me on the record as hoping that this shape stays around as a wardrobe staple for years to come. Not only are minibags delightfully functional, but they’re easily modified to embody nearly any style from hippie to industrial. In this case, the mood of the Gucci 1973 Small Shoulder Bag is clear – it’s all about the retro throwback. This bag comes as no surprise to anyone that saw the looks from Gucci’s Fall 2010 runway show – I would have pegged the look as more late 60s than early 70s, but the retro shapes and color palette were omnipresent throughout the bags featured in the show. The altered Gucci logo is the touch that really completes the look.

One of my favorite things about BlueFly, as I may have mentioned before, is your ability to find things there that you may have missed in their original trip through Retail Land. So before any of you haters tell me “Ugh, this is such an old bag, why are you writing about this,” I’ll remind you that some folks may have missed it the first time. And the Prada Tweed Printed Medium Tote is worth taking a look at, even if that’s all you do. First, it’s deerskin. Any deerskin that I’ve ever been in contact with has been not only super soft (on the level of lambskin), but also thick and durable-feeling, unlike lambskin. Second, I think the tweed print on the outside is cute and kind of irreverent. It wouldn’t match with everything, but I think it’s versatile in ways that belie it’s original appearance. Its simple structure puts the pattern on display, and the shade of green used would match with most solid-colored outfits for spring. My favorite part, though, is the lining. It seems like few brands still use leather to line their bags, but Prada has come through for us with a beautiful green leather throughout the interior Bottega Veneta Replica Handbags When I was a little girl, I remember my first trip to London. For some reason all of the women (and men!) wearing Burberry really still sticks out in my mind. I wasn’t aware that it was a super designer brand, but I remember tugging on my mom and telling her I wanted something like it to. My mom informed me that a girl my age didn’t need something like that. What is that about? Depriving your child from something like Burberry??! JK mom, I won’t still hold it against you. But with time, the checkered pattern started to un-grow on me (yes, as in the opposite of grow). I guess it became too plentiful, although I still love my cashmere scarf from them. When I saw this bag, it didn’t call out to me like Burberry has in the past, but I still felt drawn to it. From the Burberry Prorsum Handbag line, I seem to have a liking to the Burberry Heather Suede Bag. This little number is made olive suede and is accented with a brown leather adjustable strap and brown leather trim. For a little more accenting, there is brass hardware that looks more like vintage gold than brass. Just in case you want to carry your pet hermit crab that needs to keep warm this fall, the inside is lined in wool flannel. The dimensions are 13 1/2″ x 7″ x 4″. If you are like me and you like this bag,

Does anyone else notice that the shape of this handbag closely resemble the Gucci Indy? It is public knowledge that I am not a fan of the Indy, but the idea behind the shape of the bag is fine. The Burberry Hoxton Quilted Hobo features quilted black leather with a buckle detailed adjustable shoulder strap. There is golden hardware and a zip top closure. The shape would fit perfectly under the arm without rubbing or chaffing. Now I am not jumping to the conclusion that I love the Gucci Indy because I think this bag is cute, but nevertheless the shape of this handbag is catchy. Dimensions are 17″W X 13½”H X 2″D. Replica Purses We arrived in New York yesterday and were greeted with a cold, wet New York day. Really, I did not bring an umbrella as I assumed The Big Apple would be thrilled we are here and would cease all stormy weather. Today again, more rain. After a great day yesterday (lots of pictures and an interview to follow), today is another day we are looking forward to. I made Vlad go to Duane Reade to grab us some umbrellas, just cheap black ones that keep the rain off. When I look outside our window I see mostly black specs of umbrellas briskly walking the streets of New York, intermittent with some Burberry Check pattern ones. We have not covered Burberry handbags in a while, so I find it fitting to cover one today. I spotted the Burberry Check Net Drawstring Bag which redesigns the classic check into a net drawstring bag. This is a great resort bag, especially with the drawstring top giving it such a beach vibe. The nova net is trimmed with leather and the top handles are also leather (which drop 11.5″ at their longest). One thing I am not keen on is the lack of pockets, but the dimensions are still great for a beach tote, 15″W X 17″H X 6″D. Are you a fan or is this bag a waste?

Over the weekend, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, the world’s largest luxury goods conglomerate, announced that it would increase its share in family-owned leather giant Hermes 14.2%, to a total of 17.1% stock ownership. LVMH, which owns such famous labels as Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Givenchy and Fendi, claims that it will not seek control of Hermes or board representation, but news of the sharp increase in the conglomerate’s ownership of the brand has many wondering if that will remain true for long. Luxury isn’t just a lifestyle, it’s also big business, and Hermes has been among the most profitable properties on the high-end mass market through the recent economic downturn. Part of the Hermes allure for many clients stems from the fact that the Hermes family still runs the company, even in this day of corporate fashion and massive conglomeration. LVMH doesn’t just buy up shares of luxury brands for fun, and although owning a chunk of Hermes stock is certainly a strong bet in today’s luxury market, one can’t help but wonder about LVMH’s larger goals. Although the company’s spokespeople claim that LVMH merely has its sights on being a longterm Hermes stockholder, luxury watchers would be advised to take that with a proverbial grain of salt. Sunglasses Replica We are big Marc Jacobs fan-girls here at PurseBlog. But it has been a little while since I ran into a Marc Jacobs bag that I truly found myself wanting. Don’t get me wrong, there are many beautiful designs, but I like to see a bag that I don’t just want but can justify ‘needing’. This bag comes the closest to ‘needing’ that I have felt in a while from Marc. A black tote is a staple piece for a handbag wardrobe and the Marc Jacobs Amber Corner Zip Tote should be considered as a potential option.

First of all: oops. I goofed. Between having surgery and trying to keep up with the various global Fashion Weeks for a month, I forgot to write about one of the biggest handbag brands in the world, Prada. My bad. So let’s pretend like we’re still in the thick of Milan Fashion Week and discuss went went on at the Prada show, ok? Please, no one tell Miuccia that we’re late. I’m always relatively down on Prada bags, mostly because I think that the brand makes enough money and has enough creative ability to do way better. They make great basics, but beyond that, things tend to go a little off the rails. I’d link you to some of those examples, but you probably already know what I’m talking about all too well. Well, it looks like I’m going to be a lot happier with the brand in six months’ time, and hopefully that means that you all will be too. Replica Belts Louis Vuitton may not be known for their small array of exotic handbags, but they should not be ignored. One of the most exciting parts of visiting our favorite Louis Vuitton boutique at the Bal Harbour shops in Miami is seeing what exotic bags they have on display. I have never owned one but I have always coveted them. And why wouldn’t I? Some of the most classic Louis Vuitton designs are re-vamped in exotic skin touches, adding an extra level of allure and luxury. Right now the Louis Vuitton Python Artsy is luring me. Available in both gris and noir, the Artsy is a double threat because of its classic hobo shape and design.

One of my main beliefs about handbag design is that really intricate, busy complicated ideas work best in very small doses. That may seem counterintuitive, since usually the scale of the idea should match the scale of the canvas, but this little theory of mine has proven itself true again and again. The Marc Jacobs Studded Python Single and the similarly-patterned version of the Marc Jacobs Stam are only the latest example. When I first saw this look on the much-larger Stam, I was totally disappointed. I love the combination of red and black for a lot of reasons, not least of which because it’s the color scheme of my alma mater (Go Dawgs!), and I’d love to have a football-appropriate bag from one of my favorite designers. On the Stam, however, the combination of stamped python, multiple colors, quilting and studs was way too much. Hermes Bag I look through a lot of fashion shows and various accessories presentations. It’s an occupational hazard, particularly at this time of year, and it can be a little hypnotizing after a white. Click. Belted shift. Click. High-waisted trousers. Click. Oh, a cropped jacket. Click. If the show isn’t wow-worthy, it can be easy to flip through Style.com without really absorbing what I’m looking at, much like I did with my textbooks in high school (and, let’s face it, college). But I looked through Gucci Handbags Spring 2010 twice, with rapt attention – not only is this Frida Giannini’s best collection of clothing since her era at the brand began, but it’s also the strongest lineup of accessories that I’ve seen from the brand in years. The collection’s clothes have a way of being minimal and ornate simultaneously, and that’s the only way to describe the bags as well. Even the lean, angular clutches are fashioned out of candy-colored crocodile skin that makes me want to say “I’ll take one in every color,” hand over my credit card, and not look at the total on the receipt.

In the South, we’re a little weird about college football. If any of you grew up or went to college south of the Mason-Dixon line, you’re already aware of this phenomenon. Not only do our college teams garner much more ardent support than any of our professional teams, but people devote themselves to their Alma maters with an emotional vigor that is rare to find elsewhere in all of sports. So what’s this got to do with handbags, you say? Well, today is opening day of the 2008 college football season, and although most of the games aren’t until Saturday, a few will be televised tonight and kick off (literally) the happiest 12 weeks of the year for this sports fan. Not only that, but this time of year brings about an odd dressing conundrum for all female football fans that support schools in the South. Because here, you can’t just wear *anything* to a game. We dress up for football like some people dress up for church – and we do it in our team’s colors. Some schools (particularly those where orange figures prominently, bleh) have a harder time of it than others, and I like to think that my school chose wisely. I am an alumni of The University of Georgia, and our colors are red and black. Hermes Replica Bag I’ll be the first to admit that fashion bloggers are often working with a somewhat limited medium. The industry’s recently increased presence on the internet, both in retail and editorial sectors, has given people like me a great deal of material to work with when writing criticism and making sartorial recommendations, but there’s just nothing like the real thing. We make our best educated guesses about what a bag will look and feel like in person based on what we know of the brand’s construction standards in the past and the pictures we see on the internet, which are often quite good, depending on the website that they come from. Sometimes, however, a bag just doesn’t make sense until you see it in person, for whatever reason. That’s exactly what happened yesterday when I saw the Prada Saffiano Printo Tote – I had seen pictures of the bag before and wasn’t terribly interested, but in person, it was love at first sight.

After viewing Prada’s Spring 2010 runway show, I couldn’t help but think to myself, maybe the handbags were a joke after all. Maybe they won’t produce them. Perhaps, if we’re lucky, they’ll ship the REAL bags to retail and we’ll all be left with the daffy memory of those silly-looking bags that Prada so irreverently sent down the Milan runway. Well, my wishful thinking was all for naut – the plasticky, rhinestoned monstrosities have landed. The Prada Spazzolato Tote might be the best of the bunch, and to say that’s faint praise would be the understatement of the season. Top Replica In Milan in September, the Prada runway show was a buzz with Miuccia filling the runway with silk-printed tunics, cropped flared trousers, and nymph and fairy prints. The backdrop looked as if it was from a girls imagination of doodles and drawings while daydreaming. Miuccia’s focus was “about trying to find a new creativity.” The fairy print is the iconic print for the Spring season and is seen on their handbags, clothing, and even their shoe boxes. The handbag that has our forum buzzing is the Prada Fairy Bag. The Prada Fairies Bag is available in two sizes and is said to be a limited edition. How limited is yet to be known, but Prada is staying that the boutiques will receive a limited number of the bags and pre-orders are not an option. The smaller version retails for $2290 and the larger for $2490. Call your local Prada boutique to inquire and be put on the wait list. After showing you two horrible prints/patterns on handbags for Spring, I am ending your week with an absolutely stunning piece. This Prada Bag is majestic and enchanting. The deerskin leather is said to have a slight sparkle to it. This bag is absolutely gorgeous, just takes my breath away!

I am a lover of metallics, but I am picky about which metallic colors I like. I am much more of a pewter lover than a silver lover and more of a copper lover than a gold lover. The deeper hues are sultry, sexy, and elegant in metallics. Just much more my style. And with the Prada Nappa Mordore Hobo it is as if Prada came to me, asked me what I thought, and then proceeded to carry out my wants and desires. Why thank you Prada for taking my likings into account. And even more of my likings are on this handbag. The overall design is nothing amazing, but the hobo stands out with the leather pieces which are stitched together to create a stripe pattern. But this bag does it for me. I don’t need all the extras on my bags, just a bag that does its job but still stands out and grabs attention. And you know what this bag does, it adds that slight shine and glimmer that makes for a perfect metallic bag. There is a snap closure and two inside pockets. Available in anthracite and copper; if I were buying this bag I would most likely opt for copper. Replica Belts We spent a day at RueLaLa last week to have a sneak peek of their upcoming and highly anticipated Hermes event. We were able to see all of the Hermes bags and accessories to share with you all before the sale on Tuesday. One of the bags that caught my attention is this vintage Hermes 20cm Mini Kelly in grey ostrich. It was evident this bag had a story to tell. Without an exact marking, the bag is dated back to the 1960′s. It is said to be very rare and designed for a child to wear while her mother carried a larger Hermes Kelly (it will be part of the Tuesday sale). We always say that handbags tell stories, but it is clear this one truly does. So take part in our Friday night story telling and tell the tale of the little girl that carried this mini Kelly. What did she look like, where was she from, what was her mom like? Paint the picture (and drool over the bag itself).

While shopping at Walgreens today, I felt an intense sense of happiness over all of the Easter candy. Actually, any holiday-themed candy gets me giddy. I love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, but I always love the tree, heart, and egg shape more. I guess it is my inner child. Right when I laid eyes on the Prada Raso Pietre Clutch in Turchese my mind immediately thought candy (the jelly bean or Cadbury Mini Eggs variety). Do you see that too? Replica Purses One of my favorite things about BlueFly, as I may have mentioned before, is your ability to find things there that you may have missed in their original trip through Retail Land. So before any of you haters tell me “Ugh, this is such an old bag, why are you writing about this,” I’ll remind you that some folks may have missed it the first time. And the Prada Tweed Printed Medium Tote is worth taking a look at, even if that’s all you do. First, it’s deerskin. Any deerskin that I’ve ever been in contact with has been not only super soft (on the level of lambskin), but also thick and durable-feeling, unlike lambskin. Second, I think the tweed print on the outside is cute and kind of irreverent. It wouldn’t match with everything, but I think it’s versatile in ways that belie it’s original appearance. Its simple structure puts the pattern on display, and the shade of green used would match with most solid-colored outfits for spring. My favorite part, though, is the lining. It seems like few brands still use leather to line their bags, but Prada has come through for us with a beautiful green leather throughout the interior

Last night some members of the Purse Blog team (Megs, Vlad, Intern Joe and myself) had the opportunity to attend an exclusive launch party at the Louis Vuitton store in the Bal Harbor Shops. The event was a little different than what we are used to since the party was for sneakers and not handbags. As many of you know, Kanye West has teamed with Louis Vuitton to create high end designer sneakers. While Megs and I did try and convince Vlad and Joe to snag a pair, I think it is fair to say the sneaks aren’t really our cup-o-tea. True, these shoes are rather unique (although, do they remind any of you of the old school Reebok high-tops?), but I don’t think I will be rushing out to buy them any time soon. However, there were plenty of others at the event last night that were walking away with boxes and boxes of these shoes. It may or may not come as a shock to you, but a lot of these shoes are close to sold out! Head over to your local LV store and grab some Bottega Veneta Replica Handbags Every brand uses exotics in a different way. Nancy Gonzalez crocodile looks different than Balenciaga crocodile. Chloe python looks different than Carlos Falchi python. And Gucci python is my favorite of all. Somehow, they manage to find skins that look somehow fuller and more touchable than some of their peers, and it’s always clear that their bags did indeed come from a living reptile. And I feel like it’s at least a bit more respectful to the animal to make a bag that really highlights the natural beauty of the skins that are used. And Gucci has maintained their history of beautiful python bags with the Gucci Galazy Python Hobo. Sometimes natural patterns can be hidden when they’re done in black, but the finish here has a bit of a shine to it, so it reflects enough light that the scale differentiation is easy to see. Some brands treat their bags in such a way that the python scales lay perfectly flat, which has clearly not been done here. I’m sure that that sort of treatment makes bags for durable, but it also makes it feel less luxurious to me, so I’d rather that part was left out, even if it means the bag won’t last quite as long. I’d rather have it be as beautiful as possible for as long as that look will hold up

Cruise show season is kind of odd – instead of having a proper Fashion Week where all of the collections are presented together, they’re released slowly in shows around America and Europe, each with very different backdrops and moods. For example, Chanel, a brand that always shows at Paris Fashion Week, chose to present its Cruise collection this year on a Venice boardwalk. Louis Vuitton, another house that traditionally shows in Paris, didn’t have a real show at all – instead, the clothes were presented as we see them here. It’s a more understated choice for a more informal season and smaller collection, but that doesn’t mean the sailor-and-pinup-inspired clothes and accessories are any less exciting. In fact, they’re refreshingly clean and pretty, but with just enough 80s urban influence to put Louis Vuitton creative director Marc Jacobs’ signature spin on the retro looks. Designer Purses It’s always disappointing when the handbags are the least impressive part of any collection, but with a line as inventive and exciting as Prada Spring 2011, I guess something had to get the short shrift. The collection’s shoes (which you can check out over at TalkShoes) were the best of the season thus far, but the handbags left a bit to be desired for luxury lovers. In keeping with the trends we’ve seen in Milan so far, Prada went for bright colors and multihued designs. Most of the stripes came on a canvas background, and I’ll be interested to see if any of those bags are translated to leather for retail. In fact, if the bags had been made of leather from the outset instead of featuring so much canvas, my take on the collection would be lightyears more positive – I just can’t get excited for high-priced cotton, even though I think the aesthetic ideas are strong and interesting.

Not too long ago, I wrote about a neoprene Marc by Marc Jacobs handbag on PurseBlog Savvy that I absolutely love, and I explained exactly why I think that neoprene is a cool material bags. I still think that’s absolutely true, and I still love the bag, but I just don’t know if I can justify to myself spending $350 for a bag that’s not leather. The Gucci Techno Horsebit Large Tote, also made mostly out of neoprene, has put the price of the Marc by Marc Jacobs bag in stark perspective. And, in it’s own way, it’s made me more likely to spend money it. Cheap Designer Sunglasses I wrote about the Gucci Sukey Large Tote a few months ago, and when I saw it available for pre-order in a new trim color on Saks.com today, I thought it might be worth revisiting. Because, to be honest, the climate for logo bags has changed, as has the climate for anything obviously expensive, since the first incarnation of this bag came out. Since then, the US (and much of the world) economy has imploded, millions are out of jobs, and many have seen their retirements shrink to nearly nothing. So…why in the world do I still like this bag? Because I do. A lot. Even though I hate logo bags in general, and have for quite some time, I still have a small place in my heart for Gucci’s signature fabric. And I still think this bag is well-designed, despite the logos. The lines are simple, it’s functional, but it still has a bit of subtle chicness to it. Plus it’s a bag from a major designer for under a grand. Not too bad, even if it’s not really a recession must-have.