I like the overall style of the Tory Burch Amalie Bag. The rectangular shape is definitely a classic. I love the three zippered compartments, they are much more versatile than a single compartment on a bag of this style. Perfect for keeping you organized, that is for sure! But something also bugs me just a little bit about this bag. The reason I was compelled to go in for a closer look lies in the detail featured on the front of this bag. The topstitched design is actually supposed to be a big T for Tory Burch. When I look at it though, I don’t see a T. My eyes keep playing tricks on me and instead I focus on the two sections on the sides. They resemble a pair of hands giving two thumbs up! Hmm, I wonder what other people would see if I was carrying it down the street.

Retails for $350

Obsessed: Tory Burch Slouchy Straw Tote

Whether your strolling down the cobblestone streets of Capri or spending a day at the Sunday Market, the Tory Burch Slouchy Straw Tote is the perfect accessory for any summer occasion. I adore the Mediterranean sea blue leather piping and dainty strap paired with the spacious & tall woven straw body.

Clean lines and structured profile! The Tory Burch ‘Slouchy Straw’ tote is a summer staple. The bag is made of faux straw, which makes for a less structured hobo-esque style and lightweight design. Such a beautiful bag.

Finish the seaside style look:
MONROW T Back Racer Dress in vintage black. $76
Bop Basics Basket Weave Fedora. $74
Tory Burch Kailey Wedge Thong Sandals. $275

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Summer must be just around the corner! There are raffia and straw handbags popping up left and right. They are literally everywhere! These summery materials do not have to come in beach tote form though. Yes, beach totes are twice as nice when made of raffia or straw. But other styles can look just as fabulous. Check out this cute little shoulder bag you see pictured here and you will see what I mean.

Check out the M Missoni Raffia Kiss Bag!

I have always been a fan of Missoni’s diffusion line. The pieces are so playful and fun, adding a unique twist to the traditional Missoni-look. That is probably why this particular bag caught my eye. I love the natural and black stripes making up the raffia exterior. The combination is somewhat muted, but there is definitely enough contrast going on to give this piece a striking look. I am also loving all the playful details. The chartreuse leather trim adds an unexpected pop of color. The multi-colored chain strap is also really fun! But it was the embroidered lips embellishment that really set this piece apart. The word “gaudy” certainly crossed my mind when I first thought about it. These lips really aren’t that bad though. Perhaps the muted shade of pink is what saved them, they aren’t screaming at you like a pair of red lips would.

This shoulder bag would make an adorable summer accessory. Simply pair it with some casual pieces, no fuss required.

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Kate Spade New York, celebrating 20 beautiful years in the biz!

It’s been two decades since Katherine Noel Brosnahan along with her husband and business partner, Andy Spade, created the brand “Kate Spade New York” with the introduction of her trademark black nylon bags. Since then the brand has grown to be an iconic American Brand household name, carrying a vast variety of everything from ready-to-wear, shoes, bags and accessories to home decor and dinnerware.

I have always been a huge fan of her bags. Although I have to admit, year ago when my handbag obsession kicked off with the introduction of this bag blog (8+ years ago), I wasn’t crazy about the nylon bag look. So easy for counterfeiters, plus I’m not really a fan of boring black nylon bags… just not my style. However, nowadays she has so many new styles, seasonally! Here are three of my favorite spring / summer 2013 styles:

Kate Spade Charlotte Street Sloan Bag. $398
Kate Spade is known for her colorful bags, coming so far from her iconic black nylon bags.
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The perfect statement accessory, Tory Burch “Neon Snake” Bag.

The envelope silhouette is dressed in a snake-embossed cowhide leather featuring a magnetic snap, (a pocket-less) lined interior, and the long chain strap that’s long enough to be worn as a crossbody. The strap is also detachable! Huge plus in my book. Honestly as much as I love the crossbody style, I would probably wear this much more as a clutch. The size measures in at 4″ height x 6.5″ length x 1″ depth ~ ideal for a simple card wallet, lipstick and phone.

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Ask any bagista: What is the most practical handbag color? Nine times out of ten you will hear the answer: Black. Okay, so I probably just made that up. But it is true that many of you ladies out there see black as a very practical color. It is classic and it compliments just about anything (color-wise). It is no wonder so many bagistas choose black when seeking out a handbag wardrobe staple. Oddly enough, I don’t seem to follow this line of thinking myself when choosing a handbag. Black is fine, I suppose. But I think other colors are equally worthy of being called “practical”. Brown is very versatile, for example. Red is also a wonderful color that compliments many things. There is a new trend brewing though. Dark grey is becoming the new black. It is neutral, yet it is different enough to make everyone you pass walking down the street give your handbag a second glance! Below are some great examples of this new trend!

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Did I mention spring has yet to arrive? Yep, I am sure I have mentioned it. The fact that it has been ridiculously cold outside lately seems to be all that is on my mind. So what do I do? I look at things that remind me of summer, of course! I came across a very interesting summery bag too. Meet the Kate Spade Call To Action Straw Tote!

What immediately grabbed my attention with this particular tote is the bright orange wording printed on the front. It says “That’s the Last Straw”, playing on the fact that the base of this tote features a lifelike straw print. It certainly is cute, but not something I would expect from Kate Spade. Normally, I would think of designers like Rebecca Minkoff or Anya Hindmarch when I think of accessories with catchy phrases printed on them. That is okay though because I think this was a nice surprise. Kate Spade needs to do something a little different every once in awhile.

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I’m really extremely excited right now and I just have to share! Finally after two long years my cellphone contract is set for renewal, which means it’s time for a new phone. Yeayyyy! Obviously this time around I’m going with an iPhone! I had the 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation iPhone but a couple years ago I was going through some sortof anti-iphone stage. Everyone had one, plus I fell in love with the HTC Inspire – huge screen and took awesome photos. But that’s not enough to keep me. I miss not being able to buy cute and stylish designer phone cases, plus there are quite a few apps that I’m missing out on.

So right this very moment I’m sitting here blogging about iPhone Cases while waiting for the delivery man to get here with my new Apple iPhone 5!

Here are a couple of my favorites, in no particular order.

Pierre Hardy Cube iPhone Sleeve. $110
Love the building block coated canvas print – Pierre Hardy’s style signature. One may say slightly M.C. Escher – ish?

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Beauty Brittany Snow showed up on the MTV Movie Awards red carpet carrying the Farbod Barsum Leela Clutch in Natural Sparkle Ring Lizard.

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