Understated Chic

Want understated chic at fantastic prices? Then, you know you don’t have to look any further than the high street to get exactly what you need to look a million dollars without the hefty price tags!

Forget the magazines packed to the brim with celebrities draped in designer clobber and take a look at some of the best bargains that we’ve seen in a long time!!

If you want change from a tenner but still want plenty of variety then how about these little beauties…

Of course, if you have a little bit more cash than that to part with, but still want to get genuine value for money then how about these…

Feeling the Blues??

Summer ’09 was a disaster for the weather but thankfully we had some bright and cheery handbags to lift our spirits so what can we expect from Autumn? Trends suggest that just about everything is ‘In’ – military style, 80′s shoulder pads, black is back, scarlet red is the must-have, velvet is making a comeback and as for handbags, well, you could get away with just about anything on your shoulder this season!!

One noticeable trend though is ‘Cobalt Blue’, if you were around in the 80′s then you’ll know this colour very well so if you want to get ahead of the crowd, check out these bargain offerings from the high street…

And the designers, who probably started the trend, are also providing plenty of choices though at a much steeper price…

Bargains Galore!

We all know it’s crunch time and nothing has felt the pain more than our wallets but doesn’t mean that we can’t treat ourselves every now and then…

I’ve scoured both the high street and the designers to find some incredible bargains for you and I know the term ‘bargain’ is always relative to your budget so I’m starting with the ones that give you the best value for money i.e. cheap!

Of course, if you do have more than a tenner but don’t want to break the bank then how about these…

Every one of our shop categories is in order by price, starting with the cheapest so why not check them out and find some bargains of your own!

Brighten Up Your Winter

It would appear, from the powers that be, that absolutely everything is a trend this Winter including a resurgence in military style, monochrome, black, velvet, the 80′s (including hideous shoulder pads!), scarlet red has hit the runway but hot pink is also proving to be a fav as is layering and muted tones. Honestly, I think you could get away with just about anything in the next six months and look like a style guru!!

But one trend trend is really emerging and that’s ‘Quilted’ – mix it with 80′s colours and you’re on to a winner!! To prove it I’ve put together the hottest styles from both the high street and the top end designers so whether you have £10 or £1000 we’ve something for your budget….

Storing Handbags

Correctly storing handbags is essential to keeping you bags looking like new. Below we have listed some quick tips to looking after those expensive bags.

• The handbags you use regularly need to be easily accessible, so store them on the top or side shelf in your closet, standing upright in a line. You can organize them by size, type or color. Place your bags on wardrobe shelves rather than on the floor, unless you are storing them in boxes.
• One of the best ways to store handbags, just as with storing shoes, is to put them in plastic boxes or wicker storage baskets which allow air to circulate in the same way as a shoe box. This protects them from the elements, stops them being damaged, lets them breathe, and makes them easy to store/stack. Make sure the boxes are big enough so that you are not folding over the bag handles.
• Any purses you don’t use so often can be wrapped in cotton pillow cases or cloth storage bags. Do not put them in enclosed plastic dry cleaning bags, or boxes without air flow – they must be able to breathe.
• If storing bags together make sure you cover any brass or mental chains, rings, studs and so on to stop them marking other bags. You can do this with a piece of tissue or cloth. Tuck chain handles inside the bag. This prevents the chain from scratching or marking the outside leather. Undo metal fastenings and buckles on straps so that they do not leave an impression.
• To keep bags in proper shape you can stuff them with tissue paper or any alternative acid-free filling, but do not use old newspapers. Bubble wrap is better than tissue paper for padding out or wrapping bags as it doesn’t attract moths in the same way as tissue paper.
• Make space by clearing out your closet and deciding which pieces you are never likely to use again.

Golden Globes 2009

The Golden Globes are a party and the stars came dressed for it. Sunday night’s red carpet in Beverly Hills, Calif., was full of both classic Hollywood glamour and up-and-coming fashion trends.

“I’ve never seen such a sophisticated Golden Globes. It’s like it was the Oscars,” said stylist Mary Alice Stephenson.

There were lots of hues of ocean blues, tropical shades and sandy neutrals, strapless corset-style gowns, one-shoulder numbers and a little glitz thrown in. The jewels — big chunky earrings and oversized necklaces — apparently are recession-proof.

Jennifer Lopez could have been a Globe statuette herself in her plunging V-neck, gold-bead gown by Marchesa. “Jennifer Lopez looks exactly like you want Jennifer Lopez to look,” said Hal Rubenstein, fashion director at InStyle. Penelope Cruz went for a more subtle gold in a slim column gown by Giorgio Armani Prive with the occasional beaded horizontal stripe.

A blond Drew Barrymore channeled Marilyn Monroe with a pouffed-out hairdo and dove gray off-the-shoulder John Galliano for Dior gown. “She created a moment,” observed Stephenson.

Kate Winslet wore a glamour-girl black Yves Saint Laurent strapless gown with a black velvet belt and a bow at her waist and a 47-carat, five-row bracelet by Chopard.

Angelina Jolie captured a bit of a boho vibe in a loose Versace tank gown, while Brad Pitt went a more traditional route with aviator sunglasses and a classic bow tie. “They rule the red carpet,” said Lisa Rinna, TV Guide Channel‘s red-carpet host. “She looked easy, relaxed and beautiful.”

Stephenson said Marisa Tomei‘s ’70s-inspired white poet blouse and black skirt was “too sloppy and undone.”

Rubenstein gave a thumbs-up to Freida Pinto’s yellow strapless gown — a perfect complement to her complexion, he said — and to Eva Mendes and her “womanly, sexy” white strapless Dior with a fashion-forward gathering at the hip. Her Van Clef & Arpels turquoise-and-diamond necklace was a showstopper.

The star piece of Debra Messing‘s outfit: 19th-century diamond-and-emerald drop earrings by Fred Leighton. Of her black halter dress, she said, “It picked me. It fits perfectly, and I feel unbelievably comfortable in it. It just made me feel pretty, and that’s the bottom line, really.”

An elegant Anne Hathaway was among the many stars dressed in blue. She wore an Armani Prive strapless gown with a crystal-studded bustier and skirt of layered gazar. Blake Lively was in a midnight-blue strapless satin gown with iridescent sequin embroidery by Nina Ricci.

Three made a trend for white: Kate Beckinsale in a J. Mendel sculptured strapless, Beyonce in a beaded Elie Saab with a high slit, and Miley Cyrus in an empire-waist Marchesa with peek-a-boo gold embroidery. Fans of red included Eva Longoria in a supersleek strapless gown by Reem Acra and Kyra Sedgwick in a corsetedOscar de la Renta.

Those wearing one-shoulder creations included Maggie Gyllenhaal in a subtle blue leopard print gown byLanvin, Cameron Diaz in bright pink Chanel and Sandra Bullock in a cream Dior.

Demi Moore wore a peach Dior chiffon gown, while her daughter Rumer Willis, the official Miss Golden Globe, wore a rose-red strapless gown by Reem Acra that had an embroidered jeweled waist. Moore’s husband,Ashton Kutcher, did the black-on-black combination also favored by Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers.

Aaron Eckhart jazzed up his Ermenegildo Zegna tuxedo with paisley accents. “I don’t have much style sense, but when I saw that, I thought it was pretty cool. … Zegna has given me suits for films I have done and stuff, so I feel like we have a good relationship.”

But a fashion black strike went to Sting, who forgot to shave, which made his oversized black coat look all the more unkempt.

Where To Buy Handbags

At one time you could only buy quality handbags from big department stores in large cities. Today with the magic of the internet you can now get those high end designer bags and amazing bargains from the comfort of your sofa. All this choice is great but where do you start when trying to buy a new handbag? Well, we spend more time than most searching online for handbags, so we decided to produce our quick guide to the best places to buy handbags online.

YOOX.COM is the No.1 virtual boutique

Thanks to a direct relationship with designers, manufacturers, and the most prestigious boutiques in the world, YOOX.COM is able to offer a massive collection of high end designer handbags from the fashion worlds biggest names: Mulberry, Prada, Roberto Cavalli, Stella McCartney, Versace and 100s more. The bags might be a little pricey for everyday use but you can spend hours window shopping at this great online store.

With over a million items delivered across the globe this year and an average of 2.5 million visitors per month, YOOX.COM has been recognized by as one of the top 100 greatest shops in the fashion industry. Bags purchased from Yoox.com can be delivered to England, Europe, America, Russia, South Africa and Australia.

Click Here to visit YOOX.COM

BagsDirect Store

BagsDirect are the UK’s leading online retailer of handbags and luggage. BagDirect has a great collection of affordable handbags from big names like: Radley, Yoshi, Gilda Tonelli and Kipling who recently had a collection designed by Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas!

The bags from BagsDirect fall into the medium price range, they do have expensive designer brands but they also carry lots of reasonable priced bags that won’t break the bank. We especially liked the prices and range of the ever popular Radley brand including the hard to find ‘Poppies’ bag, the eye-catching bag which features quirky, colourful design that is distinctive to Radley. This shoulder bag features an artistic print of Radley walking in a field of bright red poppies.

Click Here to visit BagsDirect

NotOnTheHighStreet

notonthehighstreet.com is a fast-growing unique and stylish marketplace for creative small businesses. It offers thousands of original fashion & jewellery items, all from hundreds of small creative businesses, and all through a single basket and checkout. What’s great about NotOnTheHighStreet is you’ll find handbags you just want see anywhere else. From beautiful handmade silk bags made in Vietnam to funky tote bags designed in London NotOnTheHighStreet has it all.

Our favourite bag at NotOnTheHighStreet is the Part of The Reusable Range, a collection based on everyday disposable objects, this shopping bag is derived from the plastic grocery bags found in your local supermarket. Handmade and hand printed on genuine leather, each bag is packaged with its own unique design number, as all leatherwork by Natalie Thakur is made in limited quantities.

Click Here to visit NotOnTheHighStreet

Choosing The Right Bag

Did you know that a handbag can flatter your shape almost as much as the right pair of jeans? Choosing the right handbag can flatter your figure and give you a stylish look whatever your size.

They key to choosing the right handbag for you is buying a bag that’s the opposite to your body shape. If you’re lucky enough to be one of those tall, thin ‘eat anything you want’ and never but on a pound girls (I hate you already) then look for a slouchy, rounded hobo style bag to compliment your figure.

If you’re short and voluptuous, then choose a longer/taller more structured bag, this will give the illusion of making you appear longer and taller. In general, the rounder your figure, the more structured your bag needs to be.

Some popular handbag shapes:

Tote Bag – Open-top bag with straps or handles, great for shopping.
Hobo Bag – Crescent-shaped shoulder bag, looks good on the tall and thin.
Clutch Bag – Small, handheld bag which looks good on anyone.
Satchel Bag – Large handheld bag, a great option for fashion conscious business types.
Messenger Bag – Large, soft shoulder bag with long straps (often worn across the body).
Kelly bag - A classic Hermes style named after Grace Kelly; a large structured handbag.

Size Is Important!

While the shape of a bag should oppose your body type, the size of the bag should be in proportion to your figure. Think scale here ladies: a woman who is 6 feet tall and a size 14 would look lost with a tiny bag. A size zero waif would look overwhelmed by an enormous slouchy bag.

A shoulder bag’s length (where the bottom of the bag hits your body) will accentuate whatever part of the body it comes near. For example, a shoulder bag that ends around the hips will play up your hip width (the eye is drawn to the bag). So don’t pick a bag that accentuates your worst features. Most women look great with a bag that hits mid-torso because it flatters the waist.

Designer Handbags On The Cheap

Everyone loves a bargain and in these troubled financial times the thought of paying top whack for a designer handbag can leave even the most dedicated fashionista in a cold sweat! Not to worry, we have a great way to pick up a genuine designer handbag for peanuts ~ EBAY!

That’s right, Ebay isn’t for just selling your unwanted christmas presents! You can pick up fantastic handbag deals on the latest designer bags. Below with have included a selection of the latest bags for sale, these are real time auctions so if you fancy grabbing a cheap designer bag click on the links below.

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