Only a few more months to go until spring. What a relief! This bitter cold weather has left me counting down the days til I can get some beach action! And as we get closer and closer to the warmer months, I for one have been stocking up on beach wear – my favorite recents: Tory Burch flip flops and sandals, a couple Dolce & Gabbana swimsuits, colorful Diane von Furstenberg cover ups and now all I need is a new beach bag.

And this bag is on the top of my list – I’m in love with how simple it is. It’s your classic beach bag. It’s a natural straw open weave tote, which is essential for sandy beaches! Just make a note that you may want to invest in a couple colorful pouches for those little things you don’t want to lose.

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Typically, I am not a fan of color-blocking. Sometimes it’s just too retro. Others, too bold to wear with any frequency, but the Diane von Furstenberg Laragh Hobo is something special. Diane again proves she is the queen of prints.

This bag is reminiscent of the Op Art of the 60s and 70s but maintains a modern feel that makes it current. It’s clean, geometric design is perfect for today’s minimalist styles. From daywear to beach, there are so many opportunities to make a statement with this bag. The pattern of the bag is a perfect compliment to the overall shape.

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I’ve always been a firm believer in karma. Good or bad karma exist to me. I feel if you do good or bad things it ends up coming right back to you. Half of my family is Spanish, so I grew up believing in the “evil” eye.

For those of you that don’t know what the evil eye is, it’s basically exactly how it sounds. Mostly people of Jewish and Spanish backgrounds believe in it, but any culture can take part in it. Basically it acts as a protector. You wear it as a piece of jewelry anywhere on your body and it protects you from those wishing bad on you. The saying is, that if it falls and breaks someone was wishing bad on you and now the karma goes back to them even worse. Some people may think it’s superstitious but if you believe in karma like I do, then you may think it might actually work.

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Without any aid from its description I would have never guessed that this piece is in fact by Tory Burch. From a distance, it looked more like the creations of a striving designer or like any ordinary pretty piece that sits pretty at a trendy, non-designer store.

If you have followed in the past, you know that the Crescent straw handbag isn’t your typical Burch classic. But as we can see from the attempt at it, I would say she absolutely nailed it! The first thing that pops right out is the majestic design of black grooved tones that contrasts beautifully against the tan interwoven straw silhouette. Other cool features include black leather handles and the excellent choice of gold toned hardware to fit the vibe. Right at the center is the recognizable Tory Burch medallion, in a discrete size that suits the overall look of this tote bag.

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I disregard the fact that we’re in the middle of December, as right now in my neck of the woods, it’s warm and breezy. I feel for those caught in winters colds, just don’t get discouraged yet, as soon it’ll all be over.

The designs over at Diane von Furstenberg are screaming Cruise getaway, with the most flattering colors you could possibly think of. As I spotted the Judy Floral Canvas Beach Totes, I haven’t stopped eyeing them as I’m still trying to decide which one is my favorite. Perhaps the colorful beach tote isn’t the best look to be sporting around right about now, but you can never go wrong by preparing yourself in advance, for the warmer climates ahead.

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I adore this Emilio Pucci Print. Alot of people associate Emilio Pucci’s signature bold, colorful psychedelic prints with summer, but the blue and purple colors of this version in particular is one that’s perfect for the transition from summer to fall. You can use it as a beach bag today, then in a couple months from now use it as a weekend or day tote! The body of the bag is made of durable grained leather, so it’s very durable. I attached a bigger image of the bag so you can get an idea of the detail. Love it!

The Pucci tote retails for just under $600 over at LuisviaRoma.

What a mess, and there is no joke to that. Juicy Couture calls it the Generation Y Exquisite Mess Tote. We all love those flimsy canvas totes that are great for kick around activities or to hit the beach in, but sometimes no matter how “inexpensive” they are for carrying a brand name to them, I don’t know if they’re exactly worthy of buying.

I like the oversized canvas tote look, but beyond that, it’s simply silly. Why the dramatic black paint strokes with a crooked bow application? When turned to its opposite side, you have a slightly visible description of how messy but lovely this rebellious tote is. All in what looks like glittery felt paint.

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Did anyone get their hands on a straw tote for the warm climate season? As soon as summer is about to roll in, designers from all sections of the globe start pouring out their interpretations of the perfect straw totes. At that very point in time I contemplate finally adding a straw addition to my collection, and of course, I never get to it. To my surprise, name brand Cole Haan has a really pretty straw tote out in their collection that reminds me of summer with a twist of fall to it. It’s the Halsey Rosette-Detailed Straw Tote, a piece that doesn’t necessarily scream summer-only. Living in Texas where the sun is scorching most of the year, this tote would be perfect to wear year round. The details that makes this piece stand out from other straw totes has got to be the artistic black floral decors and patent leather trim. It’s very feminine, eye-catching and definitely not your granny’s floral purse. If the tubular flowers aren’t necessarily your favorite, you can always detach them from the tote for a more simple and casual look.
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All my life, I’ve been a devotee to leather handbags. Only straying to fabric bags for the good old diaper bag or beach bag and perhaps a utilitarian tote. I turned up my nose at canvas, satin, nylon and other non-leather bags. Oh, yes! I was a snob about Prada nylon too! I now have to apologize, admit I was small-minded and must re-frame my opinions! There are so many great new (and durable) fabrics in handbags that deserve a second look. Designers that were entrenched in leather now embrace nylon and other materials. It could be that they were simply looking for less expensive alternatives than leather or even more eco-friendly materials, but I believe they’d made some great design choices as well!

Yves Saint Laurent Muse
Yes, the classic Muse bag is now available in nylon! Same great shape and style for $1195. The leather version is $1550. Not a significant different, but it looks great just the same! Perhaps you can pick up a great pair of sandals for the difference?
Shop It: YSL Boutique @ Saks!

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