bunnyshop shopping fashion blog

Jocasi Giveaway Fabulousness!

The Jocasi reader mail contest continues. In brief: You email us a question (with the word "Jocasi" in the subject for easy sorting, perhaps), we run it here, and the best question—measured in this one instance by the number of comments it receives—wins a fabulous Jocasi bag. (Not exactly this one pictured.)

Today's question:

If you had your dream body what you would you buy immediately to wear and why do you think you can’t wear it now?

J.

We will answer that we would buy knee socks. We may just go buy them anyway, right this minute! This is a very complicated question, we're thinking. Answer! And let's get J. on her way to the Jocasi bag.

Above: the Jersey bag, was about $220, now about $110

Our Amazing New Contest - Sponsored by Jocasi!

Oh goodness! Here it is, the contest we've been waiting to debut for ages. The amazing folks at Jocasi are sponsoring it—which means they gave us one of their gorgeous bags to give away. We love Jocasi so much we have no fewer than five in the BS HQ—they could hardly be more awesome. We would likely be capable of more effusion if the washing machine in the apartment we're staying in this weekend hadn't been cycling for literally six hours, but here we are.

Anyway, it'll work like this. There are only going to be ten entries. You get an entry by sending us a Reader Mail question. The bag will go to the person whose question gets the most responses in the comments section. (We'll be making sure that there's only one comment per person, not that we think any member of the Bunnyshop community would consider doing that.) We hope this isn't as confusing \ convoluted as our contests usually are.

Today, we begin with this question, from LA:

 

If you could pick just one, what would be your all time favorite article of clothing or accessory ... and do you still have it?
 
  Thanks!
  LA
 
  (mine is a silver cuff bracelet, that I received as a gift over 10 years ago, and I still wear it all the time. I think it is timeless ... and it makes me feel like Wonder Woman.)

LA is now entered for the contest. We'll be running a new Reader Mail question each day, and then we'll give this gorgeous bag to the reader who came up with the best question—"best" in this case measured by the number of comments. Send us your questions—and definitely let us know your answer to LA's question, below. Very important last thing: Definitely put "Jocasi" in your subject line—otherwise we'll think they're garden-variety reader mail.

Above: the Jocasi Montana, about $170

Even If We Were Rich We Wouldn't Buy....

It's our new, recession-proof series. We actually love it when we see overpriced things we think are terrible. Like this Liberty cotton terry handbag. Cotton terry. Like towel material. $400! That it about 80 lunches for us, or an infinite number of towels stolen from Motel 6, thank you very much. Not that we have ever done that.

Sorry about the picture quality but we shot this on the DL and were sure they were going to kick us out for being poor \ spying.

Alice + Olivia For Payless

We were so excited about Alice + Olivia for Payless at first, since we love Alice + Olivia but find them too expensive on days when we have not picked up hundred-dollar bills from the sidewalk. Eh. But then we investigated the collection a bit more closely, and were thoroughly disappointed. Maybe there's more in stores than online, but if not ... meh. The only thing we saw that we liked was this clutch, as we find clutches the most convenient way of transporting basically anything, including but not limited to our electronic goods. But this? Isn't that much different from anything else at Forever 21. And a bit more expensive as well. High-priced designers! Please to be understanding that the cheap stuff needs to be, in its way, as cute as the pricey stuff, or don't bother.

Alice + Olivia clutch, $25

Jocasi Bags: Reader Mail

In today's Reader Mail:

Hi Bunnyshop!

I discovered the lovely Jocasi bags from viewing your site.  Recently I fell hard for the Bond Street bag in black but the exchange rate from dollar to pound is kinda hard to swallow (its double!).  I wanted to know if you think they are worth $250 American dollars in terms of quality and looks. Granted it looks good enough to eat on the website, but since I've never seen a Jocasi bag in person...  If you had the money, would you buy the Bond street bag for $250? Btw, I own bags from a wide range of brands from cheapo $25 bags to one and just one Chloe Paddington in a metallic aubergine (purple). And lately, I've been searching for a stylish and good quality everyday black bag so that I can spare the Paddington and still look stylish.

Thank you so much for your input.
S.

As you might have guessed, we could not be bigger fans of Jocasi—so the short answer is yes. The long answer: We totally would. We have bought several, in fact—not the Bond Street bag but another, for Lil Bunny, who we hope will chime in here. And we own one ourselves. It is our go-to bag. We have plenty of $12 tote bags, and to be sure, they're what we'll use 70% of the time. However, tote bags just won't work for all situations, professional, social, or otherwise, which is where, obviously Jocasi comes in. We think there's so much logic for the $250 bag: We had an $800 Luella bag that stressed us out so much every time we took it outside that we ended up selling it on eBay. Our Jocasi bag is excellent enough that it looks completely professional, but not such a financial loss, should anything untoward happen, that we're scared to take it out. And Jocasi, specifically, is even better than its contributors in this price range because it's English and has yet to be widely available here. So it's the best of both worlds: reasonable exclusivity at a price that is generally not measured as a proportion of one's rent.

Also, they wear well, and they are just super nice.

This seems as good a time as any to announce that in three weeks—just in time for July 4!—we'll be giving away a Jocasi bag(!). We could hardly be more excited.

In the meantime, we hope other Jocasi buyers will chime in.

And this is not the Bond Street bag pictured, but our choice for our next Jocasi purchase: the Montana bag, about $240

BS Hearts: Stella McCartney for LeSportsac

We're so baffled about LeSportsac: We feel like whenever we look at the website, we're like, meh, but when we see one close up—no matter how aggravating the pattern looked previously—it's all super adorable and we totally want one. We just thought we would mention the new pieces from the Stella McCartney collection. What a fun collaboration! We're off to Target to investigate Rogan for T., but we have a feeling we like this one better.

Eh! See? We are both drawn to and repulsed by this bag. Difficult. Stella McCartney for LeSportsac hobo, $350

The Tote Bag of the Week

American Eagle remains our source for inexpensive summery items, including what we are calling the tote bag of the week. It's still about $10 more than we'd like it to be, but we're totally into the colors and the dirt-resistant leather straps.

AE tote bag, was $49.50, now $34.95

15% Off at Moyna!

It's the last day for 15% off at Moyna! What we love about these bags, noted earlier, is the way they totally dress up otherwise basic—read: boring—dresses and make them evening-appropriate. We love this bag because it is totally paillette-bonkers. There are few better things to be, we say. A silver version of this was in Cosmo.

Moyna paillette clutch, $165—type discount code "bunnyshop" into the notes box and they'll apply the discount—with discount, $140.25

15% Off at Moyna!

More from this week's discount, the lovely Moyna bags. Yellow! It is, at the moment, our favorite color. Added bonus: This was just in Self! That should not make us like it even more, but we're obviously and easily bought and sold.

Moyna yellow evening bag, $158—15% off with discount code "bunnyshop"; just type it in the notes section—$134.30

Moyna: This Week's Discount

More from this week's super-exciting discount! This is like the quasi-fancy upgrade on the $8 totes (er, one of which we will be shilling ourselves soon): infinitely prettier and more together, which is really the direction we're aiming for, however slowly. There's something super-apt our yoga teacher always says about this, about getting better by degrees, but fuck if we can remember it.

Can we also say, in our "keyword analysis" from last week, someone ended up here looking to see if our fave yoga teacher is married? (For the record, we have no idea.)

Anyway: Moyna bag, $46—with discount code "bunnyshop"; just type it into the notes section—$39.10

Moyna: This Week's Discount

Next up in this week's fabulous discount with the equally fabulous Moyna! We have decided this is an exceptionally worthwhile spring bag; we're just total suckers for the cut-out design. Easy-peasy, jeans and a t-shirt. Moyna bag, was $68, with discount code "bunnyshop"—just make a note in the appropriately named notes box, and they'll apply it—$57.80

Moyna: This Week's Discount

Hurrah! Another week, another discount: Today, it's Moyna and her beautiful bags. We saw Moyna in like every single issue of Lucky, so eventually we just emailed them and put this together. Double hurrah! We love their bags. Their bags make basic dresses perfectly acceptable.

It's 15% off with special code "bunnyshop", though note this week you'll just need to type that in the notes box so they can apply the discount. Don't worry if it doesn't show up in the shopping cart.

Left: Moyna bag, $159—with discount code, save $23.85 for a total of $135.15

Clutches: The Round-Up

We used to carry our things around in an empty VHS tape case. Can you imagine? We are thinking, though, that this is what we were doing until we found our what a clutch was. It's like not knowing the word for "tire" or something, and continually drawing little pictures of them to get the message across. Anyway. We know better now, and we love the clutch: less trouble than a bag and often quite useful for the fancy event.

And also, as in this case, not necessarily very expensive. We love this one from Forever 21. This is the Broadway Patent Clutch, $18.80

Lauren Merkin makes a billion different kinds of clutches—macrame, tie-dyed, etc—but this is our favorite. One clutch, dozens of weddings. Lauren Merkin clutch, $180

Call us crazy but we totally love this with jeans and a black top. Calvin Klein clutch, $148

So there is nothing evening-y about this clutch but as it can hold an issue of Domino, we don't care. So Philadelphia Story, we're thinking. Marc by Marc Jacobs magazine clutch, $328

We're having such a difficult time finding clutches we like under $100. This, however, is one of them. J. Crew metallic clutch, $95

The Sale Item of the Day

It's only from our very favorite handbag maker on the planet. Click here for the sale item of the day.

A Jocasi Shout-Out

In a matter of moments we're headed to Jocasi HQ to prepare for what will certainly be one of our our MOST EXCITING GIVEAWAYS ever. EVER!. So we just thought we would do an anticipatory shout-out to our new favorite bag in the collection: the Bond Street bag ($260).

That's all for the moment, but we'll be back super quick with more details...

Part of It.org: Tote Bag(s) of the Day

We have seen this tote bag everywhere lately: in Nylon (of course we love Nylon) and, in t-shirt form, in Good (actually a super-good magazine, if you will forgive the quasi-pun). And it's not just a cute tote: The people who are selling it, at partofit.org, recruits artists to make cute things that we buy, and then the money goes to the artists' favorite charities. Win, win, win, we think, if we're counting correctly. This one, by artist Mark Owens, benefits the American Wind Energy Association, which is definitely winning since we hadn't heard of it until this morning.

Anyhoo! Cute tote. We also like this one, which benefits the Fresno Art Council. They're all $20.

Yellow Bags!

We are having just a ridiculously difficult time finding yellow bags we like under $200. That is so wrong. This bag, for example, is great, but it not under $200. Francesco Biasia suede handbag, $428

This is under $200, but it's only a clutch, so by area, we're not really on the right track. Though we do like it. Topshop yellow patent clutch, about $60

And this would be our favorite airplane carry-on ever, especially considering that we had to leave our former one at the leather repair shop so long we're pretty sure they're not giving it back. Anthro mustard carry-all, $378

We do really like this, but we wish the straps were a color other than the one they are. Tano handbag, $240

Mm! Frustrating, but we will persist.

Sale Item of the Day, Plus Gwen Stefani and Her Harajuku Empire

We are not usually so wild for the Gwen Stefani fashion empire, but we think this is adorable. And half off! Which makes it definitely much more so. Suze Orman would not approve.

Harajuku Lovers bag, was $106, now $53

That said, about the not-being-wild, we don't know how any can object to Gwen Stefani, in general. She is such a superior alternative to the Paris\Lindsay\Britney\etc. There's something self-made about her we totally dig. And we definitely do not use that word lightly.

Today's Under $25 Purchase

Recessions! We are so anti-recession here at Bunnyshop. Honestly. They just bring the tone down. Some days, we swear, we just look at George Bush on the television, all, "Who are you? How is it possible that you are still given opportunities to speak publicly?"

Anyway. Earlier this year we bought a sweater for $14.99 at American Eagle, which we would wear twice a week to our terrible office job, and we were reminded of how useful an inexpensive purchase can be. Ergo, our new category.

This is cute! AE "cami sack," was $24.50, now $19.99

Subversive and Botkier for Target

Honestly our hopes weren't super high for Subversive for Target, just because we love the original line and we weren't sure if it's translate to the cheaper version. Subversive for Target pendant necklace, $39.99

All we know is we really, really, really want this: Subversive (the original) vintage coin necklace, $600

Hopefully Botkier for Target—just announced! or rumored to be announced—will turn out better than all the other Target collaborations—at least for us, since we have enough clothing \ accessories we don't wear to stuff into hidden parts of our closet and eventually use, in a panic, to sop up the Diet Coke we just spilled on our laptop.

Er, anyway: above, an actual Botkier bag, probably just a bit more expensive than the Target version will be: the Botkier Isis hobo, $625

Tano Handbags: Our Top Three Choices—All on Sale!

We totally love these. One of our favorite stores in Brooklyn, Loom, has a giganto selection, but we've never seen so many online before—but this Luna Boston has a billion. (Giganto, a billion ... who needs specifics, we always say.) We just think this is a totally great-looking bag—plus, they're all on sale. Tano shoulder bag, was $235, now $185

We're not totally enthused about those ... flaps? wings? on the side, but we do love this green color. Green: the new black. Tano Fonzworth tote, was $250, now $195

And this is, indeed, a bit shiny—we've seen it up close—but we still find it fairly adorable. It reminds us of a Luella bag. But like $1000 less. Tano tote in port, was $250, now $200

Faux Leather Handbags from Forever 21

These are two great bags for under $25! We are posting a $1000 bag later today, but we are not sure it could make us $975 happier than one of these. Especially when we leave it in Starbucks.

Simple, easy, etc. Getaway tote, $24.80

For some reason we really much prefer the brown faux-leather to the black. Conveniently for these bags. Katrina faux-leather satchel, $22.80

New Jocasi Bags—Plus Discount!

As we were saying: new Jocasi bags are in! This is our favorite, but NB everything's 10% off through Sunday.

The Idaho(?) bag, was about $190, with discount, about $170

(Still Expensive) Sale of the Day

We haven't been as excited about Luella lately as previous, but we think this is really quite a good looking handbag. And currently forty percent off.

Luella Anita bag, was $695, now $417

Bunnyshop Hearts: Matt + Nat

In today's reader-submitted Bunnyshop Hearts!

i heart beautiful bags: http://www.mattandnat.com/

and the best part --> they are vegan and cruelty-free! i'm saving up to get one (i've been eyeing the 'kravitz' in earth/dark brown for a while now).

All best,
J.

We almost literally shed tears of joy when people send us things they love: partly because it expands, you know, our horizons, and partly because it means less working for us. Though, remarkably, it is more the former than the latter. Share yours here and earn our ever-lasting devotion.

The Johnny, $140

One New Website: Matter

Of course we love this more than basically anything in the entire world. Except The Wire. And waffles. Je T'Aime Brooklyn tote, $12

Bunnyshop Hearts: Yak Pak

While we try to figure out if we could feel about Gossip Girl the same way we did about The O.C., let us just say that we were so excited about these Yak Pak laptop covers. This is actually (for sure) not our favorite of the print options, but: Yak Pak laptop bag, $57.20. That's a lot of print for not a whole lot of money.

And then, anyway, when we got to the Yak Pak site we discovered that Jenny (we think it was Jenny) had this bag. We support any costuming decision that has everyone wanting a sub-$40 bag, rather than the super-obvious $1000 one. Small victories, but victories nonetheless. Yak Pak Megu, $36.60

Cute Handbags Between $150 - $200

Now don't get us wrong: We are 100% believers in the $10 tote bag, and we can be convinced as to the efficacy of a $2000 handbag (though it will take a lot of convincing, and we still won't, really, be convinced.) There are lots of tote bags we'd be proud to take to work—at least if we weren't so concerned about what anyone in our office thought about our buying power \ potential. (We're not, at least for the time being, by the way.) But we're trying to spend 2008 being realists: We can't make tote bags, much as we love them, look anything but ridiculous with our big winter coat, and we're certainly not spending $2000 on something hyper-nice, and we care, apparently just enough, that the people we work with, however temporarily, think of our office-worth, at least as measured in handbags. (For the time being. Which is until February 8. We love temping!)

So anyway: We need a bag that is nice enough, and cool enough, without breaking the bank, as it were. For this, we have determined that $150 - $200 is an appropriate range.

Orla Kiely! We wish, on one hand, that they weren't quite so distinctive, so, "Is that Orla Kiely?" On the other hand, we love Orla Kiely, so it totally works out. This is from the spring collection. Orla Kiely shopper, $208. Er, we meant $150 - $208. We love this pattern, by the way, and it's also available in a yoga bag.

This is Jocasi, and conveniently on sale. The Rubicon Shopper, was about $210, now about $147

We're pretty sure we know somebody who owns this, so comment here, please. Otherwise, quite smart for work, more than half off, and courtesy of an independent designer. Nam Kim Fly-by-Night bag, was $235, now $110

This is our Etsy pick of the day. Leather messenger bag from tmStudioDesigns, $174

And this looks like it might actually be big enough to hold everything we need a tote bag to hold. Marc by Marc Jacobs Distinguished Dot tote, $198

Jocasi Discount Month Is Wrapping Up

Just three more days! Both in November and in Jocasi Discount Month. (One and the same, they are.)

We think this might be the only one we haven't already shown ... so here it is. Lovely, lovely, we think. Also available in tan and black. Erm. Not much to add here, you know?

Boston Dagger bag, about $210, with discount code "bunnyshop," about $189

Tote Bag of the Day: People Will Always Need Plates

Brutalist architecture! In tote bag form! Not quite as fun as the BUNNYSHOP TOTE BAGS which should be arriving from New Hampshire any moment, and by any moment we mean on December 12, but until then, these will suffice.

PWANP totes, $30

10% Off at Jocasi All Month

So we know we've mentioned this, but it's still Jocasi discount month. Isn't this such a professional looking bag? The bag's more professional looking than we ever have been. That's probably because the bag's never been too busy downloading Prison Break to get a good night's sleep. And then we wake up in the morning, all, Fucking Prison Break. Argh.

Geneva Dagger bag (large), was about $230, with discount code "bunnyshop" about $207

Tote Bag of the Day: Foxtail Tote Bags