Bags & Accessories – Signature9 http://198.46.88.49 Lifestyle Intelligence Wed, 29 Dec 2010 21:19:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.4 If Everyone Jumped: Year-End Roundup of Our Favorite 2010 Oddities http://198.46.88.49/style/if-everyone-jumped-year-end-roundup-of-our-favorite-2010-oddities http://198.46.88.49/style/if-everyone-jumped-year-end-roundup-of-our-favorite-2010-oddities#respond Wed, 29 Dec 2010 21:19:19 +0000 http://198.46.88.49/?p=17536 The past 12 months included fabulous trends, dazzling red carpet moments and stunning product innovation, but 2010 was also a great year for the weird. We’ve featured tons of off-beat trends and odd products in our weekly If Everyone Jumped posts this year, including $3,000 T-shirts from Valentino, glow-in-the-dark sunglasses and candles that smell like fast food. With this the last week of 2010, here is a recap of our top five favorites:

We're not jumping on these trends, but they're still interesting.

5. The Return of the Fanny Pack

Ah, the cyclical nature of fashion can be a fantastic thing when lovable trends are re-invented and made exciting to wear again, but some fads should be left in the past (and by the past, we mean the ‘80s). This year, Rihanna was spotted wearing a fanny pack and Tory Burch even began selling them. Most of the ones we found online carried a hefty price tag, and we never thought Tory Burch would ever be making one, so we’ll see if the hip bag catches back on for good. If it does, then boy does whoever markets that thing deserve a pat on the back.

4. iPhone STD Testing

Researchers in the U.K. announced they were in the process of coming up with a way for young adults to test themselves for STDs by essentially inserting their own urine into their iPhones or other mobile devices. The object is to get the STD rate down by allowing for increased testing privacy. We had to put at least one IEJ topic that gives you the willies on the list.

3. Japanese Anti-Aging Goggles

One of our favorite IEJ trends this year involved brands that were essentially attempting to charge consumers for a product that did basically nothing the average person couldn’t do themselves for free. We thought we’d seen it all in the ant-aging game when British beauty brand Rodial came out with snake bite anti-aging serum, but these goggles claimed to fight wrinkles and lines by holding the skin around your eyes taut. The makers declared that holding the skin in place for an extended amount of time would cause it to stay that way. (Helpful hint: if you believe them, you can hold your skin that way using your own fingers – or a pair of swim goggles that at least you can take to the pool once you realize they don’t work like Botox).

2. Teva Stilettos

The Teva stilettos are meant to be tongue-in-cheek, but they are a fantastic oddity nonetheless. This fall, news spread through the blogosphere of Teva’s partnership with Grey Ant to sell hiking sandal meets New Year’s Eve party shoes. That horrible combination was running for more $300. ‘Nuff said.

1. The Snazzy Napper

The informational video for this thing is definitely in the top 10 most entertaining things we’ve ever seen. The Snuggie’s weird younger sister popped up across the Web this summer, and it is basically a blanket with a hole in it that is supposed to help you sleep in public. A big IEJ trend this year was strange products with huge price tags. The Snazzy Napper (aka the “snazzy way to sleep while you travel”) takes number 1 partly for the fact that it is not insanely expensive. That and it’s sheer WTF genius.

]]>
http://198.46.88.49/style/if-everyone-jumped-year-end-roundup-of-our-favorite-2010-oddities/feed 0
Glow in the Dark Sunglasses: If Everyone Jumped http://198.46.88.49/style/jewelry/glow-in-the-dark-sunglasses-if-everyone-jumped http://198.46.88.49/style/jewelry/glow-in-the-dark-sunglasses-if-everyone-jumped#respond Fri, 10 Dec 2010 13:54:43 +0000 http://198.46.88.49/?p=17184

Nooka's glow in the dark sunglasses for those of you who wear them at night.

Is this some kind of trick? On Wednesday, The Fashion Spot tweeted a sneak peak of a pair of Nooka Glow in the Dark Mercury Sunglasses to be made available in March on nooka.com.

The shades are pretty cool if you like the swallowed-up face look (which these days, most people do), and we admit it did take us a minute to figure out the problem here. This is it: What is the point of glow in the dark sunglasses? Aren’t sunglasses meant to be worn in the bright light? Isn’t that their purpose? To shade your eyes from bright sun light?

We know celebrities like Usher and other Joe-cool types like to wear their sunglasses at night, but we can’t really see Usher wearing these to the next big awards show or Hollywood event he attends, and the average person doesn’t go out with shades on at night.

No word on how much the glow in the dark sunglasses will cost yet, but regular Nooka Mercury Sunglasses – which come in neon colors as well as black and white – go for $130. Why do all these IEJ products always have such a hefty price tag? Save your pennies for something that makes more sense.

]]>
http://198.46.88.49/style/jewelry/glow-in-the-dark-sunglasses-if-everyone-jumped/feed 0
If Everyone Jumped: The Return of the Fanny Pack? http://198.46.88.49/style/bags/if-everyone-jumped-the-return-of-the-fanny-pack http://198.46.88.49/style/bags/if-everyone-jumped-the-return-of-the-fanny-pack#respond Thu, 21 Oct 2010 11:08:55 +0000 http://198.46.88.49/?p=16380

A fanny pack by any other name is still a bit cheesy, but at least Tory Burch's take doubles as a clutch.

One of the things we love most about fashion is its cyclical nature – the way trends come and go and are reinvented again and again, but it is always surprising when fads that seem like they are destined to be one hit wonders come creeping back into the fashion conversation.

After the fanny pack craze died with the ‘80s, there seemed to be no chance of its return, as it became the brunt of countless jokes, but low and behold, we now present to you the potential resurgence of the hands-free purse.

Pop star Rihanna was recently spotted wearing one, and so many designers have been coming out with “waist bags” or “hip bags” (read: fanny packs) lately that the consensus seems to be that fanny packs are officially back. All of the ones we’ve found look like the creator was attempting to make the look high fashion with extras like flower prints, metal studs and animal fabrics that are very in right now.

Rebecca Minkoff now has a $240 studded version, Tory Burch offers a $195 “hip bag” with a removable strap to double as a clutch, Zambos & Siega are showing a python print number and French Connection has a $58 retro flower print pack that is more casual. And it does not stop there: Gwen Stefani has also come up with a fanny pack design – this one with a silver zipper print. {SheFinds, The Frisky}

We never thought we’d live to see the day when Tory Burch made a fanny pack, and we aren’t sure what to make of it. Will you be wearing a fanny pack any time soon? All we know is if you are, it might be best not to invest in one that’s over $100. Save your splurges for true classic pieces.

]]>
http://198.46.88.49/style/bags/if-everyone-jumped-the-return-of-the-fanny-pack/feed 0
Lacoste Announces New Line of Fashion Jewelry http://198.46.88.49/style/jewelry/lacoste-announces-new-line-of-fashion-jewelry http://198.46.88.49/style/jewelry/lacoste-announces-new-line-of-fashion-jewelry#respond Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:53:15 +0000 http://198.46.88.49/?p=14439 Lacoste, the company famous for its crocodile emblazoned tennis shirts, announced the upcoming release of a new jewelry collection. Since its start in France in 1933, the company has expanded on their sporty beginnings to offer a wider range of high-end sportswear for men, women and children – and now, jewelry.

“The Lacoste fashion jewelry is part of the strategy developed with our partners to propose a more complete feminine offer to our clients,” CEO Christophe Chenut says in a recent press release. “This new license confirms our willingness to increase our share among women to accompany the apparel and leather goods development.” {Stylelist}

Smart move. Scheduled to launch at the brand’s Spring fashion show, the lineup is said to include bracelets, necklaces, bags and cell phone cases. All things to make any existing fan happy, and the makings of a more complete shopping experience for the customer already dedicated to the brand. If the bright color combinations from the Fall collection are anything to go by, there might be some pretty unique tennis bracelets on the horizon.

]]>
http://198.46.88.49/style/jewelry/lacoste-announces-new-line-of-fashion-jewelry/feed 0
Feted Then Banned: the Latest for Louis Vuitton London http://198.46.88.49/style/fashion/feted-then-banned-the-latest-for-louis-vuitton-london http://198.46.88.49/style/fashion/feted-then-banned-the-latest-for-louis-vuitton-london#respond Thu, 27 May 2010 15:27:07 +0000 http://198.46.88.49/?p=12477 Days after opening a grand, multi-level London flagship store on New Bond Street (the London equivalent to Rodeo Drive or 5th Avenue) with a private shopping area for VIP guests, the UK’s Advertising Standards Agency banned Louis Vuitton from using two of their ads on Wednesday. The agency, which investigates reports from the public, said the images mislead consumers to believe the label’s products are handmade, though the bags, wallets and other accessories LV is famous for are crafted by machine. {The Cut}

Louis Vuitton Savoir Faire ads

Louis Vuitton's "Savoire Faire" campaign showed a woman handcrafting folds in a wallet (L), a man painting the sole of a shoe (center) and a woman with needle, thread and beeswax who appears to be hand stitching the handle of a handbag.

Louis Vuitton has a reputation for superior quality, with handbags regularly selling for thousands of dollars, but the photos depict craftsmen hand-stitching leather even though that is not how accessories are made in the French design house. Text in the ads reads, “The seamstress with linen thread and beeswax.”{DailyMail}

Guests at the opening of Louis Vuitton's New Bond Street London flagship included Elle MacPherson, Thandie Newton and Gwyneth Paltrow.

The ASA said Louis Vuitton failed to prove the products were handmade though the label produced evidence that “hand-crafting techniques” were used to create bags and wallets.

Louis Vuitton responded by saying the ads were simply meant to pay “homage to the craftsmanship” of its employees, not depict an exact account of its manufacturing process. The design house admitted to using sewing machines but said handbag production is “not automated,” with over 100 stages in the process of manufacturing one bag.

Three people alerted the ASA of the situation, complaining that they believed the handbags were made by machine. In Japan, the world’s second largest luxury market and a country where 60% of the households own an authentic Louis Vuitton, research found that consumers were willing to spend 50 times the price of a counterfeit bag for the real deal – even if the bags looked identical. {Guardian} The allure of authenticity, which is often intertwined with higher quality craftsmanship, among other things is something that Louis Vuitton and many other luxury brands like Gucci have tried to tap into during the economic downturn.

But modern technology – including efficient manufacturing that automates parts of the process is actually a part of Louis Vuitton posts such healthy operating margins. While hand stitched and folded wallets may seem charming and a mark of quality, it’s not a production method that would scale for a brand as big as Louis Vuitton. Even as far back as December 2009, when the ads were first released, some wondered if the ads went too far in trying to elicit an emotional attachment to heritage. {BusinessWeek} In the UK, it seems that they did.

New York Magazine says the slipup is unlikely to stop people from purchasing Louis Vuitton bags and hopes the ASA will continue its effort to ban misleading ads by forbidding the use of photos featuring unrealistic body types. On both counts, we could not agree more.

]]>
http://198.46.88.49/style/fashion/feted-then-banned-the-latest-for-louis-vuitton-london/feed 0
Intelligent Design: Catch It While You Can http://198.46.88.49/style/bags/intelligent-design-catch-it-while-you-can http://198.46.88.49/style/bags/intelligent-design-catch-it-while-you-can#respond Sat, 24 Oct 2009 23:35:31 +0000 http://198.46.88.49/?p=4106 Here’s one for our more whimsical readers: skip on over to Tilly Bloom and check out the Etsy store full of cheeky little accessories like the absolutely adorable Charles Darwin hairpins shown left.

Show everyone your sense of humor with these silver-plated pins, and giggle to yourself as you see people scratch their heads throughout the day and wonder who on earth that old man could possibly be.

Available at Tilly Bloom on Etsy for $15.

]]>
http://198.46.88.49/style/bags/intelligent-design-catch-it-while-you-can/feed 0
Call of the Wild http://198.46.88.49/style/jewelry/the-call-of-the-wild http://198.46.88.49/style/jewelry/the-call-of-the-wild#respond Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:19:50 +0000 http://198.46.88.49/?p=3237

National Geographic may not seem a likely source for unique, well-designed jewelry, but its NOVICA line is full of several gems that we’d love to get our hands on.

Admittedly,  much of the selection is a tad more bohemian than we would usually go for, but after digging we found numerous great finds within the jewelry section which align perfectly with this season’s accessories trends. Each piece is hand-made individually by artisans and is a product of free trade, which we absolutely love.

Clockwise from upper left: Mango wood cuff bracelet ($26.96 on sale), sterling silver cuff bracelet ($58.46), sterling silver band ring ($54.95), silver cuff bracelet ($74.95), available at NOVICA.com.

]]>
http://198.46.88.49/style/jewelry/the-call-of-the-wild/feed 0