What—or who, rather—is a bag lady? We’re often misconstrued into automatically assuming that such woman is well, the dreaded bag lady. Dressed in layers and layers of frumpy things made of unidentifiable materials, with hair strewn about messily. Not in the Parisian, I-just-had-a-cuddle-with-my-boyfriend sexy way, but in the I’m-too-lazy-to-wash-my-hair kind of way. And of course, a rather vicious cat bundled in her arms, a feline just as bulbous as her owner.

I had received a rather interesting email from one of my readers, thebaglady:

“Dearest La C.,

In your last post, you had mentioned that you were thinking about starting up a FAQ section (it’s an awesome idea!). I have a question for you, only it’s probably not that suited for that section. Anyways, (in honor of my name, lol), I want to know: If you were a ‘bag lady’, what would you wear? I’m just curious to see your version of the bag lady (no doubt it’ll be super chic anyway!)

Love,

thebaglady”

I love these kind of questions—very thought-provoking and quite fun! Who exactly is a bag lady? The Olsens have described as such a character, with their mussed hair, androgynous layers, and a bag that usually overwhelms their petite frame. Or, a bag lady could possibly be a woman obsessed with, well, bags. One such example? Yours truly.

I live, breathe, yearn, and am willing to die for bags.

And now, all definitions and technicalities aside, here is, as the reader asked, my interpretation of:

The Bag Lady

{The Petite Novellas Series}

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Bag Lady No. 1: Agnès

A Parisian all her life, Agnès was always in love with her mother’s endless collection of vintage furs. Naturally, over the course of time, she seemed to adopt her mother’s love for these coats. Her favorite was this vintage, black coat she found during a thrifting adventure. It was a bit shaggy and worn in—epitomizing her style; after all, she loved that slightly grunge, luxurious look. It wasn’t before long when it wholly integrated into her daily, all-black uniform. Whilst stomping down Parisian streets in the winter weather, Agnès would be seen with the much loved coat pulled over a black skirt. For some added warmth, she always paired her skirts with patterned, wool tights, finishing the outfit off with a pair of oxford heels. And of course, the black Miu Miu Vitello Lux that was was prized possession of the woman; whether the incredibly soft leather was from daily use or just how the original texture felt would always remain a mystery. Agnès barely glanced into the mirror as she walked out the door, only pausing to tousle her already slightly mussed locks. She took care not to get her rather large cocktail ring tangled into her hair; she hated having to waste time when she could be out enjoying the freshly made crepes and reading the next book tossed into her bag.

Bag Lady No. #2: Sylvia

Sylvia. Editor-in-chief of a rather prominent fashion magazine in London. She woke up feeling rather inspired today by the newly laid marble tiles in the lobby of the current hotel she stayed at on yet another of her business trips. This calling was in Paris, to attend a lavish party thrown by Karl Lagerfeld himself. Though it was one night, she took care to give her a few extra days to wander about on her own. With the forest green tile sparkling even on such a cloudy day, she dug out her Stella McCartney wool cape given to her as a gift from the designer herself. She immediately felt much cozier beneath its thick sleeves. Sylvia opened the window to the balcony to test the weather. Chilly, but not too cold, she thought, and immediately reached for her stirrup leggings. The cape hit right above her knees—just as she liked it. Her arms, however, still showed signs of goosebumps from the gust of wind; that was immediately taken care of with a pair of elbow length, leather gloves. She checked the clock by her bed, noting that if she wanted to get some decent alone time in the cafe across the street, she had to hurry before the rest of Paris awoke. Too lazy to fix her hair, Sylvia simply covered her bed hair with a wool beanie (she loved Alexander Wang’s Fall Show!), laced up her Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti Brogue boots, and a coordinating Chloe bag. Her gloved hands pushed the beloved Ray-Bans into place as she walked out the door, the hotel attendants in awe of her outfit that matched impeccably with the marble floor.

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xoxo,

La C.

P.S.: Any questions you’d love to have answered! Drop a message in the comments below or email me & I’ll do my best to answer you as soon as possible! Maybe it’ll make the FAQ column! 🙂

Also…if you’re curious about the Petite Novellas, or the first of its series, read the story of one skirt & six women.