Stylish with Substance

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!

I need to tell you the back story that brought on the awe for this bag .....

Sunny in autumn, newly a Floridian, I tried a familiar hair salon company's new hometown franchise. I had wanted red for Fall, orangey, yet natural. What in MA had been friendly, professional, but amazingly inexpensive, here there was a big language barrier, only "one" shade of "red" hair color (????), assumptions, blindness, stubbornness, greed, and well ... one disastrous hair coloring and a plain cut later (surprisingly, she got the bangs right) and I went browsing the mall ... apparently for a pick-me-up.

An obviously designer-inspired handbag lured me inside for a little guilty pleasure browsing. The bag, metallic, tacky --- wayyy too Chloé Bay. But another. Clearly the constructor took liberal cues from what had to have been a far more talented eye. Another designer copy - probably. But not already knowing, and thus knowing, no well sorry hoping, it wouldn't be an obvious leech --- I just had to purchase this awesome-looking bag (with the "unique" closure). I needed a little giftee for my pain. (For an almost painless price, $70 is steep for pleather.) But it was red! I had to start collecting red things to match my new crayon-hued tresses. Oy.

Not being able to work as much on the computer, setting up my apartment, being on my own with all these expenses -- (No flashlight or cooking oil of my own..... all the building blocks piling on the hundreds of dollars in actual necessary spending) -- means I have to wait and save for Coach bags at a discount, forget some pipe dream IT designer name. While I still didn't know the true creator, I could buy innocently.... enough.

Then last night I came across it. MY bag. In a sea foam green -- there were hints at a name, so further investigation brought me to the true design.

A Ferragamo Marissa Bag aka Capra Vernice Satchel. (Find at Neiman Marcus.com)

Oy. $1,1900. Barely any being sold. Nary a color choice. So for now I love, commit a fashion crime red-shouldered (cause I love that big, deep bag, I tell you!) while I wait for a red version to drop below retail authentically. Don't you understand? It must be red!

Sorry for not posting really last week; I've been depressed because of Virginia Tech. I'm trying to get back to normal, but I also am in a very busy period with other work right now.

Thanks Saks.com! They've shown us how Jimmy Choo's Foldover Clutch is convertible - and I gotta say I now really love it and .. I think I need it! Check it out below:

Jimmy Choo Foldover Clutches being sold RIGHT NOW:

That second look is oh-so fetching .. and just unique enough! With a removable wrist-strap, this stylish bag can be toted upright & tall or with the top folded to the front and secured by a magnet.

The metallic-toned Foldover, at 11" x 7", is a bit smaller than the regular (a whopping 15" x 8" x 3"), but it also goes for a better price: $825 compared to $1,250. Overall, it might be a bit less day but it's so much cuter than plain black. Would I miss the size? Is that great cost reduction worth it (especially when I'll probably still bargain hunt)?

If you're wondering, too, well - we can check it out in live action carried by Hilary Duff (5'1 / average-slim):

She's about my height, and it's not bad at all. (Here's a full-body photo.) It would even look slightly larger on moi. Now compare that to the regular on 5'3 (*disputed) / skin & bones Victoria Beckham here and this 5′11 skinny mannequin here. Super-huge, and would be even larger against my frame. Now note, this does matter in this case, because clutches are assumed to be smaller---ergo oversized clutches can dwarf a petite girl.

Close-up:

I really like it! I also like to carry a lot of *important* stuff with me, and want to use this more than just on dates/for evening. (For a designer IT bag at that price, I want to use it!) So what should I do?

You can order for yourself the Metallic clutch from Saks and the Marin Oversized Clutch from Net-a-Porter.