if i decide to splurge on a pricey bag for spring (it’s still too soon to tell), i have a pretty good feeling it’ll be a bag by joy gryson. i’ve talked about her before on this blog, but her spring 2007 collection has more than earned her the right to another mention.

joy gryson, a former designer for marc jacobs, has really gone all out this spring. she’s bucked the “white or metallics only” trend, and has all sorts of wonderful COLOR in her spring line. and i, for one, can’t get enough.

one of my favorites is the heidi tote – i covet it in this gorgeous blue color. retail is $995, and if past experience is any guide, her bags don’t go on sale at the end of the season (unlike her former mentor’s creations, which are routinely at least 50% off by july and january). it’s a hike in her prices that i expected, but am still not terribly excited about.

gryson has also taken one of her incredibly popular styles from fall 2006, the skye bag, and recreated it for spring, replacing the classic brown trim with white. and let me tell you, it’s a sight for sore eyes. especially (again, i know) in the teal blue color, this bag will turn heads everywhere you go, for the not-unreasonable price of $725. remember, girls, these bags are lined in suede, and the leather quality is so well-controlled that word on the street is if they can’t find enough of the right leather, they just make less of the bags! incredible concept, i know.

the thing i’m loving about both of these bags is their inherent “grab and go” flexibility. want a hand-carried bag? great, wear it as a satchel. or, if you have crazy plans or just don’t have a free hand, sling it over your shoulder (or, with the skye bag, possibly across your chest, messenger-style). gryson has really thought of everything we need, and has taken care of us beautifully. plus, i think she does an amazing job of designing something to be youthful, without looking “young”…a fine line to walk, but she does it beautifully. plus, i’m a complete sucker for suede-lined bags….they’re like crack. once you try it, you’ll never go back.

all of the new spring styles can be seen on her website, but the line should be hitting stores this month – look for joy gryson’s wares at your friendly neighborhood neiman marcus (a few spring styles have already shown up, including ‘heidi’, featured above), shopbop, active endeavors (don’t forget to use their perpetual 20% off codes…google is your friend), steven alan…heck, all kinds of online options. but don’t wait too long – her styles all but sold out last fall, and i’ve only ever seen one of her bags hit the sale rack. mark my words: strike while the iron is hot, and before her prices go up even higher!

PS: i promise to post on cheaper accessories for spring later this week. really….

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