Mirror, Mirror: What the fall holds in handbags

Handbags are in flux this fall as our shifting tastes, lifestyle, and shopping habits determine what will be fashion's next "it" bag.

The vibrant red and orange hues of yesterbag now come in cooler black, navy, and oxblood tones or a range of modern nudes from creamy peach to mahogany.

Hardware is shrinking - zippers are thin, not chunky - outside pockets are flush, and labels are inconspicuous, if visible at all. Whether tote, handbag, or throwback-backpack, ample room is still a must, as ideally both a laptop and lunch need to fit inside.

We've seen designers from Hermes to Stella McCartney present womenswear collections with modern, clean shapes in light florals or saturated pastels, and the layering is long and lean with interesting hemlines. The simplified bag reflects the trends and adds dimension.

"The structured classic bag is creating that trendy, contemporary feel and sleekness," explained Liz Diamondstein, manager of the women's department at Boyds Philadelphia. "There is a strong sense of craftsmanship, and it's very tailored."

Even Louis Vuitton introduced a no-frills Lockit bag in April - sans those oh-so-gauche interconnected LVs - in monochromatic mauves and sky blues.

Also leading the streamlined pack this fall is anything by Céline, especially its near-iconic mini-luggage bag that's now available in rich maroon and camel shades. Other top bags: the envelope-shaped Chloé satchels, the MZ Wallace quilted tote in navy, or Michael Kors' large Selma satchel in vanilla, which is so Olivia Pope-like that one must wear leather gloves when carrying it.

As the silhouettes of these "it" bags get less fussy, the price points get more varied - possibly a reflection of people willing to spend more on well-made, more expensive clothing. (Even I recently dropped $299 on a Clover Canyon neoprene dress.) It stands to reason something has to give.

The neutral-hued, colorfully lined Mansur Gavriel bags - priced between $460 and $950, low for "it" bags - are one of the most popular of the season.

The bucket bags, backpacks, and totes from the company started by friends Rachel Mansur and Floriana Gavriel are fashioned from vegetable-tanned leather. The bags' plain shapes are as familiar to women as the shirtdress, yet there are waiting lists for them at Barneys New York and Bergdorf Goodman.

"We are getting calls left and right for these," said Diamondstein; the bucket-style bag recently sold out at Boyds. "This bag is hot. It's great, it's simple, and it holds an iPad."

With size, simplicity, and affordability the watchwords for fall's "it" bag, I'm itching for a MinkeeBlue travel and lifestyle bag by Macy's Incubator designer-in-residence Sherrill Mosee.

Mosee's bags are trendy, chic, and sleek, and feature separate spaces for just about everything - lunch, shoes, water bottles, and cellphones. (No more digging.) There is room for a laptop, and wrinkle-free workout and workday outfits.

Fashion is Mosee's third career. She worked as an engineer at Lockheed Martin, and after that directed a nonprofit that raised funds for teenage mothers to go to college. There she found the inspiration to make the bags.

"I saw them struggle so much carrying things," she said. "I thought there had to be a better way."

Mosee's bags are sold at Bluefly.com and MinkeeBlue.com, and soon may be available through buybuy Baby's website.

I'm thinking that, at $220, this may be the next "it" bag.

215-854-2704 @ewellingtonphl