Luxury World

Sure, some of you may be totally over the Chloe Paddington, but this craze is still going on to this day. There is something about the chunky hardware, the thick leather, and that extremely heavy lock that makes all the world want this handbag. Face it, this is a hit bag, not just a seasonal trend. If you ask anyone in the fashion industry they will let you know that the Chloe Paddington became a staple in the handbag world, bringing in millions of followers world wide. I still use my Taupe Paddington Tote from time to time, and my beautiful Rouge Paddington Satchel has my attention here and there too. For fall and winter, a lush Chloe Cream Paddington will spice up your wardrobe. The color is defined as sand, but it appears like a creamy treat, accented with gold hardware. The rest of the bag is just like any Chloe Paddington, featuring double top handles, two slit pockets, canvas lining, a key attached to the handle, and, of course, the signature padlock. This may be the color for you if you have been searching for a first, or want to add to your collection.

Just as the Chloe Bay Bag began to warm up to me, Chloe releases in in a fresh new look. But is this look appealing or is it too stark? The Chloe Patent Leather Bay Bag sports white patent leather with contrast green zipper detailing. The color combination makes me feel like this would be in a tennis ad with Maria Sharapova. The rest of the bag is like the other Bay bags, sporting a large zip compartment on top, a double zip fastening compartment on each side, and canvas lining. It is fresh, and clean, but is it the right look?

This handbag is so manly it is making my estrogen run and hide. Seriously, I understand that Chloe wants to sport the chunky hardware and thick leather look, but everything about this handbag screams out brute-force-man. Feast your eyes on the testosterone filled Chloe Beata Patent Shoulder Bag, which looks as if it belongs in a male society before it belongs on the arm of a fashionable woman. The leather is thick, hideous, and a horrid shade of mahogany (which needs to stick to furniture rather than coloring of a handbag). And even worse, the leather is patent, giving off a gleam that will attract any passerby attention and also force them to stare at this bag. The inside out straps only further go to show that this bag is a disaster. I am just so turned off by this bag. After looking at it, I feel as if I need to go into my bathroom and put on layers of pretty pink nail polish and lip stick. And for the price, there are tons of spa treatments I would prefer to keep me looking young and beautiful.

I have not been super impressed with any of the Chloe handbags released as of late. They look the same as all the others, they are ridiculously heavy, and really just not that appealing to the eye. It would be one thing if they looked great and were heavy to lug around, but that is not quite the case. Now Chloe has geared up and is ready for Spring and Summer. With the new season comes new handbags, and Chloe has released the Chloe Maya Bags which come in fresh bursts of color, turquoise and violet. The look on these bags are different than most of the Chloe bags I have seen; sporting a modern vibe with quirky accents and additions. First, we have the turquoise Chloe Maya Large Shoulder Bag which is true to its name, in that its dimensions are ridiculously large (Width 15.5″, Handle Drop 10.5″, Height 15.5″, Depth 6.5″). Chloe leather is known to be thick and heavy and they did not seem to change that for these handbags. There is an adjustable canvas strap across the top and two front zip fastenings. Then we have the Chloe Maya Shoulder Bag which is also very large (meaning also very heavy). This bag sports an east/west style, with a width of 18″, and there is a zipped pocket on the front and open pouch at the back. The east/west version is a tad more expensive than the large version. Overall, I am not wowed. The sizes are enormous and will surely lead to tendinitis, as did the Paddington for many of its wearers, but at least it is a different look!

An aside, if any of this does not make sense or there are huge errors, blame it on my 6 hour jet lag and lack of sleep

Chloe Bay Patent Hobo

This is a stunning Chloe handbag, minus the whole heavy leather ordeal. I was never a huge fan of the Bay bag, especially in the larger versions, because it is just too heavy. I already own two Paddington bags that are used rarely because of the weight issue. But this bag I can handle, I think. The Replica Chloe Bay Patent Hobo is drenched in the most beautiful hue of purple, which they deem violet, in a more compact Bay shape. The dimensions on this version are 12″W X 13″H X 4″D which are much smaller and more manageable than their Bay satchel or bag. This is a great throw over your shoulder and get on the go bag. The leather is a grained patent lambskin, but I have seen it in the store and it is not hugely over-powering. The 8″ shoulder drop makes the bag hand nicely on your arm and the shape is not too bulky that you have to hold your arm up in the air while carrying the bag. There is of course the pull accents that the Bay bag is known for and a large outside zip pocket for easy access. My problem with many Chloe bags is the inside lining, which is always just cotton. I hate to pay nearly $2k for a handbag and have it lined in simple cotton. But I like this bag, so I can look past that. So the cotton lining issue aside, the only other issue you may face is that this bag is still heavier than many that are the same size. Chloe implements such sturdy leather it is hard to get past the weight issue. But the issue should not be much of an issue when the bag is much smaller. Overall, this is my favorite Chloe Bay Bag yet!

Is it just me, or is replica handbag Chloe not a brand that makes a whole lot of hobos? Well, that’s not entirely true – they usually manage to turn their popular bags into hobos at some point in order to capitalize on their popularity – but it seems like most of their bags don’t start life as hobos, right? But today is a new day, because the Chloe Marcie Hobo is a hobo from birth and it’s, eh, medium amounts of successful.

The stitched texturing on the front flap looked good upon initial examination, but now I’m not so sure. It gives the impression that the leather is layered, but in reality, it’s just a clever sewing trick. Which is cool, I admit, but it just kind of…stops. There’s not a seam there to mark a natural ending point, which means it rather looks like someone got tired of sewing. Which, I mean, I can understand that. Sewing looks hard.

Other than that point, and it’s a small one, the bag is quite pretty. Chloe uses some of the best leather of any designer, and the creamy beige color shows it off well. The wrapped handle is a nice touch to keep things from looking to under-designed, and I like the thickness of the dangling drawstrings. Chloe should really consider making hobos a larger part of their original repertoire.

Oh, it’s so pretty. And so functional. And so every-day usable. And so luxurious. In short, the Chloe Python Marlow Bag? It had me at “hello.”

I’ve given the regular leather version of this bag some loving in the past, but it is truly eclipsed by the beyond-gorgeous python version.

To me, this bag is exactly what useful luxury should be. It’s big and roomy, it can be carried every day, it would fit in with a variety of wardrobes without being obtrusive or obvious. It’s quietly fantastic, and it has a slouchy sumptuousness to it that is hard to find in anything but the best materials.

It looks like an exquisite vintage piece that only the most fashionable person you know would ever be able to find at a flea market, but here it is, easily accessible. Well, if you have four grand, that is.

Call me crazy, but I can kind of see what Replica Chloe Handbag was going for here. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think they accomplished it, but I think I know where they were headed.

See, there’s these people called “hipsters.” They’re the ones that have been wearing skinny jeans since 2003, and Wayfarers as well. They shop for lam leggings at American Apparel and live in Brooklyn (or Silverlake or East Atlanta or any other number of enclaves) and are responsible for a lot of music, most of it terrible but some of it reasonably good. They also wear some ridiculous accessories and handbags, most of them vintage, and most of them looking strangely like the Chloe Polka Dots Leather bag.

And since these hipster people can be thanked as either the starters or early adopters of a lot of what we see going on in fashion today, I can’t blame Chloe for giving them a nod. The thing about borrowing from hipsters, though, is that you have to be very careful about what you take and how you interpret it, and this particular bag is probably a bit too far over the line to be successful. It’s kind of cute as a novelty piece, but as a bag for a serious purse lover, I don’t think it measures up.

Now this? THIS is how you make a unique clutch! Forget the mess of paillettes that we saw earlier this morning – the Chloe Leather Bow Clutch is head and shoulders above that bag and most others that I’ve seen lately.

First, the color. Dove grey is the perfect shade to accent the rhinestone-studded bow detail and bring out its glittering, vintage-inspired beauty. It’s hard to make a light-colored clutch look appropriate for cold weather, but this is exactly the sort of thing that I would love to pair with a sweater dress and 1940s-inspired retro coat.

And then there’s the matter of the materials used. The leather is so smooth and perfect-looking that I wouldn’t have guessed that it was actually leather on first inspection, and that’s exactly the kind of leather that needs to be used if it’s supposed to be evening-appropriate. The types of rhinestones that were chosen are also perfect for the look – they don’t look brand new and sparkly, but slightly gritty and old-looking (in a good way). The bag could pass for an exquisite vintage piece, but it looks just as appropriate on the store shelves today. Plus, when you open it, you get a great surprise – it’s lined in bright gold leather.

She’s got her man, she’s got her rock, and she’s got her gold Chloe Paddington handbag. What more does a girl need? Katy Perry stepped out with new fiance Russell Brand and her luxe purse recently, but I have to be honest — the bold metallic doesn’t really work with Katy’s more somber gray outfit. And, just asking, but are she and Rusty supposed to match? Ugh.