Bags of fun

Did I mention I got whisked off to Amsterdam after Xmas by the bloke for my birthday? Naturally I had to add the museum of bags and purses to my itinerary. I spent a blissful couple of hours looking at a visual history of bags from 1500s to the present day followed by a whole room full of evening bags and "it" bags. Glorious.

There were bags made of every conceivable material from plastics to enamels, precious metals and a mind-boggling number of skins (leopard, shark, eel iguana, etc)

Here are some of my favourites:

Clockwise from top left: ship-shaped pochette, green and balck enameled pochette, leopardskin bag (yes, that is the leopard's face, eek!), clear plastic bag with applique flowers. Credits: Tassenmueum Hendrijke

And pics from the special evening bag exhibition:

Cupcake bag by Judith Leiber last seen on Sex and the City movie

High fashion and high kicks

Madonna is appearing in French bistro-inspired ads for Louis Vuitton, reports WWD. Can't say I like the old bag much, but I kinda like the new bags... And the shoes - although I can't say that I'm particularly happy about that spindly heel. I do hope they're not making a permanent return.

We get it Madge, you're 50 and you can still stick your legs in the air. You rock. *rolls eyes*

And is that another bloomin' grass skirt like the one from the Gucci party that she's wearing? I'm sorry, I don't know high fashion but I know when something ain't right. And that? Ain't right.

So Fugly! Ugg bag

What do you get someone you really, really hate for Christmas? Why, this very tasteful Ugg bag, of course!

Excuse me, Miss; your bag seems to have grown a beard

Throw in this extra special matching wallet for bonus nasty points. Nice one Ugg.

My, what a fetching wallet! Are you wearing it for a bet?

Render you enemy speechless by going for a hat trick: bag, purse and cosy, cosy, metallic boots.

Merry Christmas, bitch

Excuse me while I go take a very hot shower to wash off all this fUgg.

I want it now! Faith heart clutch, £30

When I think accessories on the high street, Faith isn't a brand that immediately comes to mind. But recently, I've seen them edging more and more into my conciousness (at least that bit of my consciousness that sees something bright shiny and covetable and goes "oooh!") when I think I might need a little cheap outfit pick-me-up.

They are by no means there yet with a ready stock of "lovies" (to quote Susie Bubble) but every so often they come up with the goods. This gorgeous bag is a good example.

Love that shiny red and the heart shaped, hard frame. The shape also looks nice a robust - like you might be able to fit in more than a credit card and a small mobile phone - and not cheap and flat. And, thoughtfully, they've provided a nice long chain handle.

My only quibble is, seeing as it's not made of leather, can the £30 price tag really be justified? In these financially times, I'm thinking: not. Still, nice to look at.

Also comes in black, for those of you who don't share my penchant for brights.

Designalike: River Island Vs Dolce & Gabbana

Hang on, doesn't that River Island bag(top left) look a little familiar? That's because it's a sneaky rip off of a similar monochrome patchwork bag by Dolce & Gabbana.

But look closer and you'll see the subtle differences: the shape, the size, the fact that one is made from very expensive skins and the other is made from PVC.

Here's the dead giveaway however, one of these bags costs £40 and one decidedly doesn't. And, at the end of the day, that's all you really need to know.

See more designalike

When design gets fugly

Outfit of the week 03/04/08

As you might have read, after a long shopping hiatus, I went shopping at Primarni last weekend and picked up what I believed to be the best superclutch ever for a mere £6. My friend K was not so impressed, and I'm beginning to wonder if I will actually be able to wear it with anything. So I had a root around on t'internet (as you do) and came up with not one but two ways to wear my bag. So this week you get two outfits of the week in one.

Outfit A: Funky, punky, fun
For this outfit, I was thinking keep it simple and let the bag be the star. This is probably as simple as it gets for me cause I've just got to have some colour. It's kind of of bubblegum pop meets punk, the kind of outfit Debbie Harry might have worn in her hey day. I am deeply, deeply in love with those gladiator sandals from All Saints. I was seriously tempted to buy them online today. If this love continues, I shall have have to put the credit card in the freezer (am I the only one who does that when I decide I cannot spend any money?)

Tee dress, £8, Joia at Oli
Gladiator sandals, £115, All Saints
Pink tights, a selection, Tabio


Outfit B: Gorgeous, girlie goodness
Oli is still my go-to place for pretty pieces, this gorgeous, feminine dress from Looking Glass being a prime example. I've paired it with multi-coloured shoes from Office - I used these in my Minnie Mouse comic book collage - to match the bag and bare legs now that we're having warmer weather. I'm also slightly mad about alice bands with bows at the moment. I think this patent PVC one from River Island is brilliant.

Dress, £60, Looking Glass at Oli
Shoes, £55, Office
Alice band, £2.99, River Island

Which outfit is your favourite?

The results are in and gorgeous, girlie outfit B wins by 41 per cent
33 per cent of you wannabe Debbie Harry and voted outfit A
25 per cent of you loved both outfits so much that you couldn't bear to choose between them
8 per cent of you hate my bag. Boo!

Outfit of the week - 01/02/08

This week I'm back on back on Oli again. They have some quite interesting offerings in their spring collection. I spied this JJ Park skirt and blouse combo while surfing recently and, seeing as I am in the middle of what can only be termed as ruffle lust, it caught my eye immediately. I love the pleated bodice and the cute floral applique detailing (this is a subtle way to do the floral trend if your not into colourful blooms everywhere) on the blouse. And the skirt just makes me swoon with pleasure.

I suppose this is sort of a party outfit, really. At the very least I'd call it smart. I hardly ever do monochrome (what can I say, I'm a colourful chick!) When I do, I tend to stick to the tried and tested formula of black and white + a touch of red = good to go. So I wanted to play around with that a bit. So I've added these adorable tan shoes and a multi-striped bag to add some less predictable interest.

71 per cent of you rated this outfit a cute Do and 28 per cent of you thought it was a bit boring.



Click on image to enlarge

JJ Park pleated rosette blouse, £60
JJ Park ruffled tiered skirt, £65 both at Oli
Office floral vamp t-bar, £55
Aldo multi-coloured stripey bag, £20
Accessorize ribbed opaquue tights, £8

Handbags and gladrags

Am I the only one to notice that, though it is barely October, the party gear has already hit the shops? Folks, christmas is in December - at the tail end of December. What is going on here?

Anyway, since the cogs of party wear shopping have already been set in motion, I thought I'd take a look at what's out there.

With ladylike glamour, sequins and embellishment leading the way, the outlook for the party season is definitely shiny. With accessories, it's all about those special little finishing touches. I'm currently going mad for fascinators, chunky costume jewelry and long satin gloves.

Click on the images for a closer look.


Gladrags

Debenhams Debut faux fur wrap, £40, French connection embellished dress, £130; River Island tiered camisole, £34.99; Coast red ruffle-neck top, £65, Star by Julien MacDonald beaded dress, £140; Topshop sequined jeans, £65

Handbags

Wallis black sequinned clutch, £20; RiverIsland panelled clutch, £19.99; Wallis metallic clutch, £23, Star by Julien MacDonald foldover clutch, £15

Sparklers

Debenhams feather fascinator, £15; River Island ribbon and jewel necklace, £12.99; Warehouse seqiun scarf, £35; French Connection gold sequin belt, £25; Mango multi-coloured jewel Alice band, £8; River Island jeweled cuff, £14.99; Monsoon sequin waistcoat, £45

See:

Five of the best hats
Five of the best long gloves
Wear with...

Sometimes it's just random

So I'm searching online for stuff that goes with a pencil skirt when you really want to dress it up. I'm thinking bustles, fascinators, that sort of thing... when I come across this bag from The Shoe Must Go On:
It's a corset bag! Isn't that clever? I think it is the coolest bag ever. In normal, everyday life it is doubtful that I would ever come across or even know where to find a shop like this but in cyberspace, it's just there and it's perfect.

This is why I love the internet.

Five of the best... High street anti-It bags

Minimum fuss, maximum style. The anti-It bag is the new It bag. Throw out your padlock laden Paddington, do away with your Bay (and those rip-off fakes, young lady!), pick a durable, stylish, all season bag and stick with it. These are also a darn site cheaper.

Clockwise from top: Debenhams camel shoulder bag, £70; Giles Deacon Gold bag at New Look, £30; Faith brown leather, £60; Miss Selfridge leather bucket, £55; Topshop ruched base, £55

"It" bags - cue the backlash

Anti-It bags - Clockwise from top: Laura, $895 and Jenny, $1595 by Gryson; Stormy tote, $550 and Hailey clutch, $395 by Kage; black patent tote by Lockheart

After the travesty of the world's most expensive bag, and the weekly introduction of yet another "It" bag, it comes as no suprise that the "anti-It" bag is now the new, er, "It" bag.

The anti-It bag is typified by its durability and timelessness and lack of hardware or frou-frou. It's less about what the celebrity du jour is wearing than what you want to wear. Forever.

This new trend seemingly started way back last winter. According to Fashion Wired Daily, its forerunners are US-based, indie design companies Gryson and Lockheart.

Joy Gryson, head of Gryson and based in New York declared, "we proudly describe ourselves as the anti-it bag." Meanwhile in Los Angeles, Trang Huynh and Jennifer Tash of Lockheart said, "Instead of being focused on the 'It' bag craze, we wanted to create handbags that our customers will feel deeply connected to and call their 'It' bag."

More recently, designer Kristin Holstein has jumped on the bandwagon with her Kage collection of bags, which according to style.com are "a pleasure to carry." Who knows who'll be next.

On the face of it, this idea is very cool but let's face it, these bags may be anti-It but they're still as expensive as their predecessors. I couldn't afford an It bag and I can't afford an anti-It bag either, so where does that leave me?

Back to where I always go: small boutiques, vintage, high street gems. These are the real anti-It bags and guess what? They've always been there.

Five of of the best... clutch bags

Is it just me or has there been a distinct increase in clutch bags on the high street this season? Doesn't really matter. What does is that you really need a clutch. And if you already have one, you need more.

Why? Because, they're a cute, girly, antidote to all those mega totes, you can take them to parties and they go great with those bouffy-skirted prom dresses and dress up your jeans. In other words, why not?

Clockwise from top right: Topshop blue metallic, £18; Dorothy Perkins snake skin, £12; Oasis purple metallic, £16; Warehouse envelope, £16; Dorothy Perkins silver clutch, £8

So fugly - the world's most expensive handbag

At $260,150 the Chanel Diamond Forever tote is the most expensive bag in the world. Is it just me, or is it also the fugliest thing ever. Talk about more money than class. This is a vulgar bag. This is a rapper's bag. Just look at the diamonds and platinum and the crocodile skin. Rappers would lurve this bag. It's a pimp bag. This is the kind of bag that Lil Kim would buy. And that makes it just plain wrong.

See other ridiculously vulgar bags on the Forbes website

What is up with... designers taking the piss

There are many, many ways in which we justify designer purchases to ourselves: it's beautifully made, it's an investment purchase, it'll last for years, it'll be a family heirloom one day, etc. And maybe some designer items are worth the the big prices, an Armani suit or a pair of Jimmy Choos for instance.

But can someone explain to me WTF is going on with this Vuitton item?



Yes, ladies, this is the LV laundry bag, a snip at £800. Remind you of anything? Yes, that's right, a cheap nylon shopping bag. The kind my mum uses to bring the groceries home from the market. That? Is taking the piss.

If there is anyone out there who would like to justify the ridiculous price tag on this item, may I first suggest that you buy one down the market for a fiver or less, paint your own interpretation of a Louis Vuitton Logo on it and presto, you've just saved yourself all of £795. Now take that money and buy yourself a clue.

This, folks, is how madness starts. Please stop it.

Purple reign

I have seen the future. The future is purple and it's looking mighty fine. But you don't really need to be clairevoyant to know that. Every A/W season, like clockwork, the purple will come and it will ease you gently out of your summer brights with it's regal ways.

This season it'll be high shine PVC and satin or subtle aubergine. Wear with black patent/pvc for moody goth chic look, tart it up with bright yellow/orange, or tone it down for work with cool greys and browns.

Clockwork from top: Topshop sandals, £65; Star by Julien Macdonald pvc jacket,at Debenhams; Wallis pleat front blouse, £35; Yoda t-bar shoes at Schuh, £49.99; Dorothy Perkins Purple bag, £25; Monsoon Storm Isolde Dress, £75; Oasis shift dress, £60

I'm looking forward to Autumn

Blame it on the crappy weather but I am so over (OVAH!) this summer. The Autumn/Winter season approaches - and not too soon, in my opinion. From August the high street will be filled with the gentle ruffling of ladylike dresses in shimmery fabrics and bright colours, sequined and metallic everything and gorgeous patent accessories. Here's a preview of what I'll be trying to get hold of. Get your fix here first and start counting down the days!

Sequins/Embellishment
Make like a disco ball and glitter from every angle. Yes, you are so retro.

Clockwise from top: Dorothy Perkins Sequin beret, £12; Accessorize Galactica bag, £40;

Topshop gold sequin vest

Metallics

Metallics will be everywhere but the smart money's on mirror-shine silver as the must have metallic of the season.

Clockwise from top: ASOS Paris Silver Metallic Jacket, £40; Accessorize Lurex crochet cloche hat, £15; Debenhams Debut silver prom dress, £90; Wallis silver moc croc shoulder bag, £35

Brights

Brights are still going strong from next season get your Autumn/Winter warmers in as soon as you can and glow through those grey days.

Clockwise from top: Rocha. John Rocha limited edition dress,£55 from Debenhams;New Look shoes, £35; Billy Bag purple bag,£255

Dresses

Sod tunics. Get a dress to flatter your figure with a nipped-in waist, feminine frills or a sweet neckline

From left: Topshop Blue metallic bandeau dress, £35; Dorothy Perkins lurex dress with beaded neckline, £28; Oasis purple prom dress

Patent/PVC

Be slick in patent accessories, try a daring red PVC mac or a fabulous body con dress

Topshop Red patent mac, £80; Debenhams J Jeans by Jasper Conran patent round toes, £40; Oasis patent dress

Bright spark

Dorothy Perkins, neon shopper, £15

The neon trend, I see, is still with us and so is the trend for the oversized bag. Put them together and what have you got? (No. not bibbetybobbityboo!) You've got these neon bright shoppers from Dottie P.

Brighten up a neutral outfit with one of these and take someone's eye out with the high shine. Take it to the beach and you'll never lose you spot on the sand. In other words, get one now. You know you wanna.

I want it now! ASOS heart print bag by Paul's Boutique, £55

How funky is this Paul's Boutique bag? Note the colourful heart print, the pink embroidered "rock" graphic, the cute charms. It's the kind of bag that's not meant to go unnoticed. It pretty much screams, "love me, buy me, take me to work, then to a party".

It's droolsome and I must have it.

Five of the best... Tote bags

If you're anything like me, you carry the world around in your bag. One of my wildest desires is to own Mary Poppins' carpet bag, so I could take my entire wardrobe with me wherever I go. In the absence of that, I'll settle for these massive tote bags instead.

My favourite is the Pacha cherry patent bag from additions direct.

Say it with flowers - Warehouse floral shopper, £12

Space shopper - Oasis metallic slouch shopper, £35

It's big, it's red, It's shiny, what's not to like? - Accessorize patent eyelet, £25

Stripes u like - Mango stripy shopper, £25

Very cherry - Pacha bowling bag, £29

Online sale spotting

It's middle of the mid-season sales and bargains still abound if you have the time to do the looking. Oh, you don't? Well I've done it for you. Here are my picks of the online bargains, just for you. Aren't I just the best? Hurry, they're going fast.

Oh, and while we're on the subject, online sellers take note: if it's out of stock, it's out of stock. We get that. Take it of the website. It is incredibly frustrating to find something you want, only to find that you can't get it. If it ain't there, don't share. Alright? Thanks a bunch.

PS: I'll be doing shoe sales seperately, shortly.


ASOS - Okay, let's not kid ourselves, there's is always a sale on at ASOS -It's those quick turnovers and super cheap copies of celebrity clothes. Still, the sales are cheap and they can always be relied on to throw up some cool stuff. I am absolutely loving the ruched shopper and these fabulous shoes.

Images clockwise from top: Linen button down skirt, sizes 6-16, £15; chocolate ruched shopper, £10; bow-detail peep toes, sizes 3-8, £20; Diesel contrast check shirt, sizes 8-12, £40; chiffon tierred dress, sizes 8-16, £12; sequin trim lurex dress, sizes S-L, £18

Debenhams- It's slim pickings here but still a few things. Check out the gorgeous pink mac - one left in a size 12... aaargh!

Images from top right: J Taylor button detail v-neck, size 12, £15; Marc Jacobs Butterfly dark pink mac, £22.50; blue crochet dress, size 16, £13.50

Dorothy Perkins - Good old Dotti P, always reliable for pretty work wear. sadly all the shoes are gone. Boo!

Images: Block colour dress, sizes 8-12, £12; pencil skirt sizes 8 and 16-18, £15

Miss Selfridge - Miss Selfridge's new stock is flooded with pretty tops and denim shorts, so get this pretty sheer shirt and these cute shorts for a lot less and feel a lot smug.

Images clockwise from top right: sheer beaded blouse, sizes 6 and 10-16, £15; tulip pocket shorts, sizes 6 and 10-16, £15; faux snakeskin butterfly shoes, sizes 5-6, £15; leather round hold all, £30; gather ball sleeve dress, sizes 6 and 10-12, £20

Oasis - I want all of these must-have's from Oasis. Be a space-age babe in this metallic number reduced from £60 and then go all flirty with the Irina dress reduced from £15o. What a massive bargain!

Images clockwise from top: metallic racer back top, sizes 10-14, £30; Lace Irina dress, sizes 8-12, £45; Delia leather bag, £45; Bobby boots, sizes 36 and 40, £50

Topshop - Avoid the teenage hoards and shop smart by going online. Bag yourself a bargain like this gorgeous shirt dress by Steve Yoni with the minimum of fuss. And where has this pretty blouse been hiding?

Images clockwise from top: Button cross front blouse, sizes 8-12, £25; Steve Yoni Studio shirt dress, sizes M-L, £40; oversized canvass hat, £7; denim bib pelmet, size 12, £20

Urban Outfitters - Urban O can always be trusted for those quirky little pieces that you can't find anywhere else. Take advantage of the teeny sales prices while you can. If you're bored with shifts and tunics, this shirt dress at half price is just the antidote.

Images clockwise from top: yellow buckle belt, £9.99; pleated circle skirt, S-L, £17.99; striped shirt dress, XS-L, £24.99; clouds and stars tee, M-L, £14.99


Wallis - From a place where your mum would go to find a dress for a wedding, Wallis are now the place to go for high end, grown up trends. Check out the super chic, black and white cherry print mac and the gorgeous mango shopper.

Images clockwise from top: cotton cardi, sizes 14-20, £20; cherry print mac, sizes 10 and 14-16, £50; broderie dress, 8-16, £35; mango shopper £15; metallic sequin dress, 8-16, £50