BagBible

I’m always happy when I see a Louis Vuitton bag that is not full of monograms all over the place.  This is one of them. It’s classy, it’s simple and quite functional with the removable shoulder strap.  The suede looks very fine and smooth.  I think Sofia Coppola did a very good job on this one.  Unlike most Louis Vuitton bags, this one really illustrates the meaning of subtle luxury.

You won’t find everybody at the mall wearing this bag, even though it is a Louis Vuitton. That is probably because it costs $3,870 and this bag might be too plain for some people who love monogrammed bags.

Image from Louis Vuitton

For those of you who are still wondering about Susan Mayer’s bag in the Desperate Housewives season finale, here is the YouTube video for your convenience. You can clearly see the Michael Kors newbury bag on the video.

Related post: Michael Kors Newbury Featured on Desperate Housewives Finale

Last night, when I was watching the Desperate Housewives season finale, I spotted this bag on Susan Mayer, played by Teri Hatcher.  I recognized this bag instantly because of the unique woven leather combination.  This bag is woven with two kinds of leather, matte and patent.  (It reminds me of the Bottega Venetta Hobo, however, the Bottega Hobo has three kinds of leather woven together, matte, patent and suede and it is fabulous).  The woven leather combination is pretty much the main show of the bag because the rest of it is very ordinary.

I had seen this bag around for a while, but never had the urge to blog about it, until I saw it on Desperate Housewives.  Since it showed up on that show, I figured that bag-loving viewers would like to know what that bag was.

I’ve searched for this bag online however I couldn’t find any online retailer that still carried it, since it had been around for sometime.  I did find other colors, such as tan, mocha,white and orange.  However, they’re not nearly as beautiful as black and they are not made of combination leather.

Image from Polyvore.

Enter the Prada giveaway at Ideeli, right now!  Please click HERE if you are not a member of Ideeli yet. The drawing of the winner will be on Fri, May 15 2009 at 09:04PM EDT

This is one funny bag.  It looks like a regular bag in the picture, but when I was trying it on at Nordstrom, I found out otherwise…  I pretended that was actually wearing this bag and using it. Oh boy, those zippered flaps were a nightmare. Imagine being in a hurry and trying to get something out from the bag.  First, you have to lift the flap and hold the flap so you can unzip it, and then finally you can reach deep deep down for whatever you are looking for.  As if you can’t get enough of the flap, instead of one they give you two. Isn’t it funny?

I can understand if something so pretty sometimes can be unpractical. However, this bag is not pretty AND not practical.

The funniest thing about this bag is actually the price.  For a “mere” $1,595 you can get this non-pretty and non-practical bag.  I used to think that if something is expensive it must be really good. Now, I know that is not always the case.  So, before you spent your hard-earned money on a bag, make sure that the bag is really worth your money.

If you must, you can buy this from Nordstrom for $1,595

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

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

Looking at the Lanvin Amalia reminds me of the classic Chanel 2.55. The quilted leather, the rectangular shape and the chain shoulder straps. However, the Lanvin Amalia has a more youthful appearance, thanks to the ribbon weaved chain. I would definitely wear this before graduating to the Chanel 2.55.  It comes in two sizes.

I personally like the smaller one better since I’m a petite. However, the bigger one has more compartments than the smaller one.  I love bags with lots of compartments.  It makes organizing my bag so much easier. I know I can just use one of those purse organizer and be done with it, but for some reason I always find my bag does not look as good with the purse organizer inside.  It makes my bags looks stiff.

Lanvin Amalia small shoulder bag $2,035, Lanvin Amalia quilted shoulder bag $3,110 from Net-A-Porter