let me introduce the handbags

Edit - this post was written then, in those days when the purchasing of silly expensive handbags was possible. Now is not such days. And my mind works differently now. I don't think I'd even enjoy it anymore, for many reasons. However I love every little handbag I already am the fortunate owner of.

But if you read on, that was me then, 2006, this is not me now, 2010.

I had an idea, that if I just browsed through my photos I would surely come up with an idea to write someting about. And sure enough, there it was, several different ideas in fact, I just had to chose one for today. Hey maybe that's what one should do every time there's a drought ideawise? Take a look at pictures and "heureka"!

It's so superficial, but also so irresistible, my rather newly woken fascination and need (yes absolutely!) of silly expensive handbags. I've always been interested in handbags, the right one can really lift a whole outfit, yes even a whole day. But until recently I've been rather, sort of, moderate when it comes to the price-range of them.

I've always been looking at personal, often colourful and handmade in limited editions handbags, preferably unique one-offs. But now, oh now, since I decided to invest in, and treat myself to, the most fantastic of them all, a Mulberry Roxanne (which I've given the name Blända), colour Oak it's just been a downwards - or perhaps upwards is the correct word - spiral in the handbag-department.

When Spring came this year I realized I needed at new Spring handbag - and my mum who thinks I've totally lost it, spending that kind of money on something as un-necessary (ha, what does she know!) as a handbag, spoke the magic words in the matter "why don't you buy a smaller one then?"

Little did she realize she had let the handbag devil loose inside of her precious daughter. I browsed through the Mulberry website several times a day, which model would be best for Spring? Which colour? Aha, that one doesn't come in that colour. Maybe I should look at some other crazy-expensive brands to, just to show some diversity... Well, in the end I can't find any brand or model that satisfy my longings like one from Mulberry I must admit. And no, actually, as harsh as it may sound, I don't get paid for writing that...

So I had my eyes set on a little sister to Blända, the lovely dark pink (I don't care if they called it lavender, that's NOT lavender!) Rosemary. With that shoulder strap I so miss on the Roxanne model. When I reached the store, all starry eyed thinking about the fact that I would probably walk out of there with a new best friend, and a pink one too, it turned out that exact colour was sold out - I wonder to whom, since I haven't seen it on another person here in Stockholm or abroad for that matter. Perhaps I don't mix in the "right" circles then...

But the girl in the store called the Mulberry boutique, and they had the model in. We hurried down through the streets of Stockholm - "we" includes poor Mats, who also thinks I'm absolutely nuts with my new passion for these types of handbags, even if he thinks they look good, they don't look THAT good... - and there it was! My perfect little Spring handbag, even if I was choosing between Rosemary and Blenheim, the latter really wasn't an option (too small). And I just decided, there and then (well I probably had decided way earlier really...) that a Rosemary in dark pink it was to be! Who can resist that model, and in my favourite colour pink, Rosemary is also called Rosa which means "pink" in Swedish. Nearly too perfect to be true!

I know, I know, if I had waited about two months, it would have been on sale for half the price - but what if, if, it had been sold out then, I just couldn't bear the thought of that happening... So soon I was a happy owner of one little sister of Blända's, Rosa. She's been with me almost ever since I bought her and she's such a darling and always, always makes me happy and give my outfits that certain something which I think is called style.

Yes I was happy, so happy with these two handbags, I thought they would last me a long time -and thus save me money in the long runt really, since I never again would buy lots of unecessary, cheaper handbags. And they will. But not on their own, because there would be followers...

Some months later I got an invitation for the Midsummer sales at Mulberry - so I invited a friend (the only one I have as crazy as me about handbags, well, nearly as crazy anyway. One might say I'd drawn her into this swamp of expensive-handbag-delirium...) to come with me. I sort of had my eyes set on the big, lovely model Elgin, olive.

When we got into the boutique there wasn't any such bag left - and we'd been second in there - big sighs of disappointment. When we turned our backs to have a look at the other goodies on display it suddenly appeared though. Or re-appeared, since a woman had grabbed it, but regret the choice and put it back on display.

My friend immediately grabbed a hold on it, we took a few rounds around the boutique, I had a look at a Tooled Bayswater, but no, I didn't want to spend THAT kind of money at one handbag, on sale... It was just Elgin, and in Olive, but since it was the same longing in my friend's eyes - and she was the one holding on tightly to it - I was generous enough not to put up a fight for it and I tried to push the thought "why did I ever invite HER to this sale" far, far back into my mind. And yes, it's a GOOD thing not to invest in a piece of poor cow-skin, to save money, pay bills and even get some money left over after that.

So she came out of the boutique with a big bag and a happy look all over her face, I came out empty handed. We had some lovely breakfast at a café across the street and then decided it really would be neat to make a quick stop at NK's sale, maybe they would have a sale at their Mulberry-department too?

And yes, of course, sale, sale, sale. A quick browse showed a lack of Elgin, olive though. And no, unfortunately no such models left. But hey, what's this, a Tooled Bayswater in Olive, gorgeous, and yes wouldn't that be just what one would need when one gets a new job some time in a foreseeable (or not so foreseeable) future? So I held on to that when we made those obligatory rounds there. Ah, they sell Luella here too, cute, but well, not as cute as the Mulberry models...

So another investment was done, a big sister, or perhaps a cousin to Blända and Rosa. Tindra is her name. Not yet been used though, still a virgin, still beautiful, still unblemished in life.

Soon there would be a cut in the sales-prices, from 30% to 50%. I couldn't get a Luella model out of my now slightly delirious mind. Well, I could have a look, couldn't I? What's the harm in that? But of course I couldn't "just have a look" - 50% off, that's really a bargain, isn't it? A pale cream coloured Luella Stevie tote, who can resist that... The colour even shifts from pale cream, to vanilla, to mustard to linden green depending on the light.

Milda is now her name and she shares house with me. And yes she is beautiful too, both in model and in craft. But oh so heavy, both with and without things in it, it's like carrying around bricks when you're about and about. So, sorry, I haven't been using her all that much. But at least I bought her on sale, big sale, yes I did!

On holiday in Hamburg I was happy to find the tiniest little Mulberry boutique, very off-side. I had a quick look - did anyone thought I wouldn't? - not much on offer, but hey, what was that little baby-bag? A baby-Bayswater, olive in colour - absolutely to die for. And on sale. But I was stoic enough to get out of there without another handbag, and a second time, and well, what the h-ll, third's a charm - I bought her (of course it's a her!). This tiny baby-sister of Tindra, the model being Ledbury. But she's called something as original as Lill-Tindra (i e Little-Twinkle).

She was with me on the town the other day. Did very well I think, although even though she's been waterproofed she did manage to get a stain. But I suppose that makes her more personal. In the pic above you can see both Tindra and Lill-Tindra posing for the camera, don't they look fabulous?!

Wow, there must be something wrong with me, writing this much about handbags, five of them, all happily living in my house now. But well, they are truly a sight to be seen and seen with, so no, no there's absolutely nothing wrong with me! I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't take drugs - so why shouldn't I indulge myself with utterly important parts of life like silly expensive handbags!