Valentine's Day Shopping Guide: For the Handbag Obsessed Gal

With Valentine's Day only two weeks away, it's time to start shopping for your significant other. Not sure what to get him/her? Over the next few days, we'll be sharing some of the most popular items in Santee Alley as part of our Valentine's Day Shopping Guide series.

LA Purses

For the handbag obsessed gal in your life, Santee Alley offers the latest in handbag and accessory trends. There are no less than 6 handbag stores in the alley! If handbag shopping for your loved isn't something you feel comfortable with, consider gifting them a handbag shopping spree. Most bags sell for $20-40, ensuring that whatever she picks will be within your budget ;)

Debi's Fashion

Where to shop for handbags in Santee Alley:

• LA Purses, 431 E 11th St. inside Santee Alley
• Debi's, 1036 Santee St.
• New 9 Handbag, 1057 S Maple Ave. inside Santee Alley
• Moose Luggage, Handbags, & Accessories, 319 E 12th St., inside Santee Alley
• BIC Plus, 1030 Maple Ave.
• Halo Handbags, Various Locations

New 9 Handbags

Questions or comments? Tweet us! @ShopSanteeAlley

$20 Handbag Sale through November 30!

LA Purses (formerly Ice Handbags) is bringing back the $20 handbag sale this month, through November 30! That's right, ALL handbags, with the exception of "jelly" styles, are only $20!!

LA Purses specializes in vegan faux-leather handbags, wallets, and backpacks.The store is located at
1150-B S Santee St. inside Santee Alley and is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., 7 days a week. You can also visit their second location at 431 E 11th St. Los Angeles, CA, 90015.

Scroll below to see what's currently in stock...

Trend Alert! Backpacks is one of the biggest trends in handbags this season. LA Purses carries various styles in an assortment of colors. These are on sale for $20 too.

Like LA Purses on Facebook/LAPurses and follow them on Instagram @lapurses_ to see new arrivals as soon as they hit store shelves.

The luggage and duffel bags are not included in the sale, but they are definitely worth checking out. Love all the colors!

And in case you weren't convinced by the $20 price tag... There's also a $10 bin ;)

Handbags in Every Color

Purses, handbags, hobos, clutches, satchels and cross-bodies in every color and size... That's what we found in Debi's wholesale and retail store. The styles range from classic to trendy so you can be sure to find something for any outfit. Come in and check it out!

Debi Fashion

1036 Santee Street

213-747-0144

Santee Alley Mother's Day Shopping Guide

 Our top picks for Mother's Day:

A SPRING SCARF  from Fashion Fantasia,1008-A Santee St.

A FABULOUS HEEL from Forever Shoes, 1010 S Santee St. inside the alley

A PRETTY SCENT from K.K. Distributors, 1115 1/2 Maple Ave. inside the alley

A NEW MAKEUP CASE or handbag or luggage set, from Halo Handbags, 1137 Santee St.

Weekly Fashion Finds: The Perfect Outfit Guide

Date night? Girls night? Whatever the occasion we have the perfect outfit for you. The key is to know where to look. Maximize your shopping time in the alley by following this 3-step guide to finding the perfect outfit.

Step 1: Start by shopping for the clothes. It's incredibly easy to get distracted by all the accessory and shoe stores in the alley, but save those for later. Chances are you'll end up browsing through the jewelry and handbags all day. We have that many here! Stores tend to display their newest and/or most popular styles on their mannequins. This will give you a good idea of what's inside. When we're in a rush, we like going straight to Vickie's. We've featured her on this blog time and time again, but that's because she always has something new. The staff here is super friendly and fashion savvy, which helps too.

Vickie's Fashion
1136-B Santee St.

Step 2: Once you've got your outfit picked out move on to the accessories. There is an endless selection of fashion jewelry in the alley but many overlook what is one of the most affordable accessories here: handbags. Believe it or not this is where you'll get the most bang for your buck, as many stores run promotions all the time. $20 handbag anyone? It's the best way to complete any outfit!

Ice Handbags & Accessories
1150-B Santee Alley

Step 3: The shoes can make or break the outfit. The good news is the alley has the best shoe selection in LA, if we do say so ourselves. Every color, print, heel style, is here and most likely under $30. How can you not buy a new pair? And no, there is no way you can have a perfect outfit without new shoes ;)

Lola Shoetique

1113 1/2 Santee Alley

www.lolashoetique.com

Weekly Fashion Finds: New Year, New Looks

Hope everyone is having a great 2014 so far! We're dedicating our first blog post of the year to the first Weekly Fashion Finds of 2014. There's tons of new styles in the alley - clothing, shoes, and accessories.  First up is Iconic Fashion (pictured above) with new styles for the ladies, ranging from casual to party dresses. You can see more of their styles here. Iconic Fashion is located at 1006-C inside the Santee Alley.

Another store with a whole new inventory for the new year, is Santee Alley favorite Lola Shoetique. Their newest styles can be viewed (and purchased!) on their website at lolashoetique.com

Accessories High Bijoux is bringing in the New Year with an array of trendy necklaces. Our favorite is this "Meow" piece pictured below. You can see more of their jewelry collection here. High Bijoux is located at 1138-C inside the alley.

Our last pick for this week, is these Chanel inspired quilted, gold chain strap handbags from Ice Handbags & Accessories. They are available in red, blue, black, ivory, and tan. They also have a very similar style with rhinestones. See them here. You can place an order online by sending an email to icehandbags@gmail.com or visit Ice Handbags at 1150-B inside the alley.

Fall Handbag Sale - All Styles $20!

Remember that $20 handbag sale we told you about back in  August? Well Ice Handbags is carrying the sale right through Fall. ALL HANDBAGS ARE STILL $20! Even better news, Ice has opened a second location in the alley at 1150-B Santee Alley They are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 7 days a week.

Scroll below to see current styles...

Ice Handbags

1150-B Santee Alley

Facebok

Weekly Fashion Finds: $20 Handbag Sale

Ice Handbags is making room for fall inventory and has ALL their handbags on sale for $20. That's right ladies, any purse for $20! Ice has two locations in the LA Fashion District, with two more coming soon. The Santee Alley location is at 315-B. Purchases can also be placed online via their Facebook and Instagram.

Ice Handbags are 100% vegan and can also be found at retailers like Nordstrom Rack and Marshall's. Ice, a manufacturer and importer, has been in the alley for over two years. They specifically decided to base their business in the Fashion District because they felt confident they could offer the kind of competitive pricing Santee Alley shoppers expect. At $20 a bag we think they're doing an excellent job.

Scroll down to see the current handbag selection...

P.S. Did we mention most of their bags are lined with leopard print? We're obssessed.

Ice Handbags
Wholesale & Retail
315-B inside Santee Alley

and

431 E. 11th St.

(213) 745-4961
icehandbags@gmail.com
www.icehandbags.com

New 9 Handbags for Less Than $20

Tucked behind an accessories booth and a hat stand you'll find New 9 Handbag, a wholesale and retail handbag vendor that's been in Santee Alley for over 20 years. New 9 carries wallets, clutches, evening bags, totes, and purses in all shapes and colors. They also have a small selection of carry-on luggage and backpacks for the "Back to School" season.

This is the place for bargain hunters looking to score a good deal on a new bag. Prices range from $5-$20, with most items priced around $10. New inventory arrives at the store every week. See more styles at www.new9handbag.com.

For pricing or purchase inquiries please contact the store directly at (213) 749-6188 or visit them at 1057  S. Maple Ave. inside The Santee Alley.

Stylish backpacks and totes perfect for back to school!

A selection of evening bags and clutches, and carry-on luggage in the top right corner

The entrance to New 9 Handbag

New 9 Handbag
1057 S. Maple Ave. inside Santee Alley
(213) 749-6188