Some of my dear readers have recently pointed out an oversight on my part… an adoption of a certain H bag that I failed to report. So as we head into my least favorite month of the year–maybe because it’s usually the warmest–I’ve decided to make it more fun by designating it fashion month here, also as a way to rectify this lapse in fashion sharing! So if you usually come here for the travel posts, be forewarned that the next few entries may not be the eye candy for you :D.

Now, back to that bag–let’s start with the back story. The first time I got to try on some Hermès bags was at Decades, the celebrated vintage store owned by Cameron Silver and Christos Garkinos, who now also have their own reality show called Dukes of Melrose. I remember clearly that day because it was early in the morning and the store was practically empty. One of their staff graciously and patiently showed me a glossy black alligator Kelly (sellier), a matte navy crocodile Birkin, and a black matte crocodile Birkin. All but one had palladium hardware. The Birkins were of different sizes. One was missing a lock but all still looked incredible for pre-owned bags.

Surely some of you can understand why I can recall these nano details about some bags from almost three years ago yet cannot for the life of me remember what I ate yesterday. But anyway, the skin on those bags was mind blowing. I’m lucky enough to collect alligator Chanel bags, but Hermès seems to have cornered the market on fairy dust when it comes to fine leathers. There’s no competition. Hermès wins. It was all I could do to pry my claws from those bags after she whispered the prices to me. Whoa, I could buy cars at that sticker price. Or feed a village somewhere for a year, or more.

And yet the dream mounted. Mostly because of that darned Kelly bag. As soon as I slid it over the crook of my arm, I stepped into a Hitchcock movie. Grace Kelly I did not become, but a princess I felt nevertheless with that magic bag in hand. The stoop went away, my neck grew two inches, and I morphed into a proper lady. I know, I’m prone to embellishments and exaggerations, but I kid you not. The Kelly transformed me.

So lots of therapy, soul searching, and closet cleaning later, I got my first Kelly bag (retourné or souple), in etoupe swift leather. It was a rather anticlimactic adoption, just an exchange of a few unused bags from my closet for this Kelly from an owner who hardly touched it. I was actually not a fan of swift leather, but when I saw it in this color, with just the right amount of je m’en fous slouch, the bag came home with me.

About that August fun, I’d like to debut this Kelly in a series of ODJs. So for these next five entries, it’s all about one bag and five outfits.

ODJ Kelly/Look 1: 12A Chanel dress, YSL tribtoo slingbacks, South Seas pearls.