FSB Has Breakfast at Saks Fifth Avenue: The Handbag Edition

I was up and at 'em bright and early this morning. Want to know why? Because when legendary retailer Saks Fifth Avenue invites you to preview their amazing accessories collection over breakfast, you go.

Before I get into this, let me be clear that I know that we're in a recession and that people might see paying over $100 for an accessory or an item of clothing as excessive. I'm always going to argue that shopping for items at stores like Saks Fifth Avenue makes sense for the long haul. Why? Because by the time you spend less than $100 five times on trendy copies that will rapidly disintegrate with use, you could have invested that money one time in a handbag or a pair of shoes that will stand the test of time. This morning, I wore a pair of black leather boots I've had since I was 16 years old and they're in amazing condition at 20-something years of wear. Where did I get them? Saks Fifth Avenue. I rest my case.

Since I'm in the process of working on holiday gift guides for all of you fabulous readers, here's a sneak preview of what I'm going to be featuring (and, really, what you should be buying) when it comes to handbags for the coming months (shoes are another post - too much to fit into one):



First of all, the hotness that is Botkier is really something to behold. My friend Sarah fell for this fabulous Uma Satchel, which retails for about $595.



Meanwhile, Felicia has a passion for Kooba bags (which I share). This Alex Tote ($595) is really gorgeous in the Eggplant color Felicia loves, but I kind of love the Forest Green hue.



Foley & Corinna makes some gorgeous handbags, like their Signature Distressed Leather Tote ($444) that's shown here in a multitude of sizes (the smaller one is only about $199). These leather shoppers are amazing because you can wear them three ways: folded into a clutch, carried as a top handle tote or go hands-free with the across the body strap.



Marc by Marc Jacobs made some especially gorgeous bags for the season, and I love the Strippy Zippy Groovee Bag ($498).



BCBGMaxAzria had some stunning zipper-embellished clutches and I am officially obsessed with the Urban Rock Leather Hobo Bag ($498). This is the perfect cool mom or busy urbanite bag because it will hold a ton of items without betraying its contents. I love any bag that can do this.



The other label I can't stop thinking about is Olivia Harris. A line by one of my personal favorites, Joy Gryson (and I believe the line is named after her daughter), it bears Joy's amazing leather work with stunning details. This gorgeous Round Leather Shoulder Bag ($395) is another one for the old Christmas list.

If you're making your list and checking it twice for the holidays, you've got to check out Saks Fifth Avenue. More about the shoes tomorrow! I need to continue to dream about these gorgeous bags tonight!