So what do fashionistas do in such trying times? Do we need to be ultra-sensitive or do we continue with our religious pursuit for the nicest things to liven up the gloomy days? My best friend was eyeing the lastest XL jumbo Chanel Flap. It’s an inch bigger all round compared to the regular jumbo and its meant to copy the vintage pieces that you see on the arms of young Hollywood celebrities. Under normal circumstances, it would have been classified as a must-buy. And because of the weaker EUR, it is priced equal to or lower than the regualr jumbo in some countries. Quite a bargain you would have thought. But we decided to give it a pass. We need to be FRUGAL.

We opted for accessories instead. Accessories are fun! Accessories are like makeovers- they transform an old outfit. For those who covet another Hermes or Chanel bag, try their accessories instead. Pick up a necklace, a belt, a bracelet or a scarf. In fact that’s what I’ve been doing. You can also use the accessories on your bags. Tie a scarf or hang a charm. It instantly feels like a new purchase.

For cheaper alternatives, I look to Kenneth Jay Lane. His range of rings and necklaces are fun and contemporary. See a selection of some of my favourites from net-a-porter below. They carry an amazing range of designer jewellery accesories that will almost always perk up your wardrobe. 

It’s not just the ready-to-wear that I hanker after. Lanvin accessories are also much sought after. My personal favourites are the pearl and grosgrain ribbon necklaces and the ballet pumps they produce each season. And of course not forgetting a favourite bag from my collection - the Lanvin Madras Hero (Spring/Summer 2007)-timeless with all the right trademark details.

I decided to take the challenge and prove to my boyfriend that the BIG FENDI CLUTCH is not gonna be a white elephant in my closet. Just this week, I managed to pull together four outfits for four very different occasions.

The Shopping Outfit

The Birthday Dinner with the BF Outfit

The Midweek Work Outfit

The Afternoon Tea with the Girls Outfit

For more inspiration, here’s what the celebrity scene is doing with the BIG CLUTCH. Which is your favourite?

On the other hand, in the fashion world we have witnessed an explosion of exotics. We are talking investing in luxury goods that come in exotic skins of pythons, snakes, lizards, ostriches and crocs. Hermes claims they have the best exotics. The Hermes salesperson proudly told me that Hermes gets the first choice of croc farms every year. For most of us, a Porosus or a Niloticus Birkin is quite an insane investment with prices starting from SGD40k and up. While I do lust after a croc Birkin, I prefer to savour exotics in smaller doses. I like them as details in the form of a thin belt or the strap of your watch, a strappy heel or the trimming of your purse or bag.

Welcome to my little world of exotics. Hopefully it will outlive the former!

P.S. My apologies for the lack of entries in the last 2 weeks. It was a little topsy-turvy but I have pieced it back to normality.

There have been many more variations since the Motorcycle. The City, the Work, the Part-time, the Brief, the Weekend etc. Bbag lovers collect their favourite colors every season. Recently we have seen emergence of new silver and gold hardware that resembles the thimble.This gave rise to the Giant series. Hence the Giant City, the Giant Work and so on. And the latest for F/W is the Giant Covered series where the giant hardware is covered in the same material as the bag. My favourite colour for this season is the Ghiaccio- a very pale icey grey.

It’s still not too late for your first Bbag. All you have to do is to start with your favourite colour!

Six&Seven is currently taking orders for the latest F/W2008 collection. Prices range between SGD1600-2200.

Giant Covered City in Ghiaccio

YSL may not be for everyone. But when you start a YSL, you always get slightly anxious in anticipation of the next season’s collection. My first YSL was a Mombasa which hit the stores in 2001. When I saw in a mag Gywneth Paltrow photographed carrying this leather bag with a deer-horn handle, I was immediately smitten. I called the local boutique straightaway and collected it that same night. My friends may not have been very pleased but YSL claims the horns they use are those already shed. Anyway I must congratulate myself on my foresight. The Mombasa has since become a YSL classic. The great thing about YSL - there are practically no labels on the bags. The Muse, the Downtown, the Muse 2, the Emma, the Besace - they are designs, each with its own distinctive flair and, fused with YSL’s signature matt gold hardware. There is no expiry date for YSL. Yes, keep them for the daughters! With the reigns being passed now to head designer Stefano Pilati, it seems to get better. In fact do check out the shoes! They are something else to talk about but will leave that for another entry.

It seems that if you want a Hermes bag it has got to be a Birkin. Not the Lindy, not the Kelly. My first was the Herbag - it comes with 2 interchangeable canvas bodies of different sizes with a leather handle bar. This has sadly been discontinued. The second was the Garden Party tote in cotton linen with leather trim. It was my runaway bag when I was shuttling between 2 apartments. It was the canvas phase. Did I mention Hermes makes the most durable canvas? I had also put my name down on that infamous waiting list. I got my first Birkin not too long after, a 30 gold togo with palladium hardware. That was 4 years ago.  I was initially a little apprehensive about carrying it to work to be honest as I did not want to be “labelled”.

The Birkin is undeniably an “IT” bag in the fashion world. My best friend calls me the “silly branded girl”, but I prefer to think I’m tasteful and understated in my choices :)  So what is the allure of the Birkin, really? Is it the waiting list or its IT status or its  beautiful craftsmanship? Perhaps it’s the eponymous Jane Birkin who once had Hermes so wildly charmed and inspired to create an something so special for her.  I believe its a confluence of the above and alot more. Whatever it is that motivates you to seek the Birkin chase, I say go for it, jia-you! It is worth it! (My second Birkin wasn’t exactly a chase, but i was unrelentless at the Hermes boutique at Ginza Tokyo and the piece of beauty showed up magically! )

Trivia 1- It seems that Jane Birkin has given up on the Birkin as a result of tendinitis (inflammation of the tendon)

Trivia 2 - You can catch a video in youtube where Jane Birkin was trampling on a birkin in her sneakers. Try to search for it.  I must warn all Birkin lovers this will be a rough one to watch.

P.S. I still adore my Birkins but am leaning towards the Kelly these days. Check out the Kelly 25 and the Kelly Pochette at the Six&Seven store.

Presenting my Birkin 35 in black clemence and 30 in gold togo

I spotted a Valextra today! On the arm of a well-known banker who is occasionally featured in our local Tatler. The piece she had is the S-series overnight case in off-white, also recently featured in the telegraph online.  (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelaccessories/2662377/Valextra-leather-goods-Good-buy-guide.html)

Prior to my most recent Europe trip, my knowledge of Valextra was limited to online resources and most of it gleaned from reading contributions at www.bagsnob.com. Valextra is an acquired taste. The craftmanship is exquisite and the similarity to Hermes in terms of its quality is uncanny. I bought a cardcase for myself and thought it would be a practical marketing tool for the brand. A Valextra is something you need to see and touch. And it really grows on you. I have 2 of these (in taupe) sitting prettily on my Poliform couch, waiting patiently for their worthy new owners. What do you think? Doesn’t my friend Annie (pictured above) deserve a Valextra?