American West Crystal Canyons Shoulder Bag | Zebra Print Studded Handbag

Posted on: Nov 27

American West Crystal Canyons Shoulder Bag Once upon a time I thought I knew American West. Its handbags were inspired by the Western frontier, embellished with hand-tooled details and rendered in earthy tones. But then somewhere along the way things changed. The result is accessories like this Crystal Canyons shoulder bag.

Its zebra printed panels are paired with a crystal and stud decorated base. While the colors are kept neutral the clashing details still seem a bit too much. Young girls might appreciate the accents, but a more minimalist approach would have appeared much more sophisticated.

At least we can always rely on American West for practicality. This is a mid-sized shoulder bag, with the right amount of space for what you need. It doesn't take much to keep a space like this organized, so I'm impressed to see a large zippered pocket and selection of multifunctional slips. A long zip across the top helps keep your essential items just where you left them.

I always felt American West was a bit stuck in the past, but I'm not sure it's new approach is gelling yet. It needs time to find its feet as a contemporary fashion label. I'd give this Crystal Canyons bag a miss, but it shows the potential of what it could achieve in future seasons.