Stylish with Substance

This bag looks like it started out with trends from the indie scene. First the designers layered cutout circles atop each other, then added beads. Then the designers moved on from today's looks, with the most popular of ancient handcrafters' marks, the Native Americans' "feathers", embroidery and thick stitches.

Unfortunately instead of hip and/or homey, the bag looks more like a trashy "professional" in a barely-there fringy skirt complete with diseased boils.

Instead of made with love this $2680 monstrosity is made with extra fug.

Source

A handbag worth its price in gold. Well, an Oscar de la Renta bag over 3x many of our rent bills done in genuine metallic python, lizard and golden hardware. The Metallic Python Doctor Bag is gaudy, sure, but it's fabulous and come on! -- doesn't it look worthier of its smaller-than-Birkin pricetag ($3,895) than well, THE Birkin (~$12,000 + waitlist)???!

Got ya there, didn't I? True, true, this purse is not practical (and the Birkin is the ultimate in class), but at least this satchel has a convenient closure. A ha! I got you again!

I'm good.

So's the bag.

Wee-woo wee-woo! What can I say, but just make adoring noises about this gorgeous bag?!

It's a fabulous, chocolate-trimmed Spy bag in Zucca logo fabric well hidden for a subtle effect under luxe sequins.

*Moans & groans*

This Fendi Spy costs $5,490. *Moans & groans*

Largely reminiscent of Hayden-Harnett's Mercer Clutch (I told you they were trend inspirers), this tote-ish bag by little known Corto Moltedo is also half strangely new. With a top rod/cut out - type handle and two side bottom pockets, plus loads of other doo-dads and design features, the bag's a little much to take. It's notable though, being a foldover convertible bag with attachable shoulder straps, plus it just looks so odd ... so what else does Moltedo have to offer anyway? Should we keep a look-out?

The Priscilla sells for $2080 on Net-a-Porter.

It looks like Marc Jacobs took a trip to Vegas when inspired by new Spring 2007 Python Patchwork Stams, and unfortunately what happened in Marc's imagination there, did not stay in Vegas. No the Python Patchwork Stam is now available for purchase via Saks Fifth Avenue (in blue, the tamest colour).

I should have warned you, this post's images are not for the faint of heart. The bags themselves are not for the faint of loyal Marc Jacobs heart, either---for this burst of tie-dyed snake skin costs $4,000.

More colours below, if you dare click on what look more like digital art images than photographs of real objects.

Gucci art, is this bag, this "Indy" bag with ethnically-flared floral embroidery on white canvas. It's a hobo shape with a single, rigid hand strap (plus detachable shoulder strap) sized quite large indeed, at 19" l x 13" h.

Also adorned in large leather tassels and trimmed in a gorgeous burgundy, this amazing bag costs $3,695. Pre-orders are being taken now for shipment by April 15th.

Even though this is a brand I often find overpriced for its quality and usually find over-rated, I bow down to this beautiful piece. Their Spring collection is striking and different. I just want more!

I love the look (and feel) of python. I love it for Spring and I love it on a classy satchel. So naturally I love this python frame bag by Prada. (Pitone is Italian for python, natch.)

In tan tonal python with braided handles and a framed top, this piece of high luxury is sized 17" l x 13" h and more than squeezes past my budget at $2,620. This fine bag is available for pre-order now through Neiman Marcus, though not in California.

Don't hiss and moan about the price, you have plenty of time to save up. And Californians, think about moving to Florida now - where python is plentiful and you don't have to smuggle the goods. ;-)

B. Fendis! B. Fendis! These bags were so prevalent in stores and on people's wish lists this year. One of the bags of 2006, for sure. The style debuted in the year, and one of the very first to come out, and the first to make most magazines, was the B. Fendi Lace & Embroidery Shoulder Bag. It's still being sold now - plus it's on sale! $3,633 from $5,190! Sure, the bag is a busy B., and there might be others you prefer (I actually do) but one has to admit, this bag buzzes luxury.

For sure, the B. Fendi line will be huge in 2007, but what's next for designs? Check back to Pursed Lips soon for the very next style out!

There's a new Gaucho in town, and it's more attractive to me. I still wouldn't fawn over the design, no, only the IT. Sorry, I do that. ;-)

The body of the bags looks .. less ugly---being subtler yet letting that Dior-saddle shine. But the leather is actually beautiful; it has embroidered patches made to look like croc skin. Why not the real thing? Why not the real thing, yet it's $3,590? Bah.

Still, it's quite ugly when worn, with that loong shoulder strap on the huge bag. Ick.

How'd the original even get tagged IT? (Oh, silly editors!)

Shop this Croc-Embroidered Gaucho on eLUXURY.

So there's a new collection from Louis Vuitton for Fall. The "Lockit." In Monogram, it's classic, nice; sure, but simple. It's not meant to be a timeless classic like many LV styles.

Yet it's pricier than say the Alma. Humph. Perhaps they're cashing in on the popularity of locks, not just by using them on their bags, as they do, or using them more prominently on these designs, which they don't---but sheerly by name?

Yet when we check out the Suhali Lockit, we see something different. Instant classic. There's more detail and a hanging key "clochette." And the leather, oh that is of the highest quality, hand-selected goat skin with no chemical treatment. It's a natural grain for the best balance between suppleness and durability.

The pictured Louis Vuitton Suhali Lockit GM comes in brown or "Sienne" and is 19" x 14.3" x 8" large and rings loudly at $3,000 even.

Don't worry, there's also a Suhali Lockit PM at $2,100 (in black or white) and Monogram Lockits for under $1,000.

Shop Louis Vuitton at eLUXURY.