when i moved to new york in 2008 i hadn't yet embraced my quirky nature. i was working on wall street, living on the upper east side, and wearing a lot of banana republic. i was about as original as a sarah michelle geller character in a 90s romantic comedy.

so when it came time to buy a purse I took myself to one of those big department stores on that street they are always talking about and bought a navy longchamp.

super boring right?

after six years that longchamp finally died on me last january. however I had been preparing for this day and already had a successor picked out that was unique, reflected my quirky personality, and big enough to hold a laptop: the merchant & mills oil skin bag.

whats that you don't know about merchant & mills?

image source: merchant & mills website — image source: merchant & mills website

they are a london based sewing shop that make the most b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l sewing tools, notions, and fabric known to man.

the packaging makes even the simplest of things, like these pins, feel so important.

and it makes you want to do your best work as a result.

i mean how can you not love this hand block cotton pattern from jaipur?

or this starter kit?

some girls fawn over shoes, some over ryan gosling, some over cupcakes. not me. i daydream about this stuff. i mean is this indigo linen not to die for?

anyways back to the bag.

it comes sold as a kit, which at first i wasn't into (i'm a millennial, how am I going to be my unique special self from a kit?!) but i actually really enjoyed having the whole thing all ready to go.

it came together perfectly and has held up great for the past year. i have to say the oil skin handles distress quite well. here it is all wrinkled when i first made it: