The Modern Materialist : handbags

I Am Rubik's Handbag

Alex Zalben — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:29:00 GMT

It's no puzzle: you won't be a square if you carry this Rubik's handbag. Now, if it could turn, and each square was a little compartment, you'd have my attention. Or, at least, I would stop making puns:

[$18, Yesstyle]

[Via Shiny Shiny]

Equations: A Burger in the Handbag Is Worth Two In The Mouth

Alex Zalben — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:01:00 GMT

[£28, Garudio Studiage]

[Via Serious Eats]

Related: Eat My Shoes

The Sweet and the Low: Poor Man's Angelina

Wendy Atterberry — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 20:00:00 GMT

Wanna look like Angelina?

First you'll need her bag (even Zahara has one!):

[$1,271, Neiman Marcus]

Yeah, it costs twelve hundred dollars (and that's on sale!), but hey, looking like Angelina doesn't come cheap. You can, however, opt to look like the poor man's Angelina, which, let's face it, is still hotter than most of us will ever look even on our best of days. This knock-off costs about about what Angie probably spends on her nail polish:

Okay, okay, so it's black and not white, but now you're just being racist. Angie would not approve! Besides, black is slimming.

[$68, About Attitude]

[photo via]

Monsters!

Alex Zalben — Fri, 30 May 2008 21:30:00 GMT

Run for your lives, everybody! It’s a horrible monster come to eat you! AHHHH!!!

Wait, wait. That’s actually not a monster at all. It’s actually a…

Handbag!

Etsy user BagsThatBite has a whole line of handbags made to look like horrible, but cute monsters. The one pictured here, Ol’ Blue Eyes, is $55, and prices range from $30-$60.

[Etsy]

[Via Trendhunter]

Purse or Just a Wallet?

Wendy Atterberry — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:30:00 GMT

These over-sized wallets are so cute and so big, I'd use mine as a purse. Sure, you'd only be able to carry around your money and a few credit cards, but what else does a girl need to haul around?? Oh yeah...

[$44, Supermarket HQ]

Excuses I Use to Talk Myself Out of Going to the Gym

Wendy Atterberry — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:30:00 GMT

Excuses I Use to Talk Myself Out of Going to the Gym:

Gotta stay home and watch The Real Housewives of NYC marathon
Too hungover
Personal trainers kind of creep me out
Bad lighting
They don't a juice bar
Makes me feel out of shape
I have not one time seen George Clooney there
I'm not paid enough to go
Don't like sweating
Don't have a cute gym bag

Not sure how to resolve excuses 1-9, but this awesome bag will take care of excuse $10, anyway.

[$69, Mortimer Snodgrass]

Good Uses for the Good Book

Wendy Atterberry — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:03:00 GMT

I knew a guy in college who swore that the pages of the Bible made the best rolling papers. My mother will be relieved to know I never tested his theory. I have, however, found an even better use for the Bible:

Rebound Designs makes the most creative and well-crafted purses out of old books, including, yes, the Holy Bible. This particular purse is sold out, but you can custom order one similar to it. Check out the full catalog of ready-made purses made from classics like Tender is the Night, Jane Eyre, The Scarlet Letter, and Little Women. See? You don't need to be a book worm to appreciate a great hardback.

[Prices vary, Rebound Designs]

The Sweet and the Low: Droolicious Handbags

Wendy Atterberry — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:00:00 GMT

[$235, irv's]

Remember when I wrote about my sweet discovery of Tano Bags and how broken-hearted I was to find they were out of my price range? Well, weep for me no longer, my friends...

No, I didn't win the lottery, receive an inheritance or sell that screenplay I've yet to write, and though I earned a tax refund that would buy several Tano bags, I put half of it towards my credit card debt and the other into the account I like to call "Saving for China...and also a New Laptop." So, how did I manage to get a Tano bag? I didn't! I got an inexpensive knock-off. And you know what? The knock-off and I happen to be very happy together, thak you very much. I don't need soft leather and a hidden magnetic clasp to feel good. This will do the job just fine (well, for now, anyway):

[$58, Urban Outfitters]

Inventory I Lust After: Tano Bags

Wendy Atterberry — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:30:00 GMT

I discovered Tano Bags a couple of months ago while sitting in a crowded subway car. I had someone's knee in my crotch, a random elbow in my ear, and a gorgeous, glorious bag in my face. With the bag as my guiding light, I didn't even mind the knee and elbow so much and by the end of the ride, I was in love. Sadly, the bag got off the subway before I did, and before I had a chance to catch up to it and ask for it's number, it was gone. I did, however, get its name before it was lost in the crowd, spotting a glint of a tag that read, simply: Tano.

Back at home later that evening, I googled 'Tano' and found a whole site filled with bags just as beautiful as the one I rode the subway with. I wish I could tell you there was a happy ending to this story, that I'd been united with one of my Tano crushes and we were living together now in perfect harmony, but sadly, that's not the case. I'm still hopeful that one day, one of them will be mine, but until then, all I can do is lust and fastasize...and hope for another random, tawdry meet-up on the subway.

[$199, Must Have Bag]

Love It or Leave It? Swag Bag

Steph Auteri — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:00:00 GMT

[$1,587.13 USD, Money]

I was gaping at NotCot's post on the Waist of Money belt (get it!? get it!?) put out by Money Clothing when I decided to check out the clothing line's online shop myself. Which is where I came upon...the Swag Bag, "made in Italy from the supplest Italian leather...Japanese-made, 18-carat, gold-plated zips," and a lining made from real dollar bills.

Seriously people!?