Don’t shoot the messenger (bag)

Messenger bags have been ubiquitous with the fixie/courier scene for aaaages now. It’s a style statement, a message to others that you are SERIOUS about cycling bikes. Grand. And I get it, and it’s cool, and functional and blah blah blah.

I’m a girl. I don’t want one. But I do cycle a bike and any other girl who has tried to cycle with a stylish bag will hear me when I say a lot of bags out there are useless for cycling. Like where do you put them? On the handlebars? That’s annoying….On the rack at the back? That means those elastic things that look like they’ll take your eyes out…..hmmmm. grrr. But, it would seem that designers have been having the same problem on their super cool trendy fixies/dutch bikes/other cool bike types i dont know the names of, because I have started noticing more and more bike-friendly bags everywhere. It’s really quite a simple design solution, in the sense that most bags become cyclable when you add a long strap to them. However, the handles draped on crook of arm look has dominated the accessories market for years now, so designing bags to sit longer on the body is pretty much the handbag equivalent of going from super bodycon mini to flared and flowy maxi. The “across the body” bag has caused a bit of a stir in the style pages, with clebs and fashiony types getting papped with their bag hanging from their body. IMAGINE!!! Funtion AND fashion?!!!! MADNESS!

This is one of those nerd things that I find really interesting because *warning i’m about to get all nerdy* – it shows how fashion is directly influenced by the ways in which people choose to live their lives and how designers come up with design solutions to these lives. It is also interesting that fashion and trends are as much inflenced by functionality as aesthetics. This current over the body trend is a result of people wanting to live a healthier/more eco lifestyle and then other people who dont know one end of a bike from another think it’s cool and buy into it because Alexa was papped with it. *Phew, nerd rant over*

Anyway, clearly noone really reads blogs and only visits them for the pictures, so here you go, I shall prove my point in visual format. x

Tory Burch Carson Messenger

Proenza Schouler PS1

Marc by Marc Jacobs Sophie Saddle bag

Miu Miu

Isabel Marant Frangie

Chloé Paraty. Nom

Chloé Amy

Alexander Wang Sydney Velvet Backpack

I just realised I forgot to put the Alexa Mulberry in there. It’s pretty much the poster bag for cycling/satchel/”across the body” bags today. Although I personally prefer the versions above. So, eh, I guess my blog my rules. xx

Fringing Rocks

Apart from my sartorial love of fringing (I think tie-die fringe is my fav), last night I went to see the Rubberbandits, who were playing a gig as part of the Dublin Fringe Festival. If you don’t know who the Rubberbandits are, well then be prepared for an aural assault from these two boyos from Limerick. Comedy meets hip hop meets Stab City. When you can actually understand what they are saying they are funny as fuck. And then the other times they are still pretty funny. I like their scaldy rat bag personas (or maybe they really are scaldy rat bags, still not sure…). Here is their funny song Bags of Glue.

Here is their website (although I would recommend a trip to Youtube also)

There is loads of really awesome stuff happening at Fringe Fest, I encourage you to check it out (HERE). It’s a pity there is no Speigletent this year, but if last night is anything to go by, it’s not the end of the world! If you are skint, there are lots of things to do for free. So, go!

I’m a MUG….

I have been shockingly bad about updating the blog for the last little while, as I was off doing an internship and generally not being near a computer with decent internet since mid July. Stinger for me if you haven’t even noticed…

I am heading into final year in 17 days (shudder) so I thought I would start off with something I am going to be getting very familiar with over the next couple of months…..my coffee cup. I love GIANT mugs, they are handy for caffeine addictions and they let you cool your beverage down to just the right temperature and then drink a bunch of coffee rather than having to make loads of cups and wait ages.

Also, it is my BIRTHDAY soon, and a mug is a warm hug of a cup. And seeing as I will have a severely diminished social live over the next while, well, HINT! I kind of want all of the below….

Turquoise

Quentin Blake + Cats = LOL

Paprika

Duck Egg Blue

Mo’s for life!

Architect Mies Van Der Rohe’s Design Maxim

Ninjas + Biscuits = Happy mug

Snigger.

Bodum Filter Belgique. someone buy me one.

Dieter Ram’s Rules for Design. On a mug.

This list is in no way exhaustive, but you get the idea. I think the key to a good mug is function rather than pattern, size of handle, position of handle, circumference and depth all count more than the end pattern. Although ideally it should be both, there is nothing saying you can’t have your tea and drink it too. Sorry, couldn’t help it.

I will leave you with Dieter Ram’s rules for design, as featured on one of the mugs.

Good design is innovative.
Good design makes a product useful.
Good design is aesthetic.
Good design makes a product understandable.
Good design is unobtrusive.
Good design is honest.
Good design is long-lasting.
Good design is thorough down to the last detail.
Good design is environmentally friendly.
Good design is as little design as possible.