BagBible

I don’t usually spill anything on my bag as I’m always very carefull with my bags.  However, when I was sitting on an airplane’s cramped seat with a full tray of food in front of me all bets are off.  Luckily, I decided to bring a cheap purse.  Unfortunately, this cheap purse also happened to be my favorite everyday throw around purse.  So, I was kind of sad when I realized that I had dried sticky apple juice all over it.

Needless to say, I turned to Google to find out how to clean it. (What would we do without the internet?) The remedy was actually very easy. I only needed to wipe my bag with a damp towel.  That way, the stain is diluted.  After wiping the whole bag with a damp cloth, I air dried my bag.  When everything was dry I didn’t see the stain anymore. Yay!

Most of the time I find bags with lots of zippers tacky.  However, I find this Gotham satchel quite appealing. The only hardware you can find on this bag is just zippers and one big zipper pull on the main compartment that has Donna Karan engraving. I think it is very wise to limit the amount of hardware.  The design clearly states that this bag is all about the zippers.  Additional hardware will just turn this bag to hardware overload.

One thing that I appreciate about this Gotham satchel is that it has just the right amount of rock and roll flavor to it.  This means you don’t have to dress like a rock star to be able to carry this bag.  As to the zippers, I must say that I prefer the bag with all the zippers open.  I think it gives the bag a fuller shape and more texture.  Pre-order from Neiman Marcus for $1,495

If you like to switch purses every now and then or you just want to be able to find your things quickly from your bag, you might want to use a purse organizer.

I have used the Purseket purse organizer before, and I liked it.  Even my husband who always thought my purse is a black hole, could easily find stuff when I use the purse organizer. I find that the medium size is much more versatile and functional than the large size. Although I like the fact that the larger size has more pockets, the pockets are also deeper and just swallow everything I put in. It’s nothing like the picture above.

The purse organizer worked well in my structured bags, but when I moved it to my slouchy bags, it made my bags look stiff, which is not a good look for slouchy bags.  I ended up using my purse organizer only for my structured bags, and I always took all my stuff out of the organizer once I switched to a slouchy bag.  However, after a while I lost my patience reorganizing my purse organizer ever time I switched between structured and slouchy bags. Now, I’m back to dumping everything all at once in my purse. I wish there were a purse organizer that would work for both types of bags.

Please click the links for sale invitation!

I have been a fan of Stuart Weitman shoes: From flats to heels, I love them all! However, I haven’t seen any Stuart Weitzman bag that I liked until now.  What attracts me to this bag are definitely the pleats; they kind of remind me of an accordion.  Nevertheless, they are what make this bag so appealing. This bag can easily be an all-year-round bag, since it is not too dark for summer and not too bright for fall.

This 17.5″ x 4.5″ x 9.5″ bag is made of soft calf leather. It also comes in a beautiful Moro Day (dark brown) satin for $650. However, considering my leather infatuation I probably would choose the leather version. Buy from Zappos for $798

Yesterday, I went to P.C Hooftstraat in Amsterdam, which is supposedly the most expensive shopping street in the Netherlands. Naturally, I went to look for bags. Since stores in the Netherlands close very early (6pm), I could only go to some stores,  of which one  was Bally.

In that store, I found a gorgeous deep green suede python hobo. I love the suede finish python; in my opinion, it looks more subtle and luxurious than the regular shiny finish python.  I observe that more and more designers are producing bags with suede python.

The bag was so light and fell so beautifully on the shoulder. Two sets of double gold-tone rings connect the strap to the bag. Knots that end with metal tips decorate the sides of the bag. You can’t see them from the picture but they’re there and they played up the sides of the bag really nicely. The side of the bag is the one that you see first when you see someone wearing a hobo bag on her shoulder. That’s why I think it is important that the sides show something attractive.
This bag is from the Fall 2009 collection.  It is priced €1500 Euros.

I never thought that I would be writing about this bag.  Seriously, this colorful woven Balenciaga work looks somewhat on the eccentric side.  It’s definitely nothing like the Bottega woven bags.  Especially with all the bright colors.  Recently, I saw a woman wearing this exact bag.  I was so surprised that it actually look pretty decent and very appropriate for summer.

I think what makes this bag tolerable is the soft and slouchy Balenciaga leather. However, for $2,825 I don’t want to get something that is only tolerable.  I always like to get the biggest bang for my buck.  For that kind of money I expect something astoningishly beautiful.

Here you can see how the bag looks in real life.  I like how the bag owner paired her bag with a neutral outfit. I think it’s the only way not to make the bag look overwhelming.

I must say that one of the most exciting parts of visiting other countries is tasting the different foods. A couple of days ago, we were treated for a pancake dinner by a generous family friend.  We went to a pancake house in Noordwijk with the whole family.  Like the name implies, the restaurant serves almost a hundred different kinds of pancakes.   The pancakes menu is so overwhelming, that you can have pretty much anything on your pancake.  There are two different kinds of pancakes; sweet pancakes and savory pancakes. BTW, the Dutch call pancake “pannekoek”.

The sweet pancakes are not as unusual as the savory pancakes since in the States we also eat our pancakes with syrup.  However, the savory pancakes are a little bit unexpected.  I’m always adventurous with food, hence I ordered the savory kind.  My pancake was topped with smoked salmon, capers, cabbage and red onions.  It also came with sauce that tasted a little bit like ranch but had a lighter taste.  The pancakes were not small and fluffy like the pancakes in the US.  They were flatter and bigger.

I also tasted the sweet pancake. It was topped with ice cream, fruits, whipped cream and powdered sugar.  I must say that I like them both; savory or sweet.  I’m just hoping I won’t gain too much vacation weight while I’m here.

Many Botkier fans have asked me about the Botkier Taylor from the Fall 2009 collection.  As you might already know, the Botkier Fall 2009 collection is very rocker chic.  The Taylor bags bring the rocker chic flavor through their one-of-a-kind tassels design. I finally have the following information about the bags that I would love to share with all of you.

Taylor Satchel
Will be available at Shopbop on September 2009
Size: 15.25″ x 4.5″ x 8.75″
Price: $545
Material/Colors: Black cowhide, brown lambskin, or sand pearl lambskin with antique brass hardware.

Taylor Crossbody
Will be available at NeimanMarcus on September 2009
Size: 15″ x 3.75″ x 10.5″
Price: $525
Material/Colors: Black cowhide, brown lambskin, or sand pearl lambskin with antique brass hardware.

I like the Gucci Charlotte asymmetrical adjustable shoulder straps, they certainly add appeal to the otherwise simple and regular looking bag.  If I were to buy the bag, these shoulder straps would be the main reason for me to buy the bag, since I don’t care much for canvas nor monogram designs.  However, for Gucci monogram fans, this will be a great bag.  It has a classic shape which means it will lasts for many years to come, and the neutral color matches easily with your wardrobe.  The shoulder straps look comfortable and would fit well on the shoulder without slipping. The 16 1/2″W x 11″H x 7″D measurement assures it’s functionality.  All in all, this is a good and functional bag. It’s just not an exciting bag for me.

Buy from Neiman Marcus for $995

On Sunday, we finaly made it to Amsterdam after all the travel drama.  The first thing we did was take a nap.  After we woke up from our nap in the afternoon, we went to The Amstel Hotel for a Royal High Tea. The Amstel Hotel is the finest hotel in Amsterdam, and the choice of public figures such as The Rolling Stones, Madonna, and Nelson Mandela. It is also where the Dutch Royal Family hosts many events, and accommodates visiting dignitaries and royalty from around the world. When Princess Maxima entered the Royal Family in 2002, guests of the wedding were housed here.

This is my first High Tea experience.  It’s pretty much like the tea party that you played when you were little; only a lot fancier.  We were served six different kinds of world’s finest tea, accompanied by exquisite delicacies from Amstel’s chef. I don’t remember all the tea names but I do remember the Darjeeling tea which is supposed to be the champagne of teas.

As much as I enjoy the experienced, I must say that Royal High Tea is not for kids.  My 3 year old daughter seemed to enjoyed it and thought that she was a princess.  However, my 5 year old son was very restless. If you would like to experience and actually enjoy the Royal High Tea, I would strongly recommend to leave your kids at home with a sitter. Click for more pictures! More »

This is by far the most understated and minimalist bag that I have ever seen.  There is no hardware, there is no pocket, there are no bells and whistles, nothing.  This bag only has the absolutely necessary to be called a bag.  I’m sure this bag will look like a lump of suede when empty.  I absolutely love this.  You might think I’m crazy, but sometimes I need to take a break from all the crazy designs and colors and just be subtle. You really can not go anymore subtle than this.  Even the color of this bag is very subdued: light grey. When I look at this bag, I think about the word “zen”. Don’t you agree?

You can buy this from Shopbop for $795.  Now, as much as I like this bag, I probably won’t spend that much for this minimalistic looking bag.  However, I would definitely consider it if it ever goes on sale.  This bag measures a generous 20″H x 19″L x 7″D, with 9″ strap drop.

Below you can see Kate Bosworth wearing this bag.  I think the bag looks pretty huge against her small frame.

Source

I can’t decide whether to like this bag or not.  It is definitely not ugly, but if I were asked to point out it’s beauty, I’m stumped.  I like the interesting shoulder strap, but I think the opening is too small for us to be able to wear it on our shoulder.  I know it’s not a shoulder bag, it is a tote, which means you should carry it in your hand.  However, this bag is shaped so much like a shoulder bag that my first instinct would be to wear it on my shoulder.

I’m also not so sure about the protruding twisted seams; it looks like they are trying to make wavy lines with them.  However, they do not turn out as nice waves, they are more like crooked lines. Luckily, the flat twisted seams came out nicely, but they are not as noticeable next to the protruding seams.  Oh well, at least the belted tassels were done well;  they add nice accents to the bag and make the bag look like it has a cinched waist.

Buy from Bloomingdale’s for $398

Rocker Chic on Crosby Street

“Leather. Zippers. Studs… the Botkier Fall 09 collection flaunts all the details we love about Botkier. Taking it back to street chic NYC cool. Inspired by the seductive pulse of New York City streets and my favorite pair of worn in, black leather motorcycle pants. Handbags and shoes in a palette of moody darks and sexy neutrals that get better with age. Slouchy silhouettes that live with us. This is quintessential Botkier”.- Monica Botkier

Sydney

Logan

Uma

Angie

Taylor

I just love, love, love this bag.  As you probably already know, I’m obsessed with slouchy bags right now.  I know for a fact that not all slouchy bags are created equal.  Some will fall nicely from your shoulder and some will just sit like ugly shapeless lumps.  I noticed that what sets the great slouchy bags apart from the bad slouchy bags is the bottom part of the bags.

A great slouchy bag has a proportionally wider bottom than the top, like this one. Furthermore, it has to have supple leather that will conform to the content of your bag.  The leather on this Tano bag looks supple from the zoomed in view. The side drawstring pulls reassure the suppleness by creating beautiful ruch instead of rigid and spiky folds.

Now, let’s talk about the color.  It only comes in one color: bronze (in Neiman Marcus).  I think bronze is a great color, because it goes with everything and it is more interesting than just a plain old tan color.  If you look at it closely, the bronze color of this bag is not just a flat bronze, it is more like a distressed bronze, which I think adds character and richness to the bag.

Another great thing about this bag is the price, which is only $225. You don’t even need to wait for it to go on sale. Buy from Neiman Marcus.

As you are reading this, you probably think that I have already arrived safe and sound in Amsterdam.  No, I have not.  In fact, I’m still at home right now.  Everything was great and smooth until we were about to get our boarding passes.  When they looked at our passports, they said my son’s passport had already expired.  Of course we were not allowed to board on the plane, and we did not have enough time to get a new passport.  In the end, we had to reschedule our trip and pay very expensive penalties for our tickets (designer bag expensive) *sigh*.

On top of all that, we felt so bad for our friend that generously offer to take us to the airport, which is not close to where we live.  She had to drive back and forth just because of this expired passport incident.  Today, we drove a total 130 miles going all over the place trying to fix this mess.

Even though the whole day was a total mess, something good came out of it.  After, we got back from the state department in San Francisco, we went to Costco to take my son’s passport pictures.  While I’m waiting, an old man came up to me and asked where I’m from, and told me that he thinks I have a beautiful face.  I know that he is old and he’s probably does not have a clear vision.  But hey after a whole day of stress at least I have something to smile about. FYI, I stayed up until 5 o’clock in the morning to do last minute packing, and I did not put any make up, not even powder when I walked out the door.  So, I’m very sure the old man is just trying to be nice.  He probably knew that I had a rough day and needed a little bit of cheering up.

Image from Take to tour world

For the next two weeks, I will be vacationing in Amsterdam with my family.  This means that my posts will deviate from my usual postings and that my posting frequency will be a little less. However, while I’m there, I will definitely try to blog about bag shopping and other (PG rated) stuff related to Amsterdam. Let me know if you have any request. Happy Summer!

How would you like it if you could see and use your phone from outside of your bag? Yes, you read it right. I did write OUTSIDE.  There is a saying that necessity is the mother of invention.  Apparently, people have a need to use their cell phone without having to take the cell phone out of the bag.  Personally, I don’t think this bag will be pretty to look at, but I’m sure it is super functional.  It is like having a huge cell phone sleeve that can carry your other belongings.

This product comes in 3 different size: purse, clutch and wallet.  Most of them are made of faux leather, which I’m not too fond of.  But maybe if it gets really popular, high end designers would start making a more luxurius version of this bag, you never know. Chanel has already made the Transparent Case Bag that is very unconventional.

You can buy this bag from Nectar Accessories for $100.

Here is a video where you can see how the bag works together with your phone:

YouTube Link

Since super slouchy bags are my current obsession, I clicked on bags that I would not normally pay any attention to; like this Christian Louboutin Saba Water Snake bag here.  If you look at the first picture, there is nothing really attractive about it. I thought the shape is kind of odd. Luckily, being the curious person that I am, I clicked more.  I actually have faith that Louboutin is very capable of making drool worthy bags.

This is a very casual and easy looking bag.  The one that you can wear and instantly have that effortless chic look, even though in reality it takes you an hour to get ready.  The color of the bag is very neutral, even though it is not eye popping, it is still very suitable for summer.  You can always tone it up by pairing it with bright outfit or tone it down with neutral outfit like the model is wearing.  You can pretty much wear this bag all year long.

One concern that I have is the stiff looking shoulder strap.  I think it is taking away some of the slouchiness effect of the bag.  I would prefer a flatter and supple shoulder strap.

Did you see how Louboutin is applying his signature on his bags? Notice the shoe charm and the red lining; I believe that the red lining is representing the red sole from his shoe line. I must say it is a smart marketing strategy. Given that Louboutin already has one sucessful shoe empire why not remind people of how good he is and how he also is committed to deliver the same level of satisfaction to his loyal customers.

Buy from Net-A-Porter for $2,097