A tisket, a tasket, a gingham plaid picnic … duffle? Kind of cute is Dooney & Bourke’s new print for a Spring range of bags; Picnic. Featured here on the large new “duffle” shape, the fabric comes in Dooney’s usual array of colours.

The Large Duffle is truly large enough to use as a picnic basket alternative itself, at 19.5″ x 11″ x 9″. Think it’s silly to waste a handbag for that purpose? You won’t when you read the duffle’s price: $195! Oh yes.

The rest of the picnic shapes start at $125. Pick your colour, pick your shape. Then pick your friends up for lunch!

Popularity: 16% [?]

Polka dots make me happy, and that is the feel of Dooney & Bourke’s new “Mini Bubble” collection. In their classic shapes, they’ve miniaturized their “Bubble” circle logo and put them on different colours such as cream/black, sky, cocoa, multi (pictured) and more.

The mini bubble is cute and depending on colour can suit any age. It’s not in-your-face or tacky, no these tiny bubbles are just fine.

Popularity: 13% [?]

No surprise here, on the list of Top Ugly Bags is the new Dooney & Bourke: #3 Dooney & Bourke Bumble Bee bag.

The complete collection features bags with overly cartoonish bee drawings carrying “Ds” (the letters) but no “Bs”, for the bees are the “Bs” - get it? It’s a form of signature, then?

It’s busy, it’s corny and it’d be cute for the too young to afford $185.

Popularity: 16% [?]

The second week of our top 5s to ring in the new year is all about wallets: something else you can snatch up easily and quickly as presents.

Number 5 is a Vivienne Westwood key holder wallet in a gorgeous, colorful plaid. It individually holds more than 5 keys and keeps them securely under wraps.

4th & 3rd Top Wallet
2nd Top Walet
1st Top Wallet!

Popularity: 5% [?]

Okay, so the bag that tops off the list of Budget Handbags is a tad more expensive, and considerably smaller, but it really does pack a lot of style, quality and luxe detail into a small punch - er - pouch.

#1 Coach Signature-Leather Pouch

The small purse or travel case is embossed, then finely stitched with their signature C pattern. And the new versions have a longer strap drop, but I can’t say for certain whether it’ll fit on your shoulder. It’s perfect for the younger, just-budding fashionista. The thing that really seals the appeal of this bag is that Signature Leather was not made in anything larger!

The price? $138. Not so bad.

Popularity: 25% [?]

This is post #3 of our Holiday Gifts series, part 2 was on a Banana Republic Jewelry Roll.

Adorable, fun, and to me - so appropriate is the Louis Vuitton Multicolore iPod Suffle Cover with all the basic features a young LV/music fan needs - at only $140. Of course, this holds last year’s generation of Shuffle, not the new ultra, ultra mini one.

But if she’s got that shuffle, you may find other cases to be not much cheaper - so why not?! I’d love it … if only I liked the limited capabilities of this precise mp3 model. Humph.

Popularity: 9% [?]

It’s Thursday, which means it’s “Garbage Bag” day.

Sometimes, too much is well, too much, which is the case with this Bead Fringe Frame Bag from Jessica McClintock. Beaded fringe, beaded flower, large frame—we’ve probably all seen this type of bag everywhere. People carry them to proms, weddings, dances, etc., but I have to say I’ve never wanted one. They always seem so overdone to me.

I prefer my evening bags a bit more classic, simple and elegant.

Popularity: 6% [?]

I’ve never visited Hawaii, but I know a few people who have and I really should have had them buy me one of these pretty Meleana Bags. Luckily for me and you, these bags, which are designed by Meleana, a native of Hawaii, are conveniently available from her web site at very reasonable prices ($135–$145).

The bags, which are available in several different styles, are all created from vintage fabrics that Meleana finds through her travels and in her family’s collections. All of the fabrics, of which there are many, are full of color, bright and beautiful—perfect for this time of year. Plus, they just have a really pretty feel to them, which is only accented with the tortoise and bamboo handles Meleana uses.

Also, according to the web site, your bag will be custom made—choose your desired style and then choose your favorite fabric! Plus, as another bonus, all of Meleana’s bags are either one-of-a-kind or made in limited quantities, so you definitely won’t see your bag coming and going!

Popularity: 4% [?]

Special!: Ugly, “Garbage” Bag today!

Yes, this Veruka Nylon Shopper is a Marc by Marc Jacobs bag and he is one of my favorite designers, but I don’t have a desire to carry this one, and unfortunately at $148, I could actually afford this design.

With a total measurement of 18.5″ l x 13.5″ h x 4″ d, this berry-colored nylon bag features the whimsical “Miss Marc” illustration on the front—a cute drawing, but not something I want to carry around on my purse.

Plus, the shape of the bag seems to lack something for me—many times I like simplicity in design, but this, it seems a bit plain. Oh well, there are many, many other Marc Jacobs handbags that I adore, but alas, they’re much more expensive!

Popularity: 4% [?]

Forzieri.com, an online store of luxury Italian-made goods such as handbags, is holding a Bag Event with $30 off a purchase of $195 or more of handbags or related accessories.

Fun! Shop away the holiday. It’s family time for me, but … I’d rather be shopping.

… Or just not tapping away on a laptop while a fumey grill is being built. (Less family, more time losing.)

I’ve just been really into bag browsing while shopping on vaca, when not spending quality time. I have stories! Oh yes.

Popularity: 4% [?]