So on my last big trip overseas I tested out the mini flaps. They were great for the hands-free moments, but most of the time I was frustrated that I couldn’t even squeeze an extra pack of Kleenex in there. I know I’m not a tote gal because 90% of the tote would be filled with air in my case, but I’m also not good with the doll-sized bags either, no matter how adorable they look.
Many internal debates later (it’s better than counting sheep when insomnia strikes!), I arrived at the conclusion that a good travel bag should be something that’s hardy; resistant to accidents and other accident-prone travelers or inclement weather; and medium sized. More research ensued and this will be my new traveling companion on my upcoming trip:
It’s a Chanel vintage caviar (which means it’s rigid enough to survive the nuclear holocaust) camera bag in a fun, neutral cappuccino color that should match most outfits. It was tough to find a vintage bag in this pristine a condition, but it all worked out in the end. I’d always been a bit squeamish around vintage but in comparing the older leather to my new Chanel bags that cost about 1000000% more, vintage skin wins. Easily.
So to all you ladies who have been preaching to me about the value of buying vintage Chanel, I say Amen to that!. I’ve been converted 
.
What’s vintage to someone is now new to me. Can’t wait to take her on the road!
Tags: caviar bag, Chanel, vintage
I didn’t mean to take this long to revive the trophy wife but it’s just been insane here so blogging sort of took a back seat. But anyway, after I posted the S.O.S. on the jacket, I was very inspired (and intimidated) by all of your suggestions. One particular suggestion from a reader that stuck out for me, though, was this look she sent from the Chanel Haute Couture 2011 runway (photo courtesy of Chanel.com):
A fancy jacket over narrow sequined pants. Instead of watering a special jacket down to casualize it, why not bling it up some more–I never would have even thought of that! But my problem is that I have not been able to find any sequined pants that fit. They have to be narrow enough so I don’t look like a bedazzled tent, and yet they can’t be so tight that I look like a shiny sausage either. I’ve run across lots of sequined mini skirts and super short shorts in the stores the last few weeks, but let’s get real here. This is a no-hot-pants-zone in my house!
But I’m not giving up till I find the perfect pair of sequined pants. They might look cool with my Gucci tuxedo jacket anyway for some cocktail events. But I digress…mainly because I’m stalling for time…to tell you I was so lame that I only managed one look for this episode of Couture Counsel: the challenging jacket (aka my fashion epic fail) …
But in my defense, to compensate for going very safe with dark denims, I’m “blinging” my look with a very special gator bag and those killer shoes I’d floated around in an earlier entry:
Oh come on, it’s really all just about the bag, isn’t it! I bet some of you didn’t even take a second look at the outfit. What jacket? Was she wearing something? Shall we take another look at the Chanel Kelly bag ?
Anyway, if I had a bit more spunk I would have dared an evening look that paired the jacket with a tiny sequined skirt, but I think we’ll just leave that to the imagination. Meanwhile I’ll have to find the perfect pair of cigarette pants to show off these skyscrapers…
Tags: Chanel Haute Couture
My sister introduced me to the website etsy.com and I can’t believe that I didn’t think of creating such an enterprise myself! It is a veritable playground for all artists, closet artists, and artist wannabes (that would be my category) alike.
Anyway, last year my sister happened along a very crafty store, twinklekids2, on etsy and requested a Spiderman monkey for me. This year I custom ordered a supersized monkey à la Coco Chanel. So here she is, all the way from Australia…
with Spidey…
I think I’ll have to add pearls to her outfit, but I thought you’d enjoy Coco Monkey!
Tags: Coco Chanel, etsy, twinklekids2
Another day, another afternoon in a champagne stupor…oh wait, did I just type that out loud? What I meant to say was that there was a lot of champagne flowing at yet another Chanel 11P trunk show today, but as I was my own designated driver, I had to settle for sparkling water. All for the best, because God only knows how many other items I would have signed up for had I been even a little bit tipsy. And believe you me, I was plenty drunk just on the eye candy alone!
So, the usual suspects. I saw the lion-clasp flaps like last time, except this boutique had all the sizes–medium and large flaps and a strapless clutch. I saw it in black and pink, and I still have to maintain that the lambskin felt very flimsy…so I’m still not persuaded. I was hoping I’d love the pink but it was not in the right shade for me. A bit too salmon pink for my taste.
Then there was a very whimsical black medium lambskin flap with enamel ladybugs encrusted to the bag and chain that certainly caught my eye–but I didn’t like the nylon entwined in the classic chain instead of leather. Whadup with that, Chanel? I also played with an adorable bright yellow satin clutch shaped like a short/squat takeout box with an insect clasp (sounds like a disaster and yet I was enchanted)…the perfect just because present for someone who already has everything.
But we all know I’ve written off the Spring bags, right? So let’s get to the RTW that I did manage to try on. Did I already whine about how annoying it is to put on the sample sizes which are size 38 (for the leggy models) taken in to fit like a 34? I know, I do not know what it’s like to win the genetics lottery, but in my next life I’d like to have legs up to my neck–heck, even eyeballs–so I could rock all these gorgeous little dresses…but I digress.
There was this adorable swing coat in this fun tweed:
It had a lot of volume, but I think in my correct size could be fab over tiny white pants or dark capri jeans for the summer. It actually comes with a teeny tiny skirt but I think it’d be cuter over pants:
And speaking of volume, my SA had me try on this rather full empire dress in thick navy cotton. Terrible spy pic here so you can’t see how lovely the fabric really is…and on the right person, I could see how it would look very chic with a pair of killer, high, high heels.
But you know, this more subtle dress below is more me–just a simple yet architectural, modern take on a column dress.
It suits my frame, but I wonder what kind of undergarment would work for that somewhat open back?
Here’s a pic of the sweater knit cardi that I thought was super cute on the model at the other trunk show–the one you could tie and sling across the body like a messenger bag:
My conclusion is that I cannot pull off that look. Hated the short, wide sleeves on me.
I managed to try on a few other items but the iPhone is a terrible spy tool in a dimly lit room, so I won’t post the fuzzy photos. I’ll just end today’s entry with a couple of fantasy jackets. Why fantasy? Because of the fantasy ribbon tweed, first and foremost. And secondly because I’d only buy them in my fantasies…not only are they extremely expensive but the fabric was snagging just by virtue of my looking at it. That’s how delicate the fabric on these jackets was:
Before I let you go, I have to retract something here. Consider this a mea culpa for dissing the Chain Me collection in the other entry. Because today I saw the tote version from this group and thought it was perfect both for work and play. No spy pics of bags today at all, but perhaps a live reveal when it arrives. Yay!
Tags: 11P, Chanel, trunk show
It should be no surprise to any of you by now that I heart Chanel. And I heart it out loud, in full (photographic) overdrive. So while in a daze from my bout with food poisoning from a bad falafel (maybe it was the hummus?) this past weekend, I was thinking why not share some crazy photos of the ones I “romance” on this day of love?
I know, Chanel bags may make such an inappropriate valentine, but sometimes they’re so pretty you just want to show them some love…
Happy heart day everyone!
Tags: Chanel
