Stylish with Substance

With probable fears of crime and hanging on to our dear valuables looming more than ever, combined with who-knows-what untold other little micro-now ways of life, cross body bags have become more appealing than ever.  In a budget-minded style with a twist, I recommend buying only one of this rare and unique style, in a possible statement bag or at least one to last lots of  "every-days"......partially because the new trends follow the new way of life, pairing down. Given that, here are some in "every" pricerange following the *built to last--while budgeting* rule...

Statement Holding ($$$)

Gucci - $1,395

Flaunt your Love ($$)

Kooba - $485

Practical-ly Making $

Fossil - $148

So yes, I'm behind this Spring... and where to start? Well why not where I have a little pun already popped into my mind - even though it's just an update on my favorite, and I recently blogged about the Paddington, but oh well! It's a fave for a reason, perhaps.

Yes, the Paddy, that I have dubbed...

The Pattenton

If you want to and can snatch one up - good luck - Paddies are widely sold out, at least online.

_ O _ _ _ _ & _ _ _ _ _ E C _ _ _ _ W _ _ _

I can't figure out if the ampersand counts as a word, so part of my pun is messsed up. But Dooney & Bourke has a new logo collection (they're way ahead of Coach now in coming out with new signature patterns!); called Crossword with diagonal letters inside blocks. Part of the gaming fun is missing, however, with all of the brand letters filled in. Is this a case of visual design before name concept? (No, that is not a bad thing.)

Unearthed, an exotics worker who makes accessories for sale on Etsy.com, seriously amazes me. She often uses these exotic skins, like lizard, for wrist cuffs and bags. And she's a reasonable artist, too. I'm talkin' a python purse would run in the mere low hundreds, NOT $10,000!!!

The bag I'm featuring tonight has rich brown leather trim, fun studs; all surrounding a funky, textured wool body. The bag is slightly reminiscent of COACH, but would compare to their $700~ish bags. The pricetag of this purse? $345, but it's honest pricing folks! The designer chose the finest of leather and you can clearly tell the purse it well put-together.

I say, if this (The Unearthed Oslo Bag), is what Indie can do - let it be the future!

Combining a few of the hottest trend aspects of the season: unique closures, gathered leather and ... maybe a high price point; is the new range by little-known Smythson; the Nancy bags.

In the styles of clutch, small satchel and large, and standard colors of white, tan, black and dark brown; there's almost something for every fashionista this Fall with the Nancy collection ... except that these bags are propelled into the IT race with a price range of $1,032 to $1,981. Somewhat much for a little-recognizable status bag, but the purses really are nice. And did I mention trendy? They have a lot of the appeal of a Stam, plus the more practicalities of a medium size option and no heavy hardware. The gathered leather is done in a sophisticated and unique way; sort of appearing like a diamond quilt pattern but not - and the clasp is not only fresh, but covered in luxurious leather - the same calf skin the entire exteriors are made of.

And who knows what we'll see in the future if the Nancy catches fashionistas' fancy!

When does the phrase "hand made" really mean something? "Designer bags" are "hand made". Yeah, right -- we can't actually know the level of strictness that label really means for most brands (below Hermès). And then there's the hand made for which straight stitching means it's, well, "cute" straight - if-ya-know-what-I-mean. And that's great! Nothing wrong with a little amateur purse making.

It's certainly SOMETHING Special!

Take the bag above; look at the lines, the uniqueness, the leather, the hardware (and the symmetry, thank you)! This bag was made by an Etsy seller, and it sold (yes, it's sold) for (only) about $200.

They're not all bags this spectacular and luxe over at Cha Cha's shop, but there is a nice demi flap purse going for $145. If you fell in love with the bag above, though, one other great aspect of indie design and shopping is that you may ask the designer to make another - and she probably will!

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!

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*