Now that I pass by Prada each morning, I’ve been noticing their hand bag collection.

tforia.com> Earlier last week> Prada's window full of perforated flats and handbag

tforia.com> Friday morning> luggage, canvas, lucite, crystal, and translucent plastic

Here are my favorites from their spring summer collection:

1. A canvas clutch with a Lucite/crystal opening, encased in plastic. It’s like a raincoat with a handles attachment for the clutch. Easy to carry through all sorts of weather–pretty and functional.

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2. The perforated lunch bag. Great for hot lunches–lets the steam out with minimal damage to the perforated leather.

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3. I first saw the translucent purple beach photo print bag in the window. It was encasing another canvas bag. Perhaps Prada is making a case for the handbag raincoat? Buy 2 bags instead of just one.

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It’s great alone as a waterproof bag for the beach (minus the non waterproof canvas portions).

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4. Prada has an array of reusable totes in their BYOB (“Bring your own Bags”) collection. The prints were too clashy. I like this plain hemp colored one. Very peasant like and modest:

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5. A more “serious” tote. The Saffiano Lux shopping tote reminds me of a minimal Birkin bag. No belt.

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6. Lastly, a large enough tote to throw a beach blanket in, the Saffiano Traforato Shopping Tote:

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I’ve seen the same Nappa Gaufre tote (below) in most Prada media placements. They remind me of Miu Miu bags and seem too heavy for the summer. This flagship bag seems so different from the functionality and summery-ness of the other bags.

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Shopping guide:
Bags for all summer occasions.
1. Plex + Mistolino Handbag (€1.650)
2. Saffiano Traforato Satchel (€1.100)
3. Plex + Mistolino Shopping Tote (€690)
4. Shopping BYOBag Mistolino (€200)
5. Saffiano Lux Shopping Tote (€990)
6. Saffiano Traforato Shopping Tote (€970)
7. Nappa Gaufre’ Shopping Tote (€1.580)

Admiring this look on StyleBubble:

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I really love the gray comfy pants + blazer + hot pink top.

The lapels are what really drew me to this blazer. Krystof Strozyna, Spring Summer 2010.

I wouldn’t have picked the blazer out if I had seen the collection on the runway:

The yellow pants + yellow brown design create too much of a distraction. Feel the same about most runway ensembles–with so many pieces within one collection, it’s hard to pick out what’s beautiful.

Dior did the whole lingerie thing. I think Marc Jacobs brought it back with a much earlier collection centralized around the same theme. Dior, however, is less funky, much more classy and made for a lady.

I’m not sure if it’s just Sasha, or the art deco like zig zags, but this look definitely caught my eye:

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Dior trench revamped and cropped…

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I could definitely slip into this–robe-like and light…easy on, easy off…if only I lived someplace warm (or if my apt were 80+ degrees F!)…

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Looks voluminous and playful. I’m sure it’s easy to pack too. Wrinkle free, floral dress.

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Ah, and this one is quite unsuspecting. I recall walking in Lord & Taylor in NYC, where the ground floor has mirrors on columns that support the ceiling and narrow slits of mirrors on the wall…seeing the stockings between slits of shiny-ness. Quite an optical illusion, like walking into a hall of mirrors where there are reflections and windows and the line between real and reflected is all a blur…

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Geometric angles are being found everywhere.

Emilio Pucci criss crosses strings to create diamond and triangle shapes. Although those shoes look like past season’s. The Issey Miyake Bilbao bag is pretty neat–it’s like carrying a geometric puzzle.

Here are my picks for Boy: Band of Outsiders jackets for S/S 2010:

Short jackets – nice for spring but more importantly, easy to wear throughout the year.

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Long jackets – nice to wear over spring dresses and boots, but the dark blue allows you to wear them through many occasions.

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The collection doesn’t seem to evolve too much from blazers and relaxed downtown style–khaki’s and nicely ironed shirts–and I wouldn’t recommend wearing these jackets with axillary apparel shown on images above. Not too big on the suspender style. They seem to have used suspenders in creating their version of an Herve Leger skirt and strappy sandals. Well, they’re known for their jackets and tailored shirts.

It’s neat to see the use of preppy ingredients (blazers, tailored shirts and jackets, khakis) in creating a look that’s very relaxed and unmistakeably downtown chic.

I liked Miu Miu–so eccentric, not just pretty. The style is very, single woman with 12 cats + washed up alice in wonderland.

The prints were interesting.

This one–a reclined naked woman with nipples showing!

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Next, cats and dogs:

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Mushroom/Jellyfish print. Not sure what is is:

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And Sparrow/Swallow bird of sorts and flowers…

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These prints come in all sorts of colors and backgrounds and are mixed together in each outfit. Eccentric, old cat lady chic. Miu Miu S/S 2010.

I love witnessing the evolution of Chanel jackets. The classic Chanel jacket is replicated season after season in similar material–just different colors/prints, and different cuts/lengths. Always collarless with round buttons.

Here are my picks from S/S 2010:

Prairie khaki/gray

The first jacket is more unique to this season alone. The knitted soft yarn webbing comes in bolder colors on other items in the collection.  Here is gentle and soft, a nice contrast to the fitted jacket.  The jacket to the right is most Chanel–updated with a higher waist.  Lily Allen was singing during the show–I guess Lagerfeld wanted a younger vibe.

A Marie Antoinette version on the left and a biker-like hybrid on the right.  The black material looks like snakeskin.

The jackets are a comfortable way to look decent.

The collection seemed like Marie Antoinette and her court out frolicking in the country–I also felt a hint of  Heidi, that story about a young girl who milks cows in the Swiss Alps.

After a shooting at the ball…

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V&R S/S 2010

I’m not sure why his brand is being pushed forward as an up and coming designer. Not very up and coming. In fact, I think he’s doing well because he recreates looks from European houses (on the lines of Prada, Lanvin, Chloe) in colors and toned down sillouttes that are more in touch with Americans.

Everything in Jason Wu’s Spring/Summer 2010 collection has been done in the last 2-3 years. It’s not very forward at all.

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This diagonal strap dress has been done way too many times. I remember first seeing it a few years back at Chloe, then Kate moss recreated a similar dress for her Top Shop collection 2 years back.

It was amazing the first time I saw a dress hang from a strap in a diagonal way, Chloe, Fall/Winter 2004:

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2007, Kate Moss Top Shop:

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It’s a distinct way that these dresses are hung to really notice them. So tired of it after 5 years.

And here’s a look I’ve seen too many times already:

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Already done, all too familiar–I guess that’s what makes sense in the US. I am reminded of Rachel Roy copying a Stefano Pilati collection. RL and Tommy H aren’t doing anything too out of the box either. Nor is DKNY. Perhaps it’ll take some time.

I tried to find the closest pieces of clothing from the H&M collection that resembled the Matthew Williamson Spring or Summer 2009 collection. Here are the closest items:

The blue is much more florescent in the H&M version. The volume is there but not much else.

The peasant shirt is much closer in comparison. The “mosaic sequin peasant blouse cream” is much more off white than the H&M version. At $99.90 you can get something close.

The dress, however, is miles away from being close. At $99.90, you’re better off getting the peasant shirt.

Overall, the Matthew Williamson for H&M collection is not that close to the Matthew Williamson collection. The color pallet is reminiscent of Matthew Williamson, however, the silhouettes and fabric prints definitely do not resemble anything Matthew Williamson-esque. It’s like they took basic H&M dresses, tops, bottoms, and painted H&M clothing with colors and vague shapes that somewhat resemble Matthew Williamson from afar. Besides the peasant shirt, the collection as a whole is not worth the extra dollars you would spend per item at H&M.