CRUSH: Handbag Heaven

Baghaus.com's secret status makes it a gem. While somewhat of a diamond-in-the-rough, the site offers sleek and of-the-moment bags. The site sells a variety of well-made purses, some of which garner inspiration from designer labels, others are well-known brands, and some are Baghaus designed. Users shop by "new arrival," "brand," "trends," "celebrity style," "size," "color," and "price." The site provides some fun features like "Baghaus TV," which showcases the newest styles. It also offers an online chat option where users talk to a Baghaus professional to ask questions about potential purchases. The company is reliable, and items get shipped fast. But the most inspiring aspect of Baghaus is the prices. Purses usually sell for less than $100, and most land in the $40-$60 range.


http://www.baghaus.com/product/649/quilted-handbags-purses
"Urban Expressions Quilted Chain Satchel" $54.00
(Clearly inspired by Marc Jacobs' Stam Bag)

OBSESSION: Monitor Shopping

A smorgasbord of styles, brands, sales and service, shopbop.com brings a high-end extravaganza of fashion to your finger tips. Users shop by "trend," "category," "brand," and "boutique" for an array of fashionable items with equally varied prices. Brands include Anna Sui, C&C, DKNY, Robert Rodriguez and more than 200 labels that range from well-known to relatively obscure. The "what's new" section features the this-second in fashion and the "sale" section is categorized by percentage price reductions. While this site offers variety and trendiness, prices tend to be sky-high because of the high-end selection of items. The site's user-friendly navigation makes shopping effortless. And even if prices reach scary heights, shopbop.com's virtual range of eye-candy produces hours of fun monitor shopping (the window-shopping of the 21st century).