Jane Birkin Style

Oh, the coveted Birkin Bag—how did it all begin? With the resurgence of styling our handbags with charms, scarves, and more, the name Jane Birkin has become a common search on Google and TikTok. The first time I saw a post, I was riveted and ended up down a rabbit hole, soaking up all the information I could. It is a simple story that has become an intense desire for the iconic and costly bag. 

In 1984, during a flight from Paris to London, actress Jane Birkin complained to her seatmate about not finding a bag that suited her needs as a young mother.  She happened to be sitting next to Jean-Louis Dumas, the Executive Chairman of Hermès.  He immediately sketched out a spacious rectangular catchall tote with a dedicated space for baby bottles.  The bag had a flap and saddle stitching for elegance to an otherwise simple and functional bag.  The bag, which he called the Birkin, hit the stores in the early 1980s.  Vogue wrote an excellent piece on the fantastic meeting and the idea behind the bag.  I think you will enjoy it, you can read it here. 

She received a complimentary Birkin for her help in the design and for using her name. But to her, the bag was a piece of function, not the extravagant luxury it is today.  She is rumored to own four, carrying only one at a time, and loves to decorate them to make them different from everyone else's bag. She is known to hang items from the handles, decorate them with stickers, and believe in using her everyday bag instead of holding it up as a piece of status, as many do. 

Birkin was quoted in Vogue in 2011,  “There’s no fun in a bag if it’s not kicked around, so that it looks as if the cat’s been sitting on it — and it usually has.” She went on to detail her preferred way to style her Birkin: adorning it in tchotchkes like stickers and worry beads. “I always hang things on my bags because I don’t like them looking like everyone else’s,” she said. 

After reading about Jane and her love of adorning her bag, I have craved to adorn a bag I own.  Something simple can be dressed up with my style and used and spoken about in conversations. I have watched many videos of others "Jane Birkin-ifying" their bags.  The recipe is simple and can be made more complex as you see fit.  A scarf is tied around the handle, some smaller pieces clipped onto one handle, and maybe a small beaded strap can be used to connect one handle to another. There is definitely no limit to the items or the price you can spend.  You can outfit your bag with items from Amazon, or as some are doing, adding all the pieces from luxury brands. It is a great way to use a fun choker you no longer wear and also a fun way to hit the stores and hunt for some goodies. 

I don't know how long this trend will last, but I use what I want as long as it suits me. So, I may be a long-term fan or a seasonal styler we shall see!

Happy Wednesday ...