satchels

Designer handbag capsule wardrobe

 in Handbags  tagged capsule wardrobe / classic style / clutches / cross body bags / handbag capsule / satchels / shoulder bags / totes by

designer handbag capsule wardrobe

From top left: Daily bag: drawstring bucket bag (under $1000!) / Formal gala clutch: black clutch / Work bag: classic black satchel / Dinner bag: Gucci shoulder bag (under $2000!) / Daily satchel: black doctor-style satchel / Cross body bag: off-white cross body bag  / Workhorse tote: blue simple tote (under $1500!)

Everyone is always talking about creating a capsule wardrobe which is simple, and exudes minimalism. This can be achieved with handbags too! If you are trying to buy the least amount of handbags you need to get through life, yet still want them to be fabulous, you are in the right place! This is an example of the perfect designer handbag capsule wardrobe.

There are seven types of handbags you need in your designer handbag capsule wardrobe to cover every occasion in life. These bags should be classic, and in a neutral hue, which will never clash with your attire. If you are building a designer handbag capsule wardrobe, it is best to stick with black, grey, white, beige, and tan. Why is there a blue tote pictured? Well. . .we will get to that 😉

When building the perfect designer handbag capsule wardrobe, it is important to pick styles within each handbag category which are classic and will not immediately go out of style after one season. These bags need to have longevity so that your hard-earned money isn’t wasted on a trendy item. Capsule wardrobe handbags should be simple, free of adornments, and offer clean lines. I have chosen my favorites in each category, and included them in this post.

Without further ado, here are the seven bags we all need in a designer handbag capsule wardrobe!

Daily Handbag: This is the bag you want to be able to reach for everyday. Your daily handbag should be sturdy, sleek, easy to wipe down, and have room for extras. A bucket bag or hobo bag is perfect for grabbing to run out of the house. It can take you from errands to a little league game to the mall. This is the bag you will use all. the. time! I own the Mansur Gavriel bucket bag pictured above and love love love it! It is perfect for everyday use, and fits all the extra things my kids always want me to hold for them. This bag offers sturdy construction, and can handle heavy weight inside of it; such as five water bottles, an iPad, and a DSLR camera. Yes, I have stuffed those items inside, and it worked like a charm!

Daily Satchel: Sometimes you want a more structured look for everyday wear. A hobo or bucket bag might not have the right look for running from a ladies lunch to the supermarket. A structured, daily satchel made from a sturdy fabrication which offers an understated look is perfect for days when you want to look put together, but still have a hectic schedule. I own the Givenchy Antigona daily satchel pictured above and love it! I have had it for several years and always stuff it with heavy items. The leather is sturdy and can really take a beating. It cleans off nicely, and keeps on working hard for me! I highly recommend owning one as part of your designer handbag capsule wardrobe.

Evening Clutch: This Bottega Veneta clutch is on my wish list! Everyone needs one classic, formal evening clutch in their wardrobe. This clutch is ideal for gala events, cocktail parties, and anything formal. I recommend getting one with a hidden shoulder strap for when you want to be hands free. If you like to hold a drink, and grab passed appetizers-you need a hidden strap!

Dinner Bag: This is your go-to semi-formal bag for dinner, the theater, and going out in general. I love the Gucci bag pictured above, or you could invest in a classic Chanel 2.55 or Chanel classic flap.

Cross Body Bag: Everyone needs one cross body bag in their handbag capsule wardrobe. This is the bag you will use at amusement parks, for travel, and anytime you go somewhere you want to be hands-free. This Chloe bag is a classic, sturdy workhorse bag. It is also roomier then it looks!

Work Bag: Whether you work in an office, or volunteer your time, you will need a work bag in your designer handbag capsule wardrobe. This is a bag you can fit files into, looks structured, and offers a professional vibe which demands instant respect. You may even be able to fit a small laptop inside! I own the Fendi recommended above and love it! It is my go-to meeting bag and fits files, a tablet, and additional odds and ends. It is sturdy and perfect for daily use if you work outside the home. Love it!

Workhorse Tote: So, you may have noticed I advised you to look for neutral colors when it comes to creating a designer handbag capsule wardrobe. You may have also noticed the Fendi tote pictured above is blue! Your workhorse tote is the one bag where you can have fun with color. A good workhorse tote bag can act as a beach bag, a carry-on bag, a park day bag, a shopper tote, and more! You may not reach for it everyday, but your workhorse tote bag will be the large, roomy tote you reach for on weekends, when you travel, need a diaper bag, and whenever you need to bring a lot of stuff with you! Have fun with your tote, and choose a color which reflects your personal style. Mine is blue, what’s your hue?

Well, that’s it! These are the seven types of bags you need to create a classic, durable, designer handbag capsule wardrobe. To be frank, we don’t need more then seven bags, although owning more is fun! If you are limited on closet space, simplify your wardrobe, or want to maximize your dollars, seven bags will do it! I hope you like the ones I recommend, I either own them, or have been eyeing them.

Which types of handbags do you need in your handbag capsule wardrobe?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

Gucci Marmont Lady Bag review

 in Handbags  tagged gucci / handbag reviews / satchels / shoulder bags by

gucci marmont lady bag spring 2018gucci marmont lady bag review

Ah, the infamous Gucci Marmont handbag. The Gucci Marmont handbag has been gaining popularity over the last few seasons, and by last spring, it started to push ahead of it’s sister, the Gucci Dionysus, as the IT bag du jour.

So, saying Gucci is having a moment, is the understatement of the year. While Gucci has been having a moment for a couple of years now, it is showing no signs of slowing down. Gucci is the IT designer du jour. There is no designer out there which is showing any sort of effort to knock the crown off of Gucci.

My favorite Gucci Marmont handbags:

Everything Gucci is hot. I. mean. everything! While the hottest Gucci items of the moment include the Gucci Marmont, the Gucci Princeton mules, and the Gucci logo belt, anything with Gucci’s name on it is hotter then hot.

I have been eyeing the Gucci Marmont since last year. After the holidays last year, I almost purchased the black and white striped version of the shoulder bag, but I ended up talking myself out of because it looked too much like my Chanel bags. Despite the fact that I talked myself out of the bag, I still eyed the Gucci Marmont until this season, when Gucci released their spring 2018 collection and it included this beautiful white Lady Bag with a detachable shoulder strap. Love!

gucci marmont lady bag review

One of the biggest trends in handbags for spring 2018 is the white handbag. Also, one of the biggest silhouette trends in handbags this year is the lady bag. In addition, quilted bags are getting more popular as more, and more, designers release their own interpretations of Chanel’s iconic quilted handbag collection.

Since I knew I wanted a white handbag which could fit everything pictured above, I instantly knew the Gucci Marmont Lady Bag was my bag for spring 2018! The Gucci Marmont Lady Bag comes in two sizes; small and medium. This post features the small size. Even with with everything pictured above inside the small sized Gucci Marmont Lady Bag, there is still plenty of extra room for a pair of gloves, a bag of snacks for the kids, and more!

The Gucci Marmont Lady Bag is made from strong calf leather which is scratch resistant; a bonus for those of us with kids! The outside also features one top handle, and a detachable shoulder strap. The closure is a little tricky, but easy to use once you realize it is not the common magnetic closure we are used to with other designer bags. The Gucci Marmont Lady Bag features a latch which you push up to release the flap, and open your bag.

gucci marmont lady bag reviewgucci marmont lady bag review

The Interior of the bag features a zipper pocket, large main compartment, and a slip pocket which is perfect for your iPhone. I was impressed to see how the lining of the Gucci Marmont handbag is extremely high quality. The interior lining is made from strong Ultrasuede which adds a soft, luxurious feeling to the already luxurious bag. Love that!

The quilting on this handbag offers more then the typical square or linear quilting other designers are showing. The Marmont collection offers chevron quilting on the top flap, and back of the bag; while the bottom of the front of the bag offers semi-circle quilts. Another nice touch to the Gucci Marmont handbag collection is the quilted heart found on the back of the handbag. This sweet little touch adds something special to the bag; and my daughters think it is the best thing ever! They really love hearts 🙂

As far as longevity is concerned, the Gucci Marmont ticks almost all of the boxes to qualify as a classic handbag style. Quilted handbags are considered classic, thanks to Chanel, and the Gucci Marmont collection is proving to popular among consumers in all styles; not just one bag from the collection. The Lady Bag is a classic handbag style which never goes out of style; it just enjoys IT status every few years, without ever falling out of favor.

The detachable shoulder strap adds versatility to the bag, allowing it to be worn casually with the strap, or dressier without the strap. The two-bags-in-one factor makes the Gucci Marmont a good buy; even at luxury prices!

I am in love with my Gucci Marmont Lady Bag, and am kicking myself for not buying one sooner. I love how this bag offers a soft body without looking sloppy. So many unstructured satchels look floppy and sloppy. This beautiful handbag does not lose it’s shape, despite the fact that it is soft.

Gucci Marmont around the web:

What do you think of the Gucci Marmont collection? Do you like the Lady Bag?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

gucci marmont lady bag reviewgucci marmont lady bag review

Best fall handbags under $1000 for 2017

 in Handbags / Shopping  tagged chloe / fall 2017 / gucci / mansur gavriel / national handbag day / satchels / shoulder bags / tory burch / totes by

mansur gavriel it bag

pictured: black with red interior Mansur Gavriel handbag. Classic IT bag under $1000

Happy National Handbag Day! In honor of this fabulous day, let’s chat about the best fall handbags under $1000 for fall 2017 from hot designers such as Gucci, Mansur Gavriel, Tory Burch, Burberry, Chloe, and more.

Let’s face it, if you are reading this post, you may just have a love for handbags as I do. I truly feel a girl can never have enough handbags. I love handbags with a story; from designers and brands who value quality, craftsmanship, and original style. I always do my best to steer clear of copycat designs, and brands which have a reputation for poor quality. I also love owning bags which have a decent resale value; because you never know when you might need to turn your collection into cash; especially when you spend a couple thousand dollars, or more, on a bag!

That being said. . .I am a firm believer in looking for bags with value. You don’t have to break the bank to own an IT bag, or a bag with resale value; or a hot designer bag for that matter! So, without further ado, I have curated several bags from around the web which have an IT factor to them, and are made by designers or brands I trust for excellent quality, craftsmanship, and design. My favorite bags are in the collage below-

fall handbags under $1000 2017 best

pictured from top left: Gucci bag (I saw this bag on the arms of New York Fashion Week attendees. This is a hot IT bag!) / classic Chloe bag (this is a classic IT bag which is a staple in every handbag lover’s closet-I have it on my wish list but can’t decide on color-which color do you like?) / Burberry tote (classic and practical-love!) / Gucci Marmont (hot IT bag du jour!) / olive box satchel (hot IT style from a timeless brand) / Chloe Faye backpack (up and coming IT bag for casual style) / Mansur Gavriel bucket bag (be still my beating heart-this fall color is to-die-for. classic IT bag and must-have!) / Black circle tote (circle bags are all the rage right now, and this one is under $400, love!)

How fabulous are these bags?! I’m dying over that new color from Mansur Gavriel, and the box satchel is absolutely beautiful. I have been eyeing that Chloe cross body bag for a few seasons now but can’t decide on a color. So many bags to covet! I wish I could fit them all in my collage, but alas, I could not. I placed my favorites in the collage, and the others I am in love with are in the shopping widget below. Simply scroll through, and click on the ones which interest you.

Best fall handbags under $1000 for fall 2017:

I am thrilled there are so many fall handbags under $1000 for fall 2017 which have an IT factor, as well as timeless appeal. Which designer bag for fall under $1000 do you love?

Happy National Handbag Day!

XOXO

Cathy

mansur gavriel circle tote