Tim Gunn Advises Saying "No" to the "It" Bag

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TejasMama

O.G.
Mar 29, 2007
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Hi!

I saw this in the newspaper yesterday and thought I'd post it for you in case you hadn't seen it. It's a great article about the frenzy of having the 'it' bag and why it isn't always the best thing.

That said, I'll add that I love my Coach and LV because of their styles and enduring qualities and not because they're the flavor of the month, but it's always fun to look at the hottest bags!:yahoo:

http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/...list6may06,1,7094377.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
 
Great article - I love it when fashion dudes tell you to go to Target! I must be seriously chic because I'm there several times a week! I'm the one that's looking through the red sticker bins. ha ha haa ha! :roflmfao:
 
Great article - I love it when fashion dudes tell you to go to Target! I must be seriously chic because I'm there several times a week! I'm the one that's looking through the red sticker bins. ha ha haa ha! :roflmfao:

So, true...we love Target for stylish, bang-around bags!

I thought he gave great advice about investing in pieces that work well for you and not just what a celebrity carries. Once I saw the article about handbags, I immediately tossed the sports section for it! I love baseball, but hey, we're talking about handbags here!:P
 
Good article. In the age of bags big enough to fit your 4 year old in, I think he gives sage advice, "When in doubt, size down." Sometimes I think one of the Olsen twins is toting the other one along in her bag. lol
 
Hi!

I saw this in the newspaper yesterday and thought I'd post it for you in case you hadn't seen it. It's a great article about the frenzy of having the 'it' bag and why it isn't always the best thing.

That said, I'll add that I love my Coach and LV because of their styles and enduring qualities and not because they're the flavor of the month, but it's always fun to look at the hottest bags!:yahoo:

http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/...list6may06,1,7094377.story?ctrack=1&cset=true


For some reason I cant see the article. It says its for registered users. Anyone have another link or have it saved?
 
Step away from the It bag, ma'am

Don't drop thousands of dollars on today's trend -- go for what fits your lifestyle, says 'Project Runway's' Tim Gunn.
By Booth Moore, Times Staff Writer
May 6, 2007

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Photo Gallery
Tim Gunn finds a bag that works


THE Birkin, the Paddington, the Speedy and the Spy. Anyone who picks up a magazine or catalog these days knows it's all about the It bag. With the advent of high-low chic and today's more casual approach to dressing, accessories — not clothes — are driving retail sales.

It's easy to get caught up in the frenzy — the steady diet of paparazzi photos of celebrities carrying the latest bag (gifted, of course), the waiting lists that begin mere minutes after a bag has been carried down a runway, the limited editions, the breathless purse blogs. (I admit, I look at them.)

My newest obsession is the Yves Saint Laurent Downtown tote, size medium, in black patent. It's $1,395, or $2,195 with cute flower cutouts on the sides. Jessica Biel's got It in white, Salma Hayek is using It to cover her pregnant belly, and one of the Olsen twins (I'm not sure which) has It in the straight-from-the-runway black-and-white check. I get butterflies just thinking about It.

But the reality is, very few people have the means (or celebrity cred) to have a new bag every season, especially when everyday styles cost $2,000 and up.

So, Tim Gunn, America's favorite fashion authority from Bravo's "Project Runway," has a radical suggestion: "Just say 'no' to the It bag." This nugget of fashion advice and others are outlined in his new book "A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style" (Abrams).

On a recent visit to L.A., I invited him to join me in the handbag department of Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills, along with his co-author Kate Moloney. I challenged them to cure me of It, and teach me how to choose a work bag that will last longer than a high school crush.

"Am I becoming a victim?"

"Ask yourself," Gunn suggests. "And if the answer is even a remote nod to yes, then back away from the bag. Think about having things in your wardrobe that you will want to use season after season, instead of something you bring out every two to three years for a wedding."

It bags are dangerous

"I've had three people tell me in the last couple months that they've had a Birkin bag stolen," Gunn says. "And from very high-end places. Can you imagine being at the Four Seasons restaurant in New York and having your Birkin bag stolen by someone who is sitting at an equally tony table right next to you? It's horrifying. And there is a kind of social embarrassment to having an It bag. I would rather say, 'Gee, this is a $4,000 bag. Why don't I spend $600 instead and give the balance to charity?' "

A better buying policy

"Stay on the lower end for on-trend bags and invest in real pieces," Moloney says. "I like Mulberry because it isn't immediately recognizable. It's subtle, and I will have it forever."

She and Gunn suggest spending money on your "workhorse," the bag that will go to the office with you every day. Choose a color that works with whatever dominates your wardrobe, and make sure the strap is thick enough to distribute the weight of the bag.

As for those flavors-of-the-month — the patent tote, the nautical-inspired beach bag, the metallic clutch — head to Target.

Size matters

"What are you going to be carrying in your bag?" Moloney asks. "I see women carrying It bags and five shopping bags and a gym bag. Think about something that can accommodate your needs. On the other hand, the larger the bag, the more we stuff in it, so there's a balance."

Bigger isn't always better

"Make sure you're buying a handbag, not a weekend tote," Gunn says, throwing the $1,395 denim Chanel hobo over his shoulder like a potato sack. "Proportion is important. You need to think about the relationship of the bag to you."

If you are 5 feet tall, a big bag will overwhelm you. But just because you're tall doesn't mean you can pass off a piece of luggage as a purse. There's a fine line between spring's trend for supersized bags and a small carry-on.

When in doubt, Gunn says, size down.
 
I am always at Target checking out their stuff. I buy alot of items from Target. In particular I always check out their handbags.

I shop there for home, kids clothing, toys etc., and always giggle at Target handbags, because I see so much mimicking of current designer styles. My girls and I always have fun trying them on!