BagBible

I know these bags are probably not as functional as bigger bags (they measure only 8″W x 7 1/2″H x 6″D), but that’s what makes them so cute. Another plus of small bags is that you can’t carry a lot of stuff in them, therefore your bags will be light and your back will thank you.

I just love the pastel colors. Maybe because it is spring.  I noticed that I’m often drawn to colorful bags at this time of year.

When I was growing up my mom always picked black bags for me.  She said that they go with everything. That is true if you are only allowed to have one bag, but it was not fun if all you had was a closet full of black bags.  Now, I only have a few black bags.  Probably because of the black bags “trauma” that I have, I tend to avoid black bags.

You can buy these cuties from Nordstrom for $295

Here are some of the items that will be on sale:
Cosette: Was $995; now $325
Kan Kan Portfolio: Was $595; now $200
Greta Clutch: Was $595; now $125
Crawford: Was $995; now $200
Check out their entire collection!

NEW YORK, May 6 (Reuters) – Italian fashion house Gucci sued rival fashion and leather goods label Guess Inc. on Wednesday, claiming it copied a dress design and several trademarked logos.

Gucci accused Guess Inc (GES.N) of imitating trademarked designs, including a green and red stripe, a repeated interlocking GG mark and stylized G mark it emblazoned on accessories like handbags, belts, gloves, watches and glasses.

The lawsuit, which was filed in Manhattan federal court and seeks unspecified monetary damages, also accused Guess of copying a dress featuring an interlocking GG diamond motif.

“Rather than going through the effort and expense of developing and creating their own unique designs, defendants have chosen to target Gucci by knowingly and slavishly replicating Gucci’s world famous design elements and designations,” the lawsuit said.

Article from Reuters

After reading that news article I immediately thought about Target. I’ve seen so many copycat designer handbags sold on Target. They are not counterfeits, since they use their own brand. However, the designs of the Target bags are almost identical to the high end designer bags. I am aware that Target has been collaborating with many designers in producing affordable designer goods, but this is not it.

Here are some examples:

Louis Vuitton Mahina Copycat from Target	Louis Vuitton Mahina
Image from Target	Image from Momist
Chloe Paraty Python Copycat from Target	Chloe Paraty Phyton Tote
Image from my camera	Image from Net-A-Porter

I can’t help but wonder: Is it ok for Target to sell these bags? Where do you draw the line between counterfeits and copycat?

Likes:

The Weight
This bag is feather light, even when I put a lot of stuff in it, it is still reasonably light.

The Leather
Balenciaga is known for its gorgeous leather, it is thin and soft, and comes in lots of different colors.

The Removable Shoulder Strap
I like the shoulder strap because I sometimes need both of my hands when I’m out with my kids.

The Size
The bag is not too big nor too small, it is just the right size for petites (15” x 9.8” x 3.9”). For non petites, you might want to try the Part Time version, which is slightly bigger.

The Mirror
The mirror is very handy for checking your makeup on the go.

Dislikes:

None

You might want to know:

It comes with extra tassels for the zippers. After some time the tassels will split in two, however, it won’t effect the beauty of the bag.

You can buy this from Balenciaga for $1,395

Deal Tips:

Check out the Balenciaga sample sale at Rue La La. For more info about the upcoming sale, click HERE

Recommended: Yes

Likes:

The Size
It has a generous size for your necessities and more (17” x 13” x 7” deep)

Lots of Compartments
There are three compartments on the front and three on the back (four smaller pockets and two bigger pockets). One interior zippered pocket and patch pockets.

Adjustable Shoulder Strap
This can be worn as a shoulder bag or as a messenger bag. There are only two length settings.

The Leather
Supple grained Italian leather. Very good quality leather.

Dislikes:

The Weight
This bag is super heavy even when it is empty. I tried downsizing the content of my bag to just cell phone, camera, wallet, and keys. The bag is still super heavy.

The Same Design for Front and Back
At first I really liked it, but when I start putting different stuff in different pockets, I got confused of what is where.

You might want to know:

All the buckles are non functional, they are only for decoration purposes. The pockets close with magnetic snap buttons.  The adjustable strap is somewhat hard to maneuver.

You can buy this from 80’s Purple for $765

Deal Tips:

I bought this from my local Saks outlet, when they were having buy one get one free deal. I kept one, and sold one on eBay (with profit). I paid $212

Recommended: No

Likes:

The Size
It is big enough to carry all my necessities and more (16″ W x 14″ H x 5″ D)

The Pockets
There are two side pockets with snap button closure, so things won’t fall out, two zippered slit pockets in the front, three slide interior pockets, and one zippered interior pocket. All the pockets make it easy to organize your bag and you can find things quickly when you need it.

The Weight
When the bag is empty, it is pretty lightweight, because the leather is not overly thick. A light bag is always a plus for me, since I tend to carry more than I need to.

Dislikes:

The Lining
I don’t really like the lining material, it is satiny looking with busy prints.

You might want to know:

The drawstring is non functional, it is only for decoration purposes. The closure of the bag is a magnetic snap button, which I think is more practical than drawstrings.

You can buy this from Macy’s for $250

Deal Tips:

Here is some idea on how to get a good deal. I bought this bag in blue from Ideeli. The price was $94, I got $25 from referring a friend, so I paid $79 total including the $10 shipping.

Recommended: Yes

I don’t usually like studded bags, especially if they are heavily studded. I always think that bag with too many studs looks tacky and too rock n roll for me. However, I’m loving this Marc Jacobs Cecilia.

I especially like the color combination.  Gold studs with cream leather make the studs shine in a very subtle way. Although, I’m not too crazy about the blue trim.

The tiny stud size makes the bag look less rock n roll and their scattered placement makes the bag sparkle all over.

The ruching on the top reminded me of the Nancy Gonzalez Gathered Croc Shoulder Bag

Marc Jacobs Cecilia is from the Marc Jacobs Fall 2009 Collection.  It measures 17.5″ x 10.5″ x 5.5″

Image from Marc Jacobs

Image from SplashStyle

Gossip Girl stars Blake Lively were spotted leaving The Waverly Inn carrying her Chanel Bubble Flap.

Chanel Cloudy Bubble Quilt Flap in Beige from the 2007 Fall Collection. This It is made of ultra soft, luxurious lambskin leather that has a slight distressed look. The leather is also padded with the iconic diamond shaped stitching. The large pocket on the back and flap with a magnetic snap closure. The hardware is a light gold tone which includes chains, magnetic snaps, CC, and zipper pull. The interior has a matching satin lining and features a zipper pocket, patch pocket, and cell phone pocket.

You can buy this from Fashionphile for $1,950

Source

The current economic recession definitely changed the public’s perception of luxury. The exclusive designer goods that used to be so expensive and hard to get are now flooding the outlets and sample sale sites. Consumers are now used to the 70% discount.  How will we ever pay full price again? Will the designers inflate their price even more and give us pseudo discounts?

Read Buyer’s Market from WSJ Magazine

Cynthia Rowley Handbag Sale on Ideeli

Wednesday 5/6
Save up to 58%
Starting prices: $151

Garnering inspiration in everything from brightly colored candy to vintage thrift shop finds, Rowley crafts looks that are both sumptuous and sophisticated. The Council of Fashion Designers of America recognized her vibrant spirit, honoring her with the Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent in 1994. Since then, her reputation for carefree designs executed with a meticulous attention to detail has established her as one of America’s great designers. From dresses to shoes to handbags, her collection proves that fashion should be fun and that girls are never too old to play dress up.

Click HERE if you are not a member yet!

YouTube Link

Image from Popsugar

The new bride Heidi Montag was spotted recently carrying the brown Chloe Paraty Python Tote.

Python leather tote with gold-tone hardware. Chloé tote has two handles, one long strap, a long zip across the top to fasten, piped panel detailing, clasps at the side to expand, a zipped pocket on the inside and is fully lined.

Dimenson Width 14″ / 36cm; Height 10″ / 26cm; Depth 6″ / 16cm; Handle Drop 5″ / 13cm

Retail for $3,820 from Net-a-porter

YouTube Link

The sale is on May 6th. It will start at 8: am PST / 11: am EST

Mark you calendar!

Rue La La is a member only sale, please click here if you need an invitation.

When I came across this bag, I immediately thought about my daughter, how she would scream at this bag.  Not because she’s afraid of all the fur, but because she LOVES the color. She loves everything blue, especially turquoise blue.  I’m sure she would love to have this bag. Unfortunately, my 3-year-old little girl doesn’t have $2,649.74 and more importantly she doesn’t know how to shop online. As for myself, I wouldn’t spend that kind of money for that kind of thing bag. It’s hard to imagine someone older than 12 pulling this off but I can definitely see Beyonce wearing this bag.

You can buy this from Bluefly. They are having a sale right now.  25% discount in addition to the sale price.
Versace turquoise leather fox large hexagonal tote
reduced: $3,532.99
sale: $2,649.74

Here is how:

Step 1: Buy your bags at deep discounts.

I usually can get my bags at deep discounts. Especially in this economy when everything is pretty much on sale.  I don’t buy my bags right when it comes out because it won’t be on sale. To be a smart bagaholic you should be patient in shopping. Always look around and find the best price.  It’s really not that hard. All you have to do is just click, click, click.  I like to go on eBay, Bluefly and the private sales sites such as Ideeli, Gilt, Hautelook and Rue La La.  If I happened to go out, I like to check out Saks and Neiman Marcus outlets. They sometimes have very good deals.  If you are not an experienced eBayer I would suggest to be extremely careful when shopping on eBay for designer bags, such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermes, Prada, Bottega Veneta, etc. These particular brands are a common target for counterfeits. If you are new to eBay, start by buying contemporary designer bags such as Rebecca Minkoff, Bulga, Gustto or other similar designers, because those brands are not widely counterfeited yet.  If you don’t mind buying vintage designer bags, there are also some reputable sites that sells pre-owned, gently used, authentic bags such as, Yoogi’s Closet, Authentic Bags for Less, and Fashionphile.  I don’t have any experience with these sellers however, I’m sure you can go to the Purse Forum and ask for tips from those that have done business with them.

Step 2: Keep your bags in good shape.

Use you bag gently and maintain your bag well, so that it will look almost new. Read here on how to keep your bag looking nice and new. This step is very important in order to recoup most or a big part of your investment.

Step 3: Sell the bags that you haven’t worn in a year (except for classic bags).

I’m the kind of person that gets bored easily. Whenever I have some new bags I tend to use the newer bags more often compared to my old ones.  Set aside the bags that you haven’t worn in two seasons (I’m talking about fashion season which is spring/summer and fall/winter).  Try to sell it. I prefer selling my bags on eBay, because I usually can recoup most of the money I paid. Sometimes, I even make a little profit. However, if you are not familiar with selling on eBay, you can always sell it to  someone you know or to the pre-owned bags seller that I mentioned in step 1. With the money you made selling your old bags that were just sitting in your closet inside the dust bag, you can now shop for your newest obsessions.

As for classic bags, you probably don’t want to sell them yet after a year because these bags tend to appreciate in value over time.

Image from Polyvore

Louis Vuitton Kalahari GM retails for $3,390

As soon as I saw Madonna’s Louis Vuitton Ad campaign, I associated the Kalahari bag that she was wearing with the Carlos Falchi bag.  I’ve seen the Carlos Falchi bag around for sometime.  I even saw it on the sale at Neiman Marcus a while ago.

Carlos Falchi Deerskin on sale right now for $605 on Zappos

The Kalahari Bag from Louis Vuitton is one of their Spring 2009 collection.  Is it possible that the Kalahari design was inspired by the Carlos Falchi bag? In my opinion, the Carlos Falchi bag is the better deal, since it is made of durable deerskin compared to the coated canvas of Louis Vuitton Kalahari.  In addition, the deer skin flap drapes better compared to the coated canvas flap.