stylopath

Reticule: A little bag, originally of network; a woman’s workbag, or a little bag to be carried in the hand. –De Quincey.

My mild obsession with making bags is one part driven by the gatherer impulse and the other part driven by wanting to make many things in a limited amount of time, thus the need to have lots of bits at arms length.

We have probably been using bags for as long as we have been walking. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs show men wearing purses around the waist. Pictured below a Byzantine girdle pouch from the ninth century.



Men and women were apt to wear girdle pouches in the fifteenth century. Pockets did make an impact on the use of bags by late seventeenth century, most bags were worn under one’s garments. Following the French Revolution in the eighteenth century fashions developed a more slender sillouette which saw bags being worn once again as an outer accessory. Pictured below a metal reticule from 1840.



The nineteenth century saw the rise of the rail revolution, people were now travelling greater distances and need to take more possessions with their person than ever.



By the twentieth century handbags became more than a luggage accessory. The variety of bags available for all occasions from an intricate little clutch for special occasions to a large shoulder bag for working women was to see the object attain cult status.  The economic boon of the post war era kicked off by the launch of the Chanel 2.55 bag in 1955 the concept of the ‘It Bag’.



In the twentyfirst century the status of the ‘It Bag’ is still looming in epic proportions. Case in point Victoria Beckham’s personal collection of one hundred Birkin Bags with an estimated value of over one and a half million pounds. The Birkin Bag manufactured by Hermes is named after style icon Jane Birkin, a very pink version below.



Such a quantity of Birkin bags may be unattainable by most women on the planet, the consumer driven concept of owning such an aspirational item is now available to women of any class or status that can successfully scrape together a few thousand dollars for the latest must have handbag. I do love the very bodylike Bulga bag below, amazing design and no obvious show of labels.




Reticulous by Stylopath featuring bags
After spending an hour selecting my favourite It Bags from the latest designer must have offerings on Polyvore. Twenty bags totalling $24,420 Australian Dollars. I am now over them and rather pleased I do not have to find room in my wardrobe for them.



The next development in the evolution of the bag?

I anticipate the Man Bag will drop the man and men will be inspired to wear a bag for all occasions. Never has there been a time when we have has so much stuff to take with us. The onslaught of personal media gadgetry, adaptors, cords, batteries and memory cards have become as important to having on our person in our daily lives as money, keys and ID. The Solar bag below designed for the sturdy carriage and powering of our things.



The psychology of why we keep the things we keep in our bags is compelling. As evidenced by the Flickr Group What’s in your bag.  A place where we can both be both voyeur and exhibitionist. A Hot Water Bottle Bag perhaps?

As a form of self expression I see hand made original bags designed for a personal aesthetic and function being the key motive for the design of things in which to keep our stuff.



Etsy have almots six thousand pages of hand made bags for sale. Who knows if these bags are being sold in equally impressive numbers. Regardless it seems we are making more bags than ever. I know I am. Perhaps I will never sell a bag on Etsy. Perhaps subconciously I do not want to. I currently have three bags in my Etsy shop and have felt sad at the thought of parting with any of them. I am still making more bags and despite wondering why, I continue. Does the perfect bag elude me? Most probably.



Inching closer, my latest cocoon pouch style bag above made for toting an SLR camera on my travels. I call it the Toffee Bag. More info posted on Burdastyle. I still lust after the bag ideas of others. Today it’s the biomorphic inspiration of SkinBag laptop bag below. Tomorrow, who knows. I do know there will be no shortage on inspiration or bags.

Monday 9th of June is a public holiday declared in Australia every year to celebrate the Queen’s birthday. Her birthday is in fact on the 21st April. Regardless of this confusing detail I made a sponge cake in honour of Elizabeth the II of the United Kingdom.  Decoration inspired by the duality of her role, an awkward chocolate crown firmly balanced in the centre of the Union Jack, surrounded by sensible yet fancy hats made of marshmallow puffs and cream precariously perched on the edge.

One naturally wonders for how much longer we will be celebrating her birthday, she is 83 years old and has been reigning the British Monarch for 56 years. She is currently the third longest reigning British Monarch after Queen Victoria (63 years) and King George III (59 years). I suspect she will have no problem vying for first or second spot on the list of longest reigning monarchs. She is a stayer, a stalwart and a regal institution in a time when the relevance of royal aristocracy is largely lost on me.

Elizabeth’s face has been on my money all of my life. To me from a very early age she has represented the idea of elitism, privilege, fame, wealth and power. The very living embodiment of ‘well to do’.  Yet none of this was by choice. Does she thank her lucky stars daily? Out of all the people born in England she gets to be at the top of the symbolic pile for a very long time.

As a child her close family called her ‘Lilibet’, she was known for her love of horses and dogs, her orderliness and her attitude of responsibility. “Fundamentally sensible and well behaved” was the description Margaret Rhodes gave of her cousin Elizabeth. A pensive portrait below of Elizabeth the Princess of York aged 7, painted in 1933 by Philip Alexius de Laszlo. A beautiful detail is the striking contrast of her auburn hair and mint satin bow, a girl with wisdom in her eyes exceeding that of a seven year old.

A Girl Guides company, The 1st Buckingham Palace Company, was formed specifically so Elizabeth could socialize with girls her own age. She gained the interpreter, swimmer, dancer, horsewoman, cook, child nurse, and needlewoman badges, and eventually became patrol leader of the Swallow Patrol. Swallows are such elegant and efficient birds.

At the outset of World War II from 1939 she resided at Windsor Castle with her family. In 1945 trained as a mechanic and was a junior commander, No 230, 871 Subaltern Elizabeth Windsor in the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service. I imagine Elizabeth would still have changed a few tyres after the war given her acquired skills and practical nature and from a style perspective overalls and jumpsuits would be a fabulous addition to her wardrobe today. We know she still loves Wellies.

Elizabeth met her future husband Prince Phillip of Greece and Denmark in 1934 and 1937. Their third meeting in 1939 saw a 13 year old princess fall in love with Phillip and they began to exchange letters. Elizabeth married Phillip in 1947 and after the devastation of World War II rationing required the Princess to save her ration coupons to obtain material for her wedding gown. Which may explain the choice of fabric. The sacrifices we make.

Elizabeth ’s coronation was held on June 2nd 1953. The first coronation ceremony televised throughout the commonwealth. Watched by an estimated twenty million people with a further twelve million listening on wireless. A Media Queen was born.

She is our most modern Queen with a conservative style. A review on her fashion style on fashion-era has an interesting observation on her mature style of fashion.  “Many women of her age group also dressed in a similar ‘mature’ manner where they aped their mothers rather than their young sisters.”

Elizabeth wears unfussy outfits in strong colours which ensures she can be easily seen and noticed for who she is. One would struggle to imagine the jewels Elizabeth has at her disposal, yet her favourite finishing touch accessory are her string of pearls.

In the sixties her skirts did get shorter but never above the knees for Elizabeth. Wow White Go Go Boots and contrasting turquoise dust coat dress. The hat looks like a floral tulle toilet roll cover, but I’m loving it. Kit Harris how could you not be influenced by this woman?

The seventies saw her take a huge fashion leap, publicly wearing trousers. The seventies queen looks so happy and relaxed, a truly magnificent holiday snap in front of her beautiful yacht. The wonderful therapeutic benefit of denim flares, sunshine and Campari.

Another fashion phase for Elizabeth, the development of livelier millinery. Her milliners accessorized with feathers, flowers, buckles, ribbons, tulle and as per the example below, live birds. The expanding presence of media in her professional life has ensured her face is viewed from all angles. A replica of her head is kept by her milliners.

Having all the composure and control in the world might still see one struggle with such constant glaring attention.  Why didn’t her designer create the funky white fur cape with a detachable hood? It may have proved a useful accessory. Ah yes, the crown. Balancing a crown on one’s head seems somewhat counter intuitive to any hint of spontaneous movement. Perhaps she knows white is not her colour. Austere maybe but definitely not an ice queen.

My most recent memory of Elizabeth is a diminishing Ipod toting pink puff of Yardley Roses talcum infused younger sister of Barbara Cartland. The day she met the Obamas. What is she thinking? Another day, another president, another discussion on world issues and all the protocol, and obliged pleasantries I can manage. ” Thank you. I love Hollywood showtunes” through gritted teeth.

I have been pleasantly impressed and subtley amused by the reliable and sensible yet quirky style that is Elizabeth II. I have not seen the movie I prefer to stay with my version of the character that is Queen. In thanks for my holiday last Monday I present the spectacular sponge cake for our commonwealth matriarch. Exhibited below the style of a powerful leader of a once powerful commonwealth. Her faraway look tends to suggest she knows it cannot last forever.

A party inspired by the wonderfully wicked Sweet Treats Time Forgot is just the ticket to celebrate Stylopath’s first birthday.

Lots of pink frosting and lashings of cream. Brightly colored cream cakes remind me of times as a child when parties were anticipated with nervous excitement. A table set for a party is a vista of colourful treats, so magical the first and best bite is definitely with the eye. Yes I read lot’s of Enid Blyton as a child.

The Good Housekeeping Picture Cake Making book conjured up many sugary memories from long ago. An assortment of gay cakes too good to eat. Just as well really, they are loaded with sugar and fat.

Fairy Bread, Matchstick Cakes, Sponge Cake, Sausage Rolls and Cocktail frankfurts on toothpicks were the regular line up of classic party food at Australian Birthday Parties in the 70’s.

The very Australian cream cake classic, the Matchstick Cake, it’s actually a pastry. Layered pastry, jam, cream and icing.

The classic cream filled sponge. A cake lifted partially or wholly by air trapped in batter. The Victorian Sponge Cake named after Queen Victoria who was partial to a slice for afternoon tea, consists of jam and cream sandwiched between two sponge cakes. A most revered cake making skill.

Mini Match sticks.

With hundreds and thousands……….also known as coloured Jimmies and non pareils. Too small to be eaten individually and almost flavourless. The virtue of Fairy Bread - a purely visual aesthetic.

Introducing the dark chocolate characters of evil.

Found in the Good Housekeeping picture Cake making recipe book. I am unable to find another recipe for these little characters online but you can find them here.

He was the best looking of the bunch.  I call him Leroy. I could not eat him. I could not eat any of them.

Good Housekeeping’s Picture Cake Making is a lurid feast for the eyes of anyone possessing a sweet tooth. Compiled way back when butter was a rarified treat and apportioned on ration coupons, lard was a ready standby to mix with flour and sugar. The variations are dizzying. How many ways can these three basic ingredients be prepared for consumption?  Too many. The following expose’ of sugary delights is guaranteed to give you a faux tooth ache without the calories. Read the rest of this entry »