Short and Sweet

Short, small, compact, whatever you prefer, tiny bags are back. The trend follows right on heels of (what else?) the era of the giant tote, which is not such a good look for petite gals unless they wish to look like the bag lady.
Jil Sander, Proenza Schouler, Valentino, and Marc Jacobs are amongst the famed designers working small bags into their Spring/Summer 2012 lines. From tassels to spikes and sharply colored leathers, the small bags are anything but 'cute', evoking a look of edginess for the wearer.

Vogue's Social Shopper said on the trend, "You’ve heard it before: Less is more. And, now, with all of us carrying around a single device that functions as our e-mail, telephone, camera, compass (what? no compass?), planner, and mirror, the classic day bag is starting to feel, well, just a little too roomy."Peruse through my favorite picks from the designers' lines.

Jil Sander SS'12


Proenza Schouler SS'12



Valentino SS '12

Marc Jacobs SS '12

Valentino Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

As I spent my Sunday afternoon (routinely) scanning through Style.com's plethora of fashion shows documenting the Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear Season, I stumbled upon the Valentino collection. And holy Mexican Gothic-inspired Independent Woman. What a show.

"It made me excited to be a woman." Front row-er Jessica Biel exclaimed. "[The clothes] are about confidence. Just put it on and kill it."

Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Picciol's Spring 2012 Collection for Valentino was designed for a woman "who makes her own revolution in her mind," described Picciol, who hoped to channel a "space of the mind where you can find yourself," conveying Mexican influences through the feminine garments.

"You see the collection but in some way you can touch the collection," Chiuri elaborated, "We think that when you see a show, it is important that you use all your senses."

"You can smell this color; it is so exciting, this pink color," Chiuri said of the dress at right.

Nicole Phelps of Style.com said, "Too ladylike, too precious, too little-girlish, too vulgar. Any of those outcomes could've befallen a show as laden with lace and flowers and embroideries... but they didn't. Not for a second."

Though all the frocks were beautiful and lovely as only Valentino can be, my absolute favorites are posted below. The dress at right is a little too haute-couture for me, but hey! What's true fashion without a little risk?














images from style.com