fashion shopping blog

Images via Vogue.com

Marc Jacobs moved his show from its customary spot in the middle of New York Fashion Week to the very end because of the work days lost thanks to Hurricane Irene, which just made the presentation, always among the most highly anticipated of New York Fashion Week, all the more a special occasion. For some reason, though, the bags in particular left me feeling cold. Maybe it was the fact that Thursday marked my 12th day in a row of 16- to 18-hour workdays, or that the dizzying pace of fashion week means that nothing that comes at the end ever seems as great as it should, or maybe it’s just that some of Marc Jacobs’ Spring 2012 handbags look a lot like a Coach bag I had in 2004. Maybe it’s all of the above?

Even while watching the blurry livestream of the show late on Thursday, I mentioned to Megs that the bucket bags in particular reminded me of Coach, and she agreed. And that’s fine; those bags are actually pretty cute in their technicolor calf hair combinations. The problem, of course, is that based on Moda Operandi’s pre-order pricing, these bags will cost in excess of $2900. That’s not great when you consider that they remind me so strongly of a design that cost less than $500, but there are still a few cute bags in the group. Judge for yourself, after the jump.

When was the last time you looked at a Marc Jacobs bag and thought, “Whoa, that’s a great bag?” Sometime around the entré of the Stam, right? Well that’s exactly what I said, out loud, by myself, to my computer in sudden fit of excitement when I saw the colorblocked satchel at top left from Marc Jacobs Resort 2012. I mean, that’s a good bag, right? My level of enthusiasm for that design has left me confused and excited.

I mean, let’s be real here; most handbag addicts can spot a Marc Jacobs bag from a mile away, and whether or not that’s a good thing depends on how much you like the designs that Jacobs puts out every year. They often don’t vary much from what we’ve seen before except for a runway bag or two, and there are certainly some repeats in this group, but the new stuff looks fresher and more exciting than it has in more than a few seasons. Let’s hope that this is but a small preview of the accessories to come in the brand’s Spring 2012 presentation. More photos after the jump.

If you’re here reading this, odds are that you’ve spent thousands of dollars on handbags and accessories in your lifetime, but how well do you understand what goes into making them? I’m betting that most bag lovers have only a vague idea at best, but wouldn’t it be fun to be able to take a peek behind the curtain?

Thanks to an excellent series of videos of Neiman Marcus’s blog, we can do just that with the famous Marc Jacobs Stam as our guinea pig. The four clips take us all the way from conception to manufacturing, and all of the important details of realizing an idea are there, from making the patterns to dying the leather to bending the metal for the Stam’s signature frame. My favorite video is the fourth one, above, which shows how the Marc Jacobs bag is actually assembled. You can check out the first three after the jump and view the original posts at Neiman Marcus Daily.

Images via Vogue.com

First and foremost, if you haven’t looked at the full Marc Jacobs Fall 2012 show already, I’d encourage you to head over to Vogue.com and flip through it now; I generally prefer spring fashion week to fall because the clothes are so much more fun, and Jacobs managed to inject a healthy dose of whimsy and wit into his collection via all manner of ridiculousness, most notably outsized fur hats. The entire collection looked like it would be right at home in a particularly fantastical Tim Burton movie.

By contrast, the collection’s handbags were almost jarringly sedate; in both glazed leather and ostrich, big, slouch satchels in white, mustard and dove grey created a staid counterpoint to the brocade, velvet and fur of the clothes. One bag, a ladylike frame satchel covered in red and black fur, stood out among the rest. If ever I were going to love a fur bag, it would be that one. Check out our gallery after the jump.

Marc Jacobs Stam

Jessica Stam must be thrilled that the bag Marc Jacobs named after her continues to thrive. The Marc Jacobs Stam is back again, for another season after about four years of being in the spotlight. The Stam has not yet made its way into my handbag collection. Sure, I love the bag, but it just has not grabbed my attention fully yet to the point of going out to buy it. As the ‘it bag’ craze dies down, it is great to see the lovers of this bag continue to year for it. For all the gals that love pink, the Marc Jacobs Stam Quilted Satchel is ready for spring in a sweet plum color that is very feminine. The gold tone hardware is shown on the chunky chain shoulder strap and the kiss-lock closure top. This bag features a frame top and then the soft quilted leather body; which has proven to be a huge success season after season. There is also an easy access front zip pocket. This bag is only available for pre-order and also comes in ivory. But the plum, which resembles more of a pink hue, would get my vote. Pre-order through Saks for $1,350.

While this bag is considered one of fall’s statement pieces, I wonder how many of you plan to go buy it.

The Marc Jacobs Spotted Teddies Shearling Hobo Bag is all about fuzzy shearling with a few bold black polka dots. While some risk-taking fashionistas are surely scurrying out to buy this bag, I would only consider buying it to double as a pillow in times of sudden sleepiness.

Marc Jacobs constantly designs collections to appeal to many different styles, from the subdued to the funky, and this bag falls into the funky category. I remember this bag being carried down the Fall 2011 runway, catching my eye much more than the outfit, although not necessarily in a good way. Keep in mind the dimensions are large, 12″ x 11″ x 6″. Buy via Net-A-Porter for $1,495.

Let’s have a little fill in the blank fun. You know what to do: the Marc Jacobs Spotted Teddies Shearling Hobo Bag is ____________________.

Marc Jacobs Cosmic Croc Embossed Leather Tote, $1995 via Net-a-Porter

I’ve been visiting my family in Atlanta for the last week, and because of the relatively temperate weather we’ve been having the South, I’m having a hard time remembering that the intense part of winter has yet to come. I haven’t worn a coat of any kind for seven full days. It’s sunny and shiny and happy outside. Snow? What’s snow? I’ve never heard of snow.

That being said, that’s probably why I looked at the Marc Jacobs Cosmic Croc Embossed Leather Tote and thought, “Oh, how perfect to take on a swanky resort vacation or pair with a sundress or, you know, whatever as long as the weather’s warm!” Except that the weather isn’t going to be warm for, like, four or five months. Sigh.

At nearly two grand, this bag probably shouldn’t be used around water or sand anyway, but the idea sure is attractive. The embossed croc breaks up the mirrored silver finish just enough so that finger prints or smudges won’t be a problem on such a slick surface, and the shape practically screams, “TAKE ME TO A BEACH. FILL ME WITH SUNGLASSES AND TRASHY NOVELS.” Or maybe that’s just what my subconscious is screaming? Either way, maybe this bag will get marked down by the time it’s warm enough to pull out the ol’ bikini. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1995.

Marc Jacobs The Ace Messenger Bag, $1150 via Net-a-Porter

My enthusiasm for the Marc Jacobs The Ace Messenger Bag comes from one thing and one thing alone: My ability to imagine it in other colors. Not that there’s anything wrong with greige, per se, but I prefer the statement-making ability of a good bright bag, particularly when it offsets the tendency for a crossbody to hide within an outfit because of its usual place on the back of a woman’s hip. Because Jacobs almost always makes his leather bags in multiple colors, I trust that a bright version is forthcoming. And if it isn’t, it should be.

What Jacobs was able to capture in this bag is the luxurious simplicity that has made the line an accessories success in the past. The Jacobs signatures are there, like the gold lock hardware, but mostly the lines of the bag speak for themselves with relatively little unnecessary adornment. Based on the Net-a-Porter modeling shots and photos of the opening of the bag, it looks like it’s a very useful size without being too big, and I could see myself using it in a lot of situations. So it’s your move on the brighter color options, Mr. Jacobs. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1150.

I will admit to not fully understanding how the Marc Jacobs website works (People kept saying that they were having a 70% off sale yesterday but everything looked like it was full priced to me? What?), and the fact that Jacobs is using it to sell Olympia Le-Tan Book Clutches is just another thing about it that confuses me. I can’t think of another major high-end brand that sells things that aren’t actually its own products on its website.

Which means that as soon as I saw the clutches, I was ready to write a post about how Jacobs was the latest designer to jump on the book clutch bandwagon, but instead, it looks like the brand is using its huge reach to support an independent designer. Kind of a refreshing move, right?

Olympia was the originator of the book-clutch concept, and her items are made in small batches at the company’s Paris studio. Le-Tan tends to choose edgier or darker works than the equally well-known Kate Spade book clutches, and instead of a laminated finish, these clutches are embroidered. Each of these titles comes in limited runs of 16 pieces, so if you have the cash and any of these books are an old favorite (AHEM, TRUMAN CAPOTE), think about picking one up as a Christmas present from you, to you. Buy through Marc Jacobs for $1500.

        Photo credit: Jeffrey Westbrook for Harper’s Bazaar

I opened up my inbox this morning to find an oddly alluring email about Smurfette wearing designer accessories in new issue of Harper’s Bazaar. First off, I had no idea The Smurfs movie was coming out and second off, I find it hilarious to see Smurfette posing with high end designer goods. However, somehow this small blue fictional character pulls off posing and wearing accessories in a rather fashionably comical manner.

From Marc Jacobs to Louis Vuitton to Dolce & Gabbana, Smurfette hits the pages of Harper’s Bazaar in accessories any non-fictional female would pine for.

The Smurfs leading lady ended up getting a huge feature in a coveted fashion magazine, which will leave some human characters feeling a little bitter. But with the perfect styling, Smurfette does the designers she sports justice. I especially like her Louis Vuitton look, mostly because the bag is available by special order only and I feel a tinge of envy over an object that a large-headed-blue-creature has.

View the story at Harper’s Bazaar online here. This issue of Harper’s Bazaar will hit stands July 12th with Anne Hathaway on the cover, be sure to pick up your copy!

Which look do you love from Smurfette, Mad for Marc or Dancing on Dolce or Prancing in Vuitton?