Summer is just about to come to an end and a quick getaway was just what my household took, to celebrate its farewell. We ended our hot summer venture at one of the largest thrill and water parks in the nation. The sense of going highly fashioned to such a place is quickly disregarded, and instead all is focused on what handbag to wear. Hands down, you must take a hands-free bag!

I packed my Carlos Falchi snake-embossed cross body bag and the only annoyance I experienced was the fact that I had to carry multiple family members’ cell phones around. Cross body bags come with such diversity and in different price ranges, it only takes time to discover which suits your personality the best.

With that said, here are some of the latest: It’s no surprise that a Marc by Marc Jacobs piece makes our list with the Marc Jacobs Preppy Nylon Natasha. It’s a nice and clean style with an attractive U-shaped zip closure. Nylon with leather trim never fails to stay sturdy, but if you prefer an all-leather option the Vanity Cross Body by Rebecca Minkoff would suit you best. Not only does it feature all pebbled leather throughout, but is surrounded with tiny grommets at its trim, giving it a nice vintage touch.
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During those warm summer months, nothing beats a brightly colored straw tote! It is the ultimate summer-only accessory! The only problem is that they aren’t appropriate for all occasions. Sometimes you need a chic style, even a professional-looking one. After all, many of us bagistas have that annoying thing called work that we have to go to and it doesn’t care if it happens to be a gorgeous summer day outside or not. But not to worry, you can still have a summer-only handbag and feel very work-appropriate at the same time! How? Try a classic, structured style in a neutral summer fabric! My favorites are linen and burlap. These fabrics are light and luxurious, yet so unexpected. Pictured below are a few of my favorite styles, check them out!

Rebecca Minkoff Linen Morning After Mini Bombe Bag – $374
A favorite among Minkettes, the Morning After Mini Bombe is a great classic style. I love the oatmeal linen canvas paired with the contrasting black patent leather trim. Sleek and simple, this style is perfect for carrying your everyday essentials!

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It’s just about that time of the year where we pull out our lighter colored handbags from the back of our closets and flaunt them out for the warmer months ahead. The straws and florals are always pleasant to the eye, but it’s the Neutral toned pieces that end up the winners year round.

The attractive hue dresses up any accessory, giving it an appealing feminine vibe. So it comes down to a matter of style and of course, the exact shade of the buff.

The Teague Bag by Be&D brings style and convertibility in a shade they call ‘Beach’. Glossy leather pleats and wrap around banding gives it a hip and modern look. It’s the ‘Tan & Nickle’ Rowan satchel that shows off a classier appeal as true top handles are always attractively chic. For some, it’s all about the more you have, the merrier.

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It’s official! We have yet another “new” trend for Spring 2011! It is, of course, Color Blocking! It may come as a surprise to you though that when I normally think of color blocking, I think of each item being a single solid color. For example, you might pair a solid hot pink shift dress with a sunny yellow handbag. But I guess there is another way to do color blocking and that is having more than one “block” of color on the same item. I have seen this done with articles of clothing before, particularly dresses. But there are now quite a few handbags floating around out there, so I thought it would be fun to explore this trend a little further!

What I have found most interesting about this trend is that color blocking can be done in just about any color scheme. Not only will you find tons of bright color combinations, but you will find neutrals as well! Also keep an eye out for color blocking in black and white! Very art deco-esque! Below I have a sample of what the color blocking trend has to offer!

Dior Lady Dior Tricolor Cannage Bag – $3,000 (Pre-Order)
It’s Lady Dior with a fun and funky twist! I love the combination of pink, purple, and orange. The ultimate accessory for spring, just be sure to keep the accompanying wardrobe simple!
Shop the Dior Boutique at Saks Fifth Avenue

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Let’s face it, most of us shop based on want rather than need. Frankly, I deplore shopping for something that I NEED. It usually involves a hyper search through websites and local stores looking for something that I love an want to fill a basic need.

So, how do you assess what you really need? It’s really a process of evaluation and elimination. What do you have? What do you use? What needs repair? What need to go? Answering these essential questions, will help you figure out what you need and keep you focused on a goal rather than being distracted by all the beautiful an fun bags out there.

I’ll use myself as an example. My larger bags include a few that are beginning to see some wear and tear so it’s time to make decisions on what I repair or remove from my options. Every wardrobe needs a black, metallic, tan/brown and a pop of color at minimum in my opinion. I have these, but the tan/brown options are truly in need of repair or removal. With spring coming up soon, I feel I need to focus on this area as I will be using it the most. So, in a few simple observations, I’ve drilled down to my need: a brown toned medium to larger size bag with handles.

After that, it still isn’t easy to decide. Do I want dark brown to light tan? Do I want gold or silver-tone hardware (if any)? Cross-body, shoulder, top-handle? There are still dozens of choices to make. The brown bag I’ve carried the most is a Katherine Kwei double-top-handled Edna bag that I’ve practically destroyed, yet still gets compliments.

I’ve narrowed it down to these few options. The final stage of this courtship will be in-store actually putting it on, feeling the comfort an weight of the bag. Tell me what you think?

The Proenza Schuler PS11 is one of the hottest handbags right now. (bagbliss post: the new it bag?) In fact, getting my hands on one would be very difficult, but I’m drawn to it anyway! I love the richness of the brown leather and the structured design and beautiful hardware make it very attractive. The shoulder strap would be comfortable for both shoulder or even cross body carrying. It’s 11″ x 7″ x 4″ so it would carry everything I need, but it is a bit smaller than my typical day bags. Perhaps it is time to downsize? $1850
Proenza Schouler Boutique at Net-a-Porter

The Fendi Calfskin Silvana Tote is a lovely lay-bag that has such fine craftsmanship. It’s another flap bag an I haven’t owned one in a long time! I love the top handles and the long handle option. The leather is so rich looking and it has an interesting pebble grain on the sides of the bag to contrast with the smooth grain. Minimal hardware provides just the right accent. Not too dressy an not too casual. It’s $2090
Find here at LUISAVIAROMA

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Donna, Lulu, Kate, Amber. No, these are not the latest batch of Top Models, they are some of the bag lines from the incredibly talented Katherine Kwei. A former PR executive, Katherine decided to pursue her dream of designing handbags in 2002. Graduating from the London College of Fashion, Katherine worked with Susan Hunter and Billy Bag Company during her studies. In 2006, she worked with Zac Posen on his Spring/Summer line and launched her line in 2007.

That 2007 collection caught my attention and I fell in love with her Donna line. I still love that style, but she has developed so many other unique styles utilizing her Chinese knot technique, there’s essentially a bag for every fashion type out there! Whether you love glam rock or are a sensible and ultra-fashionable executive, you will find something to treasure!

The Spring/Summer 2011 collection pays tribute to the music of the psychedelic ’60s to the ’80s disco scene and that vibrant, playful, stylish woman who everyone notices in the scene and everyone wants to be with one day. The new colors and styles will make it hard for you to choose, but so much fun exploring the possibilities!

Following the convertible trend, the Donna line adds a new, large hobo with a detachable, adjustable strap. In the snake version, beautiful and sophisticated grey/gold and a leopard print are stunning and versatile. The hand-dyed lambskin with watersnake versions features a rich chocolate, black and metallic. The Donna Batik line features brilliantly shaded turquoise and tangerine options. All of which are available in the six Donna styles.

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The term “Stay At Home Mom” is such a misnomer. No matter what age my children are, I am never home for too long. Whether it’s school, appointments, grocery shopping, kids activities or just trying to squeeze in a little me time, a mom is always on the go. She always has to be prepared for what’s needed too. When my children were little, it was spare diapers & wipes and a change of clothing. Now that they are older, I don’t need as many extras, but a big bag always comes in handy.

Personally, I think the perfect bag for a Stay At Home Mome has to be large, versatile and well-made. She’s busy and doesn’t have alot of time to change out bags, so they must go with everything. It needs to be large so that she can hold the necessities and then some. And it should be well-made so that it resists spills, dirty hands and anything else live throws at it! So, I spent some time over at Shopbop and came up with some fabulous items!

The quilted nylon Tory Burch Jaden Tote is sophisticated, roomy and sturdy. With rolled, double-handles for comfort, they are long enough for shoulder wear. A very roomy interior with side pockets will hold tons of stuff. It’s available in black and dry orange for $350. Although, items tend to get a little lost sometimes, that problem can be resolved by zip pouched accessories like the darling striped Rebecca Minkoff pouch set for $95.
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It seems like the holiday season should still be far away. But as I look at the calendar, I can see that Thanksgiving is literally just around the corner. The day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) marks the beginning of the holiday shopping craze. Getting exactly what your little Fashionista in Training is asking for, however, might not be very easy at that point. Stuff sells out so fast, especially when something is at the top of everyone’s wish list. So it certainly doesn’t hurt to start your shopping early! Below you will find my top handbag picks for the Fashionista in Training on your shopping list. These styles are young, funky, and fun. But you will also find them to be stylish as well, making them the perfect pieces for your special someone to build her collection on!

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As you probably already know, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. An annual health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research to the cause, prevention and cure.

I surfed the web and gathered my favorite top ten products that support the fight against breast cancer:

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