It is supposed to be spring! Enough with the rain and the chill and the gloom. The Style Insider is ready to be done with all things blah, and we’ve recently realized that we are as tired as can be of our sturdy little black canvas laptop case. So we’ve put together a social network of laptop totes chic enough to fly first-class and versatile enough to carry all your vital tech devices:

We like nearly everything Clark & Mayfield makes, and their Metro-Express laptop tote (above left)is on the top of our list. The black houndstooth print is eye-catching and classy; the lines are sleek, and the price is sane. At eBags ($90, 15.75″ by 13″ by 5″). If you’re a lady in red, you might be more partial to their Rosemont ($80, 13″ by 14.5″ by 5″, above right); both bags got 8s and 9s in eBags’ customer reviews.

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We don’t need to extol the virtues of sensational shoes, but when it comes to the crème de la crème of fabulous footwear, the poshest of peeps turn to Roger Vivier. Bruno Frisoni, creative director at Roger Vivier, made a personal appearance last week at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City to present the spring/summer shoe and bag collection. 

Oh, to be in NYC!  

Roger Vivier was a true creative genius. He opened his first boutique in Paris in 1937 and designed the first-ever stiletto in 1954.  Vivier died in 1998 at 91, and the designing dynasty was passed to Bruno Frisoni in 2002. He’s kept the brand’s legacy thriving.  

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You know that love-at-first-sight thing? It’s nothing compared to this.

We are smitten. We are swooning. We are checking our credit limit. Because we are head over heels for Coach’s new Bonnie collection of Cashin-Carry bags, a colorful, whimsical line of handbags and accessories inspired by 1960s Coach designer Bonnie Cashin. 

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Venetian Bags by Camina Campus is a limited edition of shoulder-strap clutch bags, created from unprecedented, recycled materials. The line was conceived by the designer Ilaria Venturini Fendi.

The clutch bags have been designed starting with thin strips of aluminum - once used to make Venetian blinds - in seven brilliant shades, and the interiors are all personalized with various vintage fabrics. Each bag manages to tell a different, unique story.

These one-of-a-kind accessories made by Italian craftspeople, are a true eco-minded “must” item. A way to respect the environment, but with style.

“The entire Carmina Campus project aims to highlight creativity that doesn€™t harm the environment,” says Fendi. “The re-use of primary materials can be a starting point for style and a way to prolong the lifespan of objects, postponing the moment that they get discarded. There are specific actions, like those used for packaging (the recycling of packaging, we use biodegradable ribbon, etc), or reforestation initiatives. One of our projects focuses on an area in Cameroon where we are trying to create a garden of officinal plants. If this comes to pass, it will provide work opportunity for a group of women who are already involved in the craftsmanship of our bags.”

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The Style Insider would truly like to know what it is about Anthropologie that inspires so much bad behavior in so many people, including ourselves. We swear, even in a recession, even when we’re trying to be a responsible little Suze Orman type with our money, even when we don’t need anything, we walk into an Anthropologie store and we’re freaking doomed.

Their damnably cute combination of clothing, jewelry, kitchen treasures, linens and furniture gets us every time.

At least it’s nice to know that we’re not alone (Anthropologie 12-step group, anyone?). The chain  has 121 stores in the United States, and Women’s Wear Daily is reporting that Anthropologie’s Beverly Hills location just launched a new 16,000-square-foot, two-story store (up from its previous 10,000 square feet, which — excuse us — is no small potatoes).  The extra space gives them room for lots more inventory (including some designs exclusive to the store) and 17 dressing rooms. Seventeen. (more…)

It is a creative writing exercise of the highest order: Naming the rabid riot of intense pink that is all over the spring collections right now. Some designers call it hibiscus. Fuschia is popular. Hot pink, magenta and blush all make appearances. Geranium, even.

Whatever you call it, it’s one of the It colors of the season. And because we’re in a mood to browse  handbags, we’re sampling the shade across the price spectrum — from $23 to $2,300. Enjoy.

The best place to start? In the aisles at Target, of course, where their soft-sided Xhilaration ruffle top tote carries all the exuberant spirit of the season while leaving some green in your wallet. ($23, at top)  Patent leather is tres chic right now, and this Guess shine candy tote gives you the sparkle at a PVC price. With double handles, metal feet and four inside pockets, you’d be happy even without the free shipping (but it’s yours anyway). At Ebags ($88, above)

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A little quilting, a little bit of chain, and the next thing you know, you’ve sold 10,000 handbags that look just a little bit like Chanel.

The bags (above), which cost about £8 (that’s about $11.50 USD) and are available in black, bright pink and metallic gold, are flying off the shelves in the UK’s budget clothing store Peacocks. They resemble a Chanel bag that costs closer to £1,500 (about $2,270 USD), with the main difference being, of course, the absence of the interlocking Cs that make up the Chanel logo. And the fact that they’re not made by Chanel.

“This is by far our most popular bag,” said a Peacocks spokesman. ”Since it was launched at the start of the year, it’s been a runaway success. We’re even ordering in more stock in a wider range of colors.”

(Actually, he said colours, but we translated.)

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