My Little Black Book of Style: THE ONE HUNDRED

02 September 2010

THE ONE HUNDRED - I

(Continued)

Nina's One Hundred - I

I

40. Investment Bag
Still saving up for these.

Nina: This is the bag that you can spend a few weeks' salary on and not feel guilty. It is going to last you a lifetime, will never go out of style, and will only get better with age.

The Chanel 2.55
Coco Chanel's iconic bag was launched in February of 1955, hence the moniker, 2.55. Each feature of the bag -- from the lining to the shoulder strap -- reveals a bit about Mme Chanel. The brown lining is the color of the uniform from the convent where she grew up. The inside zippered compartment on the front flap is where she hid her love letters. The back outside flap is where she stashed extra money. The shoulder straps, which were quite uncommon on luxury items at the time, are there because Mme Chanel saw nothing unfeminine about having her hands free.

[Photo: moggybelle.wordpress.com]

LV Speedy
The Louis Vuitton Speedy has been around since 1933 and remains LV's most iconic bag. It is often referred to as the doctor's bag for its resemblance to an old doctor's bag. The classic version has the interlocking LV monogram, but it can also be found in plain leather or with a checkerboard pattern. It is available in three sizes: the Speedy 25 (10" x 7"), the Speedy 30 (12" x 8"), the Speedy 35 (14" x 9"). The Speedy 30 is by far the most popular.

[Photo: starstyleinc.com]

The Jackie O
It was Jackie O who made the hobo bag famous, as she carried the double strapped version everywhere. Women flooded the Gucci stores and badgered the salesclerks for "the bag that Jackie O always wears," which prompted the company to dub the bag the "Jackie O."

[Photo: sharonrosepixie.blogspot.com]

The Birkin
During a 1981 airplane flight, Jane Birkin's over-stuffed purse spilled out into the vicinity of Jean-Louis Dumas-Hermes, which gave Mr. Dumas-Hermes an idea. Three years later, Hermes introduced a bag that was based on an 1892 design. It was large and meant to accommodate Jane Birkin's modern lifestyle.