I am not trying to suggest by the title of this post that any purchase from Chanel is a frivolous frippery (at roughly $250 a pop for a teeny brooch, these can hardly be considered the kind of impulse purchases one tends to make at the checkout); but sometimes (ok, usually) it is the least practical purchases that make me the happiest. Take for example my collection of Chanel brooches*, against which I am virtually powerless whenever I find myself wandering into a Chanel boutique. They are entirely unnecessary – being both superfluous and whimsical – but I adore the way that when I cluster them together on a blazer lapel (usually all at once – might as well do this properly), they add a touch our sillyness and sparkle and my outfit instantly feel more like ‘me’.
I adore them not only for their minature whimsy, but because I’ve taken to treating them as luxe souvenirs; buying them on lovely holidays when I happen to cross paths with a Chanel store. And just like that, when I pin one on, I’m instantly reminded of happy memories of blissful days spent wandering in Paris, New York or Melbourne. And while it’s the brooches I’ve mostly collected thus far, If money were no object, I’d wear ropes and ropes of long Chanel pearl necklaces strewn over a plain white or breton striped tee every day. Parfait!
Just as wonderful as peeks inside the giant jewellery boxes at the boutiques are trips to the Chanel beauty counter, which feel to me like my childhood adventures to the neighbourhood sweet shop with my big sister. Once glimpse of those tiny lolly-coloured bottles of makeup and my eyes widen in excitement as I want to smell/try everything I lay my eyes on.
While their nail polishes have reached cult-like status in the beauty world (the limited edition shades selling out within hours each season), in my opinion there is nothing more glamorous than pulling out a Chanel lipstick and reapplying it straight from the bullet, or finishing the perfect outfit with a spritz of one of their decadently beautiful Les Exclusifs parfums to the decolletage. Oh la la!
What are your favourite small luxury purchases?
Love, Miss B xx
* Which, much to my sadness, I seem to constantly lose; the streets of London are littered with my beautiful, lost Chanel brooches.
P.S. My friend Fashion For Lunch, who is the only person as passionate about Chanel brooches as me, has a great post on how to authenticate a real Chanel brooch, in case that is of any help.
Ohh! I want some pins! But I never find any cute ones 🙁
Beautiful, love the illustration too.
Thank you!
B x
Your brooches are gorgeous! One day I hope to perhaps own a few myself.
Gorgeous pieces B and I always consider any purchase of Chanel make-up a little luxury that makes life that bit more special! Hope you had a lovely weekend xxx
Thank you lovely! And you are so right – it’s all about the small luxuries that make everything more fun.
B xx
My favourites are their nail polishes. They’re so different from other collections and they always choose the best colours. Lovely collection B! 🙂 x
Aren’t they the best? I don’t know HOW Peter Phillips does it, but he somehow manages to know which colour we’ll want to wear each season, before we even know ourselves.
B xx
I like the little woman brooch. It sucks when you lose something like that!
x. Jill
Completely with you on the luxury of Chanel. I love their beautiful earrings as well as the brooches and agree they add the perfect amount of whimsey and sparkle to an outfit! So happy to have found your blog xx
Oh thank you so much! Lovely to have you here.
B xx
I am lusting after the new no.19 Poudre perfume – I love it! Saving my pennies up!!
I don’t actually think I have smelt this one – but you can never go wrong with Chanel. Even with a spritz of perfume, I promise you’ll feel instantly more glamorous!
B xx
Have just discovered your blog through Fash n Chips. 🙂 Lovely collection of brooches. The accessories make all the difference. I absolutely love my Chanel lipstick and nail polishes.
Thank you so much – how lovely to have you here! And you’re right – it’s all in the accessories 😉
B xx
Oh you have an AMAZING collection!! Are you obsessed with luxurious vintage (the site)? they have some good Chanel finds! Can I still have you as my Chanel-authenticity-checker-person, I have been scouring ebay for Chanel brooches and might be sending links your way to verify! XX
Thank you so much! And I’ve never actually come across this site – will have to go and investigate! And yes, feel free to email anything and I’ll have a look for you.
B xx
So sweet
You are so unbelievably glamorous! This is so wonderful! It makes so much more sense to buy something beautiful that you’ll wear when on holiday somewhere than to get some tacky thing that will sit on a shelf. I love how you’ve described your devotion to these Chanel pins!
Gorgeous post and such stunning photos! xx
This is literally Chanel porn. I agree with you there, some of the most impractical, and ridiculous purchases are your favourite. In my case I guess that’s probably my patent Kurt Geigers, which somehow I have managed to wear in even the snow, and not fall over (I do wonder how).
As for small purchases well I don’t do anything by half…
I love the Chanel nail polishes they are beautiful, and even the packaging is lovely. The fragrances are to die for, I love my Chanel mens too.
Your broaches are beautiful, you must post a photograph of them crowded on your lapel I can imagine it to be a beautiful assortment of haphazard Chanel.
xx L
I adore the nail varnish and the serum.
i love your chanel posts i too am very fond of chanel as its my favourite brand.there window displays make me speechless and it’s like i’m under a trance.i have started buying classic pieces when shopping instead of lots of high street items at once…i started with the chanel make up and have recently bought a pair of chanel rain boots from paris and i’m now saving to visit a chanel shop in miami when i go there for xmas. i’m really looking forward to getting some jewellery, wallet and pumps..i hope you can check out my blog http://www.sweetpealondon.co.uk which i have recently started
love
sweetpeax