Binge Bag: Life With Bird Bag

($130, Life With Bird, Refinery29.com)

Granted, I need a new bag like Park Slope needs another Maclaren, but if I were in the market for a superfluous new bag, I'd go with this very '80s geometrical tote. Geotote! Actually, I COULD use it as a gym bag for my new CrossFit habit. And yes, I've read the Times piece.

Renegade Craft Fair: Back With a Vengeance (And Lots of Cute Stuff!)

For a while today at the Renegade Craft Fair I started to think I might not even buy anything. T-shirts, yeah; jewelry, uh-huh; tote bags, mhmmm. But once I broke the seal, as it were, it was smooth consumerist sailing. I mean, smooth support-the-independent-artist sailing. And it certainly feels good to do that. My haul:


I couldn't stop myself from buying this Survive Design tote, in a vibrant hot pink with green straps and a fun flowers-and-robots design. Great, sturdy construction + a pocket inside + kinda underpriced for the quality at $30 = love. I used this to stash all my purchases as I made my way around the fair.



I was so psyched to run into my friend Julie, the proprietress of Bow & Arrow. She designs and prints beautiful letterpress cards, of which I bought several to have on hand and which are also sold in Anthropologie (major score!).



Yeah, I kinda went a little card crazy. I also got a fabulous card for someone's wedding (who *might* read this blog, not sure) from Sycamore Street Press. Really funny (and beautiful) stuff.



I laughed my ass off in the Blue Barnhouse booth. So many hilarious cards. I went with the one above, which set me back $5. Pretty sure the recipient will enjoy.



They were sharing space with Power and Light Press. Tamron, I think you should get this for Rory.





Also really funny: Mean Cards. I know this has nothing to do with fashion, by the way. Get used to it!



I also couldn't resist the sweet smells and cute painted-cardboard packaging of the soaps from Biggs & Featherbelle. Major deals at the fair -- I got six soaps for $20 instead of $4.49 each. That's like two free soaps! I win!


Finally, I knew I would have to get a new mousepad from My Favorite Mirror since mine looks like someone ground the contents of an ashtray into it with a spatula. I thought about some of the squirrel ones, but decided to go with something a little scarier (not that squirrels aren't, in real life, TERRIFYING).




Oh, and I also got some cuters magnets (a carrot and a bunch of asparagus) but I managed not to pick up a card from them so oh well. Wait, I found a bookmark in my wallet! The cute magnets are from My Zoetrope.

The Renegade Craft Fair continues in McCarren Park tomorrow, and it was a lovely, sunny, breezy, not-too-hot (a.k.a. PERFECT) day. I recommend giving yourself a couple of hours and getting a thing of watermelon (or an ice cream cone) if you get weary.

LeSportsac Binge! Plus, Totally Random Hedgehog Stuff!

Inspired by my Harajuku Lovers handbags post, I went on a small LeSportsac Windows shopping binge. Here are some of the fun, less-common stilos, shapes, and sizes that I netted at some non-morts prices!

($75, LeSportsac, Nordstrom)

Just the right amount of preppiness.

($75, LeSportsac, Shopbop)

The Jen Tote! Normally I don't love the multi-zippered look, but when it's folded over, it's cute. AND functional!

($68, LeSportsac, Amazon)

The Deluxe Everyday Tote in Checkit is a nice, WAY cheaper alternative to the 3.1 Philip Lim Editor's bag, which is about $500.

($98, LeSportsac, Amazon)

I don't know what these little faces are on the Dana Tote, but they're cute, and that girl could fit in that bag.

($46, LeSportsac, Amazon)

Love the '60s sorta-Pucci-looking zigzags here. They're not as obviously cutesy LeSportsac as a lot of the rest of their bags, even though I love some cutesiness too!

($46.95, LeSportsac, Amazon)

Cutey-cute little woodgrain/ animal print toiletry bag for a great price.

($37.93, LeSportsac, Amazon)

Another adorable toiletry bag, this one in "Goth."

($16.93, LeSportsac, Amazon)

McCuters little cosmetic bag in "Fantasy." And it's got a smiling kitty on it! Hee!

($23, LeSportsac, Karmaloop.com)

Lakeside is one of my favorite of the newer LeSportsac prints. So so SO cute with the widdle foxies and deerz and bearies!

($68, LeSportsac, Karmaloop.com)

The Suzette handbag in Shades is adorability! Sorta reminds me of the Andy Warhol for Paul Frank that came out a few years ago.


Finally, my fave:

($88, LeSportsac, Amazon)

Ridiculously cute hedgehogs! And to celebrate, I've found a few other hedgehog items...

($3.75, Folkmanis, Amazon)

It's a coot widdle hedgehoggooh fingo poopet!

($99, Kenneth Jay Lane, Shopbop.com)

Um, yes. That is a hedgehog ring. Or a pinecone with a face. Even I can't approve of that.

($39, Deglingos, Amazon)

Likewise, I totally disapprove of this corduroy/patchwork/evil tree monstrosity. Because there is enough disapproval to go around! Let's just stick with the hedgehog back, shall we?

Totes Bag Lust: Alexandra Cassaniti's Tote Lust

($220, Alexandra Cassaniti)

Lusting por this graffiti-goes-glam tote. The pink-eye isosceles and scalenes remind me of the Vuarnet logo deconstructed. (Via Coolhunting.)

Here's a super-duper ghetto option, if you need easy, breezy toteage:

($14.95/ dozen, Oriental Trading)

BTW, I read somewhere that Vuarnet was relaunching, but I can't find any Internet proof to corroborate. Oh well.

UPDATE!
It's actually '80s surf-n-skate brand Maui & Sons that's making a comeback. At Opening Ceremony, natch. I was feeling down on myself for my fruitless Googling -- I was seriously doubting my Internet prowess! Until I saw a dude last night wearing a Maui & Sons shirt and it hit me that I'd had my '80s sport Tees mixed up. Phew.

Batty Betsey Bags

Even though both Betsey Johnson and her Betsyville line of bags are basically synonymous with Crazytown, the wackadoo side of me still sorrrrrta loves some bags from both lines...

($335, Betsey Johnson, Nordstrom)
Far more subtle than what we usually see or expect from Betsey. Not bad at all!


($295, Betseyjohnson.com)
Also totally toned-down. For Betsey.

($283, Betsey Johnson, Zappos)
Love the croc combined with the chain handle detail.


At first I was into the 24K Oversize Satchel, which is all sold out at Nordstrom. Then I realized that it was actually clear and not white. Which made me not really care after all that it's sold out. I still love the handle though.



($95, Betseyville, Nordstrom)
So much cognitive dissonance happening with this bag. It's both awful and awesome all at once.




($125, Betseyville, Zappos.com)
No lovey the ribbon ties, but the paper doll print is fun.



($95, Betseyville, Jestjewels.com)
Busy but fun.


($75, Betsey Johnson, Hot Topic)
Yes, this is from Hot Topic. Oh well. It's cute!



($67, Betsey Johnson, Macys)
Without the strap, this clutch is actually really cute.




(Betseyville, Macys, sold out)
Okay, now I'm really starting to scare myself. At least I know I just like the IDEA of the Diamond Girl bag, and not the actual bag itself, as I'm quite usually quite opposed to wearing any other face on my person aside from my own. (Though if you're looking for one for yourself, check eBay.)


($20, Betseyville, Jestjewels.com)
Cosmetic case = probably the safest best yet.