HOLIDAY ACCESSORIES TO DIE FOR!

Check out these stunning holiday accessories, courtesy of In Style Magazine. I absolutely love every shoe, bag and piece of jewelry shown here! The pearl accessories shown above are my personal favorites-- looks very "Jackie-O" to me! The items shown range from low-priced to high-end collectibles-- there's something for everyone here!

Very cute satin accessories:

Black and gold: A staple for the holidays

These jeweled evening bags are both elegant and festive:

You can get more information on these amazing holiday accessories by clicking here.

CAN YOU BELIEVE THERE ARE MORE DOG BAGS OUT THERE?

Apparently, dog handbags are becoming the new "cutesy" accessory for women... personally, I don't quite get it. To me, they look like a stuffed animal that a child would carry. Whatever rocks your boat, I guess. Can you imagine going on a job interview carrying one of these? Just kidding!!! You can fit a small wallet, some lipstick, and maybe even your cell phone in them.

I think I just figured out why they may be appealing to some people-- they give you companionship, while holding some of your most important possessions inside of them. The good news is that you don't have to feed them!

The dog above is part of the Fuzzy Nation Couture Collection: a limited edition bronze pug.

Here are some of the other dogs you'll spot on this site:

A "pimped-out" paisley dachshund

A fuzzy pomeranian

A red-crocodile dachshund

And even a black kitty!

The things people come up with!!!

I THINK I FINALLY FOUND THE RIGHT LAPTOP BAG!

As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I have been looking for a laptop bag-- not just any old bag, but a laptop bag that is functional, cute and trendy as well. I'm in a place now in my life where I feel that any bag I carry should not only accommodate my personal needs and lifestyle, but also reflect my personal taste.

Out of all the laptop bags that I looked at, I cut down my possibilities to two choices: A very cute and trendy Juicy Couture Velour Laptop Bag, and the Sumo Laptop Bag, which looked a bit more conservative, but also stylish. For some reason, I couldn't make a decision, and ended up not making a purchase. Now I know why...


I discovered a new laptop bag called the Hartford Laptop Bag -- I believe this is the one! It is made of Italian patent leather, and has all of the qualities I'm looking for: The quilting gives it a classic look, it is compartmentalized for carrying items in addition to the laptop itself, has padded shoulder straps, is lightweight, and most importantly, it looks like a very stylish designer handbag on the outside! Priced at $349.00, I feel it is reasonably priced for all of the functionality that it offers.

This laptop bag becomes available in December. Pre-orders are currently being accepted.

If you are looking for a bag that is both stylish and functional, you'd better get your order in quick for this laptop bag-- it will surely sell out fast!

PRADA HANDBAG CHARMS MAKE THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT

Handbag charms have become really popular this year. While browsing the department stores and boutiques recently, I noticed that most of the bags were not only beaded and studded, but were also adorned with charms-- lots of them! I feel that charms really add personality to handbags.

And then there's Prada...

Since its launch in 2004, Prada Tricks - a collection of iconic trinkets and charms -has become a seasonal mainstay and for Christmas 2007 the house has added two irresistable new lines: hand-crafted miniature teddy bears and a retro travel collection.

The bears are created using faux fur and recycled off-cuts salvaged from the artisan's workshop and come with a hook for easy attachment to bags, belts and keyrings - but it will be the travel collection that really gets Prada enthusiasts hot under the collar.

For the first time ever, these are direct reproductions from the company archive. The metal tags were originally designed as magnets for the dashboards of gentlemen's cars in 1930 by Mario Prada who, in 1913, founded the small leather goods company that was to evolve into one of the biggest luxury groups in the world that is today headed up by his granddaughter Miuccia and her husband Patrizio Bertelli.

Inscribed with "Buon Viaggio", or "Have a nice trip", the key chains also come with a miniature silver Prada disk tag. Get in on the trickery at Prada boutiques from November 20.

(Courtesy of Vogue UK)

HOW ABOUT A VEGAN HANDBAG? BEING HEALTH CONSCIOUS ISN'T LIMITED TO JUST FOOD!!!

When you hear the term "vegan", most people associate it with making food choices based on being a vegetarian. Who said that vegan only referred to a way of eating?

There is a Los Angeles boutique called Alternative Outfitters, a company that promotes a healthy lifestyle by offering products that are "eco friendly", meaning that the products are organic, environmentally-friendly, and cruelty-free (no animals spared for testing or manufacturing of products). The faux leather products actually look like the real thing! The products are manufactured using vegetables, synthetic leathers, vegetable based dyes, and vegetable based glues.

The company offers clothing, shoes, and of course, handbags! Since I tend to have an affinity for handbags, let me share with you some of the cute and fashionable bags that this store carries:

The Chinese Laundry Silver Ruched Vegan Handbag is adorable-- this bag is a great replica of metallic leather!

The construction and choice of embellishments on this Chinese Laundry Double-Braided Handle Vegan Saddlebag makes it easy to compete with any high-end designer bag:

I love the color and style of this Espe Slic Brief Green Vegan Handbag:

The Espe Fleur Large Black Vegan Wallet is really cute!!!

The good news is that all of these bags are very affordable and environmentally-friendly at the same time-- guilt-free shopping at this store!

BAGS FOR DOG LOVERS

There will no longer be any need for Paris Hilton to wander around using live animals as fashion accessories if there are actual fashion accessories out there shaped like live animals. As for those of us who don't tend to walk around clutching Chihuahuas on a daily basis... well, I'm not so sure. Do we really want to go out in public with a Boston Terrier tucked under our arms? Or a pug? I'm not convinced, but if you are, you can pick up a new furry friend for £39 from Viva la Diva.

(courtesy of The Fashion Police)

CELEBS AND THEIR FAVORITE BAGS

If you're wondering what the bags of choice are for some of your favorite stars, check out these recent photos, courtesy of People Magazine:

I'm really feeling this Pierre Hardy bag that Cameron Diaz is wearing-- perfect for a day out on the town!

WHY DOES THE DOONEY & BOURKE COLLECTION REMIND ME OF TAKING A TRIP TO THE ZOO?

Is it me, or does the latest Dooney & Bourke handbags remind you of all of your favorite zoo animals?

True enough, exotic prints are all the rage this season, with python bags, real and fake, being produced everywhere. Cheetah and leopard prints are just as much in demand.

Dooney & Bourke seem to have all the zoo animals covered in their collection...

Like the zebra printed sac bag:

If giraffes are your animal of choice, this drawstring bag works:

Not to be outdone by the ostrich tote:

The "croco" hobo is the icing on the cake:

While I feel that these are beautiful bags, with all of the animal choices I can't help but be reminded of the zoo!

To view the entire collection of Dooney & Bourke handbags, click here.

THE HOLIDAYS ARE ALMOST HERE-- NEED TO DO SOME ORGANIZING?

Can you believe that the holidays are just around the corner? If you're like me, as you shop for gifts for friends and family, you'll manage to slip in a few for yourself as well! I love gift giving, but I also like the way it feels when I'm wearing something new-- whether it be something as simple as new lingerie, new perfume, or even toting a new bag!

After I go shopping, I'm usually prompted to do some re-organizing. At one point, my handbag collection had gotten out of hand due to the fact that not only do I design handbags, but I also enjoy collecting bags made by other designers that I find unique, or just plain cute!

I recently bought a set of purse racks for organizing my handbags.

The racks latch over the top of your door, with a strap that extends down with hooks on it for hanging your bags. I really like the racks because I am able to keep my inventory of bags together in an organized manner. No more frustration from not being able to find your bags when you need them! More than one rack can fit on your door, which even makes for a great display of your handbags. This would also be a great gift for someone you know who could use a little bit of organization as well!

If you would like to know where you can find these purse racks, click here.

THE POWER OF OPRAH: CINDY CRAWFORD'S MENTION OF THE ZAGLIANI BAG CREATES HUGE DEMAND FOR IT

It's amazing how far a little publicity goes, when you make mention of something on the Oprah Show.

Cindy Crawford appeared on the show this past week, sharing with the audience what goes on in her everyday life. The striking supermodel, who appeared with her very handsome husband, surprised everyone when she admitted that she loves baking and scrapbooking. I don't know why that was surprising-- why should she be embarassed by doing something she enjoys? It seems like our society still has a problem with anything that is perceived as being domestic. Maybe she's just supposed to look sexy. Betcha' the scrapbooking actually turns her husband on!!!

She eventually led everyone to her closet, and showed all of her "favorite things". That's where the Zagliani bag came in. She talked of an amazing Italian designer by the name of Zagliani who creates beautiful handbags, and added that although he wasn't as popular in the United States as he was overseas, she likes to get her hands on things before other people find out about them. I wrote about Zagliani's bags in a previous post-- these were the bags I talked about that were being given botox injections to keep them firm and supple.

Cindy is clearly perceived as one who has great style-- otherwise, this bag would not have taken off the way it has! And as far as being on the Oprah show? Anyone who is a guest on Oprah's show has the perfect opportunity to get things out everywhere in the world-- and fast!!!