Handbags

IT bags under $500 for spring 2018

 in Handbags  tagged spring 2018 by

spring 2018 it bags under $500

Spring 2018 it bags under $500 from top left: bamboo circle bag / white circle bag / bamboo half-circle bag / pale blue bucket bag / red flower pot bag / black bucket bag /

Spring 2018 is full swing, and there are so many IT bags to covet! While it might seem like an IT bag has to cost well over $1000, there are actually other IT bags on the market this season which are affordable; and priced under $500! Love that!

Cult Gaia has two IT bags to love for the spring 2018 season; and they are both waaaaaay under $500! These bamboo bags are popular in their natural color; but the brand also offers their two hottest styles in colors. So, if natural is not your jam, you can find the bag of your choice in a color you’ll love. I own both of these and love them! They’re so much fun in hot weather!

Shop Cult Gaia bags for spring 2018:

Staud is an up-and-coming handbag brand which is creating covetable designs every handbag fan will love. For the spring 2018 season, Staud has not one, but two IT bags which are flying off store shelves. If you see one you love, snap it up! They don’t stick around too long. I have my eyes on one in red!

Shop Staud bags for spring 2018:

The Brahmin Lane Melbourne circle bag is a bag you have heard me talk about before. It is priced under $300 and was spotted on the streets of New York Fashion Week in February. It offers spring 2018’s hot circle bag silhouette, and can also be found in white; spring’s hottest handbag color. It really encompasses a lot of spring trends! I own one in blue and love it!

Shop Brahmin bags for spring 2018:

Lastly, Danse Lente is a fabulous designer brand with an IT bag of its’ own. This cute little convertible bucket bag offers a shoulder bag option, or hand-held option; giving it versatility plus style. I’m eyeing the black one! Love!

Shop Danse Lente bags for spring 2018:

If none of these It bags under $500 for spring 2018 appeal to you, or they are simply sold out, there are a few handbag trends you can follow for the spring season and still have an IT handbag. Look for white handbags, brightly colored handbags, and/or circle bags. These are the hottest handbag trends of the season!

What are your favorite IT bags under $500 for spring 2018?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

Brahmin Lane Melbourne handbag

 in Handbags  tagged brahmin / handbag reviews by

round bag trend spring 2018

pictured: handbag c/o Brahmin. Brahmin Lane Melbourne circle bag /

This is THE BAG! I first spotted the Brahmin Lane Melbourne handbag on Kat from KatWalkSF.com at New York Fashion Week. I told her how much I loved her bag, and she told me it was Brahmin! After seeing her wear it, I suddenly realized, this was the same bag I was seeing on guests of fashion week at all the shows. This was arguably the most popular bag on the streets of New York Fashion Week!

At the end of fashion week, I scoured my street style photos and notes. it was clear to me that this bag was on of the top ten most spotted at fashion week. Top that off with the fact that it is a circle bag, another hot spring trend, and we have the makings of an IT bag! Love that

The Brahmin Lane Melbourne bag is simply stunning. It is a structured handbag with stamped croc leather. The stamped croc is on both the front and back of the bag. The back features a handy opera ticket pocket which is a great place to put letters I need to mail. haha, It can be used for many things, that is just what I use it for.

brahmin lane melbourne bag brahmin lane melbourne bag

This beautiful circle bag has a detachable shoulder strap which can be adjusted to be worn over the shoulder, or cross body. It’s fairly lightweight, so the Lane Melbourne by Brahmin is comfortable to wear on the shoulder; but it is always nice to have the cross body option.

In addition to the detachable strap, there is a lady bag inspired top handle. I love carrying it by the top handle, it offers a vintage vibe when worn by the top handle.

Since the Brahmin lane Melbourne is on the smaller handbag side, I was afraid it wouldn’t hold very much; I was wrong! It is actually quite roomy inside!

brahmin lane melbourne bag brahmin lane melbourne bag

The interior features a credit card slot pocket, zipper pocket, and key latch. It’s very organized for a small bag, yet the main compartment fits quite a bit! I can fit my wallet, sunglasses, lipstick, keys, and iPhone with plenty of space left for Kleenex, a phone charger, or any other small incidental I might need to throw in my bag. As a mother of three, my kids are always giving me things to hold, so extra space in my bag is must-have!

This is my first Brahmin handbag, and I am quite impressed! The leather is sturdy and the craftsman is top notch. The stitches are even and tight; this is a very well made bag! Love! Now I know why my friend Kat wears it all the time, and why my Mom has another Brahmin handbag style she loves, and wears often too! I’m a new Brahmin fan!

The Brahmin Lane Melbourne handbag comes in five beautiful colors. The coconut (white) and pecan (brown) were the two most common colors I spotted on the streets of New York Fashion Week. While these colors are beautiful, you also have a choice of black, ribbon (raspberry red), and my favorite-Astral!

Brahmin also has a smooth leather version, and a blue python version; which is stunning! Drool!!

You can find the Brahmin Lane Melbourne online here.

Shop the Brahmin Lane Melbourne handbag:

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

*Thank you to Brahmin for gifting me this handbag so I could share one of the hottest bags on the streets of fashion week with you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

brahmin lane melbourne bag

Chanel classic flap handbag review

 in Handbags  tagged chanel / handbag reviews by

Ah! The Chanel classic flap handbag. Why haven’t I reviewed this one yet? I am constantly asked questions about Chanel handbags, so I thought it was time to do a review of the most precious handbag style in my collection; the Chanel classic flap handbag. If you have been thinking about investing in one, I hope you will find this review useful.

This timeless shoulder bag by Chanel offers the quintessential Chanel quilting, and chain shoulder strap, we have all grown to love. While sometimes confused with the Chanel 2.55 reissue shoulder bag, the Chanel Classic Flap offers a “CC” logo clasp and puffier quilting. That is the only difference between the two!

chanel 2.55 handbag review

I have three versions of the Chanel Classic Flap shoulder; which isn’t technically called the “Classic Flap,” that is nickname we Chanel fans have given it. It really is just a classic shoulder bag. Pictured above are two versions of the small-size Chanel Classic Flap; one in brown caviar leather and one in black patent. The east/west bag pictured in the front is a convertible clutch which has a detachable strap tucked away. It is navy patent, and I don’t wear it very often because it doesn’t fit very much.

chanel 2.55 review

The small/medium size, which is often referred to as “old medium,” offers enough room for my wallet, phone, keys, lipstick, and sunglasses-not in their case. It is just the right size to fit everything I need when I am dressed up. Although I originally wore the Classic Flap as an everyday bag when I first purchased my brown one, as I get older, I just save them for dressier occasions, and I gravitate towards more casual bags for my everyday life.

chanel 2.55 handbag review chanel 2.55 handbag review chanel 2.55 handbag review chanel 2.55 handbag review

The Chanel Classic Flap, in every size from small through jumbo, offers hidden compartments Coco Chanel originally designed for hiding love letters. There is an opera ticket pocket on the exterior back of the bag; as pictured above. Inside the bag there are two slim compartments; one in the back of the large compartment and one in the front which is protected by an interior flap. Inside the main compartment there are two small pockets, and a lipstick pocket. This is a very organized handbag!

One of my favorite aspects of the Chanel Classic Flap handbag is the strap. It can be worn doubled up, allowing the bag to hit around the elbow, or, it can be worn as a single strap which allows for the bag to hang by the top of the hipbone. I prefer to wear mine as a single strap bag. I find it to be the most comfortable configuration.

I originally purchased my first Chanel Classic Flap in brown caviar leather in 2004, and as you can see, it is in great condition! I then purchased the navy patent east/west clutch, and then the black patent. These bags are well over ten years old, and they look new! If stored correctly, your Chanel bags can easily last for several generations.

In order to properly store your Chanel bags, keep them stuffed with white tissue paper, and always keep the felt they are packaged with. The felt is good for keeping the strap off the leather while it is stored. I always place the felt between the strap and the bag to protect the leather from the metal; you don’t want those touching! I store my bags on their back so that they don’t sag, wrapped inside their dust bag, and protected in their original box. Since Chanel has one of the highest resale values of any designer brand, it is important to keep them stored properly. I have sold Chanel bags for more then I originally paid for them, so proper storage is a must!

If you don’t want to spring for a new Chanel bag, there are plenty of reputable re-sale retailers online where you can find authentic Chanel bags which are gently used; and in some cases, new with tags! I have linked to Chanel bags online from reputable retailers below. I hope you find the Chanel Classic Flap bag of your dreams!

Thanks for stopping by, and feel free to ask me anything about your next handbag purchase! I love your emails and DM’s!!

XOXO

Cathy

chanel 2.55 handbag review