Review: Susan Nichole "Blossom"

This, my friends, is the fall bag. 

The Blossom by Susan Nichole is just right for the new season. 

Since fall calls for a darker palette, I bought the Blossom in Black.  Endless pairing possibilities.  Today I wore it to work with a royal purple cardigan and gold jewelry.  The beautiful vegan leather has a gorgeous rich texture, and feels pliable and soft.  And I have to admit, the Mustard keeps calling my name.  I have a pair of brown boots that would be just delicious next to that orange! 

The best part of this bag is the extra inner pocket.  In addition to the traditional inner pockets (one zipped, two open) this bag boasts an extra zipper pocket which happens to create an extra open pocket.  You can see these here: my white headphones and orange hot sauce bottle are in the extra open pocket, and the gold head of the zipper to the left of the headphones delineates the extra zippered pocket.

My least favorite part of this bag is the way the short handles fall limply when you carry it using the longer handle. But really, every bag does this.  Why??  You'd think someone would have come up with a solution.

As you know, I'm always looking for a bag that's big enough without being too big.  Susan Nichole nails it.  Currently I have a makeup bag, a wallet, a notebook, sunglasses, a bunch of loose paper, a phone, headphones, and a bag of Tabasco packets (like this) (yes I'm serious).  There's even a pocket in the back where I've been keeping my keys, and I haven't lost them yet!

The Blossom is the bag to carry this season.  At $150 it's attainable, and if you're willing to go for the sample sale the price drops all the way to $48. 

I'm thrilled with this purchase.  I'm even more thrilled that the Blossom is vegan and entirely cruelty-free.  Thank you Susan Nichole for giving us this sumptuous animal-friendly fall staple!

Some thoughts on crocodiles

I just returned from a splendid vacation in Belize.  Spending seven unplugged days on a private island was an incredible treat.  I swam with a manatee and drank my body weight in rum punch.  It was glorious.

One of the island's permanent residents is a 14 foot crocodile named Fluffy.  Fluffy has one eye and a set of teeth to make you dizzy.  He eats fish and small mammals; humans are not on his menu.  Like his crocodile friends, Fluffy is a smart dude.  He knows where he is safe and where he isn't.  While hunting in the water off the dock might be acceptable from time to time, coming on to shore with humans certainly is not.  We are more dangerous to him than he is to us, and he knows it.

One night when we were observing Fluffy, some unthinking person standing near me said "That croc would make a beautiful handbag."

Eeeew.

The comment stayed in the back of my head through the rest of the trip.  I am completely and utterly against using crocodile skin to make handbags.

This is mostly because of the rarity of crocodiles.  Technically the crocodile is not on the endangered species list, and alligators were taken off the list in the 1980s (Animal Planet has a great description of the difference).  Some bag designers, like David St. Moritz, argue that there may now be too many alligators.  While this might be legal, I can't help but feel it's unethical.

If we go way way back, early purses were often made from crocodiles or alligators.  Susan B. Anthony famously carried an alligator purse.  Purse Pixie has a great history of how handbags came to be, including how Americans started to carry exotic leather bags (pink crocodile!) in the 1970s.  I had hoped to find that this trend started for a sustainable reason, but sadly it seems to have just been the fashion.

In 2009 The Purse Blog reported that Hermes was breeding their own crocs for their bags.  While I can't find a current Hermes crocodile bag, a quick Ebay search for a Kelly (one of my favorites) in crocodile turns up a few for $15,000-$20,000.  I feel uncomfortable with killing such an ancient creature for an overpriced luxury, but I'm having difficulty squaring this with my own love of cow leather.  If anyone knows more about this practice, or has thoughts on cow leather vs. crocodile, please comment below.

If you're in the market for cruelty-free bags, check out the Blossom by Susan Nichole.  I'm loving the mustard color for fall, although I'm tempted to buy the black as a staple.  Check back soon for an update.

The moral of the story: please be aware of what you're purchasing.  Although Fluffy isn't as cuddly as his name might suggest, he doesn't deserve to be on your arm.

Bags for a cause: rHope

Social enterprises are amazing.  If you haven't come across one before, a social enterprise is essentially a for-profit business created to do a social good.  TOMS is a great example; the company is profitable, but the whole point was to give shoes to people in need.

So when I found rHope, I was hooked.  It used to be that making a sustainable or ethical purchase meant giving something up.  I remember the early days of sustainable toilet paper; you really had to love the planet to use that stuff.  But now, companies like rHope are making it possible to have beautiful well-made products that do more than make you feel fashionable.

rHope is a U.S. vendor for Chhoti Si Asha, an initiative supporting women in the "urban slums" of India.  Through the Stitch-a-Living program, women in India learn to make on-trend bags, wallets and more, for which they are paid a higher than average wage.  rHope takes these bags and makes them available in the U.S.

My favorite is the Babloo Messenger Bag in burgundy (to the left, also shown in green above).  This beautiful crossbody is perfect for a weekend day.  Of course, the fabric is to die for.  Look at that red!  This particular bag has one inner pocket, a good way to keep track of your cell phone and keys.  Each bag is a little different, and I've seen zip pockets and other small changes.  The burgandy Babloo has a wide strap, which I love on this bag, but the patterned print versions have an adjustable thinner strap if you're looking for something slightly different.

rHope's bags sell fast.  I can't believe they're only $35 each; when you think about what your purchase does, it's hard to believe the price tag.  And since shipping is free, I might just have to pick up a Saroj Sling Bag while I'm at it.

Thanks to rHope for the photos.

Bags for a cause: The Kiondo Bag

On this weekend day, I'm thinking about all the people in the world who are not able to take a day of rest.  I am acutely aware that having this unquenchable love of handbags falls squarely in the "first world problems" category.  So today, let's start a new tradition.  Every weekend I'll feature a bag with a cause.  We'll start with a personal favorite.

The Kiondo Bag: Made in the Streets

Are you ready to stand out from the crowd?  I have the bag for you.

The Kiondo is an eye catching bucket bag in stunning colors.  Handmade by former street kids and local artisans in Nairobi, Kenya, the Kiondo is made sustainably from dried sisal plants.  With all the work that goes this handmade bag, I can't believe its low $50 price tag.  I love this for the farmers market, the airport, school, really it could go anywhere.  Here in LA the Kiondo is perfect for nights at the Hollywood Bowl or Cinespia cemetary screenings; throw in some finger foods and a bottle of wine and you're set.  Pair with a maxi dress and some global jewelry for a beautiful overall look.  I'm thinking the Red Rafiki bracelet would do just the trick.

The Kiondo holds a special place in my heart.  In 2012 I had the privilege of spending two weeks in Nairobi, Kenya with a wonderful organization called Made in the Streets.  MITS helps children who've been living on the streets in the slums of Nairobi.  They provide education, vocational training, room and board, and so much more.  I was lucky to spend some time with Olive, a teacher (and former street kid herself) who made this beauty for me.

Want to do more for Made in the Streets?  There are so many ways to get involved, from writing a letter to sponsoring a student.  The best option, of course, would be to visit in person.  Trust me, it will change your life.  Learn how to get involved, or contact me directly and I'd be happy to make a personal introduction.