Issue 21: This Too Shall Pass... I Hope!
HANDBAGS AT DAWN // What has this world come to if, once proudly impractical, yours truly is now wearing a pragmatic, utilitarian, black, men's bag. Like, ALL THE TIME.
Handbags at Dawn (@h4ndbagsatdawn) is (meant to be) a fortnightly newsletter that lands into your inbox every other Thursday. However, time is a construct so you’re getting it when you’re getting it. :)
It might be the fast-approaching end of 2022, but I’ve been thinking a lot about how I’ve changed over the past year. My hairline is continuing to become thinner, my attitude on life a bit more jaded. But the one thing that has really evolved in the right direction this year is my collection of bags. Though I continue to reject the idea of counting them all (according to this Dazed piece from July 2021 there was 112 of them – and that’s the last time I counted), I can acknowledge that the bag cupboard has now expanded into all different parts of the flat I share with my boyfriend. Bedroom, living room, kitchen, utility cupboard… THERE’S BAGS EVERYWHERE! Or so Ryan loves to remind me. As part of this evolution, I am extremely happy about all the wonderful acquisitions of the last 365 days. The JW Anderson bumper bag that continues to put a tear in my eye every time I look at it. My first Gucci Jackie. A useless, tiny Victorian chainmail bag I picked up in an antique centre in New Forest just last week. A mini satin bag circa Clueless I got for free in the middle of rural Scotland. The list could go on, but I don’t want to turn this into one of those yawn-inducing summaries your forgotten school friend insists on sharing via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram AND LinkedIn every December. However, there is one bag that came into my family this year that I never could have anticipated. And the way she took charge… it’s like White Lotus’ Tanya in that final scene on the boat. Introducing: a cross-body men’s bag.
I was first introduced to this concept at work. While on an intense, all-day shoot in Paris, I saw my good friend and colleague sashaying around with a hybrid of a fanny pack and a cross-body bag, made in a really shiny black satin fabric. It looked practical (ew, I hate this word), but also chic. While I bounced around with a neon yellow cycling bag, he looked very poised and calm. I guess he is a producer, which means that keeping everything together is a key part of his role. But I admired his whole attitude, including that roomy bag that could hold more than just a phone and a mini deodorant. In the moment, I admired him like I admire chic people wearing a white Jil Sander shirt without spilling the first dark liquid that comes around the corner. I admired him like I admire people who spend Christmas with their families without getting into a blazing argument. Could I be this person? Probably not, for so many reasons. But I decided to observe a bit further and inform myself on the subject. Where is it from? How much does it cost? Is the quality good? I was clearly entertaining the idea of becoming a person who would willingly own and wear a cross-body bag sold in the men’s department. In so many ways, this bag was against everything I believed in. But I guess we all change and evolve, and perhaps this bag could be part of my evolution?
Darling Laurence took the time between takes to explain all about Porter Yoshida, a specialist Japanese brand known for their utilitarian luggage that not only carries a multitude of purposes but also looks quite fabulous. Upon further snooping, I discovered the complete universe of Porter Yoshida, including a wide array of past collaborations that include brands like Comme des Garçons, Junya Watanabe and even Marni (my fave!). I was kinda shocked at not knowing about it already, before realising: I actively avoid places this bag is both mentioned or sold at. Despite the heritage feel, the brand has only been running for 12 years, and was both crafted and designed in Japan under the watchful eye of its founder Kichizo Yoshida. The price tag is… pretty hefty for such a simplistic, minimal design, but you do pay for the quality which is sort of unrivalled, especially if you trust niche Reddit discussions, which I always do.
But beyond the story of Porter Yoshida, what I couldn’t really grasp was the idea of whether I was the kind of person that cared about all of this. Though I’m not a proficient dress wearer, I never really trusted the idea of a “little black dress”. Neither did I ever get the concept of “favourite black pumps” or “your faithful black coat”. Those were just fashion legends with one all-important purpose – selling boring product to people who were scared of being fun. But were these people actually right? Is there something powerful about relying on a piece of clothing or accessories so much, so often? I always thought that relying too much on anything or anyone is just asking for disappointment. What if it breaks? What if you lose it? What if they leave you to become friends with someone else? Oh, wait… Suddenly, it made sense. This approach of constantly expanding my wardrobe far and wide was simply a reflection of all the broken friendships and attempted relationships from the past. As a result, impulsive shopping decisions were preventing me from making a strong connection with my soul mate of a purse. So like I did when I went on that second date with Ryan almost six years ago, I decided to jump the gun and buy a Porter Yoshida bag, in an effort to resolve all these bag-tachment issues. Though it’s apparently available in Japan in a large array of colours, you can only buy it in black, dark green or navy over here in Europe. Three clicks away and boom: I found the small black cross-body Tanker on offer. And if I love anything more than bright colours, it’s a good deal.
A week later, it came, packaged in a shiny nylon dust-bag, matching the orange lining of the bag. It felt luxe, grown-up and masculine, all the things I’m not. But for a moment, while trying it out over my pyjama, it felt good – like what I assume doing drag for the first time feels. A mask that offers satisfaction and fulfilment, despite the foreign feeling. I didn’t wear it for a few weeks after it came – simply because I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t ready to go out with a black cross-body men’s bag. This would mean accepting defeat and acknowledging the fact that everyone else was right – including my parents, who always loved to tell me “it’s just a phase”. I mean, they were right about calling my skin-tight stretchy jeans a phase, but sassy, purposeless bags? No way. Yet as soon as I did wear my Porter Yoshida Tanker for the first time, during a trip back home nonetheless, it all made sense. I couldn’t look back. It fit just the right amount of stuff, didn’t get dirty, and was appropriate for a hike, a trip to the cemetery and a night out. I loved it so much, I even bought a larger version of the same bag, but in a polkadot print, via eBay.
I still can’t figure out the science behind it, but I guess this is what people mean when they talk about personal growth. Acknowledging own faults and admitting others are wrong. As a true Aries, it doesn’t come naturally to me. But don’t worry, this doesn’t mean all the highly impractical, colourful bags are gone forever. In fact, I’ve only brought my silly puffed-up Marshall Columbia half moon to Yorkshire with me, purposely leaving the black cross-body behind in order to cure my utilitarian behaviour from the last couple of months. It’s just a phase, I say. It’s just a phase. xxx
*PEEK OF THE WEEK*
With my Porter Yoshida bag as the most masculine iteration of Handbags at Dawn yet, I think it’s important to provide an appropriate palette cleanser that will remind you of my usual taste. And who better to trust with this, but the Welsh queen of joy, pink and glitter: Naomi Pike (@naomialexandrapike). Naomi is a fashion and beauty writer whose every fabulous outfit carries a sense of classic femininity. And her bag collection is to match, always full of of bows, feathers and drama, just how I like it when I’m not pretending to be straight (lol). For this special occasion, she brought out the iconic bubblegum pink Gucci Jackie, from the AW20 relaunch of the classic 1960s bag.
What does the inside of your bag say about you?
Naomi: “On the contents front, obviously my phone is my bag’s most important inclusion but I’m using it to take the photograph here. The other things simply inflate my girl-on-the-go ideology or keep my epilepsy under control, with the Chanel keyring keeping things glam — and a little ridiculous — at all times. I think my bag tells the story of someone whose style is a heady mix of fun, but still quite prim and proper. I first fell in love with the Gucci Jackie the minute I saw the show pictures on Vogue Runway and was very swiftly interested in her. She’s the perfect size. I love the history. I love the shape and adjustable strap (which I rarely use but a gal likes options). I love that my best friend has it in black. There’s something very camp about us wearing it at the same time. Oh and the colour is pure unbridled girlishness that still has me captivated at 30. People often comment on the shade of pink, but it feels quite second nature to me.”