Tim Gunn, of the American network Bravo's "Project Runway" doens't like this clear plastic tote by Oscar De La Renta. Why?
Check out last Sunday's "Step Away from the It bag, ma'am" article, via the LATimes.com. (Registration is free!) Booth Moore, for the LA Times, is a bag obsessing, blog perusing, fashion forward fashionista like many of us. She knows all the key words - Paddington, Spy, Birkin, YSL Downtown Tote. She interviews Mr. Tim Gunn to break down the "It bag" obsession for us. So far, she's speaking my language. Her mission? She seeks a cure for the bag fixation plaguing women everywhere, because it costs many women thousands of dollars a year and leaves them with closets stuffed with expensive things that don't transcend seasonal trends. Click on the jump to read more.
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Well, I like her cautious approach. Of course I agree that a girl's money is best spent on the every-day work bag (which she calls the "workhorse.") And of course, I agree when she quickly explains that "It bags are dangerous" and warns us not to overspend (Who of us can afford all the nifty incarnations of the Fendi B-Bag AND Louboutins, anyways?) At this point, her article has the potential of quickly becoming the same "husband lecture" we've all been given. In fact, the advice is very strong; to combat "It bag" obsession, Gunn suggests abandoning it altogether.
Err, guys...I don't know about that. Supposedly, "workhorses" never become the "It bag" of the season precisely because they're structured and casual enough to be worn every day, and they don't have those tell-tale details that easily identify them as "2005". But come on now, can't we all think of a few "It bags" with such style and polish that we'll use them "forever"? Or, at least, for just as long as the nylon Prada her team eventually chooses? Think the Hermes Birkin Gunn frowns on, and YSL Downtown tote Ms. Moore admires. Both are "It bags" with clean lines and a sensible design. Five years from now, wearing either of the two will look still be sexy, stylish, polished, professional. There is certainly room for "It bags" that are actually "workhorses", too! And, 10 years from now, you can call the "It bag" that you spent oodles of money on "vintage." Wink wink.
Ms. Moore had a few more interesting insights to share, however. She addresses the US obsession with gigantic handbags. She reminds us to keep a sense of proportion, and practicality. And she quotes Gunn as saying "there is a kind of social embarrassment to having an It bag." What does he mean? Find out more by registering at latimes.com and seeing the full article. Overall, "Step Away from the It bag, ma'am" makes excellent points and complements each section with perfect examples.