Chan(n)el.

I made a serious, life-changing fashion decision earlier this year: I purchased a Chanel classic flap bag.

Mr. Magpie accompanied me for the glorious occasion, and it was every bit as momentous as I imagined it would be.  Even though I’d had the good fortune to borrow (or steal, depending on how you want to view the situation) my mother’s navy Chanel for a few years until she felt like wearing it one afternoon and went into a panic upending her closet in its pursuit (sorry, Mom…), I wanted one of my own, and I wanted it in black with gold hardware.  And so it was.  And so it accompanies me everywhere I go.

I told Mr. Magpie that this is a once-in-a-lifetime investment piece, a new family heirloom that I will pass along to my mini Magpies one day (or that they can “borrow” from me without my knowledge — karma) since God knows they’ll never be able to squeeze their feet into my pint-sized doll shoes.  (I wear a 34.5, for the record, and have the tiniest toes ever recorded in human history.  The nail technicians can’t even use those little toe separators on me — it’s too painful for my little piggies.  It’s boring, but it’s my life.)  Now, Mr. Magpie appreciates fine clothing and shoes (he just broke out a pair of slick tuxedo slippers from Stubbs and Wootten — this exact style, how sick?! — I’d purchased for him at a wedding and loved all the positive attention they garnered), but he was skeptical.  Now that he’s rarely seen me without it at my side, I think he’s grasping the full picture.  At any rate, my new little buddy has driven me to new Chanel-inspired looks…

One I’ve been longing to wear involves this BANANAS necklace (I NEED IT — $98) with a lace dress (this style from Tory Burch is money, and on sale for $397, but I’m also loving this mint green style or this lavender style for an affordable $78 and $65, respectively; alternately, if you want to go big, this Valentino is stunning — $2015):

Round it out with some elegant flats ($185):

The only thing to add?  A cropped jacket — it really brings the Chanel look home.  I’m drawn to all three of these styles, incidentally all from TopShop and moderately priced: (1) striped, $116; (2) lavender scalloped, $110 — and also, do you not die over the matching skirt?!?! — I don’t think I’d wear the two together, but that skirt! with a blouse!; (3) boucle, $116.

Pretty, pretty, pretty!