Issue 0: Early Hours
HANDBAGS AT DAWN // If you like me and/or you've ever owned a bag, this is *the* newsletter for you.
Oh, well. It only took 28 years of pondering and questioning my existence, but here we are.
Beyond the weeks this inaugural edition spent in draft mode, this newsletter has been a long time in the making as I tried to figure out a format and concept that will allow me to share my thoughts without having to get someone else’s approval. It’s important though to mention that the initial idea for Handbags at Dawn was born out of a commission by the lovely Emma Davidson, Dazed Digital's Fashion Features Director. Back in 2020, she asked me to write about the ever-evolving narrative of men wearing bags as seen through my lens of hoarding purses. I would consider that story, which is still live on Dazed, a prequel to this chapter and therefore urge you to go and have a read before continuing here. Go on, I’ll wait.
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Okay, glad you’re back – wasn’t that a great pun in the fourth paragraph? Just kidding, I have no idea what the fourth paragraph of the story says and there’s no such thing as a great pun. But what I do know is that this Dazed feature provided me with one of the most fulfilling work experiences – probably because it felt like I was writing for myself and no one else. Now, most people would say that’s just bad journalism, but I’d argue it’s the best kind of journalism. The kind of writing that cures its writer’s trauma first, and then possibly opens the eyes of others second.
So after enjoying that adventure so much, I started thinking about ways to evolve the story of me and my cupboard full of bags into something with a bit more longevity. I initially pitched it as an indie dramedy to A24, before meeting BBC about a potential six-part miniseries starring Jamie Dornan as me. After neither pulled through (I blame the budget cuts), the idea of a newsletter came about.
So, let’s break things down and answer some FAQs before we delve any deeper.
Why the name – ‘Handbags at Dawn’?
I first heard this expression a couple of years ago. I had been arguing with my boyfriend over something pointless (probably about whether Irn Bru tastes like bubblegum or no – he still insists not) and one of his friends jokingly jumped in to say: ‘you two are like handbags at dawn.’ Though I didn’t know what it meant, I loved the sound of it because it felt very Northern and camp while also including the word handbag (duh).
After some light googling, I instantly claimed it as my favourite phrase ever which I will copyright as my own one day; kinda like how Taylor Swift trademarked the words ‘lover’, ‘folklore’ and ‘1989’ (yes, the year). ‘Handbags at dawn’ is pretty much a sexist/homophobic way to describe ‘a confrontation or disagreement that is highly aggressive, emotionally expressive, or dramatic, but which does not end or result in violence.’ Another online definition explains it as ‘a catty squabble; looking threatening but not really doing any damage.’ Urban Dictionary says it ‘derives from the more traditional "pistols at dawn", but with the selection of weapon implying that the participants are of the weaker sex. Works especially well if they're actually male.’ Gotta love UD for keeping it real and rude.
But as a gay (hi, gay!), I feel really powerful reclaiming this expression and use it to describe my aggressive-yet-harmless words about bags. There’s also a potential Margaret Thatcher reference in there, but let’s ignore this for now and perhaps tackle it in one of the future editions of the letter.
Okay great story bro, but what can I expect from this newsletter?
You can expect me talking about bags in various contexts, while interlacing some personal stories from past/present/future. This could include a very emotional story of a vintage sequinned Fendi Mamma Baguette which I’ve had in my ‘watch list’ on Vestiaire for over two years. It could also be something slightly more high-brow and related to the politics of certain bags and their wearers. What about brides wearing bags and is there such a thing as the perfect wedding bag? You really don’t have to be a bag maniac like myself to enjoy the contents here – it will be as varied as possible while always going back to the joy of purse-carrying.
But why the f*ck should I care if all you’ll be talking about is yourself?
Wow, that’s a bit rude. So, while Handbags at Dawn will very much be written from my personal perspective, I will be looking at bags and their presence in film, TV, my life and society at large. Maybe I’m already working on a story which will coincide with the season finale of a really really really important show that’s currently streaming after a long absence. And it doesn’t matter if you own one bag or 101 – these objects carry meaning, stories and stuff within them that tell a lot about their owners.
Each edition will have some regular features which will probably (definitely) change as time goes by. For now, I will spotlight my favourite bag of the moment – either from a wishlist or my cupboard – and try to uncover what people I find interesting are carrying in their purses.
Please don’t tell me you’ll be swamping my inbox with loads of shite all the time?
I promise I won’t! Handbags at Dawn will be landing into your inbox every other Thursday around lunchtime (London time), just in time to accompany your classic soup-and-a-sarnie combo with some light reading. Why Thursdays? Well, because they’re the new Fridays.
Aaaand why should I subscribe?
I mean if you’re still reading this, it means you either enjoy reading my crap or you’re trying to find a spelling error or proof of bad grammar (plenty of both throughout I’m sure). Either way, please stay and join the ride – it’s gonna be fun!
Handbags at Dawn is a fortnightly newsletter which will arrive into your inbox every other Thursday, starting with February 3rd. In the mean time, go follow @h4ndbagsatdawn (f*ck whoever has the handle without the 4) where I’m sharing some colourful bag-related content.
See ya… x Dino