Fashionable Friday: The Little Black Bag

This week, I asked three of my friends to pick out their dream “little black bag” because every girl needs to have the perfect “little black bag” in her closet. I knew each friend would pick unique bags, and boy, did they! Then I filled their bags with just the right notebook, pen and accessories.

Lisa picked the Clare V Lou Crossbody Bag ($399) from Anthropologie in black leather and suede with a blue denim lining and that fabulous gold gold strap detail. Lisa is a free spirit, creative and fun so I made sure her accessories reflected her personality. Sure, the ink matches her bag but its sparkly! I added some of my favorite brand of lipstick in a totally wearble color and some of the best pencils and notebook (also shiny!) and some fun clips to keep it altogether.

• TWSBI Eco black fountain pen €35 (via Fontoplumo)
• Diamine Shimmering Fountain Pen Ink in Golden Sands $20 (via JetPens)
• 1963 Portrait Pink Lipstick $22 (via Besame Cosmetics)
• Leuchtturm Medium Plain Hardcover Notebook in Gold (Limitied Edition) $18.95 (via Amazon)
• Palomino Blackwing Pencils $21.95 per dozen (via Pencils.com)
• Midori Strawberry D-Clips £5.99 (via The Journal Shop)

Angela chose the posh Gucci 1970 bag in black with gold tassel and accents to the tune of $2190 retail. Its off-season now so the best source for this bag is eBay. It was also available in other colors and was spotted on all the celebrity It Girls. I kept all her accessories as upscale and tasteful as the bag itself, except maybe the Daschund clips because everyone deserves to show they have a sense of whimsy.

• Montegrappa Ducal Fountain in Black with Rosegold Trim, Fine Nib $350 see website for price info (via Anderson Pens)
• Rifle Paper Co. Garance Dore “Oui” Plain Pocket Notebooks, Set of 2 (14x11cm) $18.95AU (via Notemaker)
• Midori Dachshund D-Clips Paper Clips Mini Box of 12 $5.50 (via JetPens)
• Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey $17 (via Sephora)
• Sailor Fountain Pen Jentle Ink in Black $17 (via JetPens)

Jordan, like a true designer said “does it have to be ALL black,” chose the Kate Spade Cedar Street Mini Nora $198 $138. Its pops of cream and hot pink meant the accessories had to coordinate and I already knew Jordan loved Kaweco pens so I tossed in a Lilliput. Jordan is also a nail polish connoisseur so I knew she’d be amused with the new OPI Hello Kitty polish collection but pleased that the polish was suitably subtle in creme black.

• Visconti Rembrandt Calligraphy Fountain Pen in Ivory $177 (via Pen Chalet)
• Leuchtturm1917 Medium A5 Dot Grid Notebook in Berry in Dot Grid $19.50 (via Goulet Pens)
• Karas Kustoms Fountain K Fountain Pen in Pink Aluminum $75 (via Goulet Pens)
• Diamine Fountain Pen Ink 30 ml mini bottle in Hope Pink $7.50 (via JetPens)
• Hello Kitty Never Have Too Mani Friends! Polish (via OPI)
• Kaweco Liliput Eco Brass Wave Fountain Pen with Extra Fine Nib $86.50 (via JetPens)