What's In My Bag ???

...would love to know myself!

My bag is like the black hole, once something goes in it doesn’t come out. The worst thing you can do is ask me for a pen or my business card, I know it’s there somewhere, but where? Is the question, so when my bf (blog friend) Sisi Yemmie asked me to show and tell I was rather reluctant.

 
You see apart from the potential for embarrassment, there was also the moral dilemma; should I cheat and show myself as I am, err…in my mind? Or should I just come clean and show myself as I am? 

Then there was the matter of the bag, which bag would I choose? I mean every fashion forward girl possesses several bags. Surely they couldn’t have meant the tie-dye bag (even though it was Issey Myake) I hurriedly grabbed on my way to the hairdressers in the morning? I mean is this bag really me? Having determined that it wasn’t reeaally me I decided to showcase my chocolate brown Hermes bag on the right here...

...I know what you’re thinking, I thought the same thing too when I opened the huge orange box in excited anticipation …"Oh!" I thought rather disappointedly while still trying to freeze-hold a smile of ecstatic pleasure, "It doesn’t look like a Hermes bag"…and this was my birthday present??? Grrr!

When Doc (my husband) finally told me the price, I could barely utter the words "it’s lovely!"…all I could think about was the price, I mean; not even a logo in sight - at that price??? What’s the point??? jeeez!!! Who does that?? My husband of course! He’s so understated it hurts. His reply to the very obvious question "What’s the point of having a Hermes bag if nobody knows it’s a Hermes bag?" was, “Those who know will know!” Are you convinced? Nah! Neither was I so I have taken the liberty of ‘snapping’ the gold embossed logo detail which was tucked discreetly, (rather too discreetly if you ask me), inside the inner flap above the pocket zip, for your reassurance.

 

My motto is; Why Leave anything to the imagination when a little logo can help?

So what's inside my bag?

1. My Priority Pass - Top right hand poking out of the pocket.. Can't believe I've found it. Been looking for it everywhere. It was a gift given to me from Skye bank or so I thought, until I received a debit charge on my account for 'Priority pass use" funnily enough just a few days ago. Can you imagine my indignation? Priority Pass gives you free access to VIP lounges all over the world. Not very useful to me anyway since I am a BA Executive Club Gold Card holder. it is useful when flying in Nigeria however. I have had it for about two years but have hardly ever used it though, mainly because I can never find it when I need it!

2. Iphone - To the left encased in red. This icon of style (along with the ipod) was probably one of the first pieces of technology I really desired. I'm not really a phone fan, you know, I'm of the school of thought that if it works then its Ok for me, but the iphone changed all that. It was marketed almost as a fashion accessory and everywhere you looked you saw hip stylish people accessorizing...or so it seemed. My iphone is the phone I use when I'm abroad. Why is it still in my bag? Really don't know, but so glad I now know where it is. Shall promptly transfer it to my traveling bag.

3. Blackberry Bold - Leaning on the iphone. I got this phone because everywhere you went, airports, trains, waiting rooms, offices, you would see people with their heads bent eyes glued to their bb screens scrolling ...for hours on end.! You would start a conversation with someone and it would kinda quickly peter out and the next thing you see them scrolling...I used to wonder what were they looking at? Isn't it just email?. I've had phones that have email accessibility before and they weren't that interesting. I didn't realize that everything was so handily and addictively arranged till I got one. Of course there was also the bb factor... people would say OK let's talk later I'll bb you whats your pin number? when you told them you didn't have a blackberry you could see your cool factor drop immediately, or so my children tell me... Anyway they fought a long hard campaign to get one themselves and when we finally did I must say it was one of the best tech buys we ever made. It is the first time a piece of technology hasn't lost its lustre within a month (that's about the length of sustainable interest in our house). I love it! - Before this phone, to me a phone is a phone is a phone. But this phone opened my eyes. Its so useful and user friendly...Not too pretty to look at, but it does everything you want it to do without any fuss. Its rugged, sturdy and honest just like the Canadians who invented it.

4. Car Key - Nestled to the right of my bb is my car key...no need to strain your eyes, yes it is a Mercedes car key!, I shan't tell you what model, I've given you the logo, shall leave the rest to your imagination.

5. Random Papers - Don't know what these are still doing in my bag! A motley collection of unwanted business cards, a letter containing password for ATM use, long since stale and faded, a British Airways inflight purchase receipt, an O2 telephone bill, an old Virgin Nigeria itinerary/ receipt for Abuja, allergy tablets for when I can't just say no, which judging by the empty spaces looks like more times than I care to admit), passport photographs in their red paper jacket (just in case),.....

6. Mont Blanc Pen - My pride and joy, which I can never seem to lay my hands on when I need it most (ahem, to impress!). The barrel is made out of Malachite while the cap is gold.. This is what they call a ladies pen, small, sleek and sophisticated and guaranteed to impress! which is exactly why I resurrected it from the back of a long forgotten drawer. (I had it for some time but never really used it). I was at a meeting in South Africa some time ago, ( the only woman in a group of 5 men) and I noticed a strange ritual that preceded the official commencement of the meeting. As each person sat down they reached into their jacket pockets and brought out their phone (blackberry) and their pen (Mont blanc) and laid them down on the table infront of them like gunslingers getting ready for a shoot out. All I could produce was an HTC phone (not too shabby I might add, but still not a blackberry) and a Bic biro! my immediate thought was,  I really need to upgrade (hence the retrieval of the Mont Blanc pen and another reason for the purchase of the blackberry I mentioned earlier). I tried for a while to make sure I had the pen with me at all times, believe me, I tried sooo hard to be a cool Mont Blanc kind of girl but if you look closely you may be able to see that the gold on the pen has tarnished somewhat from lack of use, which forced me to ultimately come to terms with the fact that really I'm a Bic biro kinda gal!. The Mont Blanc pen can be seen to the right of the papers

7. Chanel Sunglasses - Need I say more? You know how it is...you have about 20 pairs of sunglasses but only 1 really suits you. Well this is it!

8. Red Suede Pencil Case - I bought this in a paper shop on the Kings road which for the life of me I can't remember the name. It was either a Swedish or Japanese name (if you know, please put me out of my misery and let me know). It was one of those trendy shops which you could buy all things to do with paper or associated with paper in matching colours. That was in the days when it was cool to have all your desk accessories matching. Anyway I was in a red phase then so I bought this red suede pencil case and converted it into a make-up holder and it has worked out just fine. It carries all my make-up essentials, (eye pencil, mascara, lip liner and lip gloss) and it fits into even the tiniest of bags.

9. Gorgeous Notebook - This was a Christmas present from my daughter Tiffany, I use it to jot down random thoughts. I love note books and have had several over the years. I'm truly of the opinion that the prettier your notebook the better your thoughts. This notebook with its silver and gold embossed design is particularly pleasing. Love it! Love it!! Love it!!!

10. That brown mass on the right hand side of the picture? - Well that's my intelligent bag (yes; I’ll have you know that I had thought of the idea waaay before the vinyl trademarked version you've been seeing around lately). Everything I've displayed including the beautiful red Hermes scarf fits into this soft brown cotton bag first, then I pop the brown cotton bag into any bag I happen to want to use. I came up with the idea about 15 years ago when I found that I kept forgetting essentials every time I changed bags. It is probably also the reason why I can never find anything, 'cos you also tend to accumulate stuff. But one thing I do know; is that if you rummage deep down long enough, you’re bound to find what you're looking for...it's always there somewhere!

You may be wondering where my purse is? It's actually further to the right just out of view, having been  edited out of the picture for being too old and tatty, by my style conscious daughter Tomisin, who on seeing it immediately removed it saying "Ah! ah! Mama, do you want to disgrace us!"

If you love to buy bags, talk about bags, or just drool over bags...follow this blog and watch this space!

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