shoulder bags

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

Chloe Nile shoulder bag review

 in Handbags  tagged chloe / handbag reviews / shoulder bags by

chloe nile handbag review chloe nile shoulder bag review chloe nile reviewinside chloe nile handbagchloe nile shoulder bag review

wearing Chloe Nile medium in black / handbag content: lipstick / phone case / wallet / sunglasses

Chloe has a new IT bag in town! While there are several IT bags on the market right now, the Chloe Nile incorporates a lot of  handbag trends at the moment; making it an all-in-one IT bag.

Let’s chat about the current handbag trends, shall we? Circles are a huge trend in bags at the moment. While the Chloe Nile is not a circle bag per se, it has a convertible handle in the shape of a circle. This checks off the circle trend.

Saddle bags have been huge in fashion for the past several seasons. The Chloe Nile is a traditional saddle bag with clean lines, and one little twist; the brass circle!

The “Lady Bag,” or single top handle satchel is also a huge trend right now. While the Chloe Nile does not offer a satchel silhouette, it can be carried by its’ hoop; giving it a satchel-like feeling. (I might be reaching on that one-but go with it. haha)

Now for my review! The Chloe Nile first appeared on Chloe’s Paris Fashion Week runway three seasons ago. I spotted it in their runway video, but felt like I was in a place where I didn’t need to add another bag to my collection just yet. I tried really hard to tell myself I didn’t need another bag. I watched this bag get a ton of press after Chloe debuted it. Then, I watched as it appeared on Instagram, over, and over, and over again. All one has to do is look at the #ChloeGirls hashtag on Instagram to find the Chloe Nile in it’s mini, small, and medium form.

It became increasingly obvious that the Chloe Nile shoulder bag was destined to be one of the new IT bags of 2017. While other IT bags floated through the IT bag realm such as the Gucci Marmont, and the Cult Gaia Ark bag, the Chloe Nile haunted me; begging to be bought.

I fell in love with the clean lines, and the added brass ring. I loved the idea of a convertible handbag which could be worn as a shoulder bag, worn on my forearm, or carried by hand. There was something easy yet alluring about the design of the bag. The more I tried to talk myself out of it, the more my mind raced, telling me I needed to own one. So, I broke down, and voila! I am the proud owner of the medium Chloe Nile in black.

Let me just tell you, this bag is worth the splurge. While it is hard to call Chloe an investment, due to it’s “meh” resale value, it is a handbag brand which offers stellar quality. When you buy a Chloe bag, it isn’t to resell it someday, it is to wear it over and over again; and love it for life.

The Chloe Nile is a fabulous shoulder bag to add to one’s handbag collection. I chose the medium size because the mini and the small sizes looked way too tiny. With the medium, I can fit my wallet, sunglasses, lipstick, iPhone, and keys. There isn’t room for anything extra. The small or the mini, can hold much less. If you don’t carry very many things in your bag, then you can get away with the mini or small versions. For $100 more then the small, the medium offers a lot more interior space for your everyday purse essentials.

This is a great bag to wear everyday. There is no need to save it for special occasions, or certain outfits. The medium sized Chloe Nile is a workhorse. It is perfect for grabbing to run errands, wearing to lunch, or carrying for date night. It is an easy style to pair with casual jeans, or a dinner dress. Carried by the brass ring, the bag has a dressier feel which I love for evening occasions. Worn over the shoulder, the Chloe Nile is the ultimate everyday bag.

The interior of the Chloe Nile offers one large, main compartment, with one thin interior pocket. The interior pocket is a bit snug for my iPhone, but it is perfect for storing receipts. There is also an Opera ticket pocket on the exterior of the bag. I don’t really use Opera ticket pockets, but they are handy to have for that rare occasion I want to reach for my tickets for an event without opening my bag. It is also a handy spot for keeping a shopping list, or paper directions.

All in all, I rate the Chloe Nile shoulder bag, in medium, five out of five stars. I love the medium size of the bag, the design, and the functionality for everyday use. The mini version of the Nile would be a great alternative to an evening clutch. When I looked at it, it appeared to only hold lipstick, keys, and money outside of a wallet. A wallet will not fit inside the mini. If you are looking at the mini, the classic black version, or metallic leather version, would be a fashion-forward choice.

Many of Chloe’s handbags become classic IT bags. We have watched the Chloe Marcie, Chloe Drew, and Chloe Faye go from IT bag status, to settling into classic, closet-must-have bags. While I cannot predict the future, based on the design and functionality of the Chloe Nile, I think it is safe to say that this too will become one of Chloe’s classic “must-have’s” over time. I would recommend purchasing one in a classic color which can be worn during any season, and year-after-year.

Shop Chloe Nile in mini:

Shop Chloe Nile in small:

Shop Chloe Nile in medium:

Thank you for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

medium chloe nile handbag