The Genuine Leather Women's Hobo Handbag is designed for durability, comfort, and safekeeping of all of your items. Made from genuine leather with all of the compartments zippered, it is a sturdy, safe and stylish way to store all of your belongings.Price: $49.95
The Genuine Cowhide Leather Large Womens Handbag w/ Cell Phone Pocket is durable, stylish, and priced low enough to buy one of each color. Our leather handbags continue to be our most popular item and it's no wonder why. They are roomy, comfortable, and can be used for many years to come. Shoulder strap drop measures 11 in.Price: $49.95
One of our favorite accessories. Clean lines, neat stitching and durable faux leather make this tote a sophisticated must-have for everyday use.Price: $91.98
This fine leather handbag will quickly become your favorite bag. It has a zipper organizer on the front that includes a notepad pocket, pen holder, credit card slots and zipper pocket divider. On top of this is a zipper pocket and another flap closure pocket. The main compartment is fully lined and includes a side zipper pocket. On the back is another zipper pocket. And don't forget the convenient built in cell phone holder on the side! The long strap is fully adjustable so you can wear it crossbody or over the shoulder. This is a very well-made, quality leather bag that is not too big, but not too small. Shoulder strap drop length measures 26".Price: $49.95
This fine leather handbag will quickly become your favorite bag. It has a zipper organizer on the front that includes a notepad pocket, pen holder, credit card slots and zipper pocket divider. On top of this is a zipper pocket and another flap closure pocket. The main compartment is fully lined and includes a side zipper pocket. On the back is another zipper pocket. And don't forget the convenient built in cell phone holder on the side! The long strap is fully adjustable so you can wear it crossbody or over the shoulder. This is a very well-made, quality leather bag that is not too big, but not too small. Shoulder strap drop length measures 26".Price:
This fit for New York City bag is large, spacious perfect for those who demand refined style even in an oversized design.Price:
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Embassy Large Brown Genuine Leather Purse. This buttery soft leather purse features silver color heart decorations. Measures 101/2" x 141/8" x 43/4". 2 lbs each. 2600PT $32.95 Item #LUPHRTLGPrice: $37.95
This large tote is our new favorite handbag this season. It is large enough to hold everything we need, and it has a trendy two-tone finish. Belt-style handles with polished hardware.Price:
This is the season's MUST HAVE bag. We've all seen the exact same style bag on the shoulder's of Hollywood's elite. Convertible bag can be worn as a bucket bag or as a tote.Simply snap the interior buttons together on the sides to create versatile looks! This high-quality giraffe print bag is super trendy and perfect for any outfit! This extra large bag features a glamorous and intricate giraffe pattern of black and brown on a white toned base. Luxurious composition of a faux leather design contrasts with luxorious red trim. This wonderfully textured bag is the hottest this season! Classic colors go with any outfit! Brand new w/ tags! Bag measures 19" L x 10" H with a handle drop length of 9". Fully lined bag features zipper and snap closure with 1 large zippered pocket, cell phone pocket and 1 small open pocket.Price: $0.00
Are you looking for a bag that provides plenty of room for the essentials that today's woman needs while offering the exciting and classic look that keeps you looking stylish and ready to take on the world? Nvie Designs designer style handbags offer today's woman the most functional handbags in the most classic and always stylish lines. Make your mark on the world with an Nvie Designs oversized handbag that keeps the essentials of everyday life right at your fingertipsPrice:
Hold it all in this hot selling large hobo. Made of soft faux textured leather. Large enough to tote around all of your essentials. Beautiful silver-tone hardware. Back zip wall pocket. Double tubular handles. Zip top closure. Roomy fully lined compartment. Interior zip wall convenience pockets. Cell and sunglass slip pouches. BEFORE PURCHASING, PLEASE COMPARE THE SIZE OF THIS HANDBAG TO ONE OF YOUR OWN FAVORITE BAGS.Price:
Are you looking for a bag that provides plenty of room for the essentials that today's woman needs while offering the exciting and classic look that keeps you looking stylish and ready to take on the world? Nvie Designs designer style handbags offer today's woman the most functional handbags in the most classic and always stylish lines. Make your mark on the world with an Nvie Designs oversized handbag that keeps the essentials of everyday life right at your fingertipsPrice:
Jute bags are the latest rage hitting the fashion conscious people. Jute bags are renowned for their high tensile strength, durability and heat resistance properties.Price:
Quick, spot the latest trend. It's polka dots. In fresh hues such as yellow and fuchsia,blue and green this bag offers a fun element to our sometimes serious wardrobes. It seems that this trend will have some staying power, so smart shoppers who opt for dots right now will get a lot of mileage out of them.Price:
Are you looking for a bag that provides plenty of room for the essentials that today's woman needs while offering the exciting and classic look that keeps you looking stylish and ready to take on the world? Nvie Designs designer style handbags offer today's woman the most functional handbags in the most classic and always stylish lines. Make your mark on the world with an Nvie Designs oversized handbag that keeps the essentials of everyday life right at your fingertipsPrice:
This is the season's MUST HAVE bag. We've all seen the exact same style bag on the shoulder's of Hollywood's elite. Convertible bag can be worn as a bucket bag or as a tote.Simply snap the interior buttons together on the sides to create versatile looks! This high-quality giraffe print bag is super trendy and perfect for any outfit! This extra large bag features a glamorous and intricate zebra pattern of pink and black on a white toned base. Luxurious composition of a faux leather design contrasts with luxurious pink trim. This wonderfully textured bag is the hottest this season! Classic colors go with any outfit! Brand new w/ tags! Bag measures 19" L x 10" H with a handle drop length of 9". Fully lined bag features zipper and snap closure with 1 large zippered pocket, cell phone pocket and 1 small open pocket.Price: $0.00
This is the season's MUST HAVE bag. We've all seen the exact same style bag on the shoulder's of Hollywood's elite. Convertible bag can be worn as a bucket bag or as a tote.Simply snap the interior buttons together on the sides to create versatile looks! This high-quality giraffe print bag is super trendy and perfect for any outfit! This extra large bag features a glamorous and intricate giraffe pattern of black and brown on a white toned base. Luxurious composition of a faux leather design contrasts with luxorious red trim. This wonderfully textured bag is the hottest this season! Classic colors go with any outfit! Brand new w/ tags! Bag measures 19" L x 10" H with a handle drop length of 9". Fully lined bag features zipper and snap closure with 1 large zippered pocket, cell phone pocket and 1 small open pocket.Price: $0.00
This is the season's MUST HAVE bag. We've all seen the exact same style bag on the shoulder's of Hollywood's elite. Convertible bag can be worn as a bucket bag or as a tote.Simply snap the interior buttons together on the sides to create versatile looks! This high-quality giraffe print bag is super trendy and perfect for any outfit! This extra large bag features a glamorous and intricate zebra pattern of pink and black on a white toned base. Luxurious composition of a faux leather design contrasts with luxurious pink trim. This wonderfully textured bag is the hottest this season! Classic colors go with any outfit! Brand new w/ tags! Bag measures 19" L x 10" H with a handle drop length of 9". Fully lined bag features zipper and snap closure with 1 large zippered pocket, cell phone pocket and 1 small open pocket.Price: $0.00
One of our favorite accessories. Clean lines, neat stitching and durable faux leather make this tote a sophisticated must-have for everyday use.Price: $91.98
For those of us who never seem to have enough space in our bags, this extra-large handbag arrives to cure our woes with utter elegnace and style.Price:
Are you looking for a bag that provides plenty of room for the essentials that today's woman needs while offering the exciting and classic look that keeps you looking stylish and ready to take on the world? Nvie Designs designer style handbags offer today's woman the most functional handbags in the most classic and always stylish lines. Make your mark on the world with an Nvie Designs oversized handbag that keeps the essentials of everyday life right at your fingertipsPrice:
One of our favorite accessories. Clean lines, neat stitching and durable faux leather make this tote a sophisticated must-have for everyday use.Price: $91.98
The Milano is the pinnacle of elegance Influenced by today's fashion runways, this faux-croc design will carry your computer in a style never before available Gone are the days of only bland choices. Finally a computer carrying case that can match your sense of stylePrice: $99.99
Want a purse with a hot, new look but not too big? This trendy styled purse features buckle accents, padded handles, roomy interior with zippered closure, zippered privacy pocket, and cell phone pouch. Measures 13-1/2 inch x 10-3/4 inch x 4 inch.Price: $53.55
I have been in the midst of moving mayhem, where looking pretty is near impossible. But I took a break to shop online (what else is new), and found the most ladylike feminine handbag Valentino has yet to release. This bag combines elegant structure that is always welcomed along with a twist of fun with the leopard print.
My brain is frazzled with all sorts of moving on my mind but I want to buy the Valentino Aphrodite Leopard Bag. Never mind the fact that this is the price of a nice leather couch, I want to sit on the ground in our new apartment and keep this bag next to me. Then I would tell everyone how lovely she is. Because really, she is gorgeous!
Their of course is a Valentino signature large bow accent on the front. The body features dyed, stenciled calf hair. And to finish off this structured beauty is a top flap and and top handle. I truly do not own many structured bags, but I desperately want to own this one. Couch or bag? My heart says bag… and so does my brain. Luckily my other half will explain our need for couches. But that will not change my want for this bag. Buy via Neiman Marcus for $2,795.
It’s been an undeniably fabulous year for Mulberry. The Alexa bag took off into the stratosphere with the endorsement of namesake Alexa Chung and brought hordes of new customers to the brand’s signature British It Girl look, and it appears as though things won’t be slowing down at all for Mulberry Spring 2011. At the brand’s New York runway show earlier today, a well-edited collection of style mavens and fashion bigwigs looked on as the brand presented a polished-yet-fun line of ready-to-wear, shoes and bags.
And it’s the bags, of course, that we’re worried about here. Fans of the Alexa won’t be let down – the design will be coming in several new colors and finishes for spring, and the brand has launched a new, similar satchel called the Tillie for anyone who already has enough Alexas in her closet. My favorite bags were the (little m) mulberry ones – purples with lots of red undertones have a spot in my heart and wardrobe any day. We have tons of detailed photos after the jump, and you can either let us know what you think in the comments or over at our Mulberry Spring 2011 discussion thread on PurseForum!
Paris! City of lights, macarons from Laduree and (at least this week) Gossip Girl! Some of our Upper East Siders made their season four debut a long way from Manhattan, but if being a moneyed, privileged teenager doesn’t get you a little international travel, what does it get you? Oh, right. It gets you everything else.
Anyway, while we were away, S and B have been enjoying Paris and all of its fine boutiques and cute bartenders, Dan and Georgina have been parenting a child in secret (although they apparently had no time for a paternity test before now), and Nate has been screwing his way through Chuck’s little black book. Oh, right, Chuck – no one knows where he is. That’s a problem.
Did you forget what happened last season? So did I, sort of. The relevant stuff goes like this: Blair found out that Chuck banged Jenny, so Blair dumped him and went to Paris and Chuck went to Prague (or a cheap, Prague-esque soundstage) and got shot. Georgina showed up back in town to tell Dan that he was about to be her baby daddy, but not before Serena kissed him, broke up with Nate and fled to Paris with Blair.
So: Paris! Blair shopped and Serena learned how to paint in order to make it even easier to see French guys naked (as if it was hard in the first place), and together, they made up two sides of the perfect personality. Except that Blair wasn’t happy, because Serena was getting a lot more hot French derriere than she was. Luckily, Serena is a pretty good wingman – despite the fact that the writers would have us believe otherwise, she can’t, in fact, sleep with everyone in Paris herself. You have to give a girl credit for trying, though.
Back at home, Nate was working his way through Chuck’s giant black book and Dan was, uh, having a crisis. No one but Sir Manbangs knows that he’s got baby mama drama in the worst way and…DARN. VANESSA DIDN’T DIE IN THE HAITI EARTHQUAKE. Also, things weren’t great with Lily either, since Chuck didn’t tell anyone where he was going and no one was paying the mortgage on the Empire Hotel all summer. Woops, he forgot. He got shot. I guess that’s a rational excuse for not paying your bills. Panic everywhere! All over Manhattan! Also, in Brooklyn!
Vanessa was the first person to meet Milo, the bastard son of Georgina and Dan, who has an adorably hipsterish name that indicates Dan got to choose it. Vanessa thought Dan was dating Georgina, and, well, the good news for her is that they’re not dating! Although in the context of the situation, I’m not sure that the reality is any better than the suspicion. Also, why hasn’t Humphrey asked for or mentioned a paternity test by this point in the episode? Why didn’t Nate, who apparently knew about the baby, tell him to get one? That seems to be the kind of thing that Nate would think of – that part of the brain’s logic center is apparently stored in the manbangs.
Speaking of Sir Manbangs, his slutty ways actually paid off by bumping him into a pretty, literate (!!!) girl at a restaurant while he was on one of his many ChuckDates. She turned him down, but she’ll be back, because we don’t spend three minutes on a pretty new girl for no reason on this show. Foreshadowing!
But wait, we left the girls in Paris, we have to go back and get them. While Blair was standing in a museum, perfect coiffed and looking at her favorite Manet, an impeccably dressed French bachelor approached her to ask her to dinner. As it turns out, he’s a prince! Except, I’m confused, didn’t we have a foreign nobility romance a season or two ago for Blair? Someone refresh my memory, this all sounds really familiar. This time, though, the foreign dude has a friend for Serena, who just wanted to tell Blair that she got in to Columbia but couldn’t get a word in to save her life because Blair’s ability to focus completely left the country when she heard the word “Grimaldi.”
Except, wait. Frenchy ain’t a prince. He’s a the prince’s driver. And Serena’s date, well, he’s the prince. It’s not often that I feel actual, vicarious humiliation for a television character, but when Blair’s date popped on his jaunty little chauffer hat, my stomach did a flip and I felt a little faint. Serena tried to put a happy face on the whole situation, but that’s probably easy for her. She’s on a date with a prince.
Let’s return to New York for a moment to give Blair a chance to collect herself – Dan and Vanessa went on a walk to discuss the new addition to Dan’s family and the succubus who hath bore it, and leave it to Vanessa to be the voice of reason and freak out at Dan for not demanding a paternity test yet. THANK YOU WRITERS FOR FINALLY MENTIONING THAT. It was only an entire hiatus plus twenty minutes late.
Also in New York, Lily and Rufus were preparing for a Fashion’s Night Out fete and worrying over Chuck’s safety. And, oops, Lily spilled the beans to Eleanor Waldorf about Serena’s impending entrance to Columbia, who called Paris and told Blair (cue sad Blair face for the second time in this episode). And, wait, the pretty literate girl that Nate met is at the party as well! Eight million people? Pfft. New York City is a very small town. Nate showed up, naturally, because this entire show is (still) based on improbable run-ins at parties.
Next to arrive to the party was Georgina, who naturally came with Milo in tow and no Dan to be found in order to blow that shindig out of the water. Dan should have seen this coming, but because he apparently thinks that the baby somehow changed Georgina’s brain chemistry, it hadn’t occurred to him that a stunt was assured at some point. Georgina also managed to win over Lily and convince her of her good intentions, but that can probably be attributed to the adorable, drooling baby in the skull-and-crossbones knit cap that she was holding during the conversation.
In Paris, things were going similarly poorly. Blair had stormed out of dinner upon finding out that Serena would be joining her at Columbia, and when they had their eventual argument next to the picturesque fountain over why Serena had to ruin everything for Blair, it was all punctuated by a hardy shove into the water for Serena. I love Blair, but she’s wrong on this one – Serena can go to any school that her name and parents’ fortune can buy her way in to, and Blair has no reason to try and deny her that. You don’t have to see someone every day just because you go to the same college as they do, and I doubt the two will be pursuing the same major (or any major, who are we kidding? Serena is going to go to Columbia like the Olsen twins went to NYU).
Stateside, Dan and Rufus decided to take Georgina’s doctor’s word for it and believe the paternity test (stupid stupid stupid, didn’t we learn about this last season with Chuck’s mom?), and he signed the birth certificate, but then Georgina skipped town. At the Empire, Nate and the girl who can read stumbled into a party of models in lingerie playing Rock Band. None of these people live on earth, but I think I prefer it that way. Nate still managed to get the girl’s number, and the writers later implied that she was actually a stalker. Amazing.
The bizarre things continued in Paris, where Blair had gone back to her date after Serena’s introduction to the fountain and found out that the chauffer actually WAS the prince and the prince was the chauffer, and Blair was just being tested to ensure that she really liked Pierre or Louis or whatever his Frenchy name was for him. More sadface for Blair. She’s a rich American on vacation who thought she had met a prince, of course she was less than enthusiastic about finding out he was the prince’s driver.
The prince stormed out, at Blair went home to find Serena packing to leave. Blair apologized for pushing Serena in the fountain and admitted that she was still in incredible pain over Chuck, and Serena forgave her even though her hair was probably still wet with fountain scum. How do you even get that stuff out of extensions? The mind, it reels. I bet the smell was heinous.
But we can’t forget about Chuck – Chuck, who was presumed dead, was actually rescued and nursed back to health in Prague by a fetching blonde girl and has now reinvented himself as Henry, a charming rogue who wears short-sleeved chambray shirts and carries a backpack (is it still 1940 in Eastern Europe?). This Chuck/Henry will never last, since I’m pretty sure that his lust for purple paisley is actually a genetic trait that he can’t deny for too long. Next week, he’ll apparently get a few reminders of his past life.
However improbable and silly this show might get at times, I couldn’t be happier that it’s back, and I mean that in a totally sincere, unironic way. Who’s with me?
Both Megs and I hold a special place in our hearts for the Proenza Schouler PS1 Bag, and I only find myself liking it more as time goes on. Jack & Lazaro’s decision to have their black-on-black beauties hand-embroidered with a grey pattern for fall just makes my heart flip all the more, and it was already flipping quite a bit over the simple leather PS1s.
Sadly, I won’t have to start making arrangements in my budget and closet to accomodate one of these lovely bags, because they sold out almost immediately upon their Net-a-Porter debut yesterday morning. But a girl can still dream, right?
Usually I eschew patterned bags (unless they’re animal print, of course), but this one has my attention. The obvious neutrality of the color choices would make it just as easy to work this bag into my wardrobe as one that was only black or only grey, and you get so much more visual interest when you combine the two into this geometric, slightly tribal-leaning pattern. This bag probably won’t do anything to convince women who are still skeptical of the PS1, but for those who are already in love, it’s an unexpected treat. It retails for $1825, and you can add it to your Net-a-Porter wish list for stock updates.
We’re sure to bring out the haters with this news, but hey, it’s Friday!
Above is a picture of Kim Kardashian (you may have heard of her, yes?) exiting the Paris Hermes store, a trail of signature orange shopping bags behind her (and carrying a $1795 Christian Louboutin Kathena Leopard Clutch, in case anyone was wondering). According to Gawker and TMZ, rumor has it that she dropped in, bought six regular leather Birkins at around $10,000 each, and then bought another handbag (although the article does not stipulate which one) in crocodile to the tune of $30,000.
Depending on sizes and leathers (and on what we know about Ms. Kardashian’s sometime extravagant taste), the prices sound approximately accurate to me. I guess we’ll find out if this is true in the coming weeks, since Kim loves to parade around a particularly good purchase for all to see (not that I can blame her, certainly – I used to make my roommate sit and look at all of my new stuff when I would come home from the mall).
What’s perhaps most interesting about this item, though, is that Hermes Paris had six Birkins in stock to sell and they were willing to sell them all to the same person. I don’t know the ins and outs of that particular location, but it looks as though the days of the year-long waiting lists really are over for good, as Hermes had announced previously. The Birkins may not always be sitting on the shelves at your local boutique, but odds are that they’re in the back. For the right customer, of course.
If money wasn’t an object and you had a hundred grand to spend on bags, which ones would you buy?
Via Gawker and TMZ.
This was another week of Real Housewives of DC where nothing really happened, and I came to a conclusion: I’d rather watch these housewives not do anything than perhaps any of the other housewives except those from New York. The crazy is so strong in this bunch that they don’t actually need activities for me to be amused and delighted.
That was particularly convenient last night, since other than one little party, some sage-burning and a trip to look at houses that Michaele and Tareq can’t actually afford, our ladies didn’t do much at all. Real Housewives of DC may not be a bonafide hit yet, but they’ve hooked me and reeled me in pretty good at this point.
This week started with a Mary/Cat get-together over some wine (and next to a Louis Vuitton that had seen better days), and Cat admitted that she struggles with worrying that she’s a bad mother and that she doesn’t do enough. For part of this portion of the show, the producers saw fit to subtitle Cat, which seemed kind of passive-aggressive and nasty. She speaks English. As a first language.
Mary talked about being in therapy, needing a lock for her closet, and having a sister who’s the same age as her daughter. Mary had Lolly when she was 20, and she had to live at home with her parents (and also, with her husband) for a little while after she was born. None of this conversation appeared to connect to any particular storyline that we’ve known about so far, and I’m not exactly sure why it happened now. We already knew about the lock and Lolly’s borrowing habits.
Next, Michaele called Stacie to ask for some help finding a house, which had trouble (and entertainment!) written all over it. They met up at the Four Seasons with Tareq and talked about budgets and options. Michaele just wants to stay at the Four Seasons for the rest of her life (that open-mouthed, wide-eyed thing she does when she’s trying to have a thought about the Four Seasons is the same look my dog gets when someone’s scratching her belly) and Tareq wants a condo where they can park 200 cars for a party, and they, uh, don’t have a price range. At least not a price range that’s in any way connected to how much they can actually afford spend on a house, that is.
Tareq said that he’s willing to spend up to eight million dollars on a house and that they’d finance it through the company, which Stacie isn’t buying any more than I am. He might as well have said he could spend up to eleventy zillion dollars in Japanese yen for all it matters – he doesn’t have the money. The winery is clearly not operational, and other than owning it, it’s not clear exactly Tareq and Michaele do. Well, I mean, I guess we know what they do – they’re grifters, they scam people and swindle money and take advantage. But what do they claim to do?
Speaking of moving, Lynda met with a dog trainer to get a German Shepherd for her new house because she had a break-in the last time that she lived in McLean. Because she doesn’t want to be married ever again, apparently a dog is the key to her safety. I’m not sure why she seems to think she can beat an intruder to death with a marriage license, but whatever. Her choice. And is this going to be a new Housewives thing – at least one cast member in each city has to have a security dog? Didn’t Caroline do that in New Jersey?
Anyway, in Cat’s corner of the world, something terrible had happened. A dear friend of hers had committed suicide back in England, and her husband was out of town. Only her kids were around to comfort her, which thankfully Cat didn’t force them to do, which may be the first and only noble thing that she’s done all season. She did seem genuinely bereaved, and as always, genuine emotions that don’t involve jealousy or rage are always uncomfortable to watch on this show.
We didn’t spend much time with Cat, though, because out in McLean, Lynda was being crazy again. This time she had moved on from the security dog to an astrologist, and she had Mary help her sage the new house. Lynda also read a Jewish blessing over the place, a faith to which she converted when she was 20 (clearly, there aren’t a whole lot of people being raised Jewish in South Georgia). Then she sprinkled some holy water on the steps and…isn’t that Catholic? Do Jews have holy water? Or sage, for that matter? I know the sage part can’t be a Jewish thing.
From the blessing of a house to the search for a new one, Stacie went out with Michaele and Tareq to ride around and point at houses from the back of a car. They couldn’t actually get out and tour at any properties because Tareq had failed to supply the bank information or proof of income that Stacie had told him was necessary, and if you couldn’t see that coming a mile away, you haven’t been paying close attention. Tareq got awkward and shifty when finances were brought up, sort of like he did at the winery before he dropped the bomb about Mary’s kid, but luckily he couldn’t think of an attention-diverting lie quickly enough and they arrived back to the Four Seasons.
Back at home, Stacie and her husband spoke about her situation with her biological mom, and things are still not going anywhere, largely because her mom has said that she will never reveal her father’s identity. Jason thinks that they should reach out to her mom’s son via Facebook, which sounds like an idea that’s simultaneously terrible and necessary. Her kids don’t know about Stacie, but if her birth mom refuses to work with her at all, I guess she really doesn’t have a whole lot of other options. If the birth mom’s son is over 18, I think he’s fair game. Jason seems to think so as well. Her mom can’t hide from this enormous part of her life forever, and she should have been honest with her family to begin with. Her inability to admit the life she’s had shouldn’t prevent Stacie from living hers.
Next up was a party, because we can’t have an episode of this show without one, it’s in the contracts or something. This one was a charity men’s fashion show organized by Lynda, who forced her assistant to get down on the floor and buckle her shoes for the event, causing me to think that secretly she may be the craziest person in the entire cast (when you consider that incident alongside her repeated mentions of weed throughout the episode, I think I have a pretty strong case). The party itself looked like fun, although Mary seemed to have mistaken the male models for strippers. For a moment, I thought she might run up to the runway to stuff a couple dollars in one model’s pants, and if she had been a few more sheets to the wind, she probably would have. As it was, she just made faces at Lolly across the room, who was wearing one of her dresses. Drat. Left the closet open again. As it turns out, the biometric lock doesn’t work unless you close the door.
Cat had gathered herself up to attend the party and was holding things together until a man approached the table who dressed like her recently-passed friend, and then she started crying in front of everyone and was clearly quite embarrassed. I felt bad for her but also had some sympathy for him – he had no idea what he was walking in to, but to his credit, he was very nice. Cat decided that she wouldn’t be going to her friend’s funeral, which I wonder if she’ll regret later.
On a slightly happier note, all of the best people on this show (Stacie, Jason, Mary and Mary’s husband, who doesn’t have a name) got together to have dinner and discuss the nastiness that went down at the vineyard with Tareq and Michaele. It also came out that Mary and Tareq have a lot of mutual friends from way back, and apparently he has a track record since childhood as troublemaker who takes advantage of people and doesn’t pay his bills (although I’m not sure exactly what type of bills a child might accrue). Surprising? Not so much. People don’t just suddenly become Tareq Salahi. They’re like that forever, like serial killers.
Speak of the devil, we next saw the Salahis at their “winery,” which seems to only be a winery in the most charitable definition of the word, complaining about Tareq’s mom and how much of a meanie she can be. Momma Salahi apparently isn’t much of a fan of Michaele, and while they were talking about such things, the sheriff’s department showed up to have them escorted off the property at the behest of his mother. Tareq acted like that happens all the time, but Michaele cried and said that she doesn’t leave because marriage is for better or for worse. When you’re quoting your marriage vows as the only reason that you stick around, perhaps it’s time to consider breaking them.
In it’s second year, the Anna Wintour-created Fashion’s Night Out seemed to find its footing as both a social and media event. Capital-F Fashion people were sharing their experiences and photos all over Twitter, from Olsen Twin-anchored cattle calls at Barneys to velvet rope, guest-list-only fetes at Ferragamo and Madewell. The crowds were huge this year, bigger than last year by a wide margin, and nary a luxury brand or retailer with a New York outpost sat out the festivities.
By all of those metrics, Fashion’s Night Out was a roaring success. But as an event that drives sales and gets people shopping, many critics still have their questions about its efficacy. During a rather awkward Late Night with Jimmy Fallon appearance alongside uberdesigner Marc Jacobs, Wintour bristled at Fallon’s question of whether or not the event included discounts – it does not, or at least it’s not supposed to. So we’re curious – if you attended a FNO event in New York City or elsewhere, did you buy anything, or did you go to enjoy the crowd and the event (and maybe also the free cocktails)?
Several recaps of last year’s inaugural outing provided anecdotal evidence that consumers didn’t see Fashion’s Night Out as a buying opportunity, and that makes sense – crowds are too big in stores that are too small, and no one is focused on shopping when there’s free booze to be guzzled and celebrities at which to gawk. I can go to Bergdorf’s and buy the same bag for the same price any day of the week, and since I don’t particularly enjoy crowded shopping (you’ll never see me at a mall in December unless it’s a Tuesday morning or some such), there’s practically no buying incentive at Fashion’s Night Out.
Alcohol’s uncanny ability to lower purchasing inhibitions notwithstanding, the intent of FNO is supposedly to remind people that shopping is fun. I question whether or not anyone who would show up to one of the evening’s many events needs any reminding of that fact, but you have to give Wintour and the other organizers credit for savvy marketing. It’s rare that mainstream media covers fashion so intently, and the event certainly managed to get people within the industry talking as well. Whether or not that will turn into increased revenues remains to be seen, but we’d love to hear any and all observations and hypotheses in the comments.
Photo of Fashion’s Night Out milieu via AliceInNYC
Usually our coverage of bags priced under a thousand dollars is centered over at PurseBlog Savvy, but sometimes a bag from a “contemporary” designer so far exceeds expectations that it more than earns a spot among the much more expensive bags at regular PurseBlog. The Marc by Marc Jacobs Save the Birds Lenny Day Bag is one such high-achiever.
I’ve owned a not-insignificant number of Marc by Marc Jacobs bags over the past few years and observed a great many of the company’s other bags in person, and this design may top all of them. MbMJ tends to skew young and a bit retro, but this bag has a modern, sleek quality that not only sets it appart from the line’s other offerings, but also makes it potentially appealing to a very wide customer base.
The bag is available in two colors, but I prefer the light tan over the rich chocolate brown because lighter colors tend to better showcase design details and leather variations. MbMJ uses better leather in its bags than the company’s usual prices would often indicate, and the easy droop of the side folds that the luxe leather creates is the main attraction with this design. They provide a bit of texture without interrupting the bag’s functional purpose or making it difficult to carry, and accomplishing both of those things without shooting minimalism in the foot is a difficult task indeed. Not only does the design team at MbMJ pull it off, but they do so at a downright reasonable price. Buy through Saks for $528.
Since we’ve been noting a clear move from monogrammed cute to sleek and chic in Tory’s shoes and bags, it’s no surprise that the Spring 2011 presentation was nothing short of gorgeous. It also confirmed that the 70s really are going to be in style next spring – I know, I know, Marc Jacobs confirmed it too but Tory Burch has the power of mass appeal. Plus, her 70s-inspired pieces were paired with other items that gave them a decidedly modern twist. For example, bell-bottom pants were paired with things like a fine-knit sweater that reminded of Peruvian striped styles or just a simple long-sleeved tee. The shoes were pretty high, yes – giant-heeled espadrilles or high wedges – but there were easy sandals as well.
Of course, the bags moved even more into the realm of minimalism. All of them had but a tiny logo, instead allowing the bright color and shape of the leather to stand out. And the colors were perfectly modern while still preppy: think classic white, orange, bright jade green, and softly vibrant yellow. A striped and woven tote bag fit in with the more globally-inspired pieces, like the Peruvian-style sweater mentioned earlier, while a teeny straw and leather basket purse was just plain cute.
Not only that, but Tory figured out how to make calf-length skirts flattering and wearable. In one of my favorite outfits (in case you’re wondering, yes, I did pick my top five favorite outfits, to be exact) the stunning model wore a calf-length white chiffon skirt spotted in orange with a loose orange top. The outfit was cinched with a glam gold belt with corset-style ties; slim gold hoop earrings finished off the outfit.
On the subject of wearability, the models actually looked happy and comfortable, despite the fact that they had to stand for quite awhile in massively tall platforms and heels. Perhaps it’s because they talked and laughed and joked with one another throughout the presentation, but whatever it was, their pep made me adore the clothes that much more.
When we discussed Reed Krakoff’s Fall 2010 handbag line last week, many of you mentioned that your favorite was one we had omitted: the Reed Krakoff Alligator and Felt Boxer II Tote. The bag’s omission was intentional: I think it’s beautiful enough to deserve its own post.
When it first appeared on Net-a-Porter two weeks ago, it managed to sell out before I even woke up (which, admittedly, was later than a real adult should be waking up for work), but a second shipment has come in. So, you know, gather up that extra seven grand you have laying around, because this thing doesn’t come cheap.
Whether or not the bag is really worth $6900 is up for debate – some brands charge far more for any brand with alligator elements, and although this one isn’t entirely alligator, the trim is pretty significant. The color variation of the skin is perfection, and the juxtaposition with the neutral cream felt adds a richness to the bag that is hard to resist, even for someone like me who has a more hard-edged personal aesthetic. For anyone worried about durability, the bag’s gusset and much of the back panel are made of caramel leather, so the felt is in many ways as much of an accent as the exquisite alligator. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $6900.
Another brilliant bag moment from photoblogger Tommy Ton, covering New York Fashion Week for Style.com. He caught an Alexander Wang attendee carrying a Celine Classic Box Bag, and you get a gold star if you can tell me who she is. Have a great weekend!
It looks as though our lovely relationship with The Rachel Zoe Project is breaking up next week, but we should enjoy it while things last. After all, with awards season ending, we should have seen this coming. The writing was on the wall. I blame myself.
The thing is, we won’t be able to enjoy our last days with this show if the relationship contained therein keeps trying to alienate us. We just want to love you, Rachel and Rodger! Why won’t you let us love you??? Also, if you promise to show us more clothes next week than you did last night, we promise not to make you talk about that whole uncomfortable baby thing again. We swear.
Remember last week when Brad was irritated that Ashley took a few days off because she was sick? Well, she’s getting “fired” for it. Now that awards season is over, they don’t really need her any more, and the decision to not continue to pay her seemed to be made pretty quickly. Poor girl – she was verbally dismissed while not even being present, and then she was never spoken of again.
Conversation quickly went from firing Ashley to cooking seder dinner for Rachel’s entire family, and then from cooking seder to babies because The Rodge wanted a decision on having kids before Rachel’s family arrived for a visit. All Rachel was concerned about was making sure she didn’t have to stick her hand up a turkey’s hoo-ha to cook dinner, and also that if she were to get pregnant, she would be allowed to wear Chanel in the delivery room. She has the perfect cape for it. It would be a moment.
But before any turkeys could be stuff or babies made, we got to meet a comedian named Amy Phillips who has earned a reputation for impersonating Rachel on the internet. Rodger had some kind of bright idea about shooting a viral video with Rachel and this comedian lady, during the filming of which The Rodge threw a marker at Rachel, cussed at everyone who was having a good time, and generally fumed, scowled and whined his way through the afternoon. Good to see that he managed to be consistent from the last episode to this one. Perhaps I’m just biased because I’ve wanted to throttle him so badly for a few episodes now, but his reaction seemed entirely unprofessional.
He was able to gather up his manhood and apologize to Brad for cussing him out in front of a room full of people, though, and then the flood gates open. The Rodge has never seemed to like Brad all that much, but he more or less let loose about his relationship issues while talking to him in private. I am sympathetic about the lack of work that Rachel seems to be doing in the relationship, but perhaps discussing it on a reality show with your wife’s employee isn’t the best course of action.
Speaking of poor courses of action: next, instead of having a rational conversation with Rachel like he had with Brad, Rodger yelled and cussed at Rachel when she said that she’d rather he didn’t yell and cuss at the employees that way. To me, that’s a totally reasonable request – no matter how stressed Rodger is, there’s no reason to blow up like that and make a fool out of everyone. Rachel needs to show him more respect while at work, but The Rodge also needs to act like someone who deserves professional respect.
Next on the agenda was picking dresses for Rachel’s new client Beau Garrett, who is apparently an actress in a film called Tron that I’m already not interested in. Beau was beautiful and needed very little to make her look great (which Brad was very excited about), and she also had an adorable dog. She was also very agreeable, which helps, as does being tall and thin and looking great in everything. Uh, plus she has a great actress name. Beau might be so cool that I hate her a little bit.
A fashion emergency is never far away, though, and suddenly the team had to style a yoga photo shoot for Molly Simms. I’m not sure where Brad and Jordan were supposed to get yoga clothes, but I’m pretty sure Chanel doesn’t make that stuff. Or maybe they do. They make skis, after all, and yoga is a thing that rich people do as well. Jordan pulled stuff from Lulu Lemon (duh, should have thought of that) and Brad approved. Since Rachel was had gotten stuck inside of her seder turkey and was nowhere to be found, Brad’s approval was the only thing that was needed.
Except, well, it wasn’t. Brad had been told no white, and all the photographer (or creative director? Who was that guy?) wanted was white. Oops. A wardrobe “powwow” was required and Brad felt terrible, and I’m not sure why they couldn’t just put her in a solid-colored outfit and Photoshop it white afterward. I mean, I can do that. It’s not difficult, and it probably would have been faster than sending an intern to navigate the Los Angeles freeways in search of a pair of skintight white shorts.
While all of this was going on, Rachel was at a grocery store of all places. As you might have guessed, Rachel is not a frequent visitor to a grocery store and never cooks, so her shopping methods were…inexact. She wanted to buy challah for Passover, which is kind of brilliant in its airheadedness. Rachel and Rodger continued to snipe at each other throughout the grocery trip, and it became more and more clear that they both need to take a timeout and probably go on vacation far away and without Blackberries, as Rodger had suggested. Awards season is over, Brad and Jordan are capable, why not take a few days to themselves? Not that The Rodge gets a pass – calling Rachel a retard in a decidedly nasty tone of voice is not constructive, particularly not in public and in front of cameras.
Rachel and Rodger managed to get the groceries home without killing each other (with the help of Rachel’s assistant Marissa), at which point a soda exploded and Rachel and her Hair Gay discussed whether or not turkeys have hair. In Rachel’s defense, raw turkey is totally vile, not to mention heinously smelly, and I don’t like handling it either. She had managed to forget latkes, brisket and kosher gravy, though, so she sent Marissa to secretly procure those things from a, uh, “reliable source.” She also outsourced “bowl options” from Jordan.
Someone had the nerve to bring a baby to the seder, so we had to have the Rachel Baby Conversation again, this time with the Hair Gay. Rachel insists that her clothes and bags are her babies and she doesn’t need anything else, which I think is a perfectly reasonable stance, but they finally sussed out the source of Rachel’s fear – she doesn’t want to carry the baby because she thinks it’ll be too hard on her body. I’m not sure why they don’t hire a surrogate if that’s the thing stopping Rachel from wanting a child, since it seems as though they have the financial resources to do so.
Rachel’s also scared that she would have a miscarriage or other medical emergency with the baby, which is a valid concern – she’s toward the end of normal female fertility, and the risk of miscarriage rises when you get that close to 40. Surprisingly, when the Hair Gay (whose name I genuinely do not know, or I would use it) asked her if she was afraid of getting fat, she said that she wasn’t without a moment of hesitation or any break in eye contact. I believed her, and I didn’t expect to.
Thankfully that conversation only lasted a few minutes and we got straight back to the food to take our minds off of the difficult issues of fertility and health. I’m not sure exactly how much of the dinner Rachel “cooked,” but the seder looked not only delicious, but warm and familial. Even Rachel’s parents were there, and her dad did perhaps the realest thing that a dad could ever do on reality TV – he pressured Rachel to get pregnant during the toast. It was all very cute, except that the episode then ended with Rodger threatening to divorce her during a spliced-in interview. It must be fantastic to hear your husband say that on television, huh?
In the end, this episode was short on clothes and long on relationship drama, which is a wonderful demonstration of why seasons of this show only last eight episodes and always take place during awards season and fashion month. Next week Rachel is styling the Met Ball, though, so hopefully we’ll have more clothes porn for the season finale.
Beauty, spaciousness and comfort defines these handbags.