EWP Gift Guide 2011: A Fun Bag

Whatever your budget, there's a fun bag out there for the fashionista on your Christmas list.

Longchamp, $830

Kate Spade, $148

Zara, $79.90

Parisian Purchases

 I couldn't go to the capital of fashion and not bring home a few goodies for myself.

First up, a dress from my new favorite store: Promod.  It's like a European Forever 21 - lots of cute things, and all super cheap!! If a certain baby hadn't had her fill of sightseeing for the day and started crying, I'm pretty sure I would've bought out the store.  As it is, I walked away with two things.

Promod,  36.95 €

And then there's this, my delightfully delicious Parisian splurge.  Mr. EWP said, since we were in the fashion capital of the world, I could buy one ridiculous thing I wanted.  What I actually needed were some camel/cognac boots, but $1000 boots just don't do it for me. I prefer my fancy shoes to be pretty and adorned with butterflies.  So I decided I'd go for the other thing I've been wanting - a structured brown bag.  After much much looking, and taking of pics and different shops to compare them (yes, I'm a nerd), we settled on this piece of leather yummy goodness.  And since it's leather, it fits for our 3rd anniversary gift. You're welcome, Mr. EWP, for taking care of your anniversary gift shopping for you.  I'm such a thoughtful wife. :)  And I'm only just a little delighted that it's not even available in the US yet.

Yves Saint Laurent

Here I am modeling my bag, as well as my third Parisian purchase - a top from Promod.  It's not on their website that I could see, so no linky, but I think it was like 15€.  Gotta love a cute cap sleeve and a bow!



Now on to London!

Your Moment of Pretty

Before I send you off for your fun-filled weekends, I thought I'd give you a moment of pretty.


Mmmmmmm...... I just want to pet it....

Chloe, $1,895 @

@Available in more colors

Happy Friday, everyone!

My New Lover

I couldn't let my pass from Mr. EWP to go buy something ridiculous go to waste, even if I didn't find anything Miami.

So as soon as I got back to Chicago, I marched myself over to Neiman Marcus and bought this, the bag from my new year's resolution:

Chloe

Mmmmmm..... giant Chloe hobo. I'm particulary in love with the soft gray color.

I'm not generally a fan of having the brand emblazoned on the side, but it's pretty small so I was willing to overlook that.

I particularly like this little flat thingamabob that makes it easier on your shoulder. Chloe is very considerate like that.

An attempted shot of the inside but I didn't have good lighting. No matter, nothing much to report about the inside except I've already put all my things in it and made them feel at home.

I had a little twinge of bag guilt over the price tag, but then Mr. EWP said, this is a direct quote, "You really needed a bag that went with your shoes." WHAT? I think it really bothered him when the snooty Valentino man didn't like my bag. But, hey, if he's all for me upping my bag game, then I'm all for it too!

And since I had just hopped out of the shower at the time of this photoshoot and had dripping wet hair, I somehow convinced Mr. EWP to model the bag for all of you. I didn't even mind that he just got back from golf and was a little smelly.

What a wonderful sight: the love of my life and the love of my closet. :)

EWP Goes to the Fanciest Mall Ever

No vacay anywhere is complete without a day of shopping. It's been my rule since ever since I can remember. With three daughters and years of shopping trips, my dad can't set foot in a mall without breaking out in hives. But now the tradition has been passed on to Mr. EWP and he's actually doing quite well with it. He did the shopping research all on his own. He googled "Christian Louboutin" and "Chloe" and found some places to shop. I was seriously impressed that A) that he did the shopping planning on his own, and B) that he even knew what Chloe was. AND he said I could buy anything I wanted. Anything. I was very excited.

First stop: The Miami Design District. I was really excited. I always think other big cities have something fun like Michigan Ave. where it's just lines of nice shops and people wandering in and out.Well, um, the Miami Design District was not like that. It was deserted, in the middle of a gorgeous Saturday! And the whole area was kind of warehousey and not cute. There'd be one nice store I'd consider shopping in, and then a bunch of faucet and plumbing stores. It was SO WEIRD.

But they did have this store. My mecca. My home. I love you, Christian!

I was hoping to try on these shoes that I'd been coveting for a while, but they didn't carry them.

But they did have these adorably Parisian be-bowed, polka-dotted heels.

Funny story. I tried these on and Mr. EWP goes, "the heel's kinda low" and the saleswoman balks and goes, "they're four inches!" hahahhaha. I guess I've conditioned him to really ridiculous heel heights. I was wearing 6 inchers this day.

As cute as I thought they were, and as much as I could see me spending the whole summer in them, I just didn't think they were as cute as the piped canvas mary jane peep-toes. So I said goodbye.

From there we wandered over to Marni where I learned a very important lesson: never ever go to a store starved for customers wearing shoes from that store. OMG, once those 2 sales associates saw my shoes, they were tripping over themselves to show me everything in their store. Including stuff in the back they hadn't put out yet! They were all, we got a new collection, would you like to see it? No, I would not, people. You're scaring me.

It was high time to leave the Design District. So we crossed the bridge and headed over to what turned out to be the fanciest mall I've ever been to.

Sure I've been to nice shopping places, but none like this. It was discerning, it was high class.

Sure there were trees like other malls

And the fish were pretty cute.

But it was the stores that got me. There was no Banana or Club Monaco to be seen. The upstairs were the "lowly" stores - Tory Burch, Diane von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs. Things I can manage to swing in the budget.

But downstairs, wowee, downstairs was something else.

Hello, Carolina.

And Lanvin! I don't believe I've seen a Lanvin in person before. Not that I went in, I didn't feel worthy.

I was on a handbag hunt. I marched into Chloe looking for the bag I saw back in Chicago, but they didn't carry it. So we wandered to some other stores and looked at bags. Some had comical prices ($3,000??? WHAT?) and others were maybe buyable.

I wandered into Valentino to check out their rosette bags that I totally love. And the Valentino clerk totally did a once over of my bag and turned up his little nose at me. I wanted to be like, "It's Kate Spade, not Guess, dude!" And I wanted to inform him that he worked in a store. But I didn't.

For better or for worse, the people at Dior gave me much better service. Well, better as in they were attentive, not that they actually understood anything I was saying. I went in and said I wanted a plain, basic bag. I like my bags pretty basic. And the Dior woman took me to a bag that had bulky chains weaved through. In what world does "plan and basic" mean "bulky chains"?? And then, oh my and then, she brought me a bag with an across the body shoulder strap. I tried to smile politely, but I was really just trying not to vomit. Because one cannot vomit in Dior. But it was tough, people. It was tough. Across the body shoulder strap?? Who are these people?

So, even though I had the green light from my husband, nothing was purchased that day. Guess I really just love my Chicago shopping.

EWP Handbag Guide: Clutches and Evening

I love clutches. I am seriously a clutch-aholic. When we went out for my bachelorette many moons ago, five of my friends grabbed one of my clutches for the event. There's something in the clutch collection for everyone. I really think a well-placed clutch can really make an outfit - add a print or a pop of color with just adding a little bag. I love 'em.

To recap:
Evening bags, including my all time favorite go to dress up bag - the clutch (which has no strap and you hold -- or "clutch" -- in your hand) and wristlets (which have a strap just long enough to hang over your wrist), are the handbags you'll want for a special night out.

With lovely details like beads, fringe and sequins and fine fabrics like metallics and satins, evening bags will complement your evening wear perfectly. You can choose between soft, leather evening bags or handbags with structured metal frames, depending on how formal your eveningwear is (I'm definitely going through a structured box clutch phase. I can't get enough of them!) If your evening bag has a handle, you can tuck it inside to transform it into a clutch bag. You can also use a clutch bag as a wallet inside your larger handbag during the day, and then pull it out for evening. Nothing says glamour and romance more than accessorizing with a beaded or rhinestone evening bag.

Where you'll be taking your evening bag:
To a holiday party when you're there to impress
To a fine restaurant when you're there with your special someone
To a wedding (with a few tissues inside, obvi)
To a cocktail party, where a statement ring-clad hand holding a clutch bag will be the perfect elegant look

Do: get dressed to the nines and take advantage of the style of evening bags.
Do: let a fun evening bag, clutch bag or wristlet take center stage when you're wearing a little black dress.
Don't: try to cram too much into your evening bag. Only bring along the essentials: cell phone, mints, a credit card, lipstick and cab fare.

Here are some clutch/evening options. I will admit to totally being lazy and only shopping at one site for all of these. Other places to check for cute clutches (but always hit or miss): Banana Republic, Forever 21, Aldo, and Target.

Sondra Roberts, $88 @ *




Sondra Roberts, $98 @

Nordstrom, $88 @ *

MICHAEL Michael Kors, $198

Jessica McClintock, $52 @

Nordstrom, $68 @

Jessica McClintock, $48 @ *

Jessica McClintock, $58 @

Nordstrom, $58

Nordstrom, $88 @ *

[Just be sure to tuck that strap inside the clutch]

@ Available in more colors

* EWP fave

EWP Handbag Guide: Satchels

Satchels are true handbags because the handles are short enough that you hold it in your hand.

I must admit I'm not a huge satchel person, but no handbag guide would be complete without the satchel.

You'll want to use these luggage-inspired purses because:
With their wide, flat interiors and double handles, satchels have a classic look that never looks inappropriate.
Available in a variety of sizes, satchels can be filled with most women's day-to-day necessities.
You can achieve the perfect laid-back look with jeans and a leather satchel.
When you need a hand, your satchel easily rests in the crook of your arm, or if you pull the straps over your shoulder, your satchel tucks into your underarm.

Where you'll be taking your satchel:
On a date when you want a handbag with a ladylike look and plenty of storage
To a bar or club on girls' night out

Do: look for satchels with fun details like leather trim or fancy buckles on exterior pockets.
Do: choose brightly colored satchels in the spring and summer.
Don't: leave the detachable shoulder strap attached -- if your satchel comes with one -- across-the-shoulder straps are evil and must never be worn.

And now some satchel options just for you:

Kate Spade, $325 @

Longchamp, $420 @

Badgley Mischka, $155 @

MICHELE, $595 @

L.A.M.B., $395 @

Cole Haan, $348 @

Dooney & Bourke, $195 @ *

Marc by Marc Jacobs, $458 @

Tory Burch, $450 @

Fossil, $168

@ Available in more colors

* EWP fave

EWP Handbag Guide: Hobos & Shoulder Bags

Perfect for everyday, shoulder bags are the workhorses of a handbag wardrobe.

With straps long enough to go over your shoulder (hence the name), shoulder bags will keep everything you need handy without taking up one of your hands. The shoulder straps may allow the purse to hang as low as your hips or up high by your waist. Many shoulder bags have outside pockets as well as interior places to organize everything you need, from your cell phone to your keys. Shoulder bags are available in many different styles, like the soft, slouchy, and unstructured crescent-shaped hobo bag, the functional and necessary diaper bag and all manner of luxurious designer handbags. With a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, closures and designs, there's sure to be a shoulder bag that you'll love to bring with you.

Where you'll be taking your shoulder bag:
To the store, with your wallet, cell phone and keys tucked inside
To the movies with your friends (I won't tell if you sneak in your own candy)
When you go out to eat at a casual restaurant or bar
To the office, but remember to choose a higher-quality material to maintain a professional look

Do: let your shoulder bag be a pop of color when you're wearing a neutral outfit.
Do: adjust the strap so your shoulder bag doesn't hang any lower than your hips.
Don't: wear your glamorous clothes with a shoulder bag unless it has a very delicate strap; otherwise, the shoulder strap will interfere with the beauty of your eveningwear. Unless your name is EWP, in which case you lug a black leather shoulder bag to weddings even though you'd rather be wearing a clutch, because it's the only thing short of a tote that will hold your giant SLR digital camera. My apologies to all people who I offend by this.


Some shoulder bag and hobo options:

Longchamp, $545 @ *

MARC by Marc Jacobs, $398 @

MICHAEL Michael Kors, was $448, sale $269.90 @

See by Chloe, $735 @



Nordstrom, $128 @

Kooba, $595 @ *

Kate Spade, $395 @

Marc by Marc Jacobs, $378 @ *

Kate Spade, $395 @

Cole Haan, $248 @

Kooba, was $595, sale $396.90

Kate Spade, $355

Cole Haan, $328 @

@ Available in more colors

* EWP Fave