louis vuitton


Ten best IT bags to buy and wear now

mansur gavriel handbag styled with culottes

Every year the crop of IT bags changes. Over the past few years we have seen the Chanel Boy Bag, Celine Trapeze, Louis Vuitton Petite Malle, Chloe Drew, Saint Laurent Sac du Jour, Balenciaga City Tote, Givenchy Antigona, Mansur Gavriel Bucket Bag, Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag, Chloe Marcie, and more enjoy their moment in the spotlight. While these bags still maintain a cult following, as well as IT status, they have moved into a more classic category on the handbag hierarchy. Enter the IT bags of right now, and early 2017.

At New York Fashion Week last month, and at subsequent fashion weeks in London, Paris, and Milan, there was a flurry of fabulous designer handbags on the arms of the well-heeled attending the shows. While I could only judge what was worn through photographs in London, Milan, and Paris, I did see first hand what was being carried in New York; and the bags were fabulous.

There were ten distinct handbags which kept appearing on the arms, shoulders, and clutched in the hands of those fashionable fashion industry insiders at the recent spring 2017 shows. These are the handbags which are hot right now, and will remain hot as we move into early 2017. Get your wallet ready, if you don’t already own at least one of these current IT bags, and you enjoy owning an IT bag du jour, it is time to start shopping!

My favorites from the current crop of IT bags:

The number one most spotted handbag on the streets of New York Fashion Week was the Louis Vuitton Petite Malle. This tiny little trunk has been proving to have IT status for the past few seasons, but it was quietly the stand-out at fashion week last month. I tried to count the times I spotted this bag, but sadly, I lost count. It was everywhere. If you like tiny, structured, trendy bags, this is the IT bag for you.

The next most popular bag on the streets of New York Fashion Week was the beautiful Pierce bag by J.W. Anderson. I might be biased, as the proud owner of this bag, but it was really pretty. If you are looking for an edgy meets classic shoulder/saddle bag for right now, this is the bag to get! The black and white version was the most popular, followed by black, then brown. I chose to purchase the Tangerine hue, I guess I was in a rebellious mood?

jw anderson pierce bag

Here are the other six IT bags that were everywhere during fashion week, and which stood out from the crowd. The Mansur Gavriel Bucket Bag is still hotter than hot, as is the Lady Bag by Mansur Gavriel. The Circle Tote by Mansur Gavriel was also spotted frequently at shows. These were three bags spotted at almost every show I attended. In addition to Mansur Gavriel, the Chanel Boy Bag was everywhere, as were the Proenza Schouler Hava satchel in black (I thought I was unique, apparently not!), the small version of Loewe’s Puzzle bag, the Gucci Marmont, and the up-and-coming Gucci Dionysus shoulder bag. 

new york fashion week street style handbags

So to sum up the best street style handbags from New York Fashion Week, which happen to be the current IT bags du jour, we have the Mansur Gavriel Bucket Bag, Mansur Gavriel Circle Tote, Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag, Gucci Marmont, Gucci Dionysus, Chanel Boy Bag, Louis Vuitton Petite Malle, J.W. Anderson Pierce bag, Loewe Puzzle Tote, and the Proenza Schouler Hava satchel.

I wish I had taken photos of people and their handbags when I was at fashion week. Lesson learned. I will do this in February 2017 so that I can give you a visual of the current IT bags! In the meantime, you can see them in all their marketing glory around the web. Below I have divided up the top ten IT bags of the moment so you can check out the ones you like! Which IT bag will be your bag du jour?

Gucci Dionysus

Gucci Marmont

Mansur Gavriel Bucket Bag, Lady Bag, and Circle Tote

Proenza Schouler Hava satchel

Chanel Boy Bag (pre-loved)

Louis Vuitton Petite Malle (pre-loved)

J.W. Anderson Pierce Bag

Loewe Puzzle Tote

mansur gavriel in stock summer 2016


Trunk clutches for fall 2015

trunk clutches for fall 2015

From top left: turquoise clutch (under $30!)/ lizard trunk / LV Petite Malle / tan trunk clutch (under $200!)/ top handle trunk / striped trunk

Last year, we watched as box clutches, and small, boxy handbags began to emerge as a new trend in small handbags. For the fall 2015 season, this trend has caught some speed, and is proving to be the hottest emerging trend of the season.

Boxy handbags, and trunk inspired clutches, are popping up on store shelves everywhere for the fall 2015 season. To add fuel to the fire, trunk clutches also popped up on the recent spring 2016 runways in New York, Paris, Milan, and London; proving to the fashion world that this is a trend to be taken seriously.

Thankfully, this is one trend you can wear now; and be prepared for it to explode in 2016. Trunk clutches are being shown in small, and mini sizes, for the fall 2015 season; and also for the spring 2016 season. Some have hidden shoulder straps, while other trunk clutch offer a small top handle.

Trunk clutches for fall 2015 can be found in neutral colors on both both vegan and leather fabrications. There are also resin versions, and alternative fabrications; adding to the variety of the trend.

There is no one color or design which stands out among trunk clutches this season. The idea is to find a trunk clutch which adds a little bit of fun and sass to your ensemble. So while neutral options are always a good idea, this is one trend you can have some fun with when it comes to patterns and colors.

Trunk clutches can be worn with casual through to formal attire. They are the ultimate day into evening handbag; as long as you don’t need to carry too much with you. Trunk clutches tend to be small, with unforgiving interiors.

Which trunk clutch started it all? Louis Vuitton’s Petite Malle trunk clutch started the trend. If you want to original trunk clutch, this is one to look for. If you are open to any trunk clutch, there are plenty out there to choose. from.

I found a few fabulous trunk clutches around the web and assembled them into the shopping widget below. I hope you love them! Happy shopping, and stay fabulous 😉


Are handbags really an investment?

Are expensive handbags a good investment

Handbags from top left: Chanel Boy Bag (risky, new asset-may or may not mature over time) / Chanel classic flap bag (blue chip handbag investment, should mature slowly over time) / Chanel 2.55 shoulder bag (blue chip handbag investment, should mature slowly over time) / Mansur Gavriel drawstring bag (current IT bag selling over list price in the secondary market, good for day trading and short term investing)

Have you ever looked at a premium, luxury handbag and wondered if it was worth the money? Have you heard your friends, or acquaintances, talk about what a great investment a recent handbag purchase had been? You are not alone.

With the IT bag trend around the globe encompassing handbags which cost north of $1000; sometimes way more, it is no wonder that handbags can be considered an investment. Let’s look at the Hermes Birkin as an example:

An Hermes Birkin is considered the ultimate IT bag. This beautiful tote is also considered by many handbag lovers to be the “Holy Grail” handbag. This means many handbag fans goal in life is to own an Hermes Birkin. Crazy you say? Perhaps, and perhaps not. . .

The Hermes Birkin will set you back around $20,000; or more. This is not a small amount of money. If you had $20,000 sitting in your checking account begging to be spent, how would you spend it?

$20,000 can be spent on many things. Let’s review how this sum could be used in a practical sense. You could buy growth and income stocks for your future retirement. You could remodel your master bathroom. You could install new hardwood floors in your home. These are all options which would result in increased savings or home equity; true investments.

What are some other ways you could spend $20,000? You could buy an inexpensive car. Of course cars depreciate in value, so you can say “bye-bye” to that $20,000. Or you could go on a shopping spree at your favorite store, such as Neiman Marcus, and spend it on seasonal, trendy, luxury goods. Two ways to watch that money fade away into a small memory.

Then there is the fun way to invest $20,000; an Hermes Birkin. Let’s talk for a minute about why it is considered an investment. The Hermes Birkin has IT bag status ten times over. It never fades out of style and can be worn both casually and for the office; and there’s more. . .

The Hermes Birkin offers superior quality over other handbags. It is handmade and sturdy; it can take a beating, and still look fabulous. So what makes it an investment money-wise?

There are very few specific handbags which increase in value over time. The Hermes Birkin has the most re-sale value of any IT bag. Not only does the Hermes Birkin hold it’s original purchase value, it increases over time as long as it is maintained properly; much like your home.

If you purchased an Hermes Birkin ten years ago for $10,000 and kept it in good condition, it could easily fetch you $15,000 or more right now. Of course, good stocks, and a home remodel, may fetch you more of an increase than a handbag; but at least it doesn’t depreciate in value like a car.

Of course, most people do not have $20,000 to invest in an Hermes Birkin; I know I don’t! So if you want to spend your money wisely when it comes to handbag shopping, there are other investment options.

Besides Hermes, Chanel is the next best thing to an investment purchase. Chanel’s iconic 2.55 shoulder bag, and classic flap bag, increase in value over time. They do not increase as much as Hermes, but they still go up in value. That my friends, is an investment.

Other designers to lean towards if you would like to watch your handbag hold its’ value, and increase in value over time, include Louis Vuitton and Celine.

Of course, just because a designer has a reputation of creating investment handbags, does not mean every bag will increase over time. As with any stock, bond, real estate, or investment in general, there is a risk involved.

The designer or brand could have some really bad press and suddenly loses it’s appeal. The quality could go down and the general public loses faith in the brand. Or, what had once been considered a classic handbag style for forty years, could suddenly become outdated. The horror!

So how do you find a fairly safe investment handbag when shopping? Well, stick to the basics. For Hermes, look for the Birkin or Kelly. The other styles do not hold their resale value as well. For Chanel, stick with the 2.55 or classic flap shoulder bag. The seasonal styles can become “so last year” in a heartbeat. The Boy Bag is still too new to assess.

When it comes to Louis Vuitton, stick to the classic, tried and true styles such as the Alma or Speedy. If the handbags are seasonal, or just appeared on the runway, they are not an investment.When it comes to Celine, look for solid colored bags; stay away from the color blocking. That is a trend.

Remember, part of the investment is wearing the handbag and getting a ton of use out of it. Do not buy handbags just to make your cash grow. If you want your cash to grow, buy some good stocks or real estate. If you want something to use often, and to prevent you from buying or needing other bags, then this is a sound investment in your future handbag style.

So now you have your investment bag and you have decided you need to cash it in. How do you turn handbags into cash? What do you do? Stay tuned as I discuss this next week!

Resale investment handbags around the web:

Chanel 2.55 shoulder bag:

Chanel classic flap shoulder bag:

Chanel Boy Bag:

Hermes Birkin:

Mansur Gavriel: