Sometimes you just need to change out your oversized, patent, belted and jewel-encrusted bag for something soft and understated yet feminine and flirty.  This Jesse B. Collection Bella Boutique Bag is perfect for just such days.  Crafted of soft wool in colors that are 3 season perfect, this bag is big enough for a day’s essentials and still looks petite.  Check out these other fabric handbags to match any mood.

When it’s party time, it Mary Frances time.  These perky purses are perfect for your New Year’s Eve outing.  There may not be time to spruce up this year’s wardrobe with a new Mary Frances, but there’s always next year.  Happy 2008!!!

This Spring be sure to be up-to-date on the lastest fashion trends! As always…this Spring you will see many fabric handbags hitting the shoulders of women. Fabric handbags are a casual accessory that is perfect for the light, fun and flowy fashions of the spring. Personally I think the best way to wear a fabric handbag is to wear one with adornment, it adds a level of personality and is exteremly eye-catching. My fav is the Anna by Nikita Lynn Designs…an emerging designer! I love the contrast of grey with black and the many textures! This Spring…adorn yourself…you deserve it:)

We all may be used to seeing straw and rattan used only in picnic baskets, but start getting used to seeing these handbags on shoulders and in hands everywhere this spring!Everyone is catching onto this trend and coming out with different variations. Here are just a few: Rafe Koh Samui Wendy Rattan Clutch-With this clutch you are seeing another upcoming trend for Spring; matching a straw handbag (or in this case a clutch) with a contrasting fabric or leather accent. There will be a lot of metallic and patent leather that you will see with these straw/rattan bags. Here is another similar style from Kate Spade; the Tisbury Minu Clutch. Once again, a simple straw clutch paired with metallic leather accents. Now, lets look at some different silhouettes that we’ll be seeing in the upcoming months: This is a slightly different variation: the same characteristics, but in a satchel silhouette. This is the Rattan and Leather Satchel from Straw Studios. They have incorporated the contrasting metallic leather accents into the straps, as well as on various different places on the actual handbag.

 

 

Monsac has also caught onto this upcoming trend with this Nantucket Horizontal Shoulder Bag.The bright color and outside pocket really make this bag stand out from the others.

If not, you should click, click, click. Click all around the “shopping” part of handbags.com. You’ll discover more than 220 handbag designers right here, in a brand cloud. Fun names — on top of the biggies like Fossil, Deisel and Francesco Biasia — a few of which I’ve posted below. We love to showcase the emerging designers. Like the ones you find when you’re traveling. Ones you’d see inside the inspired little shoppes of The Meat Packing District or SoHo in NY. Or in San Francisco’s Hayes Street specialty boutiques. Handbags.com is meant to be a pursetopia, purse heaven, purse discovery zone… Ful shoulder bags | Mint handbags | Like purses | Float purses | Saltbox handbags| babee d handbags | MiMo purses | Cleo & Patek handbags (Paris) | Twisted Orchid purses

Coming from a long line of artistic family members, Antoinette Lee began designing at the age of 15. She now produces one-of-a-kind designs out of New York City, and ensures that each bag is crafted with careful detail and workmanship. Here is one of Antoinette Lee’s designs that I love:    It is the Besa Stitch Hobo. Pay close attention to the details on this handbag: braided leather details on the handles, shiny gold hardware, stitching detail on closure, buckle detail, and the contrast of black and white leather. This designer really makes each handbag a work of art.

How are you going to bring in the New Year?? This year, the year of 2008, why not welcome the New Year with some bling and sparkle!! Wearing something absolutely fabulous on New Year’s Eve is a must…especially if you are enjoying the night with friends and family. It’s a time to celebrate the finish of 2007 and welcome health, prosperity and happiness to those you love for the upcoming year! So what sparkle and glam will you sport?? Well the perfect accessory for any outfit is a handbag and since New Year’s Eve is the party of the year, why not show a little glam in a small but extraordinary clutch.. With so many to chose from, you will be sure to find one with the perfect amount of bling and sparkle. My choice this year is the Metal Mesh Magazine Clutch by Whiting and Davis. This clutch is perfect for a night out because it holds a good amount, so I can carry all that I need, it has an optional strap, it’s round shape makes it very easy to carry and let’s not forget…it’s constructed out of metal mesh that sparkles…A perfect accessory for a New Year’s Party! Bring in the New Year with the welcome of sparkle…in your life, the life of others and of course…your handbags Happy Holidays all!

Do you go home and announce, “Look, I saved 75%!” not “Woo hoo, I only spent $75!” If you are all about that BIG PERCENT savings, then this website might be ~perfecto~ for you: HandbagBlowout. When you go to www.handbagblowout.com, click on the RSS link and you can sign up for email notices too. Here is the bag that was on handbagblowout earlier today:

A new handbag on my must- have list is the Doc Python by Babee D! It is constructed with beautiful python embossed leather, patent leather and brushed brass hardware. This fashion forward handbag is stylish, durable and perfect for the everyday lifestyle of a fashionista. At a price of $413.00 for an up and coming designer brand….that’s an affordable deal… Want a little details about this hot handbag designer….it’s just a click away….Babee D Handbags

Hobo International has been helping women carry-on in style since 1990. Organizational pockets, security zippers, sturdy straps, functional spaces, and lightweight materials are some of the features that make Hobo products distinctive and versatile. Recognized as a line designed by women for women, Hobo’s confident styling, edgy attitude, quality construction, and practical features promise real solutions for everyday needs. This is a company that I wasn’t familiar with until recently, and I think everyone should look into it. They design a lot of leather goods that have a really funky, fresh look to them. Not only are you supporting a great organization by buying from this company, but you are also investing in a product that is high quality and high fashion.

Have you ever signed up for a credit card to get an extra 10% off? I have, in the past. But why? Should you do this … Or this … Macy’s, Dillards and other department stores offer credit card programs. Why? you may ask.

A. Well, credit cards can be money machines! Target’s credit-card business has earned 12% to 15% of their profits ($400 million to $500 million pre-tax, by my estimates) in recent years. In December 2007, analyst Peter Benedict said, Target’s credit business … has driven a third of total company pre-tax profit year to date. B. Beyond the money, any program promoted by a store is probably designed to encourage loyalty.

Your Job: you need to decide if a credit card program or a rewards program works “for” or “against” you in the long run. The Bright Side to store credit: A spirited salesperson says, “I can give you 10% off today’s purchases when you apply for our Macy’s special credit card. Signing up is fast!” Of course, these one-time discounts amount to real savings. And, the card may offer some year-round benefits. The Dark Side: There are plenty of reasons to avoid a store credit card. A high interest rate is one. If you don’t tear up the card immediately or pay your bill in full, you’ll most likely pay 18%+ interest per year. In fact, look closely, rates at stores like Macy’s start at 22%. Another reason is that too many credit applications can ding your personal credit rating …

In Bankrate’s article titled How Many Credit Cards is Too Many, “Steve Rhode, president of a nonprofit consumer-education organization, (says) that, each time you open a store credit card, 20 points are taken off of your credit score. Because, he says, ‘Historically, store credit cards are issued to anyone with a pulse. They issue credit cards to people who otherwise can’t get credit.’“

A Better Way To Save: So, here’s a better idea for saving money, perhaps. Especially for women who buy four handbags a year (that’s the average), a school bag for her kids each year, a sport or travel bag every year or two, etc. The better idea … this LaCroix handbag … = 20+ points! Buy a purse, get points (no matter what). No fine print. No high interest rates. No dings to your credit ranking. You don’t need to sign up for a new credit card. With this rewards program, you can redeem points next time to get a lower price on your next purse, or a backpack, laptop case, piece of luggage, or whatever you want. Provided it’s one of the 30,000 bags or travel accessories that eBags sells. For every $100 order you get 5 points to spend on a future product from eBags.com. And every point is equal to $1. This is sort of — a big “sort of” — like the way you can earn points for signing up for a new credit card. But — and this is a big BUT — you don’t need to sign up for a new credit card. You can earn points and redeem points on sale items and clearance items, too. After all, with other ways to save money, in this day of credit compression, tardy credit card payments, foreclosures and mortgage swindling, who needs ANOTHER credit card to manage???? Do you? Not me. = 6+ points (eco-friendly Helen E. Riegle) = 3+ pts (patent Via Nova) .

Limited, just one style. But, hey, a great price on a designer name — Kate Spade!