Need: Jil Sander Market Leather Tote

Jil Sander Market Leather Bag, $895, at Net-a-Porter.com

Thomas IV Bags

I just discovered Thomas IV handbags and am immediately obsessed. The bags blend decoration and functionality, creativity and luxury seamlessly. They seem like exactly the kind of bag I would see on someone else and fanatically hunt down across the internet. Good thing I found it first.

Via ThomasIV

Crazy Fashion Trend: Handbags

Every Fashion Week brings us new trends, some wearable, some not so much. My favorite are those little styling tricks that seem small at the time, but result in major trends within the fashion world and nowhere else. Last year it was coats worn as capes, arms out of the sleeves. This year, I'm predicting not only handbags carried as clutches, but handbags carried with one handle looped through the other like at Bottega Veneta's Fall 2011 show. Luckily you don't have to wait, Alexander Wang has a bag in stores right now, the Alpha Combo Shopper, built around that entire concept. Loop the long handle through the short for an over-the-shoulder bag, loop the short handle through the hole for a tote. Needless to say, I'm all for it.

Via Vogue.com and LaGarconne.com

Chloe Fall 2011 Handbags

Chloe or Coach? Fun game, right?

Via Vogue.com

Chris Benz Fall 2011 Shoes

Ever since I interned for Chris Benz, I have had a lot of respect for him as a designer and a person. I've always loved his use of bright colors, layers, and vintage styling. One of his secret strengths is shoe design. When I worked there, he worked with Manolo Blahnik on chic painterly oxfords and for heels he would buy lucite pumps from the shops on 8th Avenue that catered to "working girls" because they made their legs look better than anything else. When I saw Carolina's photos of the wedges at his Fall 2011 presentation I wasn't surprised at all, they are both artistic and majorly sexy.

Via Fashion Squad

Dries Van Noten Fall 2011: Backstage Hair

I love the hair at Dries Van Noten Fall 2011. These backstage pictures show off the details of Paul Hanlon's styling. It's pretty much set that the low pony is going to be the new go-to style for chic women and I love how he incorporated the gold ring around the pony. I've been trying to get something similar to this look with curved tortoise shell barrettes, but haven't had success. The slightly unkempt texture is also the perfect accompaniment and makes me want to rush out to buy Bumble & bumble's new Texture cream ASAP.

Via Into the Gloss

Proenza Schouler-Inspired Nails Round 2: Fall 2011

My latest nail endeavor was spurred by a very sweet present of OPI's sold out Shatter polish and a fortuitous broken nail, both of which happened to take place during NYFW. As always, I was inspired by Proenza Schouler. Their Fall 2011 collection was inspired by a trip they took through the American West. I tried to capture the mix of bold colors and graphic black accents by layering two different shades of blue and neon orange underneath the black shatter polish. I really liked the results, very different from my normal polish routine.

View details from the Proenza Schouler Fall 2011 collection here.

All photos by Mark Iantosca

Jil Sander Fall 2011 Sweaters

Jil Sander's re-envisioned ski sweaters happened to be inspired by one of my favorite movies, Blake Edwards' The Pink Panther. One of the reasons I loved the movie so much as a kid were the costumes by Givenchy and Yves Saint Laurent. While Raf Simons sent more literal translations down the runway, I was taken by these bold chunky knits. Finally, '60s Italian ski culture feels modern again.

Via Vogue.com

Jonathan Saunders Fall 2011

I often get obsessed with the details of a collection, but in the case of Jonathan Saunders' fall 2011 show, it was just as much the full look. This is what I consider a perfect collection, it makes a big statement, but it is also immediately covetable. Saunders' mix of prints, bright colors, and textures in classic shapes makes him a huge standout this season. I imagine myself trying to recreate these looks ASAP.

Via Vogue.com

Lanvin Fall 2011

There are a lot of reasons to love Alber Elbaz, chief among them that I want to give him a hug. He's also a pretty good designer. He opened the fall 2011 Lanvin show with the most amazing silhouette. The combination of luxe coat, wide-brim hat, bare legs, and loafers felt unexpected, wearable, and very chic. The final looks, a confection with Elbaz's signature ruffles paired with baroque jewels and a morbid flowered headpiece reminds me of if Madonna had been chic when she sang "Like a Prayer." I'm kidding, of course, Madonna was everything.

Via Vogue.com