The year was 2006. Pluto was downgraded from planet status to dwarf-planet, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton got into a *very* public catfight, and I was still an over-grown toddler running around, possibly without pants.
It was also the year Janet Jackson was found with a shining gold Louis Vuitton Voyager Alma – stunning onlookers and tabloid-readers alike with the luminous intensity of her purse and her smile. In the span of just a few days, “it” celebrity-and-personal-assistant-turned-friends-and-later-frenemies duo, Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian were found together with gold and silver iterations of the renowned bag, sending the brand’s monogram Miroir line flying off the shelves, and fans in a frenzy to pair the hot purses with the season’s newest velour tracksuits.
Thankfully, we’ve moved forward from those times, and even though monograms and 90s/00s silhouettes are all the rage, that level of maximalism is rarely ever seen nowadays. but one (that one being me) can’t help but think, what could possibly be the appeal of carrying a shiny metallic purse?
This question possibly hits at the root of the whole why-buy-luxury argument: as purse-lovers, how often really do we find a bag that can take us everywhere? If we’re being sincere, probably not as often as we’d like. maybe hauling that tote with its truckload of “just in case” miscellany does get a bit too comfortable at times. but if you’re anything like me, you balk at the idea of having to sort and clean. It’s just so much simpler to get your purse and phone for running smaller errands.
Of course, the classic Chanel Jumbo Flap or the lady Dior is stylish and timeless and gives us a pretty good idea of how versatile a designer handbag ought to be. but is it still a great match with that sequined skirt you’ve planned for new Year’s Eve? Osannolik. On the other hand, as much as we’d all love to be Carrie Bradshaws, your dreamily whimsical sequin Baguette isn’t exactly workplace material either.
Dior small lucky Badges My lady Dior
via Fashionphile
$3,305
It’s clear, therefore, that the “one bag fits all” mantra we’ve been trying to achieve has remained pretty elusive thus far. and this brings with it the ramification that we might not be getting as much cost-per-wear as we would choose from our expensive purchases. There are situations where even a Birkin or a Kelly could seem out-of-place, and when the holy Trinity of handbags fail to offer the maximum cost-per-wear, the situation seems bleak indeed.
Bottega Veneta metallic Bark Calfskin embossed The Pouch
via Fashionphile
$1,990
And this is the point where taking a few tips from the Kardashians couldn’t hurt. I mean, look at the lady’s style evolution – we were bound to start following at some point, right? but not too much, though; just the concept of a metallic purse would suffice. much more specifically, a metallic purse in a versatile shade that’ll take you from day to night without the typical hesitations you might have when carrying your work bag to the pleased hour. and the best part is that the metallics of today aren’t limited to shiny space Odyssey-style ones that doubled as your make-up mirror. In fact, there are plenty of low-key and versatile options starting from bronze, copper, and pewter to the much more dynamic reds, hot pinks, or turquoises. but as you might guess, gold and silver remain fan-favorites, and in various shades too, ranging from bright gold to pale gold, champagne, rose gold, antique gold, and more. and the best part about a metallic purse is that it shines (literally!) without making you seem like a walking billboard. So you can rock it equally well with a tux or a cocktail dress!
Another advantage metallics confer is that they’re available in hordes of different materials, from nylon, fabric, and PVC to pebbled and patent leathers – depending on your convenience, affordability, and preferences. So, while some might argue that shiny purses don’t offer the luxe leathery feel that a much more “classic” handbag would provide, think again….while browsing this small lambskin Balenciaga in gold!
Balenciaga metallic Agneau classic Hardware small City
via Fashionphile
$825
But I’ll admit, I was a skeptic towards metallics myself. maybe it was the preconceived notion that it would be too bling, or the fact that it didn’t feel as timeless or versatile as my trusty saddle PS1 (although, possibly ironically, PS is known for making some of the best metallics of the present day!), that put up an unnoticeable barrier in my mind against considering shiny bags in the first place.
However, one fine day, while on a routine scroll across various resellers, I came across a Burberry medium Rucksack in a metallic silver satin-like finish on Depop. purchased from a sample sale, it was entirely new, with the house’s dust bag and tags, save for just one defect – its buckle seems to have been attached wrong somehow, so the flaP -stängning fungerade inte, och dragskan inuti var dess enda säkra mekanism.
Nu, även om det prissattes mycket (och jag antyder mycket) lurativt, hoppade jag inte direkt på det av många skäl. För det första antydde den snedställda stängningsmekanismen att den inte skulle vara så funktionell som linjen vanligtvis är populär för. För det andra kunde jag inte returnera det om saker och ting söderut – du kanske kommer ihåg den komplexa och långa logistiken för att skicka något till mitt land. Så när jag skulle ha fått det skulle jag vara mycket mer benägna att glömma att jag till och med hade köpt det. Det var också den medelstora storleken, dvs inte tillräckligt stor för att dra en bärbar dator. Men många viktigare, det var ett otvetydigt glänsande silver – en relativt svår piller att svälja om allt du har ägt är solbrun och är på jakt efter svart.
Men jag gjorde lite (läst: mycket) forskning, både för för- och nackdelar med metallik såväl som i själva Burberry -ryggsäcken (kom ihåg att jag fangirlade om stilen för en liten stund sedan? Ja, jag skulle bara komma över det då), och kontaktade till och med några vänner om drastiskt reparationsarbete krävdes – och kände slutligen tillräckligt säker för att fortsätta med köpet.
Quiltningen är gudomlig!
Spola framåt en månad eller så, och när det äntligen kom till min dörr, blev jag direkt slagen. Det satinliknande tyget verkade mycket mycket mer luxe än den typiska nylon, men motståndskraftiga ändå (tror jag), quiltningen på baksidan, silverkedjan-allt var vackert och perfekt. Men något verkade av med bilagan – uppenbarligen visste jag vad jag fick in – men det var inte det. En av spännen klipptes på tryckknapparna på fel sätt … och inuti den zippade fickan var det det andra spännet! I ett snabbt (och andfådt febert) ögonblick, båda spännen fästade perfekt på plats och ryggsäcken var klar, det också vid 1/400: e av sitt pris!
Min skönhet!
Så det var så jag blev förtjust i metall. Betyder det att jag inte älskar det klassiska svarta och brunt längre? Självklart inte; Min uppskattning för dem (särskilt den svarta SDJ I Covet) förblir odödlig. Men denna okonventionella metalliska ryggsäck av mig känns precis som hur Vogue UK -korrespondent Roberta Lister beskriver, ”Det är också viktigt att överväga det skyddande tilltalet av ett jolt av silver. En spegel-glansväska kan känna sig som en blixt av rustning och driva dig genom dagen-något som nu, i synnerhet, känns helt tilltalande. ”
Så, nöjd nytt år! Må metallikens kraft vara med dig!