Thursday Friday's "Together Bag" and Calzedonia...Birkin Chronicles Part 1

I often get asked where the name of this Blog comes from. In my days as a Bergdorf Goodman employee many a Birkin bag, real and fake, would be plopped down in front of me usually followed by a Black American Express card. With these two ultimate symbols of status usually came a list of 20 products, many duplicates, that my customers would need for their various houses, jets and of course handbags.

It was usually easy to spot the fake bags, mostly because of the shoddy stitching and the lack of stylish owners. Occasionally, I wouldn't be able to tell and one would have to give the customer the benefit of the doubt based on whatever else they were wearing or how much they would spend.  It became a game my co-workers and I would play. I eventually became really good at it. Especially when the stakes were high, and the potential commissions! 

While reading "Who Moved my Cheese", a book my former fiancée had become obsessed with I decided to set myself some goals. It felt natural to have targets in the lead up to marriage. Among the many aims I set for myself, was to one day own a, genuine, Birkin Bag. The Hermes classic immortalized by Jane Birkin. Not because I wanted to be defined as a lady who lunched and spent my husband's money. However, while I was working at Bergdorf some of the most successful women in New York would glide through with their Birkin swinging on their arm spending the money they had worked hard for -and broke through glass ceilings to obatain. Women entrepreneurs that had started and ran a successful business.

At the time I was unaware of the cost, thinking the Birkin couldn't of cost much more then a few thousand dollars, but not totally clueless I did work at Bergdorf... My Birkin Bag aspiration was solely based on the environment that I worked in, in contrast to the world I really lived in- outer borough, skinny jeans, ironic tee shirts and taking home a "retail paycheck".  So I decided that by the time I turned 30 everything should have fallen into place. 

By the time I turned 30, I was married, but not to the Cheesy fiance- I have a 3 year old son, who I love dearly and incidentally costs far more than a real Birkin to send to Pre-School.

Then- I stumbled upon THURSDAY FRIDAYS "Together Bag" in the New York Times- SEE BELOW. The Birkin Bag for the rest of us.

Okay it isn't THE Birkin but it is MY Birkin- The Together Bag is a POP Arty version of my favorite classic. Naturally my outer borough-self jumped on the canvas Tote- Totally smothering my Madison Avenue alter ego.  Hey a real Birkin doesn't cut it for a shift at the food co-op, canvas is King in the current eco-atmosphere. I just wish I could have the real thing in my closet…some day. 

Meanwhile back to the hosiery - Today's Hold Ups are from Calzedonia, part of the GIGANTIC haul Nathan brought me home a few weeks ago. I have to resist everyday not to call Carmen at the Calzedonia Shop in London, and have her send me a pair that I am missing from the Spring 2011 catalog. The Hold-Ups are black with a small brown dots! They compliment the texture in my skirt perfectly and totally work with my new bag!