Handbags

Lex Designs: Hot Up and Coming Designer from Santa Cruz

 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion / Handbags / Local Designers  tagged interviews / santa cruz designers by

Lex Designs is a hot, up and coming designer brand out of Santa Cruz, CA. Known nationally as a beach destination, hot surf spot and home to UC Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, Ca is actually an artistic city. The city is close enough to San Francisco and San Jose to remain connected to an International, metropolitan area, yet far enough south to maintain it’s own identity and provide natural inspiration for an artistic community. Due to Santa Cruz’s unique geographic location, creative roots and natural beauty it is no wonder that the artistic practice of fashion design would emerge from beach locale.

Alexis Meschi is the designer behind Lex Designs which creates wearable, fashion forward designs that are inspired by the trends as well as the Northern California lifestyle. Alexis describes herself as an “accidental fashion designer.” She found her passion when she began sewing and creating clothing and baby items for her three daughters. Alexis found she really enjoyed sewing and could not get enough of it, so she decided to try her hand at women’s clothing for herself. After trying out a few patterns, Alexis felt constrained and felt the need to create her own designs in order to sew exactly what she envisioned. She found sewing and designing to be her passion, so Alexis started a blog and began to share with the world what she had created and how she did it. Her blog became an instant hit and the traffic inspired Alexis to begin creating designs that she could share with other women through online and boutique sales.

Lex Designs creates easy and wearable fashions that are made from natural fabrics such as linen and cotton. Her designs can easily be worn all year long here in the Bay Area where the temperature ranges between 50 degrees and 90 degrees during the year. Lex Designs clothing can be worn alone during the warmer months and then paired with a fabulous, fashion forward Lex Designs sweatshirt when the fog rolls in and temperature cools down. Lex Designs creates the ultimate fashion for Cheap Luxury Handbags Stores as well as Fashionistas everywhere.

www.madebylex.com

We would like to leave you with a wonderful quote from the designer herself:

“I love designing and sewing and am so grateful to be able to do what I love doing. I love fashion and style and expressing yourself through your dress. With it all, remember that it’s not the stuff that you have or wear that makes life important. In the end what we have or own doesn’t matter. What matters is our hearts and the way we love.

You don’t need money, status or influence to create something of beauty or substance. You need heart.”

Messenger Bags for Fall 2010

 in General Fashion / Handbags / Trends  tagged cross body bags / fall 2010 / messenger bags / shoulder bags / winter 2011 by

Messenger bags in the San Francisco Bay Area have been associated with San Francisco bike messengers over the past few decades. The image of a frantic bike messenger, wearing an army green messenger bag frantically trying to avoid cars that are making last minute right turns in front of them; resonates in the minds of Fashionistas when the mention of messenger bags comes into conversation. Interestingly enough, celebrities have been spotted wearing messenger bags over the past couple of years. The fashion world took notice and the messenger bag took the runways by storm for Fall 2010.

The messenger bag is being shown for both men and women, who may each have their own use for them. Tod’s is showing a coated canvas messenger bag that comes in both dark brown and black. The Tod’s messenger bag can worn by both men and women; and since it is coated canvas, opponents to leather will flock to this bag. So very San Francisco! Prada is also showing a messenger bag for Fall made from their signature black nylon. The Prada nylon bag looks like it can double as a diaper bag for chic mommies since it features two side pockets for bottles; water or baby bottles. Juicy Couture is showing the perfect messenger bag for the teen set this Fall which features a delicate heart design with rock n’ roll flair. The Juicy Couture bag will definitely be the bookbag of choice around Bay Area high schools for fashion-savvy teens. Henry Beguelin created a more grown up messenger bag  with clean lines and shimmery black suede. The casual winner for Fall? Donan Karen  is showing a very casual, very bike messenger vibe, black crossbody bag with a large strap clasp and broken-in leather look. The most fabulous messenger bag that may very well end up across the bodies of Fashionistas around the Bay Area is the Tory Burch Carsen messenger bag. Tory Burch gave her bag chain details on the front with an easy to adjust strap that allows Fashionistas the flexibility of wearing the bag crossbody or over the shoulder giving it a 1970’s handbag silhouette . In these recessionary times, a two-for-one deal cannot be overlooked!

The messenger bag last made it’s appearance in fashion during the late 1990’s, during the height ofMinimalism. It is a practical, casual handbag style that may not be suited for everyone. This may or may not be a trend you wish to invest in. If you do invest, look for clean lines that will not date the bag in future decades. After this trend settles down, your messenger bag could end up in the back of your closet for another ten years. Happy shopping and stay fabulous.

The Lady Bag is the new handbag for Fall 2010

 in General Fashion / Handbags / Trends  tagged fall 2010 / runway trends / satchels / vintage styles / winter 2011 by

The Lady Bag is the new handbag style for Fall 2010. There are two versions of this handbag which Fashionistas in the Bay Area will be carrying this Fall. The small tote version and the shoulder bag version. The small tote version is similar in style to classics such as the Louis Vuitton Speedy, Hermes Kelly and the Gucci 1973 Tote which is the double top handle tote version of the 1973 shoulder bag. The shoulder bag version reminds Fashionistas of the popular handbags worn roughly five years ago. Handbag lines are simple with a flap closure, minimal hardware and a medium length strap which allows the handbag to hit at the top of the hipbone when hung on the shoulder.

Fendi has a fabulous handbag collection for Fall. The famous peek-a-boo tote satisfies The Lady Bag trend. There is one version of the peek-a-boo bag with leopard print interior. There is also a military green peek-a-boo tote  that is to die for! Fabulous! The classic Fendi baguette, in any size, is the right silhouette for The Lady Bag trend. If you have one from a past season, this is the time to shop your closet and wear it for Fall. With the money you save, you can buy a red clutch! Christian Dior, Marc Jacobs,Chanel, Gucci, Hermes, Prada, Proenza Schouler and Yves Saint Laurent have clean and classic Lady Bag styles for Fall 2010.

The Lady Bag this season is more structured than it has been in past seasons; even as recent as Spring 2010. There is a simple way to update your Lady Bag and take it from relaxed to the oh-so-of-the-moment structured. If you take a piece of cardboard and cut it to fit inside the walls of your handbag, it will instantly stand straight and appear just as structured as this Fall’s Lady Bag.

This is definitely a handbag trend to follow. The Lady Bag is a classic and clean handbag style that circulates in and out of fashion every few years. The best investment handbag in this style should be a neutral color that will withstand the test of time. Look for black, chocolate brown, khaki, tan, red, cream or white. If you are interested in mixing this trend with the military trend and picking up the Lady Bag in army green; proceed with caution. Army green handbags are not always en vogue and you could end up with a white elephant next year. If you plan to sell the handbag after wearing it for a couple of seasons then go ahead and Go Army. After all, fashion is all about what you feel, like and are drawn to. Try to be practical, but never deprive yourself of what you are in love with. Happy shopping and stay fabulous.