Store Appeal

Botkier Handbags & Shoes – Accessories with Downtown Edge

Store Appeal: I know what you might be thinking, with the Tory Burchs and Rebecca Minkoffs of the world, do we really need yet another contemporary-on-the-cusp-of-high-end designer handbag collection? But just like with Tory Burch and Rebecca Minkoff, Botkier offers something unique that sets it apart from the other brands it tends to be grouped in. The eponymous handbags, shoes and accessories line from New York fashion photographer, Monica Botkier, has made a splash on the celeb scene, worn by boho starlets such as Joy Bryant, Ashley Greene and Rachel Bilson. Each style of purse not only has detailed stitching and fun hardware or trendy zippers, but also comes with a fob of sorts. Such as the neutrals line which features an elephant shaped fob. Fans of designer shoes, but hate stilts (aka 5 inch heels), will love the sturdy, cone heels, as they are cutting edge without invoking a fear of falling over the edge of the sidewalk. The brand terms itself “downtown edge” and embodies “luxury through custom detailing, innovation and quality while focusing on functionality.” Quite possibly, Botkier is the answer to all of our fashion woes!

Our Vote: The store’s site is easily navigable and had great photos and will show you the available shoe sizes from a drop-down menu and lists the dimensions of each purse so you’ll know exactly what you’re getting! Plus, there’s a lot of great information about Monica and the brand as well as a blog all about Monica’s Musings which stretch out of the world of fashion and into the culture that breeds it. Because if you’re going to drop $500 on a purse, you want to know there’s a community to back you up!

Our Favorites:

1.)   Botkier Uma Satchel – $595

2.)   Botkier Howard Street Satchel – $575

3.)   Botkier Lula Sandals – $229

Would You Buy This Prada Transparent PVC Tote?

Prada Transparent PVC Tote, $1036

The number of women who could afford to spend $1000 on a women’s handbag  is a lot less than the number of women who actually buy such things.  For women, not just in the US but around the world, designer handbags are a social currency - an expression of  style, status,  or even desire.  The simplest outfit can be transformed by the right bag.

I am a big designer bag fan, and typically purchase quality quality leather bags that I know will withstand the abuse I will give the bag in its lifetime.   But one trend I have never understood in designer handbags is the purchase of bags made out of cheap or synthetic materials.  Yes, you’re paying for a label, but beyond that you should at least be paying some of that money for a butter soft leather, or an embossed dyed alligator, or something equally premium.

The Prada Transparent PVC Tote, pictured above and avaiable from Bluefly.com  is the opposite of everything I want in a designer bag, and yet I still admire it aesthetically.  However, admiring a see-through bag when it is empty is far different than liking it when its full.  The appeal of the bag’s design would be completely thrown off by the items  inside.  I try to keep my things neat in a purse, but even still I don’t invite people to look inside.  This bag reveals all your secrets – what medicines you’re carrying, what kind of phone you use, and forget about anything like feminine products having a place in there.  Is it a practical handbag? Definitely not.

Plus it’s got no zipper, no pockets, no convenient cell sleeve or key holder.  And it’s made of PVC.  Yet because its Prada it’s over $1,000.  Would you purchase a bag like this?

Balenciaga Handbags and Wallets – Old World Meets Modern Girl

Store Appeal: While Balenciaga has been around since the beginning of the Twentieth Century, this luxury lifestyle brand has expanded its collection of handbags, leather goods and fragrances to appeal to the modern women while maintaining the couture quality the brand is rooted in. From opulent materials like lambskin, to vibrant use of color and shapes, a Balenciaga bag is easily defined by its structure, use of hardware and well-designed details.

Our Vote: Unlike many high-end designer’s online stores which either have very little content or are more about the design of the site versus the utility of shopping, the Balenciaga site combines both artistry and function, making it highly navigable and a pleasure to view. While Balenciaga is well-known for its red carpet gowns and couture frocks, its handbags and leather goods are perhaps what the brand is best known for in recent years, thanks to the advent of the “it bag.”

Our Favorites:

1.) City Patchwork (in blues or golds) – $2,345

2.) Giant Money (in Moutarde) – $555

3.) Canard Compagnon Wallet – $ 575

Shop Balenciaga online…