Designers Handbags

I’ve always had a thing for Kate Spade’s simple but stylish deigns — not just handbags but formal china and accessories too! I certainly have summer on the brain and when perusing her website I came across the perfect bag that screams clam bake in Cape Cod or a day at the races sipping a mint julep. The Darlington Jackie is all American made from woven corn husk straw with brightly colored cowhide detail and lined in the signature dot cotton. Don’t worry about things slipping out of your new bag with the pyramid turnlock closure and short shoulder length. Be subtle and glamorous with the 14K white and light gold hardware at an affordable $395.

I don’t know about you ladies, but I am not feeling this Kate Spade Monserrat Mini Anne. Doesn’t this Caribbean-inspired purse look like something your grandma might create given a little time, some fabric, and a glue gun? The hobo - made of shimmering tumbled metallic nappa leather, available in platinum or the sickeningly-sweet violet - features a nice drawstring closure but suffers from the addition of velvet ribbon trim. It’s too frilly and quaint.

$345 at Katespade.com

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Whether or not your winter plans call for a few runs down the slopes, you can dress the part with this fun new Kate Spade purse. Showing off the puffy parka-ness of a cute jacket, the Snow Mass Griffen was indeed made just for the coldest time of the year, when breaking out unflatteringly billowy clothes is the norm (for some, at least). Puffy doesn’t have to mean unattractive, though - the Snow Mass Griffen is just simple and chic, and even a little bit loony in its style. It’s not often you find a handbag made of puffy nylon, after all. This one is definitely cute for the slopes. Available in red and gray for $265 at Kate Spade.

Shop for more designer purses by Kate Spade

It’s not really time just yet to get cozy with the suede, but I’m already making plans to nab the gorgeous Kate Spade Raleigh Suede Francis Bag. The gray version is a little too staid for my liking, but the light brown is a perfect blend of velvety woven suede and soft pony. The calfskin patent leather adds a little attitude to the otherwise low-key but perfectly luxurious purse. Available for $795 at Kate Spade.

Posted May 25th 2007 5:03PM by Sandy Maple

Filed under: Handbags

For her Spring 2007 collection, Kate Spade teamed up with British artist Hugo Guinness to create the Kate Spade Hugo Poppy Griffen tote. The magazine tote features the artist’s beautiful poppy illustration printed on a lightweight canvas. Open on the top, the bag has 14-karat gold plated hardware and boarskin leather trim. Inside, there are double slide pockets as well as a zippered compartment. In black on natural, the bag sells for $225.

Kate Spade bags are known to implement laid back style, but the Tracy Collection features some bags with a different feel for Spade. The Kate Spade Tracy Patent Satchel feels sporty with the perforation yet chic with the trendy red patent leather. For what you get, the price is very reasonable, considering that 14-karat yellow gold hardware is used. Easy to wipe off, tons of bold color, and a good size, 4 1/2″H x 14″W x 5″D, makes this Kate Spade number a perfect everyday bag contender. Via Neiman Marcus for $395 (under $400 with 14k gold and leather makes this bag a great deal!

One of the best places to vacation in the US in my opinion is the Northeast. Granted, on a different day I will tell you a different place, but Nantucket and Cape Cod are both gorgeous and relaxing towns. There is a small town atmosphere, along with the feeling of lots of relaxed big money, but they are an ideal beach town and get away town. Kate Spade has released the Cape Cod Collection, which brings to the forefront of the the most regonizable animals in sea life from this area, the lobster. The lobster claw and body is a cunning symbol for this beach town and perfect to go along with the relaxed feeling of the Kate Spade Cape Cod Collection. I love the shape of the Cape Cod Pailette Maya which goes for $595. It is time to get our minds off the wind, snow, and rain of this crazy winter and onto the seashells, lobster, and beaches of summer. Check out the entire Cape Code Collection at Kate Spade.

Who doesn’t have a hobby? I feel pretty safe to assume that we all have had at least one hobby in our lives and most likely dabbled with many more. I can laugh at it now, but I loved Ninja Turtles. What little girl does that?! I collected them and had a collectors carrying case. That may be much of the reason why my family laughs at me now for being such a fashion guru. Kate Spade has put hobbies to the test with some of her bags. The Kate Spade Hobby Gardening Tote boats a gardening theme screen print on the cotton canvas bag. The tote looks like it would fit perfectly under the arm and you really could take it out to your garden with you. Actually, if you lived in Germany for example, you could take it to your Strebergarten. There are four exterior slide pockets and the interior is lined with cotton twill and has a double slide pocket and zip pocket. The tote measures 10 1/2″h x 15 3/4″w x 7 3/4″d and is available via Kate Spade online for the sale price of $123.

But if you love going on weekend picnics, you may want to opt for the Kate Spade Hobby Picnic Tote. Showing off a screen print fork, knife, and spoon, this could be the perfect picnic basket-bag that you may be looking for. Also marked down via Kate Spade for $123.

And Viewer’s Choice Monday is back at you! Actually, it never quite went away, but the thread got a little lost in space and noone was aware this was still happening. But it is, so smile and let’s see what some of the reader’s want to hear about today. One of our most loyal readers and quite the bugetnista herself, Chemlex, has pointed our way towards the Kate Spade Rivington-Gisele Handbag. For a perfect little handbag, Kate has implemented the chic use of mettalic leather with a matte finish. Bringing in two of our favorite shiny colors, this sleek bag uses both gold and silver matte leather and is accented with nickel-tone hardware. The bag closes via a flap closure and has an interior zip pocket to hide the little necessities we all carry. Keep in mind that the width and height of this bag make the bag seem like it would carry a little more than it truly till, because the depth is a mere inch (11″W x 6″H x 1″D). Grab this beauty via Nordstrom for $223.90 (of course a marked down price!)