Trends to invest in

We all want to have cool new stuff as often as possible- that's a given. But in the current economic climate, we need to exercise some degree of restraint in our spending. We need to be selective, practical...and we need to get the most bang for our buck possible. That's why I like to look at the runway fashion with an eye towards what will work both this season and next.

So here's my round up of "transitional trends."

The severe black shoe trend- gotta have it! Mine is a big platform wedgie bootie with the instep cut out and a huge bow at the ankle. I got mine last Fall, but its definitely got that 80's Ungaro vibe that Marc Jacobs showed in Paris for LV Fall '09. Glad to see I'll be getting some mileage out of those! I'm on the hunt for a second pair now, a "tough girl" bootie with some studs on it or something. If you know of anything without a pointy toe or a stilleto heel, please email me!

Heavy hardware- metal studs and zips. Tano often uses both to embellish their bags- they give that certain moto chic/ rocker vibe that always looks hot. Both leather and denim benefit from the edgy, modern look that studs and zips lend.. and it's all good. Femme Fetale is my current favorite in this category... but I can't decide on a color!

Black legs- just look at Bill Cunningham's recent piece in the NYT and you'll see that all the fashionistas in Paris are wearing black leggings right now, both shiny and matte. Got a fabulous shiny pair from Patricia Peppe from my DH for my birthday, and got myself a really expensive looking matte pair at Zara for $29.90. Drooled over a leather pair from Vena Cava on a recent Gilt Group sale, but two pairs is enough, already...

As always, email me with your thoughts, comments and suggestions! I love to hear from you.

Fall 2009 Fashion shows

With the 4th of July impending and pre-fall clothes hitting my favorite stores, its time for me to start thinking about what I'm going to wear next season. The idea of "investment dressing" feels right to me at the moment. Every season I spend too much money (I will not disclose how much in case my husband is reading this!) on piece-mealy clothes and accessories that never work well together. Wouldn't it be better to buy two really nice outfits and a few key accessories instead? Isn't quality better than quantity?

So lets start obsessing about Fall, already, then! A lot of different looks won my heart on the NY runways. Those luxurious bohemian dresses in rich colors and patterns that were shown by Nanette Lepore, Anna Sui, Tracey Reese and MBMJ (Marc by Marc Jacobs) ... I'd love to have them all hanging in a row in my closet. Glam rock style always makes my mouth water- and my favorite designer in this category was Phillip Lim. (See picture above-photo credit: Elsa Sylvan.) The gold paillette t shirts & cardigans and striped metallic pants coupled with pea coats, cocoon sweaters and cut-away jackets were just too cool for their own good. A bit much for picking up my daughter at the bus stop, but perfect for certain work-related fashion functions, and/or nights on the town (as if!)

Leopard and velvet are two of my favorite things for Fall, and horray! DvF (Diane von Furstenberg) offered both! The dark, urban layered looks in blue, black and grey by Rag & Bone were also really appealing to me. Bondage boots with legwarmers and raw seamed, pieced leggings worn with kilts and knit sweaters... WOW! Unique Topshop surprised with some really sexy, tough urban warrior/80's punk looks, like torn tunics over leather leggings. Fingerless gloves and a fur vest are definitely must-have accessories for Fall, not to mention a few new slouchy leather handbags, which we'll have covered by Tano in every imaginable color right here at MHB...

Anyone who is registered at style.com... check out my lookbook and let me know which of my favorite runway looks you like best!

You can see more Fall fashion here:
New York Times
Style.com

Messenger bags

Greetings to urban fashionistas and stroller moms everywhere... we have great news for all of you! The messenger bag trend continues to be strong, and Tano's all over it in a big way. This season we've got the cross body look covered with a range of killer bags. And you can shop for cross body bags easily on our new site by clicking here.

For smaller styles, check out Petit Larceny, Front Row, or True Obsessive. Medium size messengers include Spring Eternal, and my own personal fave, Mona Lethal. If you need more room, check out my current everyday bag, Getting Warmer, which I cant rave enough about, Never Frou Frou, or Obvious Affection. All of these bags are loaded with pockets and detailing, and available in a range of scrumptious colors. Discover the freedom of not having to carry your bag in your hand or on your shoulder... treat yourself to a messenger bag this season!

A new site for MHB

Welcome to our new, improved website! We've been working on it for months, and WOW! Its such a relief to finally have it DONE. (Now, hopefully, my normal bedtime and coffee consumption can resume.)

The new site looks much better, and its much more powerful. It's got all the bells and whistles that you've come to expect as an online shopper in the 21st century, like wish lists, tell a friend about this product, order history, order status, address book, gift wrap options, electronic & plastic gift cards, coupon codes, communication preferences, email sign up, multiple ship to capability... you name it. State of the art security now protects your personal information and our databases. (And FYI, our site is PCI compliant- we never, EVER capture or store our customer's credit card information!)

We did extensive testing pre-launch, but there will probably be some glitches that arise during our "beta" period. So if you encounter any problems or difficulties, please let us know!

Welcome to the official blog spot of Must Have Bag!

Greetings to all of our customers, and to Tano fans everywhere! Here at Must Have Bag, we are very excited about our new BLOG. Its an opportunity for us to obsess over Tano bags (and whatever else is on our mind) in a more personal and less formal way. We plan to post lots of news, reviews, and helpful information here often, so stay tuned!