Hot Buys Weekly 5: Vintage Voyage

I can honestly say that I was rather shocked when I logged on this afternoon to find that yet another Weekly Hot Buys collection had been released! I'm making a stab in the dark at this latest release being a bonus collection of some sorts, being that there were few items; all of which were accessories. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this week's bonus collection. This "voyage" theme was neat, classy, and elegant, which was certainly a splash of ice water in the face for myself, if not for many who believe that the most recent years' Hot Buys collections have been nothing but non-cohesive flops. I certainly commend the nice designs in this week's release.

The Voyage Scarf was my favorite piece in the collection. I thought the sheer black chiffon and the deep violet pattern complemented each other very nicely, as well as the style and cut of the fabric. The knot of the scarf itself had an elegant look that would really look good with most neutral colors, or anything plain as a means of dressing it up without it being too overpowering.

Another favorite of mine was the Voyage Big Bag, which did credit to its name. It certainly was a large enough, with a smooth handle and a waxy appearance (thanks to the nice shading on the creases of the leather). The deep burgundy color with the orange-brown tan of the handles looked just like a vintage tote, with a simplistic enough pattern that is versatile with almost any darker color.

I wouldn't mind spending 9 Stardollars on the Voyage Stilettos, if they were a little more creative with the idea. I don't think the overly-modern and mundane design worked with the vintage theme at all, however the craftsmanship was pretty decent in regards to the shading and the shadows underneath the ankle-buckle. It looked a little too "Original Future" for me, not one of my favorite shopping destinations at the Starplaza.

The Voyage Fleur Bag had the potential to be a lovely piece, but in my opinion, it was ruined by the childish-looking flower in the clasp. The shading was gorgeous, and realistic enough to tell that the outer layer was a quilted plastic sort of design, which was quite nice. However I don't think the almost neon indigo color really worked with the theme. One thing I did appreciate in this design was the effort visible in the metal clasps holding the handles to the bag itself. They were subtle enough to go unnoticed, and subtle enough to be a shining star all by themselves. They really gives the shorter handles a lovely definition, and add to the overall quality of the bag.

The last piece in this collection was not an accessory, rather a themed steamer trunk in a lovely shade of pale pink and white. The Luxury Trunk is a lovely addition to this collection, and the wooden panels on the corners really accentuate the pale pink around the trunk, and the white quilted pattern on the inside. I really liked the white curlicues on the top edges, as well.

Overall, this collection scored an A-

So far, the ratings seem pretty erratic for most of the collections, with scores ranging from A's to F's. However, this was one collection that I was pleasantly surprised and relieved to see, after last week's low rating. I think they're really working on the craftsmanship with some of these pieces, but that as well, takes continuous effort, so we shall hope for the best!