Bag Lady: Pull & Bear

I'm in the mood for something bright, happy and affordable to cheer me up. So this weekend, I'll probably go pick up this Pull & Bear bag. Always have a thing for transparent bags but my bag has so much junk that it's always very messy. Watch me buy this bag then put it in the closet on hold until I get another cloth bag that I feel is suitable to showcase to the public.

Available for Pull & Bear from their Pre-Spring Collection.

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Bag Lady: Salvatore Ferragamo

Dear Alexander Wang,

You know you've made it when brands like Salvatore Ferragamo launches bags that are clearly inspired by you. But then again, we've always known you were a genius.

Love hkFashionGeek

What do you think folks, did you have the same reaction as me when you saw this Ferragamo Britta tote?

Available at Ferragamo for HK19500.

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Bag Lady: Burberry Chrome Yellow Textured Bridle Canvas Check Tote

I'm quite digging the Burberry Chrome Yellow Textured Bridle Canvas Check Tote. When I first saw it, I had my reservations but as I look closer into the details, I find myself admiring the subtle details of the iconic plaid, buckles etc. My only concern is that the bag might be quite heavy and being the type of girl who seems to have an inordinate about of things in her handbag, this might be the bag's only downfall. Priced at HK$17,500

Burberry
Shop G5, G/F & Shop 101A, 1/F, Alexandra House, 16 - 20 Chater Road, Hong Kong
+852 2868 3511

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Bag Lady: Loewe Year of the Dragon Amazona

I'm kinda torn between loving the early arrival of CNY this year and giving me some time off next week and hating that because Chinese New Year is next week, we won't have any public holidays in Feb and March. Also, the fact that it's only been a few weeks since Christmas is making me all sorts of behind in preparing for CNY. Case in point, my Christmas decorations are still up as the poinsettia is still thriving and I can't justify throwing a living plant away just coz CNY is coming up. Anyway, before I keep rambling on, the whole point of this Bag Lady is to show you the gorgeous Loewe Limited Edition Amazona created for the Year of the Dragon. The signature padlock has been issued in the shape of the dragon and is the perfect shade of red, not too flashy or gaudy. With CNY being the time to wear new clothes and what not, isn't this the perfect excuse to shop?

The Amazona Handbag retails at HKD21,850, the Amazona 28 at HKD17,900 and wallet is at HKD8,850.

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Of Chains and Bags

While the Chanel Interlaced Chain Bracelet is essentially just the chain from their Classic Flap bag, I kinda want it. Maybe the bracelet will appease the craving I have for a new Chanel bag but being the poor Geek I am, I can’t afford it and so if I loop this chain bracelet around my arms, I can convince myself I have the bag? Of course, knowing me, this will only add fuel to the fire and I end up spending close to ten grand for the set of three and long for the bag even more. Maybe I should suck it up and just buy the bag.

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Bag Lady: Balenciaga Padlock Shoulder

I've always been a fan of the motorcycle bag from Balenciaga but had wondered if they were just leaning too much on a good product and coming up with various colours instead of trying something different. Lo and behold I was proven wrong when I took a cruise to their website and discovered the Padlock Shoulder, a stripped down, minimalistic bag.

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Goodbye and PS...

Someone messaged me earlier this week to ask advice on which colour of PS1 she should get. Man. This of course immediately sent me on a wild goose chase through cyberspace looking for every colour the PS1 comes in, which THEN alerted me to the new and very tempting availability of the PS1 TOTE. My, my. This is almost the exactly size and strap placement of my favourite Miu Miu bag, which I carried so much it faded from the original awesome pink colour to a dusty, funky greyish purple, without me ever noticing until I stood next to a girl holding a bag in the same "colour" that, when viewed adjacent to mine, wasn't even on the same page of the Pantone guide. I need to take it to one of those bag-cleaning places. Until then, I'm totally sold on the versatility of this, as if the OG PS1 wasn't adaptable enough. It also gives me an excuse to get a another colour of the PS1 without getting the exact same design. That navy seems really rich and easy to match, but you can never go wrong with brown suede either. Though it's the yellow that's very much calling my name. But, um, can it be a bit cheaper please?

On another note, I ways thought the top-row PS1 Keep-all was a bit too mumsy, diaper-bag-y, dorky... but while none of the colourways previous to this season ever enticed me, the print and two-tone incarnations make it much cooler.

This is my last post till next year, by the way, which is why I thought it should end on a good note. And everybody loves a little PS1 I LOVE YOU action! Click on for links to buy, and enjoy yourselves until next year!

Proenza Schouler travel handbag, €836

Proenza Schouler flap handbag, $1,110

Proenza Schouler foldover tote, $1,995

Proenza Schouler python handbag, $4,250

Proenza Schouler foldover tote, $1,995

Proenza Schouler foldover tote, $1,995

Proenza Schouler leather tote handbag, $1,995

Proenza Schouler top handle handbag, $1,995

Proenza Schouler top handle handbag, $1,995

Proenza Schouler leather tote bag, $1,250

Proenza Schouler leather handbag, €1.535

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Bag Lady: Alexander Wang Kirsten buckled suede clutch

I was lusting after the Kirsten when it first came out and obviously Mr Wang knows since he decided to come up with a baby version to accompany the mama. What do you think of the Kirsten buckled suede clutch, can it compare to the original?

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Bag Lady: Jeremy Scott for Longchamp

The weather is getting colder and gloomier and I find myself grumpier and grumpier. To top it off, it seems that Jeremy Scott knows that I'm cranky and is taunting me with his latest collaboration with Longchamp. It's a postcard design of his dream destination and touts the land of sunshine. Check out the stamp on the 'postcard'.
Available at Longchamp stores from January 2012. Retail price at HK$2,380

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Bag Lady: Tory Burch 797 Suede Messenger Bag

This bag is like a hybrid of bags that I like from the Alexa to PS1 with the mixture of suede and leather thrown in. You'd think it'd go all wrong but for some reason, it works and is perfect for this gloomy weather.

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Bag Lady: Alexander McQueen Cathedral Skull Brass Box Clutch

It's no secret that I'm a fan of Alexander McQueen's clutches. I think it just MIGHT be the most frequent Bag Lady item in Hong Kong Fashion Geek's history. Yet I can't help myself. I keep seeing iterations that I fall in love with and the Cathedral Skull brass box clutch has me drooling. I don't just want to use it as a clutch, I want to display it in my living room and worship it (no pun intended). Ok, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration but you get the idea.

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Bag Lady: Helmut Lang

Loving this Helmut Lang Terrain leather and metal shoulder bag

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Bag Lady: Charlotte Olympia Pandora Feather Clutch

I am in love. I've been wanting a lucite clutch for ages yet been a bit wishy washy in buying one but when I stumbled upon the Charlotte Olympia Pandora Feather Clutch, my heart skipped a lil beat. At US$995, it's definitely not cheap but just look at how pretty it is! Methinks it's time to do some DIY. Now to find a relatively cheap one to try it out.

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Oh Mursey, Mursey Me

We're thrilled to welcome hkManStyleGeek on board as our guy blogger. Keen of eye and loud of mouth, hkManStyleGeek tells you what to look out for on the streets. It ain’t always pretty.

I’m sure I read on a tumblr somewhere that our brain has a creative side and practical side. I know mine is split into two. One side is made of pure logic. It’s the smart side that knows directions should be given to people using terms like “North-South-East-West” and not “Come out and go up the street for 10 minutes and you’ll know.” The second side contradicts the first and is called the “look-cool-no-matter-what” side. It’s self-explanatory.

The pure logic side of me likes to think that when bags were invented the reason was simple – “I have lots of shit to carry. I need a vessel.” But lately I see guys on the streets of Hong Kong breaking their backs (more like hands and shoulders, actually) with “murses” and my mind is a complete mess – what is the purpose of a murse?

My smart side tells me that murses are supposed to be practical and used by guys to carry lots of stuff. But a few things confuse me… like the size in proportion to the carrier. I’ve seen fairly hefty guys carrying little murses. What's the point in that? And some guys carry murses clutched in their hands without any handles, straps or velcro – what if they need to bust some people up or run really fast??

But then my “look-cool-no-matter-what” side says, “It’s gonna be ok – remember when you carried that 25L ruck-sack stuffed with pillows and assorted nuts in the bleeding hot summer to really push your Heritage-inspired look…?” Yeah, that look was pretty fucking cool, wasn’t it?

image: http://thesatchelpages.com/

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Bag It

You all know about my obsession with bags. I’m forever on the prowl for a cute bag that isn’t heavy as I lean towards larger bags with all kinds of stuff to throw in. So when Doorstep Luxury approached me about test driving their new line that just arrived called Leghlia, I leapt at the chance. Leghlia is an Italian brand that does neoprene bags. Yes, that material that scuba suits are made out of. I got my hands on the lovely B-Bag, obviously paying homage to the Birkin, over the weekend and it was awesome. The bag looks great and while lightweight, is sturdy enough that the shape doesn’t get all wonky. After taking the bag out for a spin and receiving some lovely compliments to go along with it, I’m sold. It’s much better than my Tata Baby, is waterproof (I’m looking at you paper Birkin, even though your tag says you’re washable, I’m doubtful) AND comes in all sorts of fun colours (pink, purple, taupe, turquoise, white, black, yellow, and blue.) Best part is, if you order it on Doorstep Luxury, you don’t have to pay for shipping as all orders over S$300 have free international shipping AND the delivery comes in a pretty gift box complete with bow. Like last time, I received my shipment within three days of ordering. Awesome right?

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Bag Lady: Jason Wu Constance leather clutch

Simple and beautiful. Just what you'd expect from Mr Wu.

Get the Jason Wu Constance leather clutch
from Net-a-Porter

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Clutched

I was recently introduced to Azyra and while I’m not normally a clutch girl, there’s something about their clutches that made me take a second look. Founded by two sisters, Sabrina and Kyra, Azyra is a brand that handcrafts its clutches using Italian leathers, exotic skins and Swarovski crystals. I was particularly taken by the clutch above. Love love love the bag strap which in itself is a lovely accessory. Best part is that the strap can be detached to become a cuff in its own right. While taking a quick peek on their site, it looks like the sisters are branching out to jewellery and I’m keen to see what they will be coming out with. See more bags after the cut, check them out in person at Harvey Nichols Hong Kong or online at www.azyracouture.com or http://www.doorstepluxury.com/azyra/

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Bag Lady 101- Part 1

Regular readers of Hong Kong Fashion Geek will know that we have two weekly columns that appear come rain or shine, the Bag Lady and Shoerotica; FashionGeek and ShoeGeek’s respective obsessions. Now we must declare that both of us are equal opportunity purveyors of fashion but there is something about bags for me and shoes for ShoeGeek that makes us go squee. My biggest regret is not having started investing in quality classic bags at a young age and instead spending a few thousand here or there in buying imitations that mimic the classics. When you add up all the bags I’ve bought and thrown away after a few seasons, it becomes evident that classics may just be the way to go. After all, my pride and joy now is the vintage Chanel 2.55 that I’ve ‘rescued’ from my mom’s closet and it’s about 20 years old. So behold five bags that every fashionista should know about. Be sure to stay tuned for a continuation of this segment as I’m finding that there are definitely more than five that I want to talk about!

Chanel 2.55
The Chanel 2.55 is one of the few bags that retain its value, kind of like the Rolex of bags. I’ve only seen the price increase and the resell value of a Chanel 2.55 in good condition is high. Much like other classic bags, this one is versatile enough to work as an evening bag with a gown or a casual day time bag slung over your t-shirt paired with jeans.

Louis Vuitton Speedy
With over 70 years in history and going strong, the LV Speedy is relatively inexpensive compared to other luxury bags. The beauty of a Speedy is that it’s quite lightweight and is able to hold a lot of stuff inside. It’s the perfect bag for traveling as the bag folds flat so perfect if you need something classy yet you don’t want to lug around extra space taking bags.

Hermes Birkin/Kelly
Perhaps the most famous bag of all, Hermes’ Birkins and Kellys are renowned for the exquisite craftsmanship and the uber long waiting list for those who can afford them.

Balenciaga Motorcycle
Incredibly soft lambskin leather combined with an edgy city girl style in just about any colour imaginable, what’s not to love? The beauty of this bag is that you don’t have to be uber delicate with it. The leather only gets softer as you use the bag.

Tod’s D Bag
As mentioned previously, the D-Bag is a luscious leather tote that's painstakingly made, and resembles a slouchy version of the Loewe Amazona, or a less logo-conscious YSL Easy. Definitely on our coveted list.

Images Net-a-Porter, from various brands and our own

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Bag Lady: Kate Spade New York 'Bixby' Frame Clutch

This week's Bag Lady comes courtesy of @lapetitcreme who says she used to pooh pooh Kate Spade but she is strangely attracted to this bag and asked for my opinion. And when I saw it, I fell in love. So now I've got to share it with you. Apparently it's sold out in Hong Kong but can be purchased online from Nordstrom

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Tote-ally Easy DIY

Back in April when e_ting organized a Threadless meet up, I eagerly raised my hands to join in. Little did we know that our night of doodling designs and crazy Asian poses competition will win us the meetup challenge and entice the Threadless founder and crew to fly over from Chicago to meet us last week. If only it were on a Friday so we didn’t have to worry about going to work the next day! Everyone who was there pretty much got free swag but my favourite part of the evening was the repurpose your old Threadless t-shirt table where there were instructions on how to make your tee into a skirt, scarf and tote bag WITHOUT THE NEED TO SEW. Yes I felt the need to highlight the non-sewing aspect as that is always something that I have difficulty with.

I immediately set out to make the tote bag and it was unbelievably easy, so much so that I’m going to walk you through the steps below. Thanks to Connvoyage for the photos of me hard at work and our beginning shot!

What you will need, a guy's t-shirt.

And a pair of scissors. That's all.

Lay your tee flat. Remove the sleeves including the sleeve seams and cut a square neck along the collar (front and back) to form the straps of the bag.

Cut one inch wide strips about five inches into the shirt. Remember to cut up each side seam to create end strips.

Double knot each corresponding front strip to the matching strip on the back and continue until all are tied.

And that's it. Easiest DIY ever!

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