An It bag?!?!

I picked up a book to read from our local public library about purses.  I often make a note of books that I would like to read in my old-fashioned paper datebook (no, I do not own a smart phone or a PDA or any other electronic device that could substitute for plain old paper and ink).  Then I put holds on them through our fabulous public library system here in Toronto.  Anyways, the book is called “it’s in the bag” by Winifred Gallagher.  It’s a very charming little read with some history of purses and a lot of the psychology of why we carry the kinds of purses we carry.

I do not own an It bag.  Not that I haven’t wanted to – I’ve secretly hankered after a little classic Chanel number since my first Vogue magazine at the age of 11.  But I’ve never actually forked out all the money to pay for one.  And I probably never will for one simple reason: I cannot justify spending $2500 on a purse just so I can say I have one.  And everyone and their dog seems to have a Coach bag here in Toronto.  I looked at one inside out and backwards the other day in my local Coach shop.  I probably would have purchased one if 1) they weren’t an It bag themselves; 2) I was totally in love with the crazy colour and designs they’ve got happening; and 3) if the leather felt like butter in my hands like the ones from Roots Canada.

Ms.  Gallagher’s book is interesting.  She made me think about why I’ve always shunned the status symbols on a purse… or shoes… or anything else that I wear or use.  And she chats about who decides what purses we get to purchase in the store (WHAT?  You mean super-privileged fashionista sitting in a fashion magazine office somewhere gets to tell me what I can and cannot wear?!?!?), the $$$-making of mass (or not so mass) production versus the one-of-a-kind custom made purse.  She specifically mentions Helen Marien who, until recently, had a pretty little shop NYC’s Nolita neighbourhood.  I’m interested in the art of purse-making, specifically hand-embroidered ones that are truly one-of-a-kind pieces of art.  Have you made any bags or purses?

brown silk evening bag

As a postscript, I would like to quote Ms. Gallagher:

“The recent popularity of the pricey purse is yet another indication that transitional objects may be becoming more important in our increasingly materialistic, highly mobile, socially disconnected society.  In an unusually comprehensive study, 21 social scientists from UCLA’s Center on the Everyday Lives of Families spent 4 years intensively observing 32 socioeconomically diverse Los Angeles households.  They found that compared with previous generations, family members follow different packed schedules that limit their time together; indeed, five households failed to gather even once during the entire four years.” (Italics mine)

evening bag lying flat

Well, here’s my little tribute to having dinner with my girls every night of the week, and spending time playing and talking and doing stuff TOGETHER as a family.  I made it using Vogue Pattern 7221 out of espresso silk duppioni, and lined it with the same fabric.  Then I toddled off to the Fashion District and chose some lovely murano glass and bronze freshwater pearls to embellish it.

It’s unique and holds everything a girl could want for a night on the town.  It slips easily over the wrist, and the zipper makes it secure.   And it’s definitely not an It bag.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 29th, 2010 at 8:57 am and is filed under Latest Purse Trends. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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