Stylish with Substance

The IT Chloé Heloise at Net-a-Porter has lowered in price from $1,670 to $1,169. Pretty good difference! I almost want to jump, but I think I'll wait for a bit more of a decline. If you don't want to miss a shot by any chance, it is absolutely at a fine price now!

Garbage Bag of the Week:

Jay McCarroll Bowler - Fred Flre $60

Is this how the winner of Project Runway makes a bag? See, this is what we get when the rules for the contest are as such; "the designers must sew" and "they must design women's-wear" instead of the important things, like talent in aesthetic design. I mean of course sewing is an important factor with how the competitions are run, and sticking to ladies' fashions keeps the show running more consistently, but with the popularity of purses, and the presence that handbag designers bring to the scene, where is the TV show for those aspiring to design bags?---Huh?!

Really, how does someone who won a major, famous contest for fashion design then make a bag that disregards color combination and basic knowledge of modern strap attachment? There is no talent in this cheap POS. Why make something for fabbing Fred Flare, wih fugging vinyl trim?! No respect for you, McCarroll.

You're out!

This is partly why I don't like the show.

How? They've collaborated with the new creative director of Mulberry, Katie Grand, to produce a jersey fabric version of the house's famed "Roxanne" handbag, in the name of "charity" for (Product) RED.

And I want you to turn red with outrage. Why?

(Product) RED, if you need a refresher, is a part of the AIDS awareness organization, Join (RED), and 50% of the profits from their products with Gap go toward the Global Fund to help fight AIDS in Africa. Oh - that must be why this (Product) RED Mulberry bag is marked up 50%, at £85, or $175. Except the purse is not available stateside, anyway, (only in Gap flagship stores in London and Paris) and will surely be marked up much further later on with either eBay bidding wars or profitable bid openers.

(That's great, put out a highly exlusive handbag, so that unrelated parties can make profits without giving any proceeds to help! Ridiculous [and 150% foreseeable].)

What can we do, besides go along with this or ignore it?

First of all, Fashionistas must make being Patriotic mean we'll support politicians who will turn our poor, laughable economy around. We also must create an uproar in response to designers catering to the fancy European cities (what about Anya Hindmarch's original release of "I'm Not a Plastic Bag" only being available in the UK?)!

Then, when the bags start showing up on eBay, perhaps we should chastise the sellers and/or request they give 100% of their final listing value, minus fees, to the same charity. I bet they won't do it! But we'll hopefully leave an impression in some of their minds.

To sum up, and most importantly: It is just not right for a company or the designers to not take a pay cut when producing for charity. To pass the act of donating 100% toward the consumer, mostly poor fashion fans, is not quite right. Even at $85 American, it would be a tad overpriced. Sure, there's the designer's name and of course the great, recognizable shaping, but it's a fabbing jersey material bag! (From Gap!)

Part of what makes designer purses worthwhile is the quality of genuine leather! One can't get the same use out of a simple nylon bag (sorry Prada, NOT) or, in this case, fabbing t-shirt material! Besides, it was probably manufactured by Gap, not Mulberry!

Ridiculous!!! Unacceptable!

(And for a similar matter, do not send me any more invites to NYC events. Geesh! -- Unless you pay for the plane tickets. And no - I do not want to offer reports on NYC's sample sales to my worldwide readers. Gah.)

*Via Fashion Week Daily*

Red. It's the hottest color of the season. And why not? We're living in spicy times, and autumn is aflush with warm hues that fight any bad weather.

I'm scouting red bags around the web - preferrably more affordable ones, since it's trendy, bold and we DO want to collect collect collect! So .. how about COACH?

Hamptons Leather-Signature Hobo - $368

Carly in leather - red - $398 (I personally want this one)

Hamptons Leather-Signature Flap Satchel - $498

Plus there's more! Search Coach bags by color at www.coach.com!

Seeping in the sophisticated and elegant with the past (and current) quirky and oft even western purse styles, is designer Isabella Fiore. The brand is my new favorite for intricacy, quality and ladylike-ness mixed with that COACH pricepoint.

The line seems to be increasingly popular on eBay, too, for I lost an auction. Oh drat! Well, I need to save my pennies, 'cause I think I've found an apartment to move into!! Oh yes.

While it's hard to admire such great work as Fiore's from afar, when even the small house now demands drooling attention. I can do it. Because - afterall, I can't afford all the styles I see that I then want, can I?