Almost Packed

Budget Bag Blog: Under $50 Budget Holiday Party Bags

Christmas is coming and we are getting fat! Please put a penny in an old woman's clutch! The holiday season is upon us and the money is being spent and furiously and generally not on ourselves. And yet somehow we are still expected to look respectable at any number of parties. Thus we have decided a list of Under $50 Holiday Party Bags is in order. You may break your back this season but you shouldn't break the bank right?

Beginning at top left and spiraling in clockwise: La Regale Gold Beaded Satin Frame Clutch $32, Cold Water Creek Black Moc Croc Embossed Clutch $37, Savanna Crinkled Satin Red Frame Clutch $32, Asos Jessica Simpson Black Hard Case Glitter Clutch, $36,Paul's Boutique Copper Bow Clutch, $44,Nine West Black Satin Bow Clutch, $39, Nine West Pink Satin Girl Clutch, $49,Asos Mischa Barton Mini Gem Detail Box Clutch in Black, $24

Jimmy Choo's Magazine Clutch Inspired By Richard Phillips

Art Basel Miami Beach is here and Jimmy Choo's Tamara Mellon isn't going to let it pass without a special edition set of bags. Done in collaboration with artist Richard Phillips, Jimmy Choo is releasing a clutch and a tote that feature Phillip's signature media image style

The Magazine is a hard-resin clutch that resembles a glossy folded in two. It shows a woman's eyes glowing with green eye shadow and mile-long lashes, and was taken from the artist's 1997 portrait, "Nuclear.'

At just $595, Mellon wants the bag to be accessible to a wider and younger audience. "I didn't want to make these bags $5,000," Mellon said. "I wanted to make them available to a wider audience. I'm also hoping that younger customers, who wouldn't necessarily be able to afford our core product, can buy these." How very honorable and SMART of her.

Budget Bag Blog: Fred Flare Yellow Olsen Satchel

We think of Aristotle as a philosopher even when he wrote texts on any number of scientific topics. In his Meteorology he said yellow objects appear to be gold when in optics and rainbows.  Now call us silly but we think this might actually have a bit of philosophic wisdom when it comes to this Fred Flare Yellow Olsen Satchel.

It looks like a fantastic high end bag even though it is just PVC. And that little bit of trickery makes it just $44. Since Aristotle didn't put a judgment on whether or not it was bad that yellow appears to be gold at times we think this bag should pass muster.

Lauren Conrad for Linea Pelle

We have tried to watch The Hills but every time we turn it on we find ourselves stymied by a language barrier so impenetrable we are reminded of the work of Willard Van Orman Quine on post modern translation and language. We believe they are speaking English and yet we cannot understand their words or references. His work on the indeterminacy of translation (i.e without a common frame of reference translation may in fact be impossible) seems remarkably apt in that with their inscrutable intentions we can only observe their behavior and hope the speakers environments provide us some clue.


But today we found a reference point we can understand. Lauren Conrad is a guest designer for Linea Pelle. We have always appreciated the contemporary handbag line and thought their bags a decent value. Clearly if they are reaching out to promote themselves via Lauren Conrad it must mean we have something in common. We still don't know what it means, but with Linea Pelle as a reference point perhaps some day communication will be possible. Either that or all meaning is now so blurred that the panoptica of reality culture has skewed all our understanding. With fame whoring being the way to decent sales in an overcrowded market space we might have to go with blurred though.

Jessica Simpson Loves Michael Kors, Python Bags And The View

We caught up with Jessica Simpson on her trip to the View thanks to Popsugar and noticed that Jessica's love of printed goodies from Michael Kors goes beyond just leopard print dresses.

She carried something very close to the Michael Kors Python Zipper Shopper with her darling sweater dress.

Nancy Gonzalez Bow Croc Clutch on Jessica Alba At Awake Premier

We have been admiring this Nancy Gonzalez Bow Croc Clutch for sometime now. To use all the clichés, it is both feminine and classic thanks to a big bow, sleek lines underneath and fantastic crocodile materials.




Apparently Jessica Alba goes for a similar mix of styles because she was spoted carrying the clutch last night at the opening of her film Awake. Nice taste Jessica! We are also digging her Jacob and Co Jewelry. Classy.

Hayden Panettiere May Design A Cute Bag With Her Dooney and Burke Hayden Bag But The Dwindling Affordable Luxury Market Might Take Its Toll On Her Good Taste

We have never watched Heros and only recently figured out who Hayden Panettiere is but we think she has fantastic taste. Or at least she is very good at following trends. Her Hayden Bag is right on target with its red patent leather, buckle closure and big pleats.

What if you had the chance to design the handbag you’ve always wanted? For Hayden Panettiere, currently starring in NBC’s hit show Heroes, it was an exciting opportunity. She began by describing to Peter Dooney just what she envisioned: a large leather shoulder bag with puffy pleats, a buckle closure and great style. The design team made some sketches, then Peter Dooney transformed her ideas into prototypes at Dooney & Bourke’s design studio in Florence, Italy. After several revisions and lots of input from Hayden, the limited edition Hayden Bag was born. Hayden Bag - $500
H 11" W 7.5" L 17"

But the bag isn't due to be delivered till December and we wonder if this might be troubling for the success of Hayden's bag. The Wall Street Journal is reporting on a serious slowdown in the affordable luxury market which sadly this pretty bag happens to fall in with its $500 price point, celebrity endorsement and trend conscious design.

Though the luxury sector is expected to put in another strong performance this season, the lower end of that market -- selling so-called affordable luxury to aspirational buyers -- is starting to feel the pinch of the weak economy, due to cutbacks by folks like Ms. Maine (an engineer who makes just over six figures). Only the most elite brands and the retailers catering to the richest customers are likely to escape unscathed.

Poor Hayden! And poor Dooney and Burke. Nice effort though. We think the bag is pretty cute. Maybe an Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen bag for Lanvin is a better bet for luring in the truly rich shoppers this season. Though frankly those women can design their own damn bag at Hermés.

Check out some other perspectives on the bag from ShinyStyle and StyleIt