Hint #1: Five Reasons the Hermes
Hint #2: Shades of Hermes Gray for the Color-Lover
Hermès has a way of keeping us on our tippy toes and our hearts fluttering with excitement. It’s quite impressive that even with a burgeoning or bursting collection, the experience of acquiring a new Hermès bag instills that magical aura. I can testify that, even many years and even more bags later, buying a new Hermès bag still captures my heart the same as it did that very first time (read: Super Bag XLVIII).
A Color Trip Down Memory Lane
I’ve been eager to add a neutral mini to my collection for what seems like an eternity (about two and a half years), dating back to the time that I embarked on a quest for the perfect neutral. Shortly thereafter, Gris Mouette entered my life (read Part II: Miss Mouette Joins PurseBop’s Hermès Family). That pivotal addition fostered an appreciation for neutrals that I had never before experienced. As you may recall, prior to Ms Mouette, the closest I came to a neutral was metallic. Be it golds, silvers, or coppers, any “neutral” craving was satisfied by Chanel beauties in these fabrications, usually miniauderies. Soon after though, Hermès Barenia rode in, teaching about heritage leathers and the joy of the equestrian neutral (read Bringing Home a Slice of Hermès History: PurseBop’s Special Birthday Birkin).
Remember this from 2016?
Alex Curran with Hermes Gris Tourterelle, Irina Shayk with Hermes Etoupe and Kim Kardashian West with Hermes (we aren’t really sure what color, your guess?) Read: Quest for a Neutral Hermes
Read: Part I: Hermès in Paris With PurseBop: Part I of the Trilogy
Of course, as you readers well know, I remained and remain drawn to rainbow colors. Especially pink. Almost exactly one year ago, Rose Pourpre stole my heart. And then again when mama brought me the Rose Pourpre birdie from Paris. My spring venture to Paris enabled a Rose Lipstick Tadelakt Kelly (as well as an ocean blue Chanel).
Read Part II: A tale of Two More Hermès Kellys, PurseBop Falls for a Chanel Boy in Paris).
The Dream and the Calling
Read Part III: A Tale of Two More Hermès Kellys
Nevertheless, I couldn’t fight this gnawing craving for a pint-sized neutral for evenings out and summer travels. My black mini 25 Miss Noir has flown as many miles as I have and probably should have her own frequent flyer account. Hands-down it is the most used bag in my collection right now. A light-hued sister for her would be just right.
Miss Noir has traveled the world and even modeled the new PurseBop Frock.Visit PurseBop Frocks for details.
I got the Hermès call from A.C. on Saturday, December 15th, the day of hubby’s birthday party, and maybe that was the reason for the extra cocktail(s), lol. On Sunday, December 16th at 4:24 PM, we entered the palace of orange dreams here in Chicago to be introduced to my latest crush. You know it’s a mini and you know it’s a gray…I’ve been teasing it all weekend. But which gray–and which hardware color–is the true icing on this, my neutral cake?
Always love making new Hermes loving friends @whoischrisg.
The traditional and celebratory dinner with Mr. PurseBop.
Over the years, we have done several Gray polls asking the community which would be the best gray for an avid color lover like me. What’s the Favorite Hermès Gray, One could actually call this real market research (you’re welcome!). The resounding answer in all of the dialogue has been Gris Tourterelle.
And now I know exactly why all of you have suggested this as my perfect gray. As soon as the phone rang with the news, my mind began envisioning travels to Cancun for upcoming weddings and tropical nights in hot places like New Delhi and Miami. Trust me, the bag had already been brought home, unveiled, nested for travel, and flown halfway across the world before we even opened the box. My mind has this incredible ability to envision scenarios that complement the personality of each new arrival as though they were real companions or characters.
As she peeked out from the corners of the dust bag in the box, my heart melted. The color was soft and pretty, yet clean and neutral. Not quite gray and not beige either. As a neutral, she’s a beige-ish gray that makes me almost want to say blush.
But, the feature that gave me the real goosebumps during my call was when A.C. spit it out the words, “Rose gold hardware, Monika. How do you feel about this? Is it something you would like to try, as it is new for us?” Try???? Are you serious A.C.? I mean, yes, but of course… At this point you need to picture me with hot rollers in my hair, towel gown tightly belted around my waist, one eye open and one closed… kohl pencil in the right hand and my nose pressed into the mirror. I’ll admit, I was so excited that my eyeliner was definitely thicker on the right side than the left and those winged lines were not quite even. But oh well, mean Rose Gold Hardware!
It sat in the foyer until Thursday morning, a very gloomy Chicago day, when I drove over to my girlfriend’s home to have her videotape and photograph Miss Ellie as I’m going to call her. My bestie also owns an Etoupe bag, so I thought it would be fun to do some comparison photos. It was an adventurous attempt to say the least, both the reveal video and the comparison shots. But we managed to get the job done. See @pursebop reveal video here.
Rocky compares Gris Tourterelle with his mama’s Etoupe Birkin 30 with gold hardware.
Welcome to the family M.s Ellie.
The underlying hue of Gris Tourterlle changes from gray to taupe based on lighting and surrounding.
Gris Tourterelle. Etoupe and Bubble Gum 5P Pink.
The Beauty of Rose Gold Hardware on a Birkin
She is simply sublime. Beyond the fabulousity of Gris Tourterelle (which you all predicted), this Rose Gold Hardware is perfectly extra. Sophisticated and elegant, I guess you could even call her slightly understated–something completely foreign to me when it comes to handbags or bling. It was difficult to capture the beauty of the rose gold with the Hermès store lighting and with the stickers still on. I knew the real appreciation would come when I finally got to unpack this beauty and peel away the stickers to let it shine. It sat in the foyer until Thursday morning, a very gloomy Chicago day, when I drove over to my girlfriend’s home to have her videotape and photograph Miss Ellie as I’m going to call her. My bestie also owns an Etoupe bag, so I thought it would be fun to do some comparison photos. It was an adventurous attempt to say the least, both the reveal video and the comparison shots. But we managed to get the job done.
Mini Face-Off: rose gold hardware versus gold hardware.
This latest addition not only satisfies a serious craving but sticks to my mantra of adding only something new to my collection. I want to build a diverse collection of leathers, colors and maybe someday skins. This marks my first Hermes Rose Gold Hardware bag and I could not be more delighted.
Mini’s in a row: Noir, Bubblegum 5P Pink and Gris Tourterelle.
Mini’s in a row – clockwise: Noir, Gris Tourterelle & Bubblegum 5P Pink
Obviously, I’m thrilled with the combination of Gris Tourterelle and rose gold hardware. Is this a combination you admire?
Make sure to follow Miss Ellie’s holiday travels on Instagram.
Love PurseBop
XO
Updated: April 5th, 2019
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