Label Crush: Bryna Nicole Handbags

Bryna Nicole Studded Idora
$488.00
Available at: brynanicole.com

When it comes to mid-priced handbags, I'm kind of a creature of habit. I find a label to love and stick with it. Consequently, my everyday handbag wardrobe consists mainly of Rebecca Minkoff, Botkier, Foley & Corinna and Marc by Marc Jacobs. These go-to labels never disappoint in the handbag department, so I'm loyal. But, I recently stumbled upon a local Bay Area handbag label that has me so smitten that I added one of their fabulous bags into rotation.

San Francisco-based accessories label Bryna Nicole was founded in 2006 by Bryna Nicole McMills, a former stylist and consultant. This label on the rise is currently stocked in 36 bricks-and-mortar stores (including a recent expansion into select Nordstrom locations) and 10 online stores, plus their own online store. From what I can tell, Bryna Nicole appears to be rapidly expanding. They even got a little screen time in Gossip Girl on the arm of Blake Lively as Serena. I'm psyched that I caught on to Bryna Nicole while it's still kind of a hidden gem -- I love making new discoveries!

Bryna Nicole Tall Harlow
$460.00
Available at: brynanicole.com

The Bryna Nicole Spring 2010 line is a well-edited mix of playful (fringe, studs) and polished (sleek clutches, semi-structured day bags) handbag options, plus some creative takes on the leather bracelet genre made popular by Vita Fede. The price range falls squarely within the $300-$600 mid-priced handbag range currently occupied by the likes of Rebecca Minkoff and Botkier. A couple of my favorites from the Bryna Nicole Spring line are pictured here. The entire Spring 2010 line can be viewed on the Bryna Nicole website.

I just snagged a prior season's boho-chic cross-body bag in buttery soft pebble-colored leather. It's one of those handbags that you just want to cuddle with because it's so cozy and perfect. The interior is roomy, but not cavernous, and the combination of internal and external pockets are smart and functional, rather than merely decorative. You can tell that a practical city girl dreamed up this bag. I'm really enjoying it and I can't wait to see what the Bryna Nicole label offers in the future.

Click on any photo to link directly to where you can purchase that Bryna Nicole handbag online.