In my bags

I have three bags on regular rotation . A Jerome Dreyfuss medium Billy and Mini Twee and a Hope bag for work. The Mini Twee hardly fits anything, which is what I was looking for. My bags always get too heavy if there's space for more stuff. I use the Mini Twee when I go out with my family, or friends, and don't need to bring a lot of things (for myself). I want to be able to wear it cross body. During weekends we usually hang out and sometimes barbecue with friends in a park here. I don't want to leave my bag on the stroller, and I don't want a bag on my shoulder, it gets too heavy chasing the kids around. I carry a separate bag for toys, snacks and so on. The Billy is for all other occations, or when I know I'll need to fit more things.
In my Mini Twee there's just enough space for:

• lip balm - I'm addicted,  Rosebud Brambleberry Rose
• Karen Walker sunglasses in a soft case
• small Vivienne Westwood coin purse (a gift from my husband  - he hardly ever buys me accessories or clothes, he wants to give me something I wouldn't get for myself instead. This is a rare exception, only because he thinks that Vivienne Westwood is a very cool lady).
• iPhone (and headphones in case I'd get a five-minute walk all by myself, a real treat when you have kids:))
• keys with a Sonic Youth Sensational Fix key strap. Sonic Youth was one of my favourite bands in the 90's, and I still really like them and was so excited so see their Sensational Fix exhibition here 2009.
• the bag has a mirror, so no need to bring that, or a flashlight:)

Billy:

• another lip balm, a friend got this in San Francisco for me, Lip lover by Rachel Perry
• Same Karen Walker sunglasses but in their hard case
• Luella wallet (too big for my Mini Twee)
• iPhone with headphones
• lip gloss, Face Stockholm
• The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami. I read some books in English and some in Swedish, it depends on the genre. This is my third Murakami, I've also read Sputnik Sweetheart and Kafka on the Shore, the latter being my favourite.
• Läkerol
• Body Shop hand cream
• +a few item that aren't in the picture - a small mirror, comb, kleenex, Moleskine, keys

I cleaned a bunch of things out before I wrote this post - this is the edited version! The contents of my Hope bag for work are too much of a mess to post. Do you also use several different bags, or do you stick to one? Sometimes I wish I could have one bag for all occations, it'd save me a lot of time, but I don't see it happening.  I just don't think that bag exists!

Mini-me

I'm enjoying a week off from work with beautiful summerlike weather. So, not closet organizing yet, just hanging out in the park with friends and kids. Perfect. I had to change clothes today, after 10 minutes outside I realised I couldn't wear boots and jeans.

My daughter keeps asking why I'm taking all these headless shots, and wanted to take one too. I got her these Isabel Marant Etoile sweatpants+top on eBay for 24 euro, I just couldn't resist it. I never buy designer clothes for my children, but this is comfy and she can play around in it. I love getting clothes for her (for my boy as well, but he's still a baby), and it's quite important to me that the clothes don't restrict her in any way. Today I ran by Zara kids to see if I could find some shorts for her. They had a lot of nice tops and shorts, but also lots of clothes that are just smaller versions of adult clothes. It might look cute, but they are not designed to climb trees in. I have found some great basics for her there, striped tees, dresses and cardigans, but the overall impression is a miniature Zara Woman. As for other clothes chains, like H&M, they are a lot worse, very girly/boyish. The girl section is all pink with Hello Kitty prints and the boy section is all blue/grey with Spiderman prints. I can't stand it, it's just ugly. I realise that many of you probably don't have children, so I'll leave the subject here, but for those who might be interested Mini Rodini and Popupshop make wonderful children's clothes.

 

Etoile shirt, J Brand jeans and IM Boots, I later changed to Etoile pants, Hope tee and A.P.C sandals.

Dieppa Restrepo - off the list

Today I tried on these beautiful oxfords, Breezy Cali lace up by Dieppa Restrepo. They are midnight blue nubuck, and just perfect. I remember a post by Jennifer, here, on Dieppa Restrepo. I realised that a store here has a great selection of them, and then I forgot about it until today. I have a pair of black Repetto Zizi jazz shoes, but they are very old and worn. These are more feminine because of the wider opening at the ankle, and a good alternative to ballet flats that I sometimes feel are too feminine for me. They would probabably go with everything, jeans, dresses and shorts. They are handmade, and felt really good. Do you have any experience with Dieppa Restrepo? Are they comfortable? So, once again have I fallen in love with an off the list item.... 

Closet organizing

I've edited my wardrobe, but I haven't actually organized and cleaned it yet. I usually do that a couple of times a year. Maybe you've come across  Anna Dello Russo's ten TOP rules to clean your closet :

"SPRING has arrived!
It's time to change season
into your WARDROBE.
Just few people know how to do it,
for example my mother misses my presence
in family home in crucial moments as this.
I'm going to tell you my TOP 10 rules:
1. Elimina tutta la FUFFA.
perchè fuffa genera fuffa!
I say this in Italian cause the word "FUFFA"
is difficult to translate in English, but I try.
1. Remove all RUBBISH
because rubbish generates rubbish!
2. How to FENG-SHUI teaches you,
you must make new empty ROOM
for revitalize your seasonal wardrobe.
3. Store only the whole OUTFIT.
In a future day, would not make sense
to find a simple sweater desperately.
4. Buy only thin, non-slip
HANGERS in asbestos.
Those big, slippery, old, wooden hangers
take up too much space.
5. Organize your closet by ITEMS:
coats with coats, dresses with dresses,
pants with pants, skirts with skirts ...
so you wouldn't buy the same thing twice!
6. In front of a dress to KILL or to KEEP,
ask yourself:
future generations 'll want to see it?
7. Put the SHOES away from clothes,
in the appropriate boxes with Polaroids.
The leather's smell doesn't match
with the fabric's smell.
8. Preserve the stretch STOCKINGS
in their packaging.
There's nothing worse than
wearing damaged filanca.
9. Don't SQUEEZE the clothes on each other.
like flowers in the garden need their space!
10. Don't use ANTI-MOTH chemicals,
you don't want to go out
stinking of naphthalene!"

This is too funny - asbestos hangers?? Shoes away from clothes because the smells don't match? I guess this is not a problem for someone that holds her entire wardrobe in a separate apartment. Read it here.
I have old wooden hangers, and I kind of like that they are big and take up space. They help give each item it's own space, like flowers in a garden:). Still, my closet is way too cramped, especially where the hangers are. I try to follow Anna's rule #5, not because I'm afraid I'll buy the same thing twice, but because I like organizing. I keep my jeans, striped tees, tees, tanks and longsleeves in separate piles. I also fold my cashmere sweaters/cardigans, I read somewhere hangers aren't good for cashmere. Button up shirts, dresses and some tops are on hangers. I have some lavendar bags in different places, I like the way they smell and I've heard that carpet beetles don't like it.
I have a week off from work now, and it's time for a closet organizing day, I clean it, replace the lavendar bags with new ones and organize my piles. I'll  also clean my winter shoes, insert shoe trees and put them in their boxes. Do you have any closet organizing tips?

Coming clean

I've had a big closet clean out and sold a bunch of things on eBay. When I sell on eBay I usually end up spending the money I've made in new bidding wars. I almost feel like I'm not spending any money, I'm pretty good at convincing myself  things like that. This time I actually got a lot more than I've paid for some of the items. So, I did find a spring jacket (Etoile Chuck) - and jumped the Elali bandwagon. Two jackets, that is. I feel bad about it, the Elali is not even on my list:)! Both were good deals and definitely less expensive than what they sell for in stores, and they're brand new, but still...I've kept it to myself for a couple of weeks.
Anyways. I love them both and will use them until they fall apart. I fell in love with the Elali jacket after seeing it on Fleurette and Mommystyle, and I'm so happy with it. I can wear it all year round, and the fabric is wonderful.

The Chuck jacket is exactly what I was looking for, a lightweight spring jacket that can be layered. This is a summer version of the Bator/Baki in 100 % linen, and I was so happy when I found it in this colour, I didn't want it to look like the previous fall/winter jackets.

Sunglasses

It's April and sunny, which means that all Swedes put on their sunglasses. For some reason wearing sunglasses during winter is socially unacceptable behaviour here, plus the fact that there's not a lot of sunshine! I use mine as much as I can now, and take every opportunity to wear them. I've always loved sunglasses, I think I like being just a little anonymous. These are Karen Walker.

I've also been wearing a Hope shirt, J Brand jeans and IM boots....

....and my Isabel Marant coat, we still have chilly mornings.

Sunday

Dresses by Garderob featuring short blazer

The Rag & Bone silk dress above is really lovely. I think it might look good with a blazer and boots, but it would be too dressy for me. I usually wear my dresses with flat boots, I'm more comfortable that way.

Today I've been wearing an Etoile plaid dress with these Hope boots. It's a casual dress, but somehow I still feel like I'd be too dressed up if I wore it with my IM boots, even though I'm sure it'd look better. How do you feel about dresses and heels?