It’s time for Pursed Lips to actually take part in Kiss Me, Stace’s Style Steal. This Limited bag is full of high-end design; it’s practically a re-take of pricey brands, all for about $50! I love me some side buckles, and the center strap is very much reminiscent of the Coach Daphne Satchel I recently featured. I’m unsure whether it’s made of genuine leather, but its pricetag suggests not. Still, this would make a fantastic bag for the average woman.

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I lucked out on my recent trip’s flight home. Coco got her own plane seat next to mine!

Thanks to Mallory Road for more-than keeping up with the slack while I was gone. Whew!

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“I’m dreaming tonight about a handbag I want …” Christmas is the season for dreaming and wishing, and that’s exactly what most girls who want this handbag will have to be content with. Dreamin’ and wishin’ about it because the Chloé Beaded Small Bracelet Bag, the third bag to be spotlighted in the “12 Handbags of Christmas,” is priced at $1140! I suppose the elaborate beading and gold hardware, along with the craftsmanship and design, has a large part in that price tag, but still, $1140 is a lot of money.

Regardless of price, I chose this handbag (7.5″ x 9″ x 3″) to highlight because it’s fun and is a unique design. Made from garnet red satin, it was inspired by one of designer Phoebe Philo’s bracelets. I love when designers combine jewelry elements into their purses. Plus, the red round beads remind me of Christmas ornaments. Can’t you just see them on the tree?!

Now, after spotlighting this high-priced item, I feel the need to choose more affordable handbags next week. So, I’m off to window shop …

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The second handbag to be highlighted in my “12 Handbags of Christmas” (refer to the first post for more info.) is the Michael Kors Malibu Mini Demi Bag. I love this bag because it’s PERFECT for the holidays! The shape, the fabric, the colors, the clasp, the strap—you get the picture. Size-wise (4.5″ x 6.5″ x 1.5″), it will fit the bare necessities for holiday events—cash and lip gloss. You’re not going to be lugging around a large bag at a party trying to carry everything you would on an average day, so the size is great!

The chain strap is also adjustable, which means you don’t have to suffer with a strap that’s too long all night, which can get very annoying. Made from leather fabric, it’s availabe in three holiday colors (bronze, metallic silver and metallic pink). I would go with the bronze—I think it looks classy. The finishing touch is an adorable clasp closure that is like a little coin purse. Can’t you just see this with a great full skirt?! Oh, I almost forgot—it sells for $98. Much less than the first bag I picked to be highlighted.

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Once again, I was reminded that your handbag makes a big impression on how others view you. My brother, who’s in college, recently remarked that a girl in one of his classes had a Prada bag and he automatically assumed she was rich. (Side note: Points to my brother for noticing the bag and knowing Prada bags are expensive! Obviously, he’s spent some time around me.) But, on with my story, it got me to thinking that handbags truly are just as important as your shoes and clothing in defining how people perceive you.

Sometimes, people put a lot of effort into their outfit, only to pull out a handbag that’s been torn and beat up from use, which in turn ruins the outfit. It’s just like with shoes—a great pair of shoes will turn a regular outfit into an amazing one and an ugly pair of shoes will destroy a wonderful outfit. You wouldn’t want to enter a corporate job interview dressed in a classy suit, only to be carrying a bright neon pink cotton tote with worn patches—would you? Okay, that might be a big exaggeration, but you get the picture. The point is that just as carefully as you decide what shoes you’ll wear with an outfit, just as carefully decide what handbag you’ll carry.

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J. Crew is having a Fall Sale, which includes this Newbury Suede Bag, for $99.99. It sold originally for $158. Now is the perfect time to buy it—sure, it’s orange and definitely looks like autumn, but you can carry it for a few weeks now and then have an almost-new bag to pull out next autumn! Made of Italian suede with a printed lining, it measures 7″ H x 10.5″ W, with a 7.5″ handle drop.

Check out some of the other bags, like the Ludlow Small Leather Bag on sale for $99.99 and the Refined Plaid Chelsea Tote on sale for $129.99. I would hurry, sale items at J. Crew tend to sell out fast!

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With the holidays rapidly approaching, you’re sure to need a new handbag or two for all of the upcoming social gatherings. So, as a service to you, each week from now until the week of Christmas, I will highlight one or two handbags that are special enough to hold their own against holiday fashions. (I know, it’s a tough job, but I am so glad to do it!) Instead of the 12 Days of Christmas, it will be kind of like the 12 Handbags of Christmas! (C’mon—you’ve got to admit that’s a cute idea!) They will, of course, be in no particular order.

The first bag to be in the spotlight is the Moo Roo Bridgette Clutch. It might not be the first handbag you’d consider for the holidays—it has a more demure approach, instead of being bombarded with beads and sequins. Made of luscious black satin with hand-loomed black Swiss lace, it can be carried as a clutch or used with a shoulder strap or handle. Measuring 5.5″ x 10″ x 3″, I instantly see this bag against a red satin dress, a green chiffon camisole or a sophisticated white sweater. You’ll never have to worry about this bag going out of style or being too trendy. After the holidays, pull it out and wear it with jeans for a chic look. Since the Moo Roo line is considered a luxury brand, the price tag for this bag is $700, but don’t worry, not all of the highlighted holiday bags will be so high in price.

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A wallet is a crucial aspect of the handbag industry that sometimes gets overlooked. Yes, I’ll admit I do have more handbags than wallets, but I think it’s essential that every handbag-loving girl needs at least one great wallet that can be interchanged between purses. Who wants to have a fabulous bag only to open it and pull your money out of a less than desirable wallet! I know I don’t, but I do tend to be a tad obsessive about having organization inside my purses.

Coach always has great wallets, and after taking a recent look, the Soho Leather Slim Envelope Wallet (3 7/8″ x 7 5/8″) is my pick. It’s made of lightweight leather with a fabric lining and comes in a choice of colors (black, mahogany or white). I love the white! There are 10 credit-card slots, 2 additional interior pockets, a double billfold, an interior zippered coin compartment, an outer pocket and a magnetic snap buckle closure—all this for $208.

And don’t despair if you can’t spend $208 for the Coach wallet. Nine West has a similar wallet for only $34. The Glazed Indexer (3.5″ x 5″) has 12 card slots, a double billfold, an exterior coin pocket, along with a buckle clasp. Colors available include classic black, blue, moss green and nut brown. Sure, it might not have as many details as the Coach, but you’ll still look great paying for your next purchase!

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A designer handbag collection can really consume a closet and add up to an incredible annual dollar sum. Even I have realized that it’s something to avoid. One tip to possibly consider, if you’re truly a fanatic, is don’t buy an expensive bag unless you love it so much, you give it a name.

I’ve realized this with the addition of Coco! … and the wish to replace some older bags. And now I want a new Signature bag … and … ohh!

I’m now in search of a good borrowing service, instead of all this.

Is the name thing good advice, or am I just a little bit ill? Already, I think the system is faulty. To the core, patience, knowledge and a careful approach are musts. Less is so truly more.

And yet *new* is always shinier. I’m on the case! (To be continued …)

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If you’ve taken a look at my bio, you know that Anthropologie is one of my all-time favorite stores, so needless to say, I was excited to see they had new-for-the-season handbags available on their web site. They always have bags with one-of-a-kind looks and amazing details, along with unusual materials–very rich-looking! But, sometimes, they come out with a bag that just, well, doesn’t work for me.

The Bandeau Bucket Bag (17″ x 14″ x 6.5″), with it’s brown corduroy cinched wrap, kind of reminds me of a woman trying to fit into a tube top that’s two sizes too small. It has a ruffled top edge made from floral fabric with a matching bloused bottom and it sits on metal feet. (Personally, I feel metal feet should be reserved for finer fabrics such as leather and suede—fabrics you don’t want touching the floor!) The proportion of the bag doesn’t work for me either. It’s 17″ tall, making it much taller than it is wide.

On the other hand, I LOVE the Marwood Saddle Clutch! Soft turquoise cotton (although it reminds me of suede), tasteful beaded retro-print fabric, snap closure, perfect size (5.5″ x 11.5″ x .5″) and my favorite—melon-colored lining. Purely a great clutch!

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