Pretty Polly

***UPDATE***
Since publishing this post, I submitted photos for this Polly for authentication and was told that it was, in fact, fake. Now, I have owned my fair share of Mulberrys (and handled even more) and I usually can say with some degree of confidence when a bag is a fake - just by seeing pictures. I have never handled a fake Mulberry that I didn't straight away identify as such. Just goes to show: always pay by Paypal, £5 well spent and you never stop learning!

I will leave the rest of the post as is, as all the features of the bag will be exactly the same in a genuine model! 

I keep coming back to the Polly Pushlock range. There is just something about the style that makes me think 'grown up chique' and 'quirky' at the same time. Besides that, the shiny grain leather is lovely and the various styles are actually really practical for different occasions.

This one is the tote in Midnight and could be a perfect work bag, if you aren't in desperate need for a long strap.

It's instantly recognisable by its quirky feature pushlock!

...so let's have a look what fits in!

The lovely people at Independent Fashion Bloggers chose my post to be featured in July 14th Links à la Mode. Please do check out some of the other fab reads below!

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Three Prints for the Week

Last week felt really muggy and sticky, so even though it wasn't that warm, I ended up in summery outfits. As it was raining on most days, it was Converse, not ballerinas though. Seems to be all I'm wearing these days. Gotta get a couple of pairs in other colours...

T-Shirt: Warehouse

Skirt: Boden

Trainers: Converse

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Top: Boden

Skirt: Warehouse

Trainers: Converse

Dress: Zara

Trainers: Converse

European Girl

***Thanks to Independent Fashion Blogger for shortlisting this post as part of their Links à la Mode on 7th July. I'm especially pleased as it was not at all about fashion but about something that was (and still is) on my mind. Please check out the other blog posts at the bottom.***

I know I usually post fluff: pretty handbags, work outfits... Well, maybe with the exception of my appeal to not drink and drive.

But I just can't publish a covet post about a handbag after my mind has been consumed by something else all weekend. Ok, apart from little M having the 'chicken popps' and wrangling a slightly injured baby bird off our cat. [Thanks for asking: Little M is much better and the bird is with a lady who will hopefully be able to release it into the wild at some point.] Yes, that thing having consumed me all weekend was the shock of that "OUT" result on the EU Referendum on Friday morning. After tears, tantrums, denial and grieve I am just plain lost at the moment.

Not being British, I actually wasn't allowed to vote. (By the way: I came to England in 1998. Graduated in 2001 and went straight into a job. Been working full time since then - paying my taxes! Been with Mr. G for quite a few years. Had little M in 2012 and he has a British passport. So I'm feeling pretty connected and invested in this country. It's one of my two homes!) Maybe I shouldn't be saying anything. But anybody who knows me, knows that I'm really rubbish at keeping my opinion to myself. 

I understand that many of the OUT voters came from a place of frustration, from the desire of wanting to change something, anything being better than the squeeze over the past few years: erosion of public services, job security, quality of life and ever increasing divide between rich and poor have taken its toll. What I still don't understand is how these voters genuinely thought that leaving the EU would improve on this though. Well, maybe they were simply desperate to believe in something that was worth voting for - and the likes of Boris and Farage knew just how to harvest those votes. Or maybe it was just their way of sticking it to the government.

So in really simple terms, why am I so upset about the threat of Brexit?

1. Living in England as a German might mean I will have to apply for a visa. 
2. I might have to worry about what impact on said visa if I change or lose my job.
3. An economical downturn will mean less job security and if my visa is tied to my job, losing my job is more likely on one hand and will have more far reaching consequences on the other hand.
4. Mr. G works with Universities, who receive much of their funding from EU funding. Any impact on that might impact on him or his job?
5. Master J is studying Chemistry and I would wish for him to be able to come out of university and get a job. Not to be signing on and worrying about what the future will hold.
6. Traveling will get more expensive, be it back to Germany to visit my friends and family or anywhere else in Europe.
7. The Pound looks to be suffering, so being elsewhere in Europe will also become more expensive.
8. Getting across the border or through passport control at the airport is going to take so much longer.
9. I work in food retail and being able to trade across Europe easily and freely is pretty essential. Things are going to change and become more complicated.
10. Bringing back wine from my hometown Heppenheim won't be as easy anymore. What will be the limit? A bottle? Maybe two?
11. Ditto any gifts after Christmas or birthdays.
12. Buying anything from other European countries will be come more expensive, be it by retailers increasing prices or by paying customs charges. 
13. Posting anything to other European countries will become more cumbersome: welcome customs forms!

But most of all:

My little boy won't be able to grow up in a country that is part of something bigger. A community born out of the desire to live and work together closer and in peace. And to have the same opportunities such as I had of just moving to another country, studying there, creating a life for himself where ever he wants to. His world has suddenly become an awful lot smaller. 

And that's what truly makes me sad. 

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Mulberry Makeover

I love a good makeover. A bespectacled wallflower (with surprisingly good bone structure) gets primped and prodded until she emerges all smoothed, refined and desirable. Just in time to snag her prince. Hm. Ok...
 
Anyway. Our beloved Mulberry Bayswater had a makeover - as had her little sister the Small Bayswater Satchel. I thought I'd do a comparison between the classic SBS (which in itself is a made-over Ledbury) and the Small New Bayswater.

Size
Very comparable as you can see on the pic.
According to Mulberry's webshop the measurements are
SBS H16, W26, D14. Handle drop 8cm.
SNB H21, W26 - 33, D13. Handle drop 9cm.
I would guess that they are listed with a 5cm height difference because the SBS is much slouchier and was probably measured in it's slouchier, un-stuffed form. You can see here though that they are pretty similar.

Looking at them from the side, is where you'd notice the biggest difference in re to size: whilst the SBS is deep at the bottom, the straps pull it together at the top. Of course, you could just undo them but I think most people leave it like this. 

Structure
The SBS is quite slouchy. This is partially due to the leather, partially due to its construction. (More on the leather later.) The main difference in construction is how the bag's "body" and side panels have been joined. In the SBS the leather is folded in on itself and then piping (re-inforced leather tubes) is sewn to the edges before it is joined onto the other panel. 
For the Small New Baywater the edges are essentially sewn on top of each other and have then inking applied for protection. You can see this in the above picture. This technique was used on quite a few vintage Mulberry bags I've seen, e.g. the Kelly or the Roxanne. 

Leather
SBS in classic NVT Oak: quite soft, varying grain as it "retains the individual grain pattern of the skin", matte. The inside is unlined, so you get the brushed underside of the leather.

NSB in Oak Natural Grain Leather: sturdier, even grain as it "has been print assisted to make the grain consistent and regular". ("print assisted" - seriously?!), more sheen. Suede lined.

Hardware
The SBS has brass hardware, which is fairly matte, so it looks a bit more understated than, for example, soft gold components. It is also less prone to scratches. The postman's lock is made up out of the lock plate, on which the actual lock sits, and the top plate, which covers the inside and outside of the leather flap that closes the bag. The lock is pretty sturdy and the lock plates protect the leather/suede from getting grubby too quickly. On the top lockplate, we have the tree embossed above the hole, i.e. you will see it right above the turnlock when the bag is closed.

The SNB hardware is much shinier and - even though it is called "brass" - looks much more golden. The lock components have been reduced to the bare essentials, so we lost the bottom plate and the plate on the inside of the flap. Instead of an embossed tree above the turnlock, we now have the Mulberry lettering embossed underneath. (Can't believe I forgot to take those pics - sorry! Will try and add them another time!)

Shoulder Strap
Both bags come with a shoulder strap but the SBS' strap delivers a bag drop of up to 67cm, whilst the NSB's bag drop only measures 47cm.

 
On the SBS the d-rings are attached directly to the top of the side panel and rub a bit on the top flap. On the SNB they have been re-positioned in such a way that they no longer rub on the flap. 

What else...
On the new model, the inside pocket has been moved into the front, which makes it more easily accessible. Another change is that there is no longer a cloche. Oh, and as I said above, no longer a belt to make the bag bigger or smaller.

So, which one is better? 
Very much down to personal opinion! For me, each one scores a few points:

The New Small Bayswater wins for me because
As I prefer boxy bags, I like the sturdier leather and more structured design of the Small New Bayswater - even if I think the SBS just looks prettier. Ditto on the belt: I like how it looks but the unfussier and roomier version without it, just works better on a practical level for me. The re-positioning of the internal pocket is also a simple but well thought out change. Oh, and last but not least, I think the way the d-rings have been re-positioned is clever.

I can't quite decide who should win
The Mulberry cloche is a quirky and cute design feature but I usually end up moving it somewhere where it doesn't annoy me, so I'm not too fussed about that going. Likewise, I liked the fobs on the inside, as they help me identify a genuine bag (or rather: spot a fake on many occasions) but I have no doubt that other features will soon become apparent that will allow us to do that.

The Small Bayswater Satchel wins for me because
What is the story with the new hardware?! Shine aside, the colour just looks cheap, too yellow. I prefer the more discreet tree logo to the "Mulberry" lettering. The lock mechanism feels flimsy, the absence of the lock plate makes me think that the suede there will just wear really quickly. 
I much prefer the look of the classic NVT Oak: it has real character and looks natural. There isn't much "natural" about the new "Oak Natural Grain Leather": the grain is embossed, the colour looks more ginger than natural leather.
A big disappointment is for me the length of the strap. Truly good design is where function leads the fashion and this has been applied in a number of things mentioned above. Why not make this now even more practical bag suitable for cross body carrying? These extra few centimetres of leather would have made a huge difference but they are probably the deal breaker for me.

Well, I hope the SBS will stay for a while and even if it will disappear out of main stores, that the outlets will continue to carry it, much like they've done with the likes of the Mitzy and the Somerset.

Which one do you prefer? I quite liked her with the glasses on because sometimes what you have is just right - even if you could prod and find fault...

Print Mix

And I was suddenly again in jumpers that week. Really June?! Just noticed though: four out of five of the outfits are centred around a print. Might have a thing for those...

Top: Zara

Skirt: Boden

Trainers: Converse

Necklace: Topshop

Dress: Intropia

Top worn underneath & necklace: Topshop

Cardigan: H&M

Belt: Mulberry

Boots: Marks & Spencer

Jumper & top worn underneath: H&M

Skirt: Boden

Trainers: Converse

Necklace: Warehouse

Top: Boden

Skirt: Warehouse

Trainers: Converse

Necklace: Sainsburys

Top & Cardigan: H&M

Skirt: All Saints

Boots: Marks & Spencer

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Bag: Mulberry

Repeat Offender

Is it still surprising when somebody does the surprising thing again and again? 

Like when I say 
"Oh, I like that bag", then 
"ah, I'm not sure", 
"nah' it's not for me"...and then 
- I buy it? 

Only just did that with the Cara and have been using her loads, so bound to happen again, right?

Maybe with the Mulberry Small Roxette? From "must have" to "meh" in the course of a week - and just a little while down the line and... ta daaaa...

So there you go. I gave in. Watch me unbox (or un-bag) my new Mulberry Small Roxette.

Oak NVT Printed vs Glossy Goat

Picking a bag is hard, right? First you might consider style and features:

• Is it big or small? 
• Structured or soft? 
• Hand-held or (also) suitable to be carried on the shoulder?

Then you have to select the "right" colour, that will work with your wardrobe. Though I don't tend to think about that, I just go with what I like (more often that not that's Oak NVT), I know many of others are more adventurous when it comes to choosing a colour.
 
And then you might become aware that different leathers have different characteristics. Where one finish might age visibly and develop a patina, another one might not change as quickly. One type of leather might make a bag slouchy, another will provide some structure. Oh, and they might also be paired with different hardware: brass, soft gold or nickel... 

Didn't I say this is hard?

As I happen to currently house two Bayswaters (to me the most iconic of Mulberry's styles) in two different finishes, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to compare these!

So scroll down and have a look at my video but I first also a few closeups so you can see the difference really well.

 NVT in Printed Oak

The leather is embossed with a pattern of sorts, that will remind you of a reptile skin - hence it often being called 'croc'. The print lends a structure to the bag, making it more rigid. The leather has that natural oak feel but is not as matte; it appears glossier and will become more so with use. The leather between the printed lines is smooth, colour varies, goes marginally lighter and darker. NVT Oak is notoriously prone to waterspots and many owners don't dare take their oak bags out in the rain. Regular treatment with Collonil will protect against this though.

The hardware on the older oak styles tends to be brass. Matte and more understated than the gold, it is actually my favourite finish. Not least because it doesn't get scratched as easily as the shinier hardware.

Glossy Goat

Since making the video I looked this up (thanks, Shian!) and this nicely even grain is, indeed, embossed. I have heard many goatskin bag owners use the word "bombproof". I can't vouch for that myself but the glossy finish certainly seems less sensitive than NVT. Overall the bag seems softer though and I do know that it will slouch quicker than the printed NVT.

The hardware on this Bayswater is soft gold. It is highly polished and I would say looks more formal and dressier than the brass. Being so glossy, it will show scratches sooner than brass.

Right, I think that's it - have a look at my video for a full on comparison!

Early Summer Outfits

Last week felt really summery - look: three outfits without even my cardigan on! I have to admit to wearing one in the morning - though I did leave without a coat!

Dress: Primark

Shoes: Zara

Top: Warehouse

Skirt: Miss Selfridge

Trainers: Converse

Bag: Strathberry

Top: Warehouse

Skirt: Miss Selfridge

Trainers: Converse

Top: Primark

Cardigan: Boden

Skirt: Warehouse

Trainers: Converse