The Bag: Vintage Hermes BBK

I was raised on a steady diet of vintage movies, so my fashion icons were the greats: Lauren Bacall (especially in How to Marry a Millionaire), Katherine Hepburn (can anyone wear pants like she does?), Audrey Hepburn (can anyone wear pretty dresses like she does?), and Grace Kelly (when she opens the Mark Cross bag to reveal a puff of frothy lingerie in Rear Window....)

So, for as long as I can remember, my grail was the classic Kelly bag. It seemed more like an unattainable item than something I could realistically own, more akin to marrying a prince or travelling to the moon. 

Last year, I started paying closer attention. I read up on Hermes scarves; even bought my first, from a reseller. I had a milestone birthday coming up in a year and considered maybe, possibly splurging. Then, I saw the perfect bag - a vintage black box Kelly - on HauteLook. It was reasonably priced, meaning just slightly less than my monthly mortgage. I studied the pictures, finally noticing the date stamp: circle E. The bag was handcrafted in 1975, same year I was born. That's a sign, right? After a super quick check-in with my husband and with just a little bit of nerves, I bought it. 

So, it was a present for my year-before-my-milestone birthday. I adore this bag. It is structured, subtly glamorous, serious but still sexy. I carried it constantly for several months before sending it to the Hermes spa for some touch-ups. It has fewer wrinkles than I do now. Hopefully, we both last for another 39+ years.  

Year-before-milestone birthday

Fresh and shiny from the spa