I have not paid enough attention to Barack Obama’s outfits. Why is this? Well, I am so knocked out by his policies and his looks that I almost dare not write about him! It’s true -I have a major crush on the new president. I think no president has caused this much excitement since the election of JFK in 1961.  Today I looked at the suppliers of his suits – it is the Chicago suit maker, Hartmarx. They were booked to make a tuxedo, topcoat and suit for the inauguration.

The black Hart Schaffner Marx suit is  sold at Nordstrom department stores for $895. In certain conditions, under bathroom lighting for example, it looks light blue.

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Since their relaunch this Autumn (Fall), Via Spiga handbags are among the hottest designer bags around. Following massive demand from fans of ViaSpiga shoes, the company behind Via Spiga took the sensible step of bringing back their designer handbag collection

There are two levels to the collection – the upmarket Via Spiga label, and the mid range ‘V Via Spiga’ brand of bags. But these quality leather bags by the respected house of Via Spiga are not at the crazy price levels of some other designers – you sould be able to find something like the ViaSpiga Bellina Tote, shown here in black, for less than $250.

The bad news is that I cannot find anywhere to buy Via Spiga handbags in the UK: there are plenty of places to buy their shoes, but not handbags. The company’s own site only ships to the US and HobbyFob is the same. If I find out about any outlets for ViaSpiga bags in Britain I will keep you posted.

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Sunday was a rainy day, so what better than a day of shopping? Off to Brighton, my nearest good shopping centre, a stylish place that stands out among the tiny towns of Sussex. This town has a Kath Kidston shop – each to their own, but at least it is there for window shopping – plus dozens of other excellent handbag retailers and boutiques.  So it was that I wandered into Area, in the Lanes, to see the fab Designer Totes that were on display in the shop window.  Here I found a Chloe Paddington in black, along with a Juicy Couture oversized Free Style Hobo - also in black and shown in the photo.

The Chloe was priced much higher than Juicy, of course, but on closer inspection, with the help of the well informed shop guy, I discovered a design fault in the Chloe Paddington! I know: it is the end of a handbag dream, but it must be said.  The top closure is made up of the tradmark Chloe Padlock plus two zips and they are open at the end in the way that a jacket zip would be.  Now, think how you have to line up the two sides of the zip on your favourite leather jacket.  Then imagine having to do this twice on your handbag without being able to pull the sides together as you can with a jacket – you get the idea?  Well personally, it would bug the hell out of me to pay nearly £800 for a Designer Bag from Chloe only to find out I cannot do the bag up! Read more »

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The arrival of Michelle Obama as the new First Lady is a shot in the arm for the fashion world, with her excellent understated taste and style. I was not so excited about the Inauguration Ball dress – the off the shoulder number by Jason Wu.  The dress and jacket she wore for the acceptance speech was an unusual shade of green-yellow, and that shape is flattering for anyone who has lumps and bumps to hide (which she does not!).  The winner for me was the oriental-print scoop-neck dress that she wore for the prayer service yesterday, the day following the inauguration. Read more »

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I am really excited about the new secret sales sites where top designers sell from recent collections at massively reduced prices. Check out Vente Privee, where there is currently a great Bally sale. You can buy Bally shoes and bags at huge discounts. Vente-Privee also features plenty of style and fashion advice, for example a write up on the ever popular clutch bag. You can register for free and get email alerts on the next handbag discount sale. On the subject of clothes, if you need to lose a few pounds you can get help from Hydroxycut – it can just roll the weight off.

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When I went through my single (divorced) stage I had to learn an awful lot of stuff about the real world after years as a boring married person. What kind of underwear was best if you thought that the next date with a new guy could progress to the next level? Would leather lingerie make me look a bit too forward? These are the kind of questions that singles have to deal with.  Then I started running lingerie parties myself and I learned that it is really okay to wear whatever you are comfortable with – leather teddies sold very well, and I am not surprised.  I have always adored the texture and look of suede and leather for skirts and jackets – why not use it for lingerie as well?  For bridal wear, leather corsets are now very popular as girls are marrying at a more mature age.  Brides are no longer little girls leaving their parents but grown women with grown women’s tastes.   I have seen shops where the basques cost more than the dress, and if you think about it that is the part that matters most! If you think this sounds a bit racy for you, have a look at the basque in the picture.  That would be great for clubbing with a pair of skinny jeans.

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One of the good things about the current money problems is that anyone who is buying should be able to get a good deal, and nowhere is that more likely than in the world of fashion, including designer handbags of course.   After all the early sales and stock clearances at the end of last year, shoppers have become accustomed to getting what they want at a discount. Thousands of retailers have gone to the wall, but that means wholesalers and designers have a lot of cancelled orders on their hands which they sell at knockdown prices.  You will rarely find these deals on the designers’ own websites – that would harm the brand – but find the outlets and the stuff is your for practically nothing.  I am keeping my eyes open for the best reductions on favourite designer bags, so make sure you visit often for the latest fashion news.

I am afraid the high street is a pretty quiet place at present, with most of the real bargains available online – shame really, because the hours I used to spend window shopping was just about the
best fat burner I know of.

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What does a Designer Handbags devotee do when she has a baby? Rather than risk spills over your costly pre-baby purchases, make sure you are carrying the right bags for toting your little one around. It is pretty simple to find discounts on the range of  baby bags and carriers, and there are plenty of them! You will need a smart Yummy Mummy version plus a carry-all for the baby’s stuff so use the services of Shop Wiki to save some cash towards your nest treat.  With  the money you save you could look around for an Hermes Birkin to remind yourself that the messy stage will soon be over.  And of course the ultimate pick me up at the end of a busy day is a nice bottle of wine: you can even get a discount on that at this site, see how much they can save you.

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