Dooney & Bourke all started in 1975 when Peter Dooney and Frederic Bourke launched a product line of surcingle belts in South Norwalk, Connecticut. These belts were popular at the time because they designed the belts with bright colors and designs. It is in 1981 where Dooney & Bourke started to go into the handbag industry with their Tack Case and Equestrian Purse. These were both made with their signature leather at the time—bridle leather. These cases and purses were sold by Brooks Brothers, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Nordstrom.

Two years later, Dooney & Bourke became popular for their newly created All Weather Leather (AWL) bags. These bags included the duck logo which is now seen on many current Dooney & Bourke handbags today.

Over the recent years, Dooney & Bourke has grown. Dooney & Bourke has been sponsored by actresses such as Hayden Panettiere, Emma Roberts, Julia Roberts, Mischa Barton, Lindsay Lohan, Michelle Trachtenberg, and much more. They have also been published in many popular magazines such as Vogue, Teen Vogue, ELLE, Vanity Fair, Lucky, InStyle, and W.

Dooney & Bourke remains to be popular amongst the middle-class American. Their products range from as low as $20 to as high as $600 offering a vast variety of fashion accessories, clothing, shoes, watches, briefcases, and handbags.

Join the millions and go get yours today!

Materials range from the following: canvas, denim, jacquard, vinyl, lamb skin, cow hide, crocodile, ostrich, alligator, python, stingray, rubber, mink, fox fur, hare, polyester, nylon, microfiber

Hardware range from the following: chain, ring, carabiner, stud, feet, logo, rivet, buckle, clasp, clip, zipper tab, zipper head, zipper rail, button, hook, pin, lock, keychain, key ring, key fob

Please comment if I forgot any other parts.

To be continued…

Many people complain that their designer handbags are heavy. Well, today I will explain why this is so. Designer handbags are built with quality in mind, so there are many things that contribute to the heftiness of the bag.

The first thing is the hardware. Women love the beautiful metal hardware on their designer purses. Good hardware will not tarnish and is usually heavier than the metals used on cheaper handbags.

The second thing is the canvas. Many designer handbags use a canvas body. The canvas body lasts for many years and is more durable than leathers. It is easy to maintain and clean and looks beautiful.

The final thing is the attention to detail. Little details such as stitching, reinforced edges, and leather straps attribute to the weight of the bag as well. Good designer handbags do not skimp on these important details; hence, the extra beefiness.

If your going to stay outdoors most of the time this summer. I found an excellent mosquito bite relief that fits in your handbag! This pen sized dispenser is applied directly where it itches and provides hours of relief from the urge to scratch. It works so well that I had to recommend it to people who are in mosquito prone areas. So far we have had great results, and I almost never go hiking without it!

The first time I heard this I was appauled! Why would anyone throw thier handbag in the washing machine. Well, I realized that they weren’t talking about your typical designer bags. They were talking about the fabric bags that are more like shopping bags. Whew, But whatever you do please do not throw your handbag in the washing machine. If anything you can take it to a furrier or leatherworker to ask how clean your bag. Remember that genuine leather really can’t be washed and a natural patina develops over time.

Another Rainy Day is another tragedy in the world of handbags… Theres no easy way to put it, if it rains, it will get wet. But here are some tips that might help for people who live in areas where it tends to rain a lot.

1. Look for a bag with a zipper so you can store your more important things in that compartment, it will have less of a chance at getting wet.
2. Stay away from bags made mostly of fabric such as cotton, polyester, or other absorbant materials. Otherwise you may have to resort to chemicals like Scotch-Guard (which is not recommended as it could potentially damage the bag)
3. Make sure to empty all your belonging and air dry (upside down preferably) if it gets really wet.

A few people asked me for a good iPad bag, not just a case but an actual messenger bag or similar to put thier ipad in when they travel. I would recommend the Rioni Top Buckle Messenger Bag because that’s what I use and I love it. While its not marketed as an iPad bag, It fits perfectly and looks stylish and keeps my hands free since I tend always to be holding something when I am traveling. I think they have a black version too but I prefer brown anyway.

Now that its been snowing, I wanted to answer a question about how snow affects your designer handbag. Snow itself is not as damaging to the handbag as freezing cold temperatures. If you have a vinyl bag the handles may snap at extreme cold temperatures especially if your bag is too heavy. But snow itself will cause little or no damage to your bag wheather it be vinyl, leather, or fabric. Hope that helps.

Who is Roger Vivier? I hear that name now and then…but I really have no idea who he is…then I came across that clutch you see above, which I’m still trying to figure out what it’s made out of, when I decided to google this fellow. Here is what I found out about him.

Roger Vivier (1907–1998) was a French fashion designer who specialized in shoes. His best known creation was the Stiletto heel. Vivier has been called the “Fragonard of the shoe”. He designed extravagant richly-decorated shoes that he described as sculptures and was credited with the design of the first stiletto heel in 1954. Vivier designed shoes for Christian Dior from 1953 to 1963. In addition to the stiletto heel, he also experimented with other shapes including the comma. He used silk, pearls, beads, lace, appliqué and jewels to create unique decorations for his shoes.

In the 1960s Vivier also designed silk-satin knee boots outlined in jewels, and thigh-high evening boots in a black elastic knit with beads. His most iconic design, the Pilgrim pumps with silver buckles (worn by Catherine Deneuve in the film Belle de Jour) received international publicity and many imitations. Vivier’s shoes are on display at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Musée du Costume et de la Mode at the Louvre.

Wow! I can’t believe I didn’t know about him since I LOVE shoes! I have a new found respect for him…but I would definitely say, stick to the shoes…because that clutch is really NOT doing it for me!

Getting ready to do some damage with your plastic? Stop right there here are three things you should consider before you buy that bag!

1. Always check if it has enough room to fit the stuff from your current bag. Make sure it can at least fit most of it that way the bag doesn’t just end up in your closet because you haven’t found a good time to use  it.

2. Make sure none of your friends have the same bag! At your friends house? Raid their closet and see if they have the same bag. Your never going to hear the end of it if you end up buying the same bag she did.

3. Does it match any of your outfits? Make sure you have an outfit to wear when you buy that bag. It makes no sense in buying such a great bag and not having the whole package.