I'll follow you until you love me, papa, paparazzi

My friend sent me a link to a anti-paparazzi clutch bag. It's awesome especially if you don't like having your photo taken.

Here's how it works: When the device in the bag detects a camera flash it responds by emitting another flash that interferes with the photo. So if you take a picture of someone with the bag, all you will see is a flash of light. Brilliant, non?

Now if only Lindsay Lohan would use it so we wouldn't be subjected to her crazy mug every day.

A little bit funny

How to make an Hermes crocodile Birkin.

Take this: (picture courtesy of Perez Hilton)



And you get this!

I don't know about you but real exotic bags scare me a little. Something about the scales and the fact that the actual creature can eat you.

Ah leather. How I love you

Yesterday after work I headed to Queen Street with the sole intention of buying Fables comics from the Silver Snail. Unfortunately along the way I got lured into the Rudsak store. The smell of leather puts me into a heavenly coma.
I've never been inside a Rudsak store before but I have seen a few of their collections on the runway at Toronto Fashion Week. When I saw their S/S 09 collection last October, I fell in love with their bomber jackets (in redish-pink, khaki and coal black) and their gorgeous leather bags. So I just had to take a look to see them up close.
First thing I noticed (besides that heavenly smell) were the jackets: Long coats with belts around the waist, fitted bombers in the softest of leathers, spring coats with a bomber look but in a lighter more synthetic material and loads of bags, wallets and other small accessories.

But what really caught my eye were the flats. I immediately asked to try on a classic black ballerina, leather flat that has a silver button/knob thing on the toe. They were gorgeous; so well-made, with soft leather and a sturdy bottom. Unfortunately they didn't have my size so I ordered a pair from Montreal. I can't find a picture of them on the website but take it from me; they are perfect to wear anywhere; at work, at a party, lounging about in the house, shopping, wherever.

There was also a great pair of party heels; open toe sandal with a cross cross construction and zipeer at the back. I resisted.

But the piece that I really wanted and almost died when I realized the price, was a fitted leather black bomber jacket. It had multiple zippers in silver and several pockets. The leather was very soft, and it fit me perfectly. Too bad I'm saving for an apartment. Or maybe I should be saying, too bad apartment, the jacket will be mine!

I'm trying to buy more clothes from Canadian stores because a) I believe that supporting our country's designers is really important b) Canada has amazing designers who make beautiful clothes and c) I don't want to give all my money to behemoths like H&M who make poorer quality clothes.

If you've never heard of Rudsak, I insist you check them out. The brand was founded by Evik Asatoorian in Montreal in 1994. They specialize in leatherwear and goods but they also sell t-shirts, shoes and bags. And I have to say that even though they can be a bit pricey, their stuff is timeless and will last you forever.

If you ever make it to L'Oreal Fashion Week, go to their show. And if the clothes aren't enough to entice you, the models are always super hot. At the show in October I couldn't stop staring at this super fine male model. Even Project Runway Canada winner Evan Biddell was drooling.

They have a few stores in Toronto and the GTA as well as in Montreal. Check out their site here.


I want this bag! Isn't the colour gorgeous?

Classic.Party shoes!

Addicted to LV

A couple weeks ago, a group of us who are members of The Purse Forum decided to meet in Toronto for brunch and shopping. Here we are in front of the Louis Vuitton boutique on Bloor St.
That's me second to the right leaning to the side with a big grin on my face.
I had such a fun time with them and I can't wait till we meet again. And yes, I did buy a bag.

Christmas presents...to myself

I know that I swore to myself that I wouldn't buy any bags until after Christmas. Well, to Hell with that! Last weekend myself and a few wonderful women from the Purse Forum had a Louis Vuitton meet and went on a great shopping spree. The highlight of the trip was when Sarah ordered her first Hermes Birkin.

I ended up buying a Louis Vuitton Damier Neverfull which is now my all-time favourite bag. It's really large but so light that I can stuff it with a bunch of stuff like my laptop and it won't get heavy. It's a miracle bag.

Also my Yves Saint Laurent Muse Two arrived this week and it's gorgeous. I haven't used it yet because of the shitty weather but I can't wait to take it out.

Here are the pics!

Louis Vuitton Damier Neverfull MM



Yves Saint Laurent Muse Two

My YSL Muse 2 muse

Miroslava Duma of Russian Bazaar. I die.

So I bought the Yves Saint Laurent Muse Two

From overstock.com. Even though I swore to myself that I would not buy anything for myself until after Christmas. But it called my name. And there was only one left! How could I say no to my new Holy Grail bag? I just couldn't pass this by.

This isn't the original YSL Muse Two I wanted to get; at first I wanted to get the embossed Crocodile version but I realized that I like this one better. As I was clicking the checkout option I could hear Rachel Zoe and her assistant Brad enabling me to just get it, even if it costs more than rent. This is why we have economic problems. It's all my fault! Damn you credit cards!

I'll post pics once I get it!

How I almost got scammed on EBay

Two days ago I posted about a YSL Muse Two bag I really wanted to get. I was following one on Ebay and since I don't know anything about YSL bags, I posted the link on the Purse Forum's authentication thread to get their opinion on whether it was real or fake.

To my disappointment, but relieved, the Purse Forum ladies told me that the bag I wanted was a fake. I had bid on the bag so I was pretty relieved that I didn't win the auction or else I would have been out almost $1,000. But I feel bad that someone else is getting a fake bag and probably doesn't realize it because it's a pretty good fake.

The seller emailed me and told me she could get me the croc version for cheaper than $800 which tipped me off that something fishy was going on- the bag retails for $1900! As soon as she sent me photos I could tell right away that it was fake.

But now I can't find the YSL Muse 2 I want anywhere! The blue one is on overstock.com but they don't accept AMEX and my Visa card has a small credit limit. Maybe this is a sign that I shouldn't be buying any more bags.

If anyone sees a blue croc-embossed YSL Muse 2 please let me know!

Help me decide which YSL bag to get

I really want to get the Yves Saint Laurent Muse Two in embossed blue crocodile but I can't find it anywhere. So my choices are between a blue and pink one or a black and blue one.
I like how the pink stands out but I don't know whether it's too cute. I like the blue one because it's bit more rock 'n roll.
What do you guys think? Or should I wait to see if the croc version comes out on ebay?

Louis Vuitton Spring 2009 part one: Bags

The first images of the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 09 show are just coming in now. Most of the photos are of the bags, which is what most of us really care about, right?

I can't wait to see which ones I'm going to be aching for come Spring. It's also fun to pick out which ones I think will be manufactured for the stores, which ones will become limited editions and which ones won't make it off the runway.

This collection reminds me a bit of Marc Jacobs's eponymous line this season; lots of colours from different spectres of the rainbow, a mix of unlikely fabrics and patterns, a multitude of shapes and plenty of influences from other countries and eras.

The bags are a mish-mash of classic monogram with feathers, beads, embossed leather, leopard (again), chain-linked handles, tassles and other embellishments.

But check them out for yourself. See any you like?








I think this one is going to be a best seller. It has lots of monogram, an easy-to-wear handle and a cute round shape. Very marketable.




Glad to see clutches are still huge this season. Love the soft material.

Everyone will want a piece of this leopard beauty.



(Photos: Getty Images)

Sick of fake bags

I normally see a fake Chanel handbag (see photo) maybe twice a month at most. Out of the Chanel fakes I see, I would say that 100 per cent of them are the quilted Cambon with the large double Cs. This bag is really popular because it has a classic design but most women love it because of the brand recognition. You can spot the Cs a mile away.

But when you're a bag lover like me, who notices when bags are faux, it can get irritating. This morning I saw four fake Chanel Cambons; a small squishy black one, a red one (Chanel never made Cambons in red), a white Cambon with obvious plastic handles and another black one that looked like it was melting. It was awful.

I own the real Cambon and it's a beautiful bag; soft black calfskin leather in a quilted pattern (a Chanel trademark), long knotted leather handles, white interlocking Cs and the fuchsia interior.

It bothers me that these women don't know where fake bags come from and worse, don't care. They care about brand recognition; by being seen with a Chanel bag they have status and are seen as being "rich" and having taste.

But fake bags are the worst; not only are they made by children who work in deplorable conditions, but the sales of fakes are known to contribute to terrorist groups. If you want a nice handbag but can't afford a real designer bag, don't buy a fake.

There are so many options: Go to a consignment store where they sell designer clothes and accessories for almost half off; shop at stores such as Banana Republic which carry their own quality bags, go to a boutique to get a handmade, unique bag or you can try your luck on EBay (just make sure to get it authenticated on the Purse Forum.)

Even if you don't care about any of this and still want to buy a fake bag, consider this: People can always tell when you're wearing a fake and it makes you look ignorant. They look plastic. the seams fall apart and the material is crappy. In short, they look like garbage. Do you want to wear garbage? Didn't think so.

Starry night on Jimmy Choo bag

It's called the Jimmy Choo "Sky" bag, and I'm in love. Love the slouch, the luscious leather on the sides and...those stars! Ohhhh starry niiiiiiight! Oh wait. I'm thinking of "Oh, Holy Night." Nevermind. Would love to carry this to L'Oréal Fashion Week. Stars are cuter than studs now.
I was never interested in Jimmy Choo bags because I thought they looked too generic but now I have to start looking them up and see if I've missed any goodies.

Prada S/S 09: All crumpled up

I was really looking forward to the Prada show, seeing as how the last two seasons have been so trend-setting and came out with beautiful bags (ie. the fairy bag and the lace bag.) So I was excited to see what bags Miuccia came up with.
Unfortunately I didn't like the bags very much. They were scrunched up nylon and leather handbags with pull-ties on the sides. Some of them were very crinkly and had random pieces of leather sticking out from the sides. The effect was rather messy but maybe I have to see it in person to appreciate it. I do like the idea of having a crinkled bag but I don't think the result was beautiful. Compared to the art that was the fairy bag, these ones look like leftovers.
However there was one stand-out piece: a snake skin clutch with a long handle was gorgeous.





(Photos: Style.com)

Found: The bag that Taylor wears in Rachel Zoe Project

I have to admit that I've been re-watching The Rachel Zoe Project a lot. Ok, like every day. I just can't get enough of all the gorgeous clothes and bags.
Today I noticed this beautiful blue croc-embossed bag that Zoe's assistant Taylor is wearing when they go shopping at Decades. It took me about 10 minutes to find it because at first I thought it was a Mulberry Bayswater bag but I realized that the handle was completely different.
Then I remembered Naomi Campbell in the new YSL campaign. Ding ding ding!
It's the Yves Saint Laurent Muse Two bag!!
It features blue croc-embossed suede on the front, leather on the top flap and sides, and canvas trim on the sides. There is goldtone hardware along with two side button closures and a middle lock.
The inside has two open compartments and a third in the middle that is closed by a zipper.

It's a little bit dressy but can be worn during the day and it really stands out which I love.




Watch for the bag when Rachel and Taylor exit the store:

Must have this Marc by Marc Jacobs bag

I re-watched The Rachel Zoe Project this morning because I can't get enough of it. So many beautiful clothes, so much girlishness, so much fun.
This time around I paid a bit more attention when Zoe spoke and I picked up on the not-so-subtle ad placement where she talks about her contribution to piperlime.com, the online retailer that's owned by Gap Inc.
Piperlime offers a special section called Rachel Zoe's Picks. The company sends her bags and shoes and she decides whether she likes them or not and they list those accessories for sale on the site. Apparently, according to Zoe, they sell out "in like an hour."

So I decided to go online and check it out. I wasn't feeling the shoes so much because there are a lot of platforms which aren't my style so I checked out the bags. And lo and behold I came upon this beauty. Made by Marc by Marc Jacobs, it's called the Dr Q Lil Riz and it's made of leather with a textile lining. I love that the bag has a bit of structure even though it's slouchy. The pleats are really cute and I like the handle; perfect for wearing it on my arm. The colour (dark portobello) is a great neutral that can match with a lot of colours. I die for it.

Mama's got a brand new bag

Last night after work I headed down to Yorkville to troll the streets for celebrities here for TIFF. I wasn't interested in Brad Pitt so much as Gerard Butler and his sexy accent. So I wandered Bloor St. and decided to head into some shops that I figured celebrities would likely shop at.
First stop...Louis Vuitton. Of course. I was the only one in the store but as soon as people started coming in, I stared at them to see if I recognized them. Unfortunately no one famous came in the store but I got talking to a sales associate and I realized that I couldn't walk out of there without anything. Bad reason, I know. So I ended up buying the Damier Speedy 30, the bag that made me fall in love with Louis Vuitton but I always put off buying.

After the purchase, I tried to pop by Prada, Chanel and Hermès but they were closed. I then headed to Holt Renfrew and it looked like they were setting up for a party so I headed in and asked sales associates if they knew what was going on. I guess I asked the wrong people because they apparently didn't have a clue. Checked out some more bags, lots of stuff on sale including two gorgeous Bottega Veneta bags that were 30% off, lots of Coach, some Marc Jacobs, Tory Burch and Balenciaga. Go quick before they disappear! There was also the very cute Miu Miu bow bag in grey, but it wasn't on sale.

So even though I didn't see any celebs, it was still a (shopping) success. And my friends at work saw Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson at the CTV ETalk party last night so I feel that I saw them too. Six degrees of separation people!


I look rather scary here because my hair is wet from the shower I just took and the lighting is creepy even though it's still day outside.