Designers Handbags

You know you travel more than most when you start to have people who work the counter recognize you, can answer questions better than the airport staff, know exactly where each gate is at nearly every airport, and have the security check down. I am on land for another week and a half, and then up in the air on my way to Barcelona, then flying to Venice, then flying to Florida, then two weeks later to Ohio. Apparently I love cruising altitude more than steady turf. Yesterday I was lucky to sit next to a woman from Connecticut and talk about life, family, work, and everything in between. She was great. She has two kids and while I told her about Purse Blog she and I started to talk about travel gear. I couldn’t help but keep my mind from wandering about what would be perfect kid travel gear. Today I found a cool back pack for a dude and a cute roll on for a little girl. Funky and fresh, the Lipstik Luggage Roller is hand-painted and features, pink, denim, aqua, and purple coloring throughout. The front zipper pouch sports the words “love” and “peace” in paint. Easy to carry for a toddler to a tween, this roller is cute and affordable. Buy it through Neiman Marcus for $125. And for the cool dude, the Diesel Logo Backpack comes in an army green with blue denim trim and a white “Diesel 78″ on the front. Toss in an iPod, hand held game player, and a car magazine, and your cool dude is good to go. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $65.

Many men love cars but not handbags, man bags, etc. My dad could care less about his wallet or briefcase, as long as they carry his things and do not completely break apart and lose his important papers. Vlad has transformed to appreciating good handbags and loving LV Man Bags. Deep down though, the passion many men have for cars is undeniably larger than their passion for handbags (any of you not like this, let me know!!). This is why Paul Smith designs with men in mind. The Mini Cooper is a small car, fun and sporty, but not the typical man car; that is until it was seen in The Italian Job. What man after that movie did not want a small car to drive down subways and swerve in and our around town? Hell, even I did. The Paul Smith iconic striped Mini Cooper hits home for the man who loves dreaming of speed, heists, and driving down subways and sidewalks. I love the Paul Smith Mini Car Billfold because it is all work on the outside with black leather, and all play on the inside with the striped Mini Copper image. Different than anything you would see, the inside will be great for the inner boy inside your man (come on, they all still have it) and still has a folded bill pocket, two slot pockets, and eight card slots. Measurements are 4.25″ x 3.7″ x 0.7″ and this wallet is perfect for the guy who loves cars. Via eLuxury for $285.

Shopping for your significant other is not easy if you are a gal. Boys will be boys which makes finding them a perfect holiday gift a very daunting task. Vlad for example loves his Louis Vuitton Taiga Dersou but also thinks he wants a Wii for Christmas. Seriously?! Boys make it hard to shop. Sometimes you have to set your foot down and make your boy a man at the office or look presentable in public, but let him have his toys to play at home. If you are wanting a gift for your man that will be boss-ready and office- ready, check out the Louis Vuitton Men Holiday Gifts. From the Holiday 2006 Catalog, this page brings a mix of LV products that do not scream out the LV label but still add class and sophistication for your man in training . In this ensemble there is the Louis Vuitton Taiga Dimitri which features grained cowhide leather, brass hardware with brushed palladium finish, an adjustable canvas shoulder strap, measures 7.8″ x 9.4″ x 3.1″, and is available in black or brown for $885 via eLuxury. If the Dimitri is not the size or shape for your man, I would personally opt for the Louis Vuitton Laguito. This is the perfect mix of streamlined style and everyday usability for the working man. This briefcase is designed with smooth grained Taiga leather, features brass hardware with brushed palladium finish, large inner compartment, large back pocket, and its dimensions are 15″ L x 11.4″ H x 1.8″ W. If your budget is a bit bigger for your man and you are looking for a briefcase, I would totally pick up this beauty at eLuxury for $1450. If you are budgeting or your man has been naughty this year, opt for a Louis Vuitton Epi Compact Change Purse for $285 via eLuxury or one of many brilliant Louis Vuitton Petillante Ties for $165 through eLuxury. A gift from Louis Vuitton will be a smashing hit for your boy on the verge of manhood (if they ever do grow out of it!)

It has been a while since we have discussed man bags here. I feel a little silly neglecting my man bag duty, especially because that makes me biased and also means I have been neglecting the man, Vlad. Without further ado I must introduce you all to a gorgeous and understated man bag that many of you could most possibly talk your man into wearing. The Lambertson Truex Brown Leather Mail Bag pairs sleek refinement with subtle style to make a brown leather messenger bag that nearly any man can wear to work or school and feel sophisticated but still masculine. The white topsthing adds a nice detail along with the silver metal hardware (found on the turn lock closures). Providing ample storage room, this mail bag features an open pocket beneath that front flap closure, a back zip pocket, and inside zip and organizational pockets. Not overly metro or too feminine in my opinion at all. Dimensions are 11 1/2″H x 16″W x 4″D. The holidays are on their way and if you need to give your man a helping hand I would keep this bag in mind. Buy it via Bergdorf Goodman for $495.

If you really want to go all out for your man, pair this bag with a beautiful set of cufflinks. To match the bag I would opt for the Robin Rotenier Striped Topaz Cuff Links which pair sterling silver with blue topaz and match this bag (through BG for $395). Or if your man loves to be bad to the bone, I would splurge and throw in some Deakin & Francis Yellow Gold Cuff Links. These are bling bling of the badass world boasting 18-karat yellow or white gold and diamond eyes and movable jaws (via BG for $3250).

Not all men are LV men, but my man is

The Mr. picked up a gorgeous Louis Vuitton Taiga Dersou recently. LV has released some new man bags for Fall/Winter 06. The Louis Vuitton Innsbruck Cabas is ‘inspired by the chic elegance of the Innsbruck, Austria ski resort at the heart of the Alps’. This bag is made with suede calf leather with grained calf leather trim and has its focal point as the signature geometric V pattern on the exterior. This bag has an embroidered interior patch that recalls 1950s Louis Vuitton advertisement. For a put-together man, this bag is perfect for work and perfect for traveling to Innsbruck with you. Measurements are 15.4″ x 15.4″ x 4.3″ and the man bag is available via eLuxury for $2370.