This Charming Handbag Addict

I would prostitute myself for this bag....

Not really, but yeah. 

The cost is obscene, I know.  And you're right.  But still. 

This Charming Handbag

Don't you think I need a hot pink Michael Kors tote? 

Really?  You do? 

I agree.  I think I totally need a hot pink Michael Kors tote. 

This Charming Handbag Addict

Oh, my goodness.

I do so love a big, honkin' Coach purse.....

I hope Santa brings this one to my house.....

The Perfect Stocking Stuffer

Y'all!

What do you get for your effortlessly chic, ultra-responsible, handbag loving friends????

Why Rebecca Minkoff condoms, of course!!!

I'm totally serious about this.

Miss Minkoff has designed these condoms to be both functional and stylish!  And you have to admit, they are the ultimate stocking stuffer. 

Although they are currently sold out on line, check back often because you just KNOW your friends need to have them!!!   And all proceeds go to Planned Parenthood. 

Look how CUTE they are.....

Oh - and the Morning After Bag is sold separately....

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*Heavy Sigh*

While we're talking about bags I want and cannot afford....

In NO reasonable universe should this bag cost $2,700.00.

Damn you, Victoria Beckham!

And leads me to ask the question of why Coach or Kate Spade can't produce a more affordable version of such a simple, timeless, classic and tailored silhouette.

This Charming Handbag Addict

This is the Michael Kors Gia Satchel in Tangerine......

I am in lurve with it.....

You know, I try not to play favorites with the bags, I really, really do, but I love this one.

Love it....

This Charming Closet

Do you guys have ANY idea how much I think about handbags? 

Is is weird?  If it is, I don't care.  I love them so much. 

Here are a few current favorites - nothing exotic and they're all pretty similar....

First up - the Kate Spade Vanston Maryclare - very simple, very classic, very roomy.  It'll be beautiful forever.  And Kate Spade has good sales. 

Lately I'm loving Tory Burch more and more.  I have never purchased one of her handbags, but it's only a matter of time.  She has 2 that I'm currently in love with. 

First, the Robinson Tote - it couldn't be more perfect if it tried.  Sleek, beautiful, classic and in several delicious colors.  My only criticism (and why I really haven't bought one) is that its too big for my needs.  And I know she makes a smaller one but I want it in Poppy Red (to match my wallet) and I can't find one in captivity!!!!

And this one is new for fall, the Tory Burch Tallis Satchel.  Y'all, I've never met a satchel that I didn't love...

Then we have the first arrivals from Coach's Chelsea Collection - to be more fully introduced this fall.  I have been shopping for a Luggage colored bag for YEARS.  Years.  I'm heading over to check this one out as soon as possible because nobody does 'Luggage' like Coach.  This is their Chelsea Leather Satchel:

And finally, Rebecca Minkoff's new Cupid bag.   Kick ass leather and mouthwatering hardware.  This woman hits it out of the park!

This Charming Handbag Addict

I looked at this last weekend.

Alas, it will never be mine.

But it sure is beautiful.

The Bamboo Leather Crossbody Bag - from Marc Jacobs.

This Charming Handbag

The last time I was in Paris, I just so happened to swing by the Salvatore Ferragamo store and lust for the pretty, pretty handbags.

Alas, they were (and still very much are) mostly out of my league.

Yeah, I'm bitter about that.  I deserve luxurious leather as much as the next girl.

But it also just so happens that his Continental Wallet is in my price range and further benefits from an encouraging exchange rate conversion if I buy it in Paris......

That's pretty good... since I'm

somadlyinlovewithitthatIcannotsleepatnightduetolustandschemingtogetit.

*ahem*

And since I'm gonna be there anyway...........

Yeah, you all see where this is going.

I don't care.  The rule for shopping overseas is that you buy stuff that you can't buy at home and I think this falls into the latter category, internet ordering notwithstanding - since it isn't nearly as fun to say "Oh, I ordered it on the internet" as it is to say "I bought it the last time I was in Paris".

It may be shallow and a tad pretentious but I don't care - I'm gonna do it anyway.

And I love a beautiful wallet most of all.

This Charming Handbag Addict

The Marc by Marc Jacobs Bianca Leather Clutch? 

In 'Red Saffron'?

Uh Huh!

This Charming Handbag Addict

It's the Grand Street Gabriel from Kate Spade in Jasper Blue....

 

*swoon*

Look at that fun lining!!  I'm in LOVE.....

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Oh, look!  It's the Kristin Leather Hobo from Coach!

Did I mention that they sent me a 25% off coupon????

This Charming Handbag

I've been looking for a simple, luggage brown bag for years.

It's not as easy as it really ought to be.

I really like this one, the Robinson Tote from Tory Burch.

My problem is that I'm a little on the fence with Tory Burch.  I just can't quite commit to it. 

I'm thinking of stopping by and checking this one out, though.

This Charming Handbag

Did I mention that I may or may not have bought that Rebecca Minkoff bag that I blogged about before Christmas?

No?

Well, I may or may not have found a 30% off after-Christmas sale, at which time I may or may not have bought it.

Ok?

And if I did buy it, it may or may not appear in this post.....

Anywho -

A while back my friend the charming Teresa - who we talked about yesterday - blogged about what she carries in her bag. 

I, of course, read it with great interest because I'm super nosy that way.  I LOVE to see what other girls carry around with them. 

But the thing is - that she carries two and sometimes three makeup bags/pouches.  I found this revolutionary and have been thinking on it for quite some time.....

I have spent years trying to simplify everything down into one makeup bag. 

As I've gotten older, the amount of crap I need/want/feel compelled to carry around with me has grown.  I need medicines, antacids, lip balms, lipsticks, breath mints, headache medicine, tampons, mirrors, powders, moist towellettes, lotions, nail files, mascaras, band aids, safety pins .... the list just has grown. 

And up until about 2 weeks ago it was all mashed into one little bag.  A solution that I found not very satisfactory.  The one bag I had was too full and it still didn't have everything I wanted to have in it, you know, in it.

I've been sort of mildly aggravated about it for years, but it never occurred to me to carry more than one bag.... until Teresa.....

That right there should tell you 1.) how adventurous I am and 2.) how easy it is for me to think outside the box.  Still surprised I'm a lawyer?  Didn't think so.

Moving on, though...

Even after reading her blog and having the seed planted, I have still spent MONTHS pondering the whole thing....

* Just how would that work? * 

But then, I did it.  I bought another bag. 

You're all SUPER proud of me, I know.

Can ya see it?  No? 

Fine.  

Here's a close up....

I decided that I would put makeup only in the Kate Spade and medicines/toiletries/odds and ends in the little bag.  And it's worked out GREAT. 

My makeup bag can now hold all the lip balm and nail files and even extra mascara that I want and I don't have to worry about the tums and the tampons falling out when I go for my breath mints during court.....  Some how, in my mind, the breath mints are supposed to be contained in the make up make up bag. 

The biggest hurdle was finding a suitable 'second' bag - because yes, I'm weird (which this whole post clearly establishes) and I actually gave it a TREMENDOUS amount of thought. 

I wanted it to be big enough to do what I needed it to, but small enough not to be a burden.  I needed something sturdy and inexpensive but I also wanted it to be a little chic. 

This little bag from Target fit the bill.... I think it ended up being about $5.99 or so.  It's black nylon and it's hot pink on the inside.  And Target was the first place I looked and I went back several times, this one just turned up in January.

Now I have all the stuff that I need and it's organized.  I also have room for the stuff that I wanted to carry around but didn't because I couldn't get it all into one little bag. 

So there you go.  A strange little trip into my mind, via my handbag.....

And by the way, the Rebecca Minkoff thing doesn't seem to be abating.  It may or may not be a problem.

This Charming Handbag Addict

Yeah -

This is gonna be the next one.....

From Kate Spade.

This Charming Handbag Addict

Ok -

I know.

And I know that you know.

And I know that you know that I know that you know.

And I know that you know that I know that you know that I know.

I can't have ANY more handbags - for at least the next two months.

I'm on the wagon.

I'm being professionally treated (not really but let's pretend).

*Hello - my name is Tonya and I am a handbag addict. *

But still......

IF I were going to go and get another handbag today (which I am most definitely not) - but IF.....

I'd go over and look at the new Coach Colette Signature Overlay Tote.  

*heavy sigh*

I really wish I could hit the Powerball.

This Charming Closet

So here's the new baby!  The Stratford Stevie by Kate Spade.

I know I spoke last week about the bag at Kenneth Cole, but when I went to visit it in the store on Black Friday, I didn't so much love it.  I was a little disheartened about the whole thing. 

So I came home and sat down to surf the web.  I thought to myself:  What I really would love to have is a Stevie bag in black leather.... I wonder if Kate Spade makes one? 

Now, I have a Stevie bag from last spring and I love, love, love it.  It's a great size and it's slouchy enough to be slouchy but it still has some structure to it. 

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Kate Spade not only had one, but it was also on clearance!  And then there was that helpful little coupon code. 

And it is my birthday this week.

How could I not?

This Charming Handbag

I'm currently in love with this:

The Louis Vuitton Pont-Neuf PM in Cassis Epi Leather. 

*heavy sigh*

Man!  If I won the lottery the first thing I'd do is hire myself a manservant and the second thing I'd do is buy a hybrid Lexus SUV and the third thing I'd do is take my manservant and my Lexus SUV and go to the South Park mall and clean out Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Prada and Chanel and make the manservant (who, in my imagination is named "Coco") haul them back to the SUV. 

I figure that'd tide me over until I could rent a jet and go to New York for some real bourgeois shopping.....

Yeah, I'd eventually get around to establishing foundations for the less fortunate, but in all honesty that's be after I had purchased pretty much every handbag in captivity.

Since I cannot currently justify the expenditure associated with Louis Vuitton, I have turned my attention to this one (I'm beginning to think that I should just call this post "Kate Spade of the Week").

This is the Knightsbridge Quinn in purple, which I love for three reasons:

I love the shape;
It's purple; and
I love the faux crocodile

And it's on sale.....  But it's not on sale enough.  That's right, I want to get it cheaper.....

Anybody know about any coupons?

This Charming Closet

Since we're talking about clutches this week, I thought I'd say something about the super cute School Bloom and Lucky Clutch from Emerson Made.

*um*

Yes, please?

This Charming Closet

This is one of those bags that makes me wish we lived in a more fabulous world. 

You know, like in the movies where women wore gowns to dinner as a matter of course?  Like Casablanca, only in color.....  Or the Thin Man?  In color???

I'd carry the Pop Art Pearle from Kate Spade.....