Last year I kicked off my Irregular Choice handbag collection posts with my square shaped bags. Today it's the round ones, which again there aren't masses of, so it's a little easier for me to tackle, as I know exactly how many I have and where they are situated. I've been leaving the ones with the flap and also the double clasp, because every single time I photograph them, another one comes out. I think I've photographed both groups at least twice each over the years, before giving up last year as I knew there was a Jasmine (flap) one coming in Aladdin and then Belle (clasp) in the Beauty And The Beast collection (didn't know about the poodle one which I also got). Anyway, round bags, drum bags, vanity case, whatever you call this shape, it's one of the oldest bag styles from IC. I don't have any of the older ones, but I remember being so excited when they brought this shape back with the furry frog one, because it's a style I'd always hoped to get.
Granted it's not the most practical shaped handbag, being round and it's hard so there's no squeezing anything extra in-the size you see is what you get. As it's very stiff, it doesn't lose it's shape though, even with something heavy inside. Most of them come with a short fixed handle which goes from front to back, rather than side to side. It's great as it doesn't interfere with the zip and allows that picture front to be shown when carrying. They tend to also come with an adjustable longer strap, fastening at either side of the bag (not the top), but more recently they've been attaching back loops, so the strap can be threaded through and used as a backpack. They open with a double zip, close to the front so it opens like a lid and there's gussets at the lower sides inside. I find the flap opens quite wide actually, so access is easy and then the gussets prevent anything falling out. It definitely opens wider than the square bags last time. I have noted some of my zips whizz around easier than others though! A lot of my collection are Disney ones, as you'll see and they're all very different to each other actually when I see them altogether like this. I haven't thought about favourites within this style before...I am very, very fond of the frog and the Snow White one, it's beautiful and is slightly different which I'll get onto later.
Let's begin with my first one, Frog Prince. The front is pink metallic with a large embroidered frog and around the edge, front and back, is a scalloped trim in pale green glitter.
The back is plain metallic. The sides are brown tipped pink fur. I always think it looks like that kind of faux fur that doesn't feel very nice, but it's very soft and pleasant. Inside is pale pink polka dot.
The only other non Disney one I have is Florance Flamingo from last summer. This takes on a slightly different form as rather than a picture front, the whole bag resembles a flamingo. So the front (technically the side of the flamingo) is pink, polka dot glitter with a bright pink fluffy wing.
The sides are half pink, half gold metallic with a large metallic stuffed head on one end and a big fluffy pom pom tail (do flamingos have tails???) on the other end. Dangling from the base are long metallic legs with large fluffy feet. There's no option for a longer side strap on this one because of those extra details.
The back however, is metallic pink with the loops and rings in place for the strap to be used as a backpack. Inside is the beautiful pink and purple hydrangea floral lining. I think it's really cool how this one is different and I have mine sitting in my room (on top of shoe boxes), it does sit back onto the tail and I have one foot dangling over the box and one sitting/sticking out.
As for Disney, I got Oh My from Mickey & Friends. This one is quite similar to the flamingo, in that they used the round shape to represent Minnie Mouse. The front and back are black with white hearts and then there's large round (rigid) mouse ears in black and white spots sticking up from the front and a giant bow(s) inbetween the ears. The bag has a scalloped trim surround (just on the front), in a multi coloured glitter.
The sides are half spotty, half striped and there's rings to attach the longer strap to. The short handle on top is red metallic and inside is gold metallic.
From Muppets, is Animal Was Here, such a fun style. It's just so like him, I feel the bag part comes second to that! The front is his face in red fur with feathers and a big pom pom nose. I tend to worry about the feathers getting caught in the zip, when actually they do have a habit of staying out of the way. I haven't zipped and unzipped it often enough to say for sure it always does though.
The back and lower sides are orange fur (the softest) with embroidered detail and if I remember correctly this was the first conversion to the backpack style. The upper sides are a printed Muppets fabric and there's silver glitter scalloped edging around the bag. The short handle on top is the same black hairy material as the eyebrows and inside is gold metallic.
I'm All Twitterpated from Bambi, has a slightly different front in that there's a lot of embellishment. There's a central Bambi still from the film with lots of artificial flowers (and butterfly) surrounding and then wired, stuffed bunny ears sticking upwards, which can be manoeuvred.
It's another style that came with the option of converting into a backpack. The back and top sides are a printed floral pleather with Bambi, Flower and Thumper. The lower sides are a spotted, slightly hairy, slightly velveteen feeling material (it loves dust)! There's black glitter scalloped edging.
Inside is pink metallic.
Finally Still The Fairest from Snow White last year. Like I said, this one is different because it's actually double sided, which I love. On the 'front' lid side, you have Snow White's face appliqued and embroidered with a puffy bow on her hairband.
On the reverse, it's the Evil Queen. Her glitter, jewelled crown sitting upwards from the top of the bag.
The bag is edged in scalloped red glitter with a black patent top handle. It comes with an adjustable longer side strap, but no backpack option because of the reverse imagery. The metallic blue (which magically changes to purple in artificial light, confuses me every night when I look at it!) sits on the lower sides with a shiny apple print on top. You also have the addition of a glitter crown (smooth as it's covered in clear PU) on one side and a shimmering apple on the other.
Inside is blue metallic.
Like I say, I think I've got quite a varied selection here, though unlike the newer square bags last time, there have been many more of this style that I haven't bought. I don't actually have my next bag-group sorted yet, it requires masses of energy to not only take the photos but locate every one (almost always forget one too!), haul them all out, then put them all away again. There's no hurry though, I have plenty to be getting on with in the meantime and my new outlook this year is to stress less. If I'm too weak or ill to do something, I need to admit to that and not push on to please everyone else or act like I can manage everything, when I know I can't. You'd think after almost 18 years of being ill, I'd have that sussed, but I don't. Pressure and deadlines can be good sometimes, but not continually. I do plan to keep this series going though, so I just need to have a think about which set is easiest next. The bigger bags I feel, I have no idea how many I have of each (the King Of The Castle style and then the other one with the one compartment), and they're very much dotted around different rooms and in storage bags as I don't use them as often. It'll also be tricky to fit them all in one group shot, so I'll have to figure that one out! As always, keep up to date on Instagram, Facebook and Tumblr.
Less stress is always the best approach if you can!
ReplyDeleteThese are all fantastic.
Agreed! Thank you x
DeleteThe wicked queen worries me!!!
ReplyDeleteThe venom in that smirk!
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