Handbag of the day....Shirley!

Shirley because I can just see Dame Shirley Bassey carrying this to some 'big do'! I'm assuming y'all know who she is - most famous for singing 'Goldfinger'. She also just happened to be a great favourite of my gran and this was another handbag left to me by her.

So I have no idea of Shirley's history but I think from memory she is at least 1970's. She is beaded all over with tiny jet bugle beads in differing shapes and patterns, even the long strap is entirely made of plaited beads. Shirley has been very well looked after over the years and is still in pristine condition and I have used her a number of times for 'black tie' events.

To me she epitomises timeless elegance and will never show her age, a bit like Dame Shirley herself :-)

Convert!

When CROCS first appeared in the streets on the feet of just about every 4th person you passed, as a shoe connoisseir I was literally repulsed and horrified! I was in disbelief that these people couldn't see how ugly these shoes were and how ridiculous they looked.

But they have continued to multipy as if they are the footwear equivalent of Scientology, I suspect CROC owners must be required to spread the word and recruit above all else. I swore I would never wear them and humiliate my usually fashionably attired feet.

Then I spotted this purple pair in a store and decided they were alot better than the 'holey' ones. As you know I am a keen gardener and I thought they would make perfect garden shoes, so I succumbed.

My feet went into raptures, they were literally the most comfortable shoes they had ever been clad in and they were a cute colour. But then it got hot here and the design of these mean't my feet were sweating big time. So with my feet begging me to keep them in cushioned and well supported but more airy comfort, 'quelle horreur' I ordered myself the pink holey ones, figuring the brighter the colour the better, if I must wear them!

My feet were eternally grateful and they rapidly became my daily footwear of choice, I have even been known to wear them outside the borders of our home, i.e. IN PUBLIC! Last week I even took them with me to work to change into whilst I was trudging back and forth clearing stuff.

And that's when I saw my good friend Judy wearing her brightly coloured CROC Thongs and full of the joys of how comfortable her feet are. So as we wear the same size, she kicked them off and let me take them for a test ride. 2 days later the little darlings pictured below arrived from Endless.com!

My feet are happy, I have eaten CROC humble pie and become a convert and now I am doing my duty and working on any other non-believers out there. Oh and by the way, the imitations do not compare at all for comfort and support.

This a footwear fashionista speaking to you people, I own more than 70 pairs of shoes! But right now if I had 1 minute to grab a few pairs and run for my storm cellar, 3 of them would be these and then 1 cute pair just to preserve my reputation.

CROCS are without doubt the best shoes for your feet you will ever wear, they're comfortable, give great support and you can wear them for hours - if you don't have a pair already, then swallow your pride and try a pair, your feet will be eternally grateful and your pride will be long forgotten!

Now I am coveting a pair of the first ones in the advert above, the CROC Wedge aka. Cyprus, how cute are those and with a heel - bliss!

Handbag of the day....Miranda

Named for Miranda from SATC, as this is a very businesslike handbag! I inherited Miranda from my grandmother, this was a favourite of hers and I also really like the classic design.

Miranda is a chestnut coloured leather in an alligator pattern and she has a long strap as well as the handle. Inside she is taupe suede feel finish, with an interior pocket and gold accents on the outside.

She is a bag I have used extensively for work and attending meetings in the past, but now she gets to go out more in the Fall and Winter. Everytime I use her I think of my Gran :-)

Handbag of the day....Helen!

This little handbag is very much grown-up glamour, so she's named for a woman who epitomises that, Helen Mirren!

Helen is an evening bag from good old Accessorize yet again and I have had her at least 10 years!

She is made of silk with a fine lace overlay in a rich burgundy, a metal frame and gold and red embroidery with beads. I don't use her very often and it tends to be more in the winter when I am wearing the Fall colours. In my old life she got to go out alot more, as I was usually out somewhere partying on a Friday and Saturday night!

Handbag of the day....Rodeo!

'Rodeo' is a fairly recent purchase at an Arts Fair in our area and is so named because I have regularly seen the local girls carrying similar bags at rodeo's around here.

I have been looking out for a nice one since I arrived, as this is a very everyday popular style in our area and I like the added touch of the animal print on my bag. It features faux turquoise and rhinestone decoration on the black leather, also very much my style being a big 'bling' girly!

Handbag of the day....Miss Match!

I spotted 'Miss Match' in a Coldwater Creek catalogue this spring and wearing so much Blue and Aqua' I just had to have her. So the next time I was in OKC I went along to a store but could only see the orange version out on display. But they went and dug around in the stockroom and found her for me.

Obviously 'Miss Match' is a play on words, as she actually matches just about everything I wear, especially as I'm usually in jeans!

She is made from a woven dyed straw and I love her wavy pattern and shape, which are both unusual. She has a navy cotton lining, is zipped on top and has a few interior pockets. The handles are long enough to use her as a shoulder bag and are made of wrapped leather with the decorative wooden beads. She is a good sized everyday summertime bag and I have already used her alot this year, so definitely a good buy.

Handbag of the day....my first one!

What can I say! This is the first known photo of me holding a handbag that was obviously mine.

Even at an early age it appears my taste in bags was fairly exotic and not run of the mill. Note the elaborate pattern, intricate stitching, funky fringe and pink handles. To this day I still have handbags of a similar design and it even co-ordinates too!

I know nothing about this little bag, whether it was a gift, or I spotted it in a shop and wouldn't let go, or maybe someone made it for me. I am not even sure how old I am in this piccie, but I would hazard a guess at maybe nearly 3yrs old? We will have to hope my mum wanders in here and can post a comment on this for us, shedding some light.

I was obviously already a 'pink' girly and that hasn't changed either, get a load of those cool pink dungarees!

Handbag of the day....Bella!

Turquoise is one of my favourite colours and I wear it alot and have alot of jewelry made from it. So being the co-ordination Queen that I am, a turquoise bag became an essential shortly after I arrived here.

I bought Bella from a local Brighton stockist and love both her style and size. She's pretty compact with a long strap, back zippered compartment, cellphone pocket, card storage slots and zipped change purse on the front. She is made of leather, with the cool looking alligator effect as an accent and a pretty floral print interior lining.

Bella is just a handy little bag for trips out where I don't need to carry much and want to make a stylish and co-ordinated statement.

Be warned if you click on the Brighton link above, temptation is gonna be a problem, I have already found out firsthand! I was a good girl and resisited though, the Hubster will be sooo proud ;-)

Handbag of the day....Barbie!

Well I think it's pretty obvious why this snazzy little bag is called Barbie! She's what I refer to as Barbie Pink, my own personal favourite shade and she is small but cute.

I've actually only owned her about 6 weeks and she was cheap but cheerful and goes with alot of my clothes. I also like the silver accents as I am either a silver or white gold jewelry girl.

Handbag of the day....Sassy!

I have had Sassy about a year and bought her from Endless as I did not have a silver handbag and it's such a versatile colour.

Sassy is another handbag made by The Sak and I love her 'squishy' relaxed look and the detachable crystal look charms that hang off one side. I really liked the alligator and stud accents and the length of the shoulder strap, which puts her very securely under my arm. I also prefer her matte silver finish to the super-shiny or reflective look, you sometimes see in metallic handbags.

She is an average size bag but great for everyday use, I don't tend to use her for work though as I always carry more. Inside she is a taupe colour and has a zippered pocket, pen and cellphone pockets.

Sassy is one of my favourite bags and I take her out at least once a week. If you don't have a silver handbag then I highly recommend buying one, they just go with anything and are right up to date.

Handbag of the day....

This handbag is called 'Pink' for obvious reasons but also because she's a little bit edgy - just like the popstar Pink. This was another gift from my mum, who knows exactly what my taste is in bags, although her own is entirely different to mine!

Pink is made from printed fabric, with a black leather surround and accented with white stitching and metal studs. Her lining is a satiny bright pink and she has one zipped compartment, she also has a very long strap which is adjustable. The big buckle is just there for aesthetics and she fastens with a magnetic button and a zip.

As the handbag says "It's a girl thing"!

Handbag of the day....Raquel!

So are any of you old enough to remember Raquel Welch in the animal skin furry bikini in 'One Million BC', a very old movie? Well that's what inspired this handbags name!

This was another excellent gift from my Mum for Christmas after I had moved here and guess where she got if from - yep got it in one, Accessorize!

Raquel is a fun, furry winter handbag and is a good size, lined in black with an internal zipper pocket and fastening with a magnetic button. She is super-soft as I'm sure you can tell and has the fun, furry hanging balls (there's just no easy way to say that!) and shiny black handles.

I am not generally an animal print person, in fact Raquel and a very similar furry hat are the full extent of animal print in my closet. But she looks great with my black winter coat or vest and a pair of furry winter boots.

Handbag of the day....Jade!

Jade is an evening clutch in one of my all time fave' colours - what we call petrol effect, a mix of deep blues, greens and purples. The colours you get if you see gas spilt on the ground and the sun hits it.

Once upon a time long, long ago when I used to have events to regularly wear evening/cocktail dresses too, she was one of my most used handbags. Most of my evening dresses are either black, teal or blue and she just works with all these colours.

Jade is lined and edged with a rich purple, has the multi-coloured sequins all over and a magnetic clasp, I bought her once again from good old Accessorize. I am hanging onto her because I think I can still use her with smart dark jeans and a pretty top for social events here.

Handbag of the day....Summer

Summer is the handbag I am using more than any other right now, as she is a very pretty, practical and seasonal. I saw her in a Cracker Barrel store on sale out of season last year and snapped her up.

She is made of a fine very flexible woven straw, with a natural fabric lining and zip closure. The straw is dyed different pastel shades and then the colours are graduated around the bag and mixed with the undyed straw. There is also the additional adornment on the front of the striped flower and strands. Summer is one of my most flexible bags, as she will literally go with pretty much anything I choose to wear. She is also large enough to be used for work and I can fit everything I need in her easily.

So should you bump into me anywhere at the moment, Summer is the bag you might well see over my arm :-)

Handbag of the day....Aegean!

Meet Aegean, named after the beautiful blues found in the Aegean sea between Greece and Turkey, an area where I have spent many enjoyable holidays.

The waters there are made up of rich and often crystal clear hues of blues and aqua, stunningly beautiful and this little handbag is a lovely reminder. It is also very much an evening bag, being diminutive in size, delicate and very soft, with the whole design based around a filler covered in satin and then sequins. The sequins are only on the front and the back is just a pale blue satin. The strap is a thin piece of matching blue woven silk chord and it is lined with the same satin, fastening with a magnetic button.

I have used this bag many times in the evening on vacation, as it's just big enough to hold everything you need for an evening out and not too big to get in the way. I purchased her many years ago from Accessorize, a fave' store of mine already featured a few times so far :-)

Handbag of the day....Grace!

Grace reminds me of the handbags Grace Kelly used to carry, hence the name. She is a very classic looking leather, alligator look bag made by Maxx of New York and purchased from good old QVC.

She is actually a rich shade of red, although I know in pictures she can look burgundy. Inside she has a deep gold lining, 2 zippered pockets, a phone holder and then the external zippered pocket. Grace is my only red bag and I bought her to go specifically with red items of clothing I wear. One feature I love about her is her length and she is an especially comfortable shoulder bag for this reason.

Back with more bags next week - believe it or not we are now about 1/3rd of the way through my handbag closet! :-)

Handbag of the day....Madonna!

So I know you're wondering why such an unglamourous bag is named for Madonna? Well two reasons actually and both entirely reasonable.

First of all I purchased her about the time Madge was going through a bit of a leather and bondage stage in her career. Well my Madonna definitely has a touch of bondage with the strapping and studs.

Secondly I suspect most girls have a bag in their wardrobe that they used alot in their nightclub days. You know the one that is small enough to get your wallet, some make-up and a hidden small bottle of licquor/alcohol in. She has no real monetary value, so if you should happen to lose her, forget her (after a few too many), or she gets kicked off the dance-floor as you jig around her, you won't lose any sleep over her loss.

Well Madonna is my 'clubbing' bag and let me tell you, she has been along on some pretty interesting nights in my life! She's the one who has been flung in with a pile of others in the midst of a group of women, boogying and singing for all their worth to 'Like a Virgin'!

I guess I am holding onto Madonna for sentimental reasons and lots of happy fun memories. Because apart from the odd Square Dance or Line Dance here, she ain't likely to see much more 'real' clubbing!

Best marketing move of the decade!

C'mon down Lane Bryant with the new 'right fit' sizing for your jeans for curvier ladies.

Trust me on this, if like me you have spent your whole life trying to fit into size 8 jeans, then to be told you need a size 2 is likely to get your immediate attention!

This happened to me on a recent visit to OKC whilst trying out the newly revamped LB jeans. When the assistant suggested I ought to try a size 2, after assessing my hips and butt, I literally laughed out loud and replied "AWWW HELL YES!" in my Brit' accent which really tickled her!

But joy of joys they were too big, so she said "Oh honey you're a size 1" and sure enough, once she'd helped me back up off the floor where I'd fallen in delirium, this proved to be the case. Well talk about a guaranteed sale, I was giddy with excitement as I paid....LOL!

I told her even if I hadn't needed jeans I'd have bought them just so I could see something with 'size 1' on the label in my closet! I literally left the store grinning from ear to ear :-)

So if you have also always dreamed of fitting into a size between 1 to 8, I strongly suggest you head into your nearest LB store for a morale boost you can't beat.

Handbag of the day....Roma!

Roma was purchased on my first visit to Rome and is a much loved and well travelled, high quality handbag.

She was made by the Italian designer Bruno Rossi from very soft pale chestnut leather and I bought her and another bag from the same store. As is usual with Italian leather, her quality really stands out from my many other bags.

Roma is very large, she has a really big central zipped compartment and then on either side is a large pocket that fastens with a concealed magnetic fastener. Extending out of both these pockets are short handles, in addition to the detachable shoulder strap that extends from the middle compartment. I love this feature of being able to carry her by hand, or sling her over my shoulder. There's also a large magnetic flap that goes across the top of Roma to keep her especially secure. Inside is a matching fabric interior with a large zipped pocket, phone and pen holders.

Roma's only drawback is she has so much space I tend to overfill her and I once weighed her when full, only to find she was 14lbs! So I am now more conscious of not letting her get too heavy for my shoulders' sake and her longevity. She is one of two bags I tend to reach for when I am flying or travelling, as you can get everything you need in her easily. So she has seen many places around the world and also accompanied me to work frequently.

After taking this picture I noticed she looks a bit worn, so I'm going to get the leather polish out and give her some well deserved TLC!

Handbag of the day....Petal!

Petal is another of my bargain handbags, bought from Marks & Sparks about 6 years ago for $10 in a sale. It was the rich pastel pink colour that attracted me to Petal, I have seen roses in this delicate shade of pink and always loved them, so she was irresistible.

She is a good sized bag made from a fine straw with contrasting brown accent stitching, a pink fabric interior and single pocket. Her handles are a nice soft brown leather and she fastens just with the elastic and button. So I tend to only use Petal in situations where I know I won't be in crowds, where a hand could easily reach in and take something out.

Petal is a perfect summer handbag and as I am very much a pink girl she goes with alot of things I wear :-)