An Absolute Steal

Ah, the iconic Hermès Birkin bag.  Women everywhere lust after this potentially financially disastrous (unattainable fo rmost of us) piece of fashion history.  But why?  What is it about this bag that evokes such a visceral response?  For me, it's the structure of it.  It's so buttoned up.  Honestly, that is what I love about it, which makes me scratch my head every time I see one that is unbuckled.

I don't know whether it's just plain laziness, or a devil-may-care attitude (I'm lucky enough to be able to afford this bag, therefore I can't be bothered to keep it buckled) or if it's really not supposed to be latched--you know, like a trench coat belt.  Since I am the kind of person who likes things to be neat and orderly, if I owned this bag (and I am NOT holding my breath), I would drive everyone nuts waiting for me to button it up every time I needed to open it.  Yes, I am that person who stands in front of you in stores holding up the line to neatly fold my receipt and place it in my wallet.  I would apologize, but I'm not sorry.  Neatness counts.

See how Princess Grace looks?  No sloppy buckle for her, no sir.

Hermès has another bag that has Birkin level utility, if not intense snob appeal that solves the buckle issue by not having one.  Enter the Garden Party:

Perfect, isn't it?  Well, maybe all except the price tag, which is still in the stratusphere.  If you were a very good girl and saved all your nickels and dimes, this little gem might be attainable with some well-calculated retail abstinence.  The good news is that you don't have to.  Why, you ask?  Because J McLaughlin has perfected it and it's on sale!

Enter the Mia tote.  The two bags are almost exactly identical (there are two side snaps on the Mia as well, you just can't see them.  LAM picked this up for me to carry to work (you know briefcase/purse/carry-on) bag that does everything.  HE actually fell in love with it and decided that I had to have it.  It is positively scrummy with the softest leather I have ever felt, nice little brass feet, a lovely brushed lining, organizer pockets inside and deceptive capacity (you could carry a small child in this bag, yet it doesn't feel huge).  I expect to use and enjoy mine for a very, very long time.

~ESM