MY FIRST DESIGNER HANDBAG!

There comes a special moment in a lot of fashion lovers’ lives, when their first designer bag enters their wardrobe. For me, that time came last week. I’ve had to keep this collaboration under wraps even though I’ve been dying from excitement, but finally I can show you my beautiful Black Lanvin Sugar Shoulder Bag, courtesy of the babes at BrandAlley. Never have I coveted an item so much – I am officially in love (sorry Keiran).

-->

Unsurprisingly, I went classic. This was a unique opportunity for me so I wanted to select a piece that was going to be versatile, chic and endlessly timeless. The Black Lanvin Sugar Bag fitted the bill perfectly. I believe this is the medium model, featuring a fold over top and double compartment center, with gold hardware and double tassel detailing. Quietly amping up the glamour factor is the gold hardware chain, with – thank god – an insert at the top to protect your shoulder from the dreaded attack of the overloaded bag. Lastly, but certainly not least, the iconic Lanvin name makes the most gentle of statements by taking center stage. *le sigh* But how to debut my first designer bag?! The pressure was most certainly on when it came to choosing the outfit to shoot with, but thankfully I’d just had a Zara delivery that morning so it wasn’t such a meltdown moment. In a move that will no doubt shock those that have been following me for a while, I opted for a skirt over trousers or culottes or jeans or any other type of bottomwear that covers both of my legs. I remember peplum having a moment when I had just turned 18 – mostly because I once wore a bright yellow gold peplum dress on a night out (I was young, please don’t hold it over me) – but I thought the trend had been relegated to the realms of fashion disasters to remain unvisited.


How wrong I was (shocking – I know). Following the frill-hem lovefest that was SS16, peplum has come back in a wonderful way and I couldn’t resist this Zara number. The fabric is quite thick so paired with tights, this piece is perfect for switching up your winter wardrobe if you’re sick of jeans and trousers. The layered up oversized knit compliments the slim fit of the skirt, keeping it casj enough to wear to work and during the day if you’re not a gal for glamour. Add a pair of this season’s favourite loafers, and et voila – *insert something witty about Parisian vibes here*. But I’m not even going to play it cool – I COULD BE WEARING A SACK AND THIS BAG WOULD STILL LOOK AMAZING. For somebody who worked on a burger van aged 13 to fund unreasonable Primark splurges, styling this up was a special fashion moment for me. If you haven’t heard of BrandAlley, then here’s the skinny. BrandAlley are a designer outlet and flash sale facilitator, making hundreds of designer items available to you at a fraction of the original cost. You have to be quick though - stock changes regularly so if you want to catch a good deal and nab the bag you’ve been lusting over for years *cough*me*cough*, then it’s worth bookmarking the site to keep up to date with all of the latest additions. I don’t know about you, but a second Lanvin babe to keep my current honey company wouldn’t go amiss…