Structured handbags are so chic right now – they put the polished finishing touch on any outfit, whether dressy or casual! When worn with an office-ready outfit, they look polished and businesslike. I also love the contrast of carrying a structured satchel with a casual, laid-back outfit such as jeans and a baggy sweater. This fall, why not switch out last summer’s slouchy hobo or bright tote bag for the more sophisticated look of a structured handbag?

Here are some great options for just $20 (or less) each! Read More »

The groundhog Puxatony Phil may have predicted that Spring is right around the corner, but it doesn’t look like winter’s ready to give up just yet. With freezing temps and snowstorms still affecting most of the country, it can be hard to believe that there’s an end in sight.

Beat those winter blues by brightening your wardrobe! Brightly colored handbags are going to be big this Spring, but they’re also perfect for winter. Set against the gray and gloomy weather, colorful handbags stand out and look even more cheerful than they do in the warmer months. Here are a few budget-friendly options — each is $20 or less! Read More »

Now that you’ve started to get into the groove of things with school, you’ve probably figured out what are the essentials for each of your classes.  You’ll know which classes require your laptop to (because how else will you read CollegeCandy to block out boring professors), which require textbooks, and which demand a plethora of snacks to keep you awake your blood-sugar from crashing.

While you could lug everything around in your backpack all the time, a more stylish option is having a cute shoulder bag. Why drag a giant bag around when all you need is a notebook and a fountain Diet Coke? (Although I’d definitely stick to the backpack for days your need your laptop, three textbooks, a notebook AND your lunch….) Backpacks are boring, but these cuties are great transitional pieces; you can take whatever you need with you (in style) to class, and not be weighed down when you meet your friends for coffee or an afternoon shopping sesh.  They also add interest in your outfit, even if you’re simply in a shirt and the jeans you picked up off the floor 10 minutes before class.

And, because college girls need options, I’ve also scrounged up several cute options for going out bags… none of which are clutches. Come on, every girl knows you need your hands free to double-fist dance and snap some Facebook-worthy selfies. Shop away, ladies!

[Click on the image to see more info!]

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If there is anything in this world I can rely on to be there for me (besides Dove Dark Chocolate) it is my big, bottomless, purse.  Chapstick? Got it. $2.41 in all dimes and pennies? Got it. Four flattened Milk Duds? Got it.  The Vegas Map and some Floss Picks? You’ve guessed it, I’ve got it.

I’m not the only one who loves me an oversized bag. According to Alan in The Hangover, even “Indiana Jones has one.” And why not? Besides holding Skittles and $80,000, huge bags are the perfect way to tote your most needed (and maybe not-so-needed) belongings. But they don’t come without their issues, namely back pain and  the embarrassment that comes with accidentally swinging that thing too close to a wall of breakables.

Big purses have made their statement in the fashion world and their way onto women’s (sore) shoulders worldwide. But as much as we all love ‘em, and boy do I love mine, there seems to be some extra “baggage” that comes with the bottomless wonder.

Pro: The Olsen Twins are right about one thing: big bags slung at your side do make you look slimmer.
Con: Try navigating a packed bar with this thing. You may look thinner, but you won’t feel it as you’re trying to make your way through the throngs of drunks with an extra 6lbs on you. Not to mention a wet shirt when you inevitably knock everyone’s drinks out of their hands.

Pro: You can fit virtually anything in your big purse. There are pockets and mystery caverns to put your most valuable items. My purse is like a transformer; one minute I keep all my books in it and the next minute I have secret mini shots of Smirnoff in a mystery back pocket.
Con: You can’t find anything in that behemoth! Good luck finding your ringing phone; every time you reach for it you pull out hand lotion, a half-eaten sandwich or – score! – that roll of quarters you’ve been searching for. And you know this is a problem, which is why you put that phone in the pocket. But of course you don’t remember that as  you scour the bottom of the bag for the faint sounds of “Tik Tok” playing somewhere in there. Read More »

Most guys we know stay up late dreaming of the day they might end up in a giant orgy with beautiful women. We, however, lie awake at night dreaming of a closet full of beautiful clothes. To the left, a wall of shoes. To the right, shelf upon shelf of delicately handcrafted bags organized by color and size.

Sigh.
We all have our fantasies.

Since guys can turn to the interwebs to get their daily fantasy fix, we thought you should, too! So, we’re bringing you some fashion porn. The best of the best in all things fashionable. Sure, it may be out of your price range, but it’s a fantasy, so live it up in all its delicious glory.

If we had to choose two things to take to a deserted island, it would be all of our shoes and all of our bags. That’s only two things, right? We know it’s ridiculous to love inanimate objects so much (especially inanimate objects whose sole purpose is to carry things), but we can’t help it if we’re addicted to bags. Even just looking at them. And how can you not love ‘em? There are so many different shapes, styles, details and sizes.  Whether you need a bag to prepare for the walk of shame,  a cute clutch for going out, or a bag for the beach, there’s something for everyone. Or a lot of somethings just for you.

Regardless of what you’re carrying this season, purses are the only type of arm candy that will never let you down. So stop hunting for a man and enjoy a little purse orgy. Read More »

So it’s a new season and that means new trends on all fronts, including one of my personal faves: handbags!

This season keep your eyes open for some of the usual suspects (oversized bags, clutches and pops of color), some rollover from the fall (fringe) and some new looks (well, not necessarily new, but trends we haven’t seen in a while).

Here are some of the biggest bag trends of spring/summer 2009… Read More »

British bag designer Anya Hindmarch is known for lustrous, elegant styles and rich colors and is such a hit in jolly ol’ England, her boutiques have been raided numerous times in the last several months.

Celebrities like Anne Hathaway are fans of her bags, which fall into the $500-$1000 range, and now those of us commoners with label lust can greedily grab up one (or more!) of her new limited-edition collection for Target. The line will be available from October 12th until December 26th and will range from just $20-$50.

Hell yeah.

But Anya didn’t sacrifice style for her much cheaper Target line. The collection stays true to her love of elegance and class with gorgeous colors and faux patent leather, and features satchels (the most popular shape of the season), shoulder bags and clutches. As Hindmarch says, “The designs are sophisticated yet practical, simple and streamlined, and the shapes are classic. They add polish and shine to any outift!”

You definitely don’t want to miss out on this limited collection. Snatch em up at Target stores or online at Target.com. Read More »

Some call shopping a sport. And I agree. I mean, think about it. In order to get the job done right, one needs skill, technique, timing, and so much more. The only equipment you really need is a good, comfortable pair of shoes and a nice big purse (preferably with a fully-stuffed wallet and possibly a granola bar for some nourishment), and now there’s a new piece of equipment that’s going to make shopping a whole lot easier.

To get this new piece of shopping equipment, all you have to do is pull out your cell phone! No, not so you can chat it up with your friends as you bargain hunt, but so you can find the best deals on everything you’re shopping for. A new service called Pongr automatically tells you where you can get the best price on almost any item. Um, amazing?

According to the Pongr website, all you have to do is take a camera phone picture of the item you want (if it’s a book, CD, DVD, or video game) or type the UPC code or product description into a text message (if it’s clothing, shoes, electronics, or purses) and either e-mail your query to ping@pongr.com or text it to SHOPP. You’ll automatically get a text message back telling you where you can get the item for cheapest. If it’s online, you can purchase the item right from your phone and if it’s a brick and mortar store, Pongr will give you directions to the store. Read More »

Unless you have been living under a rock — or spend so much money on uber expensive fashion that you’ve had to forgo cable and internet – you know about the new fashion trend sweeping the nation:

Handbag rentals.

Hell, even my mother knows about bagborroworsteal thanks to the Sex and the City Movie. The idea is simple; you just pick out a designer handbag that you covet, but can’t come even close to affording, and pay a small fee to rent it for a little while. It is every poor college student’s dream situation.

What could be better than sporting the latest Miu Miu around town for a measly $80-ish bucks? The hardest part is sending that bad boy back, but even that can be negotiated in a rent-to-buy situation.

The idea is so perfect that some people are taking it a step further:

Dress rentals.

The idea really isn’t so novel; men have been doing it for years with tuxedos. It is actually quite perplexing that women have caught on just now. At Ilus in New York City (website coming soon), women are able to choose from tons of gorgeous, in-season designer dresses to rent for short periods of time. The store even does minor alterations. It is ideal for those of us who need a dress, but don’t want to make the financial commitment. You just go to that event, turn heads, and then bring the dress back the next day. Read More »

When I was younger, I ended up being friends with one of those perfect girls. Well, perfect in most senses….(she was a party girl, after all)….but she got the best grades. She was gorgeous. She excelled at every sport. Every guy wanted her. Every girl wanted to be her. And her clothes..GOD. I wanted her wardrobe. But my mom wasn’t about to take me to the mall for a shopping spree. No way.

So when this girl revealed to me once that she ACTUALLY got all of her clothes at The Goodwill; I was in total shock.

“Are you F*%king kidding me?!”

All of that time, I had been envious over clothes that I could most definitely afford, but wasn’t grabbing because I thought the only thing worse than buying my clothes at Wal-Mart would be to buy them at a thrift store.

How wrong I was.

She and I started going on adventures together to The Goodwill and everything in the universe started to harmonize all of the sudden. (Okay, maybe it wasn’t THAT life changing, but I certainly started to learn a thing or two about fashion.) Read More »