Recently in Luggage/Travel Category

Oh how I wish I had this when I was traveling! Especially in New York for fashion week while I was in my sister's West Village apartment. I realize her place is big for NY but I am used to California living where my bathroom has a counter more spacious than her kitchen counter top. What boggles my mind is that her 1 bedroom apartment is almost the same price as my 3,000 square foot house in LA!! Anyway, my point is, I had no good place to apply makeup and had to tote my make up bag, brush pouch and toiletry bag around her apartment every morning looking for a good spot which usually was the dinner table. I guess I wouldn't really need this vanity case just for that very specific purpose but just look how decadent and divine it is! I would love to just keep this on my dresser as an accent piece to add some color (my husband prohibits any amount of pink in our sheets so I opted for an all white bed). It comes with all the brushes, sable of course, and has elastic pockets all along the sides for bottles and jars of goodies. But then again, would I spend the money on this rather than a nice bag I could take out on a daily basis? Cuz I would be crazy if I toted this around town .... or would I? Available at Smythson of Bond Street boutiques for $2500.

Jil Sander Ashanti Pocket Tote $1295; Lanvin Padova Sac$2160

I did not have bags as cool as this when I was going to school, but then again we also didn't have wireless internet (yes, that's right, go ahead and make fun of how ancient we are). I didn't think to be very practical so my nice bags couldn't function going to class. Well, you will now benefit from my new found wisdom =) I chose bags that are practical but above all else, totally hip! I kept all the colors dark/patent so that these can wear well after you graduate and can go right into your professional life. These are also big enough for your laptop, if they are under 13" wide (like a MacBook). And all are big enough for notebooks - I never walked around with text books and I doubt they will fit but for your backs' and bags' sake, I would just not read them (just kidding! .... but not really).

My first pick is the Jil Sander Ashanti Pocket Tote. Well, just look at the big outer pocket, I know how you kids love to chew gum and pop breath mints - you gotta keep them handy when the hottie football player comes to chat. It is also has that bit of edge you want to maintain while you're young and full of attitude. Love it! And if you are the fierce fashionista on campus, you MUST have the Lanvin Padova Sac in patent Marine. How fabulous is this? I mean, forget school bag, this bag will rock any girl's wardrobe.

I know this is not the cutest thing but before you hoot and holler about how gross this looks, think about how beautiful your most precious bag is (Tina and your new croc birkin). And now think about torrential down pour on your bag. Yeah, that's right. I have used things that look worse than this to cover up my bag in times of peril. Rain Couture is a plastic bag that protects your darling bag and it folds up and tucks itself into the front pocket for convenience. It comes in 11 colors but none are going to be nearly as cute as your least favorite bag, not even the Coach patchwork bucket tote your mother in law gave you for Christmas =) You just have to grin and bear it until the sky clears. The small is $69 (17" x 15") and the large is $79 (20" x 18"), check them out at Rain Couture. I hate to follow up Tina's awesome post on Croc Fever with this thing, so make sure to keep scrolling down to see it!

It looks like Bag Snobs are also the jet setter types because we have received a ton of emails asking for a good travel tote. It is imperative that while running through airports and boarding ships we have a chic travel companion that can keep all our goodies in place. The thing is, the poor bag take such a beating that it is downright sad to look at your brand new bag looking like road kill when you get home. My very light colored teal green Tod's softie is now laying at my foot looking pretty shabby after only one flight (I shove it under the seat and give it several good kicks to keep it there throughout the flight, it also got thrown in and out of the car and dragged through security x-ray). The thing to do is get a bag that will take that wear and tear but also make sure it is cheap enough so that you don't experience too much heartache. This tote is the answer, it is surprisingly chic and the plum leather with brown suede trim is truly divine. This will take a beating and look better for it, which is exactly what is called for! It has all the essential organizational pockets inside and measures 21" x 20" making it appropriately deemed "oversized". The Tufi Duek 'Helena' oversized tote is full price at $550 but is only $330 on Bluefly. Gotta love Bluefly!!

This is the best thing I have seen in a long time. Now you can really be ready for the beach, I know I am. I just got the cutest hat today, it is big and floppy and has adorable colorful appliques. So, next thing I need is a bag and towel and lookie here, a two for one, bag AND towel. The bag unbuttons, unravels and becomes a giant beach towel. If you think about it, it does work out logistically, you just have to find a spot to put all your stuff while your towel is being transformed. I mean, usually, you empty everything out of the your beach bag anyways so like I said, it does work out eventually. This of course is for those who live close to the beach and frequents it on a regular basis. It not not meant for one of those family outing jobbers that involves coolers, tents and lawn chairs. It is great conceptually, super cute and surprisingly cheap, only $235!! At eluxury.

Happy Friday everyone! I have the perfect weekend throw around bag for you. I have been buying all these bags that I need to be careful and precious about so I am feeling like I need something easy and low maintenance, one that I won't mind beating up. And although this bag is quite giant, you can still use it during the week - it is highly practical for work, school and moms who need to throw everything they own in their bag. I love the contrasting two-tone navy and tan, it is easy with summer colors and really adds a punch. Phillip Lim bags have been selling out everywhere, the price point is key, this bag is only $725 for exquisite soft leather and the styling is easy, relaxed and chic. My weekend getaways require actual giant suitcases, but for you young gals who have exciting overnighter dates, this would be absolutely perfect. You can show up to work the next day and nobody would know you're toting yesterday's outfit and a toothbrush. For this bag, I would keep the strap on, which is unusual because the first thing I do is remove the shoulder strap from bags like this and toss it somewhere in my closet never to be found again. At Net a Porter for $725.

I really need a gym bag, I have been just throwing stuff in whatever bag I am using and it has got to stop. In my search I came upon this fabulous sports bag from one of my favorites, Pauric Sweeney. The overnighter wasn't right as a gym bag but this is absolutely perfect! I love the hearty straps and the giant exterior pocket. Yes, it is python so not exactly impervious to water (and sweat, yuck!) but I am careful and don't sweat that much. I mean, I can't keep walking in to Equinox looking like an uncommitted fitness fiend. This is also great for travel and can easily be appropriate for a man so my husband doesn't have to have that embarrassed look on his face when carrying my bag (it's obvious when he's carrying my Chanel or Birkin that it belongs to his wife but this would be borderline and he does not have what it takes to carry off a true man bag). It is so fabulous that exotics are being made in every kind of bag but nothing is as snobbish as a python gym bag, that in itself requires that I have it =) At Luxcouture for $2800.

I am planning the multiple trips I have coming up so this big carryall weekend bag from Jimmy Choo is of particular interest to me. I know I said canvas/linen is practical for being lightweight but sometimes you just want to look good at any cost (even to you back, shoulders and hands). But this is actually patent fabric so it is much lighter than patent leather but you get the same fabulous look. For a quick getaway to say, Las Vegas, how incredibly amazing would this be? I mean, anything you bring to Vegas is going to be small anyways so this will be all you need. I was thinking that this would even be good for the gym on those few occassions I actually shower there (I go to a nice gym and I still worry about germie shower floors, always bring flip flops!!). It comes with a shoulder bag that will be handy when traveling. At Net a Porter for $1075.

As I’m traveling and lamenting the fact that I should have brought more practical traveling accoutrements, I am loving this travel tote from Smython more and more. I am literally sitting on a plane right now, carefully balancing my birkin between my feet and using a stupid shopping bag to carry my water and sandwich lest they spill and stain my precious. Why the birkin? Well, I don’t trust the airline to deliver it back to me and besides I didn’t want to use an extra large suitcase so that I can properly pack it. I know, why do we go through all this? What I really need is a big travel tote (15.75" x 11" x 6") that is light (linen) and in a color that doesn’t easily dirty (and linen is easily cleaned with mild soap and water, but of course spot clean only) but is super cute and trimmed in my favorite color (turquoise). Voila!! I am going to call Smythson as soon as I get off the plane to order this dream travel bag of mine. The color combo of the linen and turquoise is so beautiful and has the perfect peppy pop of color you need when traveling. It’s perfect as an overnighter and really really perfect as a carryon. This can even double as my work tote when I have a lot of stuff or when I am taking my kids to auntie’s house for babysitting. The removable shoulder strap will really come in handy at the airport so unlike the rest of my bags that come with a shoulder strap, this one will stay in the bag and be used. At Smythson boutiques worldwide or online for $1450.

UPDATE: Violet May has generously agreed to give Bag Snob readers a 12% discount (in addition to the 17.5% discount of VAT) for the first FIVE readers to purchase a KYDD Laptop bag! That means the $970 bag can be yours for $704! Enter code: BSNOB12 at check out!.

I saw these sleek and fabulous computer bags at Violet May London designed by owner/designer Claire Collins and immediately ordered two in white (the other one is for Kelly, I am not that greedy!). We have been on the hunt for the perfect bag to store our precious laptops for years and I think we have finally succeeded! Without our machines we'd just be two friends obsessing over handbags on the phone so of course we want the very best for them. And these cases from Violet May are the best. Not only are these cases ultra functional, they are beautifully made with meticulous attention to every little detail. I have a computer bag from Barneys and it is frustrating to have to take it in and out of the bag. Violet May's structured laptop bag unzips around the entire case so I can work on my computer without having to remove it from the case! This is the modern day briefcase for chic fashionistas and was even awarded the "Best New Laptop Case" by InStyle magazine in the Oct '07 issue!