fluoro filofan

I remember getting my first Filofax: I was visiting London from NY with my English boyfriend, it was the 80s, and I got mine in basic black, of course. I felt very grown up.
I still have the Filofax, and Reader, I married the boyfriend.
And now, decades later, living in London, I am the proud owner of a FLUORO PINK, genuine leather, Filofax. The original. New and Improved. The 21st Century version.
I can't tell you how much it cheers me up: this weather is the pits. It's not just London - I'm hearing it's the same in NY, across America.. not to mention the Twisters, the Hurricanes.. I don't have to tell you. Today's outlook is 'Outbreaks of rain affecting most. Misty in the east.'





Even in the warm places.. I'm seeing 18 degrees for Rome, 20 for Barcelona.. which means nothing to me if it's not in Fahrenheit, and I can't find the conversion, but I know it's not great. Not for a day or two before JUNE.
So there's one of two ways we can go about this, I feel. Besides booking a short holiday to an Italian island - which I've done - I can sulk, or I can wear fluoro. I choose the latter.
I equate it to sacrificing lambs, or first born daughters, at a temple on top of the tallest mountain. Every day, rain or shine, I wear something bright. It might be a jumper, it might just be nail varnish (shown here, by Model's Own- I like pairing pink and orange. And I love pink with green, esp. lime, like my lovely lime Tina clutch, by #IJ). It's too cold for my hot pink plastic sandals, of course. At the very least, I can wear my hot pink watch, or carry my hot pink Filofax.




Shortly after we moved to London, I met Elle Macpherson socially. She took down my number. I'm not  telling this story to name drop about Elle, but rather the thing that impressed me most: she reached into this gigundous bag, and pulled out a hot pink Smythson book, and wrote down my number. Wasted half a page on me (and no, Reader, she never did call). But the luxury of that big pink book stayed with me to this day. Pink leather feels like the height of luxury, but a Filofax is more than a book, because of the nooks and crannies. 
It's a clutch, with pages.

Speaking of watches, my husband's been saying he's noticed that 'kids' (i.e. anyone under 25) have stopped wearing watches. He's noticed that when people want to know what time it is, they look at their phone. I think that's so sad. I love the quaint, 20th century items, like watches, like proper diaries. Yes, I have a digital one on my laptop, but it's not the same.
The thing about my Fluoro Filofax is, it's leather. It HOLDS things. I can use it like a clutch, put my passport in it, money, credit cards.. it's got a RULER, for goodness sake. It's a thing of beauty, a joy forever, and while I don't love my basic black one any less - it's older than most bloggers - I love this one.. okay, I admit it. I'm a Fluoro FiloFan.
So if it's raining where you are, and it's not a pool day, let a smile be your umbrella. If we all wear something Fluoro, who knows, maybe collectively we'll WILL the sun to come out.

my beautiful Tina, in lime: #IJ

"You know sometimes when you buy something different and just the right colour and if it costs just a little bit more than you would normally spend, it makes you feel on top of the world - beautiful, unique, happy. I hope that my bags will evoke that kind of feeling."    - Indre Jakumaite, designer/creator of #IJ

It is so rare that I get this excited about an object, but I've ordered the most valuable bag I've ever owned, the Tina, in lime green, from Indre Jakumaite, of #IJ (I love her url: hashtagIJ.co.uk: everything about the brand is so cool. Simple web design that WORKS. The same logo I'd have created myself. And the bags. THE BAGS!!)

Hand dyed Italian leather and wool felt, bespoke, British Made in her South London studio. I was thinking of combining the lime leather with the navy wool, which isn't on her site, and she would have done it for me - I mean, she is that flexible - but first I wanted to try one of her designs, as she designed it. So I chose the TINA CLUTCH, in lime. That is the perfect colour for me - not just spring and summer, but year round. It will go with everything: brights, white, black, neutrals, grey.. lime is the new black, when it comes to bags, I feel. And I love when someone does what they say they will. Last weekend, while we were in the English countryside, my beautiful Tina, in lime green, was born.

When it arrived in the post yesterday, a brown paper package tied up with string, and my kitten with whiskers started getting into the act (and no, that little bastard isn't getting his claws anywhere near Tina's pretty wool felt) I just felt like, man oh man, this is so definitely one of my favourite things.

This is a brand new, baby brand. She sounds so wonderful that we've already friended each other on facebook, and are planning to meet next week.

If anyone out there is reading this, please let me know if you have any suggestions for Indre, or if you'd like to help spread the word. As all you Creative Beings know, it's really hard to sell ourselves, but we can support each other. And I really want her to succeed.

So far, #IJ is only available online, at www.hashtagij.co.uk. But I have a hunch that's going to change, very soon. And who knows, maybe she'll even create a bag named Jill, in lime and navy, someday!