Envelope Clutch Bags

Celebrity fashion includes the much loved envelope bag - a mini-tote without handles, these practical but pretty bags hold so much more than your lipstick.

Eva Longoria - sporting a silver envelope clutch bag

How many times have we tried to manouever all our worldly goods into a tiny little space, feeling half naked when we have to admit defeat and omit half of our beloved possessions.

Gwen Stefani clutches mink coloured envelope bag

Envelope bags solve that problem by being large enough to hold most of  what is contained in a tote. May the trend long continue!

Ashley Olsen showing off her Calvin Klein envelope clutch

This structured leather bag in bold red is wonderfully large.

Zoe - red leather message bag - £75.00

Tuscany Leather Audrey - purple leather - £69.00

A Riot of Colour

A season of sophisticated and vibrant 70’s chic combined with an array of animal inspired prints create the riots of colour for SS11. Stripes, block colours and bold patterns are a must have this season, with metallic finishes and also clinical white adding a fresh and crisp elegance to seasons collections.

 Opting for something more calming and tranquil, the ocean inspired blues and corals also make huge waves this season with cerulean and cobalt both cascading through many designer key pieces. And for those feeling a little fruity this season tangerine and peach are flavours captivating the pallets of designers across the globe.

Happy shopping...

Byron Gordon

Black Bag

I spent yesterday thinking up descriptions for some new handbags. I'm not the greatest on thinking up descriptions and wonder if I should give all my handbags names to make it a little easier when describing them.  Some come ready named but the cheaper ones don't.

I sat for ages staring at one black bag thinking what can I call this one. 'Black bag', 'black bag with zipper', 'plaited, buckled thingy', etc... The only problem with that is after listing 50 different 'black bags' or plaited buckled thingys, that idea doesn't really work!

Zipper - £24.50

Why can't manufacturers name all their bags making it easier to list them?

After much deliberation, I came up with the boring name of "Zipper"! Why? Because it has a zip on each side of the bag and I was tired of staring at it trying to get some inspiration!

I won't surprise myself if during the coming weeks, I rename it once my brain has clicked into gear and I think of something a little more exciting.

Would you Fake It?

Some women just love designer handbags!

I have listened to women, who can clearly afford an expensive handbag, admit to picking up a very good copy costing hundreds but maybe saving themselves thousands.

Obviously, the thinking behind this is that they do not wish to spend exorbitant amounts of money on just a bag but they love the style nonetheless.

Dolce & Gabbana Animalier Range

I could never quite understand this obsession. It seems weird to me to carry a fake handbag. It is still a fake no matter how well made it may appear. There are always slight imperfections which an expert can pick up.

Being the over the top person I am, my imagination sometimes runs away with itself and I have visions of walking along a street, my handbag burdened with all my beloved personal items, and the handbag police - spotting my fake bag - stopping me, insisting that I empty the contents of my fake purse onto the pavement so that they can whip the offending item away for destruction! Oh the embarrassment of wondering if anyone saw!

I'm not into designer labels and won't choose a bag just because it has been created by someone famous. I choose my bags for colour, texture and style. Boring, I know but it works for me.

I've seen the most unbelievable copies of handbags which should never have seen the light of day! What may well have started out as a truly remarkable handbag ends up as an ugly, replicated mess.

I'll definitely be sticking to my unbranded bags, trying not to give pitying glances to those ladies who are deluded enough to believe their fake Gucci or LV is passing for the real thing!

Handbag Guilt

Ooops!  I nearly committed the cardinal sin of stocking fox fur handbags until I remembered that most people think the fur looks better on the fox rather than on a person! 

No, I wasn't on the warpath after spending Sunday clearing up all that fox poop in my garden! 

It's funny to see just how used to humans foxes are nowadays.  I left my house the other morning to walk down to the station.  Half way along, I looked across the road at another pedestrian who was walking on the other side and in the middle of us was a young fox who looked disdainfully left and right checking us out then continued trotting next to us as if we weren't even there!

One of my first memories as a child was recalling that my mother sometimes kept her fox stole in the fridge.  I'm not sure why, but I do remember that whenever it rained, the thing gave off a scent so awful it would guarantee a seat on any train!

Faux fur is so well made these days that if you like the thought of handbags made from fur take a look at this. Little difference and it certainly won't stink when it rains!

Real Fox Fur Handbag

Faux Fur Handbag