The Perfect Hermès Reveal for My Blue Jean Era

This story is less about the reveal and more about the evolution of tastes and choices. Having become a long-time collector of bags, I make some observations based on my own experiences.

Hermès Madison, NYC. May 2025.

My earliest readers know, especially my Chanel community from over a decade ago, that my love for color always took precedence over neutrals. I could collect every pop color in multiple shades in the same medium flap… yet till this day I do not have a THE classic black caviar flap. Nope I do not. Hard to believe right?

Let’s move to some 15+ years ago when I began with Hermès. Same thing, I started with classic Hermès Orange, followed by Anemone and Vermilion. Black and Barenia joined the mix much later. It’s completely the opposite of how one would expect a collector to begin. Fast forward to the last couple of years, and it has switched: I now covet neutrals, I adore the special exotic skins and heritage leathers, especially when they come in blue boxes. Call it the ‘evolution of a collector.’

But before I deviate too far from the essence of what I want to share, let’s focus specifically on color. Just as a fun exercise before you read on, ask yourself: what color is least represented in Pursebop collections???

Think a minute, Ok, ok, you can even scan my instagram page @pursebop

Answer: The least represented color in all of my Chanel and Hermès‘s collections is blue. I own only one blue bag, which is in a very vibrant Hermès shade called Bleu Hydra. That bag was my first Hermès Special Order, written at the Chicago boutique. Truthfully, even then, I struggled because I wanted only Chevre, and there were no other options that appealed to me. I will always treasure it as it’s my first Special Order; however, the color is difficult for me to wear. But, beyond that bag, notice that I have no navy, no sapphire, not even baby blue.

Oh yes, I missed a more recent addition — the Kelly Danse Anate fringe in Swift leather Blue Jean. The color doesn’t really translate to a blue jean kind of blue, though, despite the name. The shade is too vibrant, at least in Swift. And that only happened in December 2024 so we are talking only 14 months ago.

As you can see, my bag collection includes only two blue bags, and neither of those would be considered a neutral shade. And, until recently, I’ve had little interest in the color.

Remember, this is about the evolution of style and preference. For the last decade, I did not wear denim at all. Why? Because before PurseBop, there was a prominent chapter in my entrepreneurial journey where I ran a very successful jeans business, and I guess I shifted my look far in the opposite direction. And I went extreme; not a single pair of basic blue jeans hit my closet for many, many years. Instead, I became an expert on every single type of black slacks, trousers, legging,s scuba pants, and leather pants you can imagine. When summer hit after long Chicago winters, I fully transitioned to dresses, frilly, flowy, straight, solids, florals, etc.

Somewhere, sometime, in 2024, I found myself experimenting with a pair of Rag & Bone wide leg Miramar jeans. It seems silly, but that one pair changed me completely (again). All of a sudden, a world of dressing opened up to me that I had been ignoring. By nature and personality I generally prefer a casual chic look. I love, love the rocker girl vibe — the formal blazer or matching pant suit look has never been my thing. Even if I wore a gorgeous Chanel tweed, it was likely paired with leather, a scuba or riding pant — a more casual feel. I guess a sort of “well put together effortless look” is what I am drawn to. There’s nothing wrong with the corporate clean look. It’s just that my life‘s experiences and multiple decades as an entrepreneur never forced me to conform to a dress code. I could always express my own sense of fashion. And as for fancy dressing, I get plenty of that in our after-hours social life, parties, and weddings. OMG, you have no idea – and that’s the side of my life most of you know little of. There’s ample opportunity for all things bling in my world (including bags)!

My shoulder Birkin in Gold Evercolor was the bag of the trip.

OK, so now jump to late spring 2025, a casual, quick and impromptu visit to the Hermès Madison store. I was wearing a pair of cuffed blue jeans from a private label boutique called Imogene and Willie, purchased in Nashville on a work trip in April with a client. There I met a fabulous fashionista with whom I hit it off and promptly went right down the rabbit hole of struggles with finding the ideal-fitting jeans. She said, “Let’s go shopping right now, and I promise to get you fitted.” And we did.

With those jeans at Madison, I was wearing a really cute Cinq à Sept cropped denim jean jacket with short puff sleeves and a zippered front. Yup, a full-on Canadian tuxedo, as they call it, LOL.

Hermès luggage with shoulder Birkin in Gold Evercolor with matching sneakers and shark charm.

My Hermès sales associate must have had a “eureka moment” with my fresh look of blue jean head to toe, combined with the topic of lizard, as if something clicked. She literally ran away for a few minutes, and, the next thing I knew, we were sitting in the private room. She began to open a box immediately, and as the color began to peek through, she remarked “it is gorgeous.”
She opened a bit more and said “Oh yeah, it’s a really good one,
please be open to the color…” Her unwrapping was accompanied by repeated sounds of awe and “now this I have never seen.”

At this point, I was anticipating a lizard something, but had no idea where we were going with the color or style. She had me at lizard.

I mean who refuses anything lizard. Not me, but I was a bit concerned about where color conversation was headed. As the bag fully revealed itself from the felt, what I saw was the most exquisite lizard skin in a shade of blue that could be considered some sort of indigo, but with a unique hint, and I repeat just a hint, of maybe a steel gray. What was before my eyes was breathtaking, but yes, in a color I would have never considered previously, not even in a lizard. And now, the fact that the Constance she pulled out was in the newest released size of the 1–24, and not a C18, made it even more exciting as the bag exudes a casual vibe. Perfect for my new “blue jean era.”

Footnote* this is my second C1-24. The first is stunning bright white Himalayan. This is also my second lizard Constance. The first was an ombrè C18 from the opening of the Madison boutique.

I literally grabbed it, strapped it around my body, and admired it as a very high crossbody bag. Love is an understatement. So big, bold and prominent with my arm resting perfectly over it. I then tried it over the shoulder with the strap doubled up and long. There were literally three ways I could wear this.

exotic Constance bags. Himalayan Porosus Crocodile, Ombrè and Blue de Malte Lizard.

The two Constance 1-24 bags in my collection.

So now the imagination game begins…

Look 1: Blue jeans, white T-shirt, sneakers, and cross body.

Look 2: H leather trench, blue jeans, biker boots and hanging long over the shoulder.

Look 3: blue jeans, summer blouse, ballet flats, and carried double strapped in the crook of my arm.

The two Constance bags in Lizard in my collection.

Yes, all of these thoughts run through my head the minute I see a bag. You know what I’m talking about. It’s that visualization process of yourself in your wardrobe with that new treasure.

This was an absolute unexpected delight — so different from my existing collection. Its palladium hardware provides some needed diversity as more than 75% of my collection is in gold hardware.

This new lizard 🦎 treasure was waiting in queue somewhere deep at the back of “the vault” for its debut (by now you know some reveals wait till it feels just right). It finally happened last week while headed to Florida for a girls trip to Naples, followed by a sisters reunion in Miami, where incidentally my daily uniform was going to be blue jeans, white T-shirts or a black long sleeve Skims body suit, an array of sneakers (yes, including the new current Chanel season bowling ball inspired ones), and a Hermès bomber or two. Yup, that’s the current vibe you’ll find me in most days, and what better than a Constance 1-24 in polished Niloticus Lizard in a color rarely seen — Blue de Malte (7L).

My three beautiful and diverse blues.

Action shots from her maiden trip to Florida February 1st – 8th. She went from a Chicago snow debut, straight to the beaches of a very frigid but sunny Florida.