A week ago today, I leaked a teaser about a fabulous giveaway on the horizon. While I couldn’t divulge which bag would be up for grabs, I did get a chance to offer a few hints. For the past week, many of you have jotted down one guess while others made a few guesses. It is fair to say that the majority of the guesses were correct, and today, I get to shout from the rooftops: WE’RE GIVING AWAY THIS HERMES BIRKIN!!!

We’ve partnered with two beyond amazing sites to bring you the holy grail of handbags, this Hermes Birkin. For this giveaway of all giveaways we’ve teamed up with Portero Luxury and FabSugar. Portero Luxury is providing the certified pre-owned, never used, gorgeous, supple and lust-worthy 30cm Black Evergrain Birkin.

The giveaway starts today, Monday, November 30, 2009 and ends Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 11:59 PST. You’ve heard enough, you want to enter, so how do you do so? Head over and visit our friends at FabSugar to register to win!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

Can someone, ANYONE, explain to me why this pastel-potholder-looking abomination against fashion costs 1100 freaking dollars?

Well, the line is owned by part of the Fendi family, so that should give you a clue to the price. And the bags are handmade from recycled materials, which is nice, but not really an explanation of how much we’re all expected to pay for them. I’m pretty sure that lots of small brands use similar manufacturing practices, make bags that don’t look like granny craft projects, and don’t charge nearly as much for the (much more attractive) end result.

As if the whole “green” factor wasn’t enough to make me feel slightly bad for hating this bag in such a visceral way, apparently they also donate some proceeds to charity. But when you’re making bags that are this ugly and this expensive, are you really doing anyone but yourself any favors? Wouldn’t more attractive bags at a slightly lower price point sell more units and, as a result, make more money for charity and do more to make the “green” movement seem palatable to fashionphiles? For $1100, I’m going to need them to do more than make a bag that looks like an irregular Vera Bradley laptop tote that got sent to TJ Maxx. Buy through Luisa Via Roma for $1131.

On this year’s Cyber Monday, Net-A-Porter USA kicks off their end-of-season sales event. Save 40% and more on this season’s favorite bags, shoes, clothing and accessories.

Stock at NAP usually goes faster than a Japanese bullet train, so do not hesitate and see if you can grab that fashion item that you’ve been refusing to pay full retail for all season. Fashion good, full price bad!

Our next must shop Cyber Monday sale is being held at Singer 22. One of the main reasons I love Signer 22 is because of the amount of celebrity style products they have. If you want the hottest jeans, the tee-shirt every star is wearing, Singer 22 is not only the place to shop but also the place to help you ID it. The vibe at Singer 22 is very young and chic, hence it is one of my personal favorite online stores.

Shop the Singer 22 Cyber Monday sale to receive 20% off today!

Cyber Monday is here! The Monday following Black Friday has been deemed Cyber Monday, where blowout sales happen online. Why do we love Cyber Monday? The name speaks for itself, it is cyber. No need to wait in long lines and camp out. All you need to do is log on, shop, and save!

First up check out Smart Bargains for Cyber Monday. We love Smart Bargains because of their large array of products. Shop for bedding, jewelry, kitchen appliances, and handbags. Check out the Smart Bargains Sale now!

God bless Marc Jacobs and all of the fantastically odd handbag-shaped items that come out of his weird, wonderful head.

I wouldn’t carry the Marc Jacobs Vortex Small Tote even if it was free, but I think it’s great that someone designed and made it. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: sometimes crazy stuff has to be made before a designer hits just the right now. This is not the right note – it’s the crazy stuff before it.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and this bag ventures a lot. In fact, it kind of looks like a really gussied-up gift bag. You know, the ones that take the place of wrapping paper for lazy people or those that give oddly shaped gifts. Except, of course, that’s it’s made of leather and (inexplicably) is covered with purple studs. Also, instead of tissue paper, there’s hot pink satin peaking out the top. Add in the blue velvet ribbons at the sides, and you’ve got yourself one heck of a confused handbag with no obvious focus. And that’s fantastic – I’d rather see a designer take a million weird chances than turn out the same safe bag for decades on end. Buy through Saks for $1450.

We already have your minds wondering what handbag giveaway we have in store for you tomorrow. The time is almost here to let you all in on our biggest handbag giveaway yet.

Do not forget to tune in to PurseBlog tomorrow to find out what we are giving away and how you can win it!

♥ PurseBlog, Portero, and FabSugar

In a year struck with economic hardship, retailers across the country are hoping for more than 130 million shoppers to come out and thin their wallets. This year, retail relies on Black Friday more than in previous years in order to post solid overall revenue numbers for 2009.

The Origins of Black Friday

The term Black Friday officially dates back to 1966, though it had been used prior. It originated in Philadelphia and referred to the heavy shopping traffic on the day following Thanksgiving. It was not until 2000 that the term Black Friday really took hold, becoming part of our autumn vocabulary and gaining much media exposure.

The day always falls on the Friday following Thanksgiving, which ranges between the 22nd and the 29th of November every year. While the Friday after Thanksgiving is not an official holiday, it is a day that many US employees take off of work. With less employees in the workplace and the holidays around the corner, Black Friday is a haven for potential shoppers and a great opportunity for retailers to spike their sales numbers.

Realizing this increase, retailers began offering incentives, which are usually not outrageous, but are enough to spark a large hype. At times one may get lucky to score among limited quantities of high-price ticket items with their price tags being slashed by good margins.

Tips for shopping on Black Friday

With the rise of popularity, shopping on Black Friday has not only become hectic but also dangerous. Last year a Walmart employee was trampled to death when a large number of shoppers stormed the store at the opening. You should have a solid strategy for shopping on Black Friday planned out in order to make the most of it.

DO: Have a plan. Know what you are looking for, research deals, and know where the item is being held in the store. Also make sure to plan ahead. The lines are unbearably long at many locations, you may need to camp out to get that great deal. Check deal sites online, like Deals & Steals on Purse Forum, prior to see if you can buy the same items online or at other stores. If you are shopping with friends and family, break up to cover more ground quicker.

DON’T: Wait until last minute. Many deals will be leaked online prior to Black Friday. Do not get into an unsafe situation, it is not worth it. Safety always comes first.

Black Friday is upon us again. Do you plan to shop the sales or do you steer clear?

As we lay on the couch, desperately attempting to digest every bit of delicious food we consumed throughout the day, we wanted to take a moment to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! We hope you spent the day with family and friends and enjoyed yourselves as much as we did.

♥ The PurseBlog Team

Kate Hudson is in the spotlight again. This time it is not for being in another RomCom (romatic comedy), but because of the man she is reportedly dating, Alex Rodriguez. We have a full review of her look on Bag that Style, but I can not get her clutch off my mind.

Problem is I have a clutch on my mind that I can not identify. So for a pre-thanksgiving present to me, who can help Name that Bag!