Would I be totally OCD if I got a bag to match my Bottega wallet? I am obsessed with this limited edition color (I want the make up bag too!), the pink just peeks through the distressed gold enough to cut the shine and it distracts attention from any stains you might get on it. I love this oversized clutch (almost 10 inches wide) with multiple compartments, you won’t find this kind of functionality in most clutches plus the pyramid style allows you to keep bulkier things in it without ruining the shape of the bag. Did I mention how gorgeous this color is in person? It’s also trimmed in pink which, as you may know by now, is my favorite color. The leather is pure Bottega, buttery soft, ultra durable and yes, utterly addictive. $1,100 at Net-a-porter.

Bottega woven croc: $78,000 Crocodile birkin with diamonds: $148,000

Is leather the new diamonds? Bag prices have been steadily climbing for several years yet retailers say they have not reached their potential ceiling?!?! Terry Lundgren, CEO of Federated Department Stores, described it as “To infinity and beyond!” It’s not unusual to see prices of luxury bags range from $5,000 - $148,000 these days, steep even for Bag Snob standards but they plan to increase them even more? How stupid do they think we are? It’s not as if some miracle cream has been added that will banish cellulite and wrinkles when you come in contact with the bags (which would actually make it priceless). Industry sources say component costs are higher but come on, it’s leather, a by product for goodness sake! Popularity of exotic skins are also to blame and you all know I adore croc and python but I won’t stand being taken advantage of!

Almost every luxury brand has a bag in the 5 figures nowadays. So who are regularly buying $10,000 bags? Mostly Europeans who take advantage of the weak dollar, namely consumers from England, Germany, Italy and Russia. And there are clients on waitlists for crocodile birkins with diamonds that costs $148,000! There is no reason why a bag should cost that much, I don’t care if it’s made of crocodile with diamonds on the hardware. In a world of strife and conflict, it seems ridiculous to be spending this kind of money on a bag. But what do I know, I’m just a girl blogging about her obsession of bags. Seriously, I love bags more than anyone but I have my limits. I study all the bags available and make informed choices each season to add to my collection. And yes, I buy more than one bag a season, but I have a vast wardrobe of bags that range from funky inexpensive clutches to Hermes birkins and it’s a collection I have slowly built in the last 20 years since I was 16 and it’s filled with classics, not “it” bags that cost more than cars.

Even our beloved Bottega Veneta has a crocodile bag this season priced at $78,000, what, was that crocodile fed caviar and champagne and given regular IPL peels and facials? Women who pay $100,000 for special bags claim it guarantees they have a bag their friends don’t own. I, too covet special bags noone else has, but I am not insane.

Wait ’til Kelly hears about this, she is going to hit the roof. We’ve long discussed launching our own line of luxurious bags at reasonable prices. Perhaps it’s time we did. What do you think? How much are you willing to pay for luxury?

Dear Bag Snobs,

I’ve been reading your blog for almost 1year and a half now (isn’t it incredible how time flies?). I’ve been following it loyally and surprisingly my husband loves it too. I spend less on bags now as I’ve gotten much more discriminate, buying less ‘it’ bags every month and just going for what I love.

Now I have a problem. I go for yoga 3 times a week, whilst the rest of me looks cool and sophisticated, my gym bag is an old sweaty Nike gym bag. And I’m so embarrassed. I’m looking for a new bag something practical, sweat-proof since the yoga clothes do get wet and still something l can lug around town… Any suggestions?

Your fan,

Julia

Fall ‘07 is not Marc’s (or his 20 assistants’) worst bag creations and it certainly is a huge improvement from atrocities of the past few seasons so let’s get the ugly over with so I can go on to the pretty. I can not ignore the ’80s handicraft-bakelite on bags (or on necklaces) that cost thousands of dollars. It was terribly tacky the first time around and it looks out of place in a season full of sleek and clean lines.

This is the sunshine I’ve been dreaming of in the midst of the dreary winter weather. It makes me so happy to look at this bag and think of all the fun things I’ll be doing in the spring and summer, like going to Martha’s Vineyard wearing linen pants and flip flops! Yellow is the greatest color for a bag to brighten up any outfit to be fit for sunny days. This bag is perfect for holding a cardigan, romance novel and gossip magazines for a relaxing day at the park. I haven’t even gotten to the best part yet, it is on sale for only $879 - you better get your hands on this before other cold weather daydreamers snatch it up. At Bottega Veneta.

“The male kangaroo doesn’t have a pouch; only the female has it. So the male has pouch envy. Why should she have this huge pouch, and I have nothing? I have things to carry, too. At least give me a pocket.” - from Seinfeld

Oh the hilarity of Seinfeld, yes we miss it. And so true. We get a lot of emails from men asking about man bags - not computer bags, backpacks or Jack Bauer type messenger bags. They want real bags, the kind that stand up to the fashion rigour of women’s bags, like Terrence Howard at last year’s Oscars with an alligator clutch any girl would envy. I mean, it totally makes sense and completely acceptable for men to carry bags. Again referencing Seinfeld, remember George’s over stuffed wallet? He clearly needed a bag because his back became misaligned from sitting on his 8 inch thick wallet. Men carry lots of things around with them, like an iPod, PSP, Treo, camera and maybe some snacks. Where do they put all that? What if it’s warm out and they don’t need a jacket with 10 pockets? Fret no more. Here are our picks for our male snobs.

Chanel wallets
It seems everyone is on the hunt for the perfect wallet, we’ve received numerous emails from readers who can’t seem to find one that fits all of their needs. I’ve gone through half a dozen wallets myself in the last few years and my favorite is my Chanel long caviar leather wallet with separate compartments for foreign currency, checks, cash, and credit cards. Wallets are very personal as they contain our entire lives in them and they are used more than any other accessory so we want them to look pretty, be functional, and they need to be sturdy enough to stand the abuse they are put through on a daily basis! With that in mind, here are a few of the best choices online: