Recently in Fur Category

My cat dragged this in as a surprise for me. It's sweet of her but still, quite scary and mutilated looking. What the heck is going on? Is Givenchy doing a Halloween collection or something? This could be cute if it was a different shape but this long 1980's cell phone case is just odd and awkward. I'm all for furry and poofy but let's leave that for the boas. At Luisaviaroma for $1816.30. I know, seriously? At least they are now including import fees and shipping in their price so this price for the US.

Since my parents were born and raised in Munich and some of my extended family still lives there, I go there on a fairly regular basis. You wouldn't necessarily think this, but Munich has some of the most amazing shopping. My fave boutiques, Theresa and Maendler, are located there and a new fave, Pool, just recently opened. I swear the selection is a million times better than anything I've found in NYC! The best part is while many of the brands are the same as what you would find State-side they've got bag models that aren't widely available in NYC. On my recent trip I was struck by one trend in particular -- the hairy bag! Everywhere I went I saw them. From Miu Miu and Givenchy to Thomas Wylde, it was total goat hair and lamb's wool galore! Unfortunately I can't find an image online of the Thomas Wylde handbag I saw at Pool because it was a sight to be seen. The size of a weekender, the bag had long, crimped goat hair hanging down and was topped off by an over-sized, crystal-embellished skull. I can't for the life of me imagine who could pull that off tastefully...any ideas? Slightly less extreme is the Givenchy bag pictured on the left above (959 euro or about $1,400). I still find it to be a total slob, but at least it isn't over-sized. Surprisingly though I actually like the Long Goat Hair Tote from Miu Miu (950 euro or about $1,400). If I had the budget to indulge in my every last bag whim I would totally buy it just for fun to spice-up a simple outfit on an all-girls night out (because who else besides girlfriends could appreciate such a bag :-)).

What do you think about hairy bags? Snob or Slob?

I went to a totally fun party at the Royal-T Cafe and Art Space in Culver City, it was a dress up circus themed party called Cirque Du So Lame. I love clever puns like that!! I host Oscar parties where everyone has to bring a dish inspired by Oscar nominees, such as City of Cod, Catherine Ziti Jones, Gosford Pork, Spamdog Millionaire, etc. I have very creative friends =) Anyway, the owner of the Royal-T bought a limited edition Richard Prince LV bag. This is pink pony hair that has the LV monogram laser cute in the fur and the image was hand embroidered. It is a really cool bag to look at as a novelty item, as you can see this was displayed in a museum case for such purposes. I don't know how much was paid for this but it is obviously not something you should buy to use. But of course I'm wrong because there are 21 other women out there with this bag that is shaking their smug fingers at me.

What do you guys think? Snob or Slob?

As you know, there are so many really awful bags out there - we don't set out to find them, they just appear in front of us and make it impossible for us to ignore. Like this road kill clutch by Henry Begeulin - it got in our way and we had no choice but to run over it. It looks like a rat or a possum but either way it is a rodent and a pest. Can you imagine coming home from a night out, slightly drunk and bleary eyed - you go in your closet and this is sitting on your shelf! I would run to the nearest hotel and call an exterminator. The fact that they perfectly cut the skin so that the back of the animal is the exact center of the clutch just makes it all the more creepy. And as if it isn't clear enough that this resembles an undesirable creature, they put tassels on it to look like whiskers! All that's missing now are grommets for eyes. I really do like Henry Beguelin so it is unfortunate that this one got under my screeching tires. $760 at Henry Beguelin boutiques, I would give more info but even if you wanted to buy this, I wouldn't give it to you.

There were a lot of questions regarding ponyhair, haircalf or in industry terms, hair-on leather. What the heck is it? Is it pony? Is it cow? Well, it is most commonly cow, although it can be done with buffalo or any other animal for that matter (shearling is the sheep version of this) but it is usually not actual pony. Basically, it is the hair side of the animal. It is considered a "pelt", same as fur. The leather that we are most familiar with is actually the underside, the non-hair side of the skin. Haircalf (the most common term but in fashion pony hair is used to make it sound sexier) is more expensive than the average leather but the cost is in the finish of the hair, since it needs to be treated (chrome tanned is a process that gives the hair the super shiny sheen), most of the time it is cut down short (this is necessary for any use other than a rug, as in, in a cowboy's house), and it is dyed. If you've ever been to a farm, I don't need to tell you what the natural colors are - solid black, black and white, brown and white or tricolors of black, brown and white. It is dyed white first and any color or pattern can then be put on it, even metallic. As with leather, prices vary widely depending on how many of these treatments it has had. In general, the haircalf version is also more expensive than the leather counterpart because it is harder to work with during manufacturing. The care for haircalf is pretty simple. Don't get gum or oil on it and you can pretty much clean it nicely with a dry cloth. If you get something on it, use a slightly damp cloth but then dry it with a dry cloth immediately after. Always go with the grain of the hair! It can also be sprayed with the same silicone spray for suede but whatever you do, stay away from Scotch Guard, even their warning says not to use it on anything other than fabric. I guess the question you all want answered is now obvious. No, it is not considered exotic since it is just plain ole' cow. But if you are looking for an alternative to humdrum leather, haircalf is definitely more unique and bold.

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When I started Bag Snob, it wasn't about trying to be a snob about anything, I just wanted to have fun indulging in extravagance to fill my free time and who wouldn't right? It's like when you have guests over for dinner, you don't serve diet cake, you bring out the most decadent chocolate fudge cake! If you ever meet me you will see that I am by far the un-snobbiest person out there. My point is, you obviously do not need to be a label whore to be stylish and chic, it is almost the opposite. I mean, do I own a Birkin, Chanel, Bottega, etc? Yes, but I never do head to toe in it. And I feel like I am cheating when I use my bags as the center piece, it is why I love bags because it is true, all you need is a good bag, but to really be hip, it takes a bit more than that. You certainly do not need to spend thousands to achieve true style. If you can walk in to TJ Maxx and come out with a fabulous outfit, you have way more clue than anyone living on Park Ave. Not that this Michael by Michael Kors clutch is the answer to economic bohemian chic but I love that it has personality and that's the key to everything. The cutout handle is all rage (yes, still) and haircalf is considered an exotic, at least it is not traditional leather and that's really the crux of the "exotic" trend. I am not an animal print girl but this is a small bag (12 3/4" x 8 1/2") so it just adds a splash of it for some fun. For $348 you get a bag that is on-trend, functional and can be made all your own. At Vivre.com.

Yeah, we all know Chanel can do classic but there is more than one customer out there and they know it. In an attempt to do cute and funky they ended up with child-like and furry. Let's start with the child-like bag which is actually named "Candy-like". Through astute observation, they see that their core shoppers act like kids in a candy store at their boutiques, but they are taking this a little too literally. Observations need to be analyzed and processed not just regurgitated. We act like kids in a candy store but we don't actually want "candy". Even for the sake of the argument, let's say we do - this arm "candy" does not at all function well or is remotely cute. The chain is attached to one corner so it dangles oddly at your side, hanging like a giant Christmas ornament from your wrist, all the while spinning uncontrollably as you walk. When you put it on your shoulder, the pyramid / triangular shape does not conform to a human figure whatsoever and just sits away from you with nowhere for your arm to go. It comes in 2 sizes, the larger is $1295 and is about 12" at the base of the triangle, the smaller is $1150 and is around 8".

I just saw someone today with a ponyhair bag that was so furry I thought it was going to bite me. Pony needs to be shaved down really tight to be a part of fashion, otherwise you are just a caveman. So, having said that, this Philip Lim furry moss is great and I love it! The color of course is amazing for Fall and the zipped tote style is versatile, casual and hip. The circular handles are really cool looking but I do fear the practicality of it being that it is such a big bag at 21.5" x 13.5". When I get a big bag, I want to fill it up, if I didn't, I would just use a clutch, right? That is the one downside to this that I can foresee. Another warning, moms, don't even think about getting pony as a baby bag, caked in mess and stuck together fur is really nasty. Everything else seems so perfect, the zipped top makes this a perfect day time partner for city dwellers and can be used as an overnighter for those who have that need (wink wink). I even love the strange and oddly random bracket hardware, it adds an element of surprise and youthfulness. The price point is on the high side for Philip Lim but it is pony, $2375 at Browns Fashion.

$4750 for small size (10x11") $5650 for medium size (11x12")

Happy fug Monday my darlings! Now don't be scared of the Karenina frame bag from Dior, they won't bite though they are a serious fright. Inspired by high society Russia in Tolstoy's Anna Karenina-- trimmed in gray fox with black leather or blonde fox in camel leather-- the bags are great alternatives for those who have always wanted to tote a dog around à la Paris Hilton but don't want to deal with waste management. The Karenina won't shed on your sofa, is dander free, and won't chew up your Loubies but will still cuddle up to you and keep you warm. Now that, my friend, is the perfect pet. At Dior boutiques worldwide. Dior Handbags also at eLuxury.com