WIW 4/20-21 Paul Frank (I see London, I see France...) - YouLookFab Forum

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WIW 4/20-21 Paul Frank (I see London, I see France...)

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Continuing on with my never-ending supply of cute kitschy purses. I'm starting to dig back into my old treasures like my Paul Frank collection. I used to collect Paul Frank and Gama-Go before I had kids. I remember those days of eBay bidding for some limited edition collaboration piece that I just had to have. The products are like a mixture of cute innocence and skater attitude and pop culture references. I also have a Paul Frank Lego suitcase (that the kids are currently using), Paul Frank Barbie, Paul Frank Hello Kitty, wallet with Julius as Elvis, etc. etc.

When the kids were babies I bought some Tokidoki x Jujube diaper bags. And now I've "graduated" to Kate Spade novelty clutches, which are just as cute and kitschy, but cost a lot more, LOL!

Anyways, I thought I'd show you the "best of" my Paul Frank collection first, and then see if you want to see any more of it? These are two Paul Frank x Shag limited edition purses. Julius in London and in Paris. (I just couldn't help myself with the thread title, LOL..but sorry, you are not going to see my underpants!). They still even have the tags on and are numbered and signed on the inside. They are going for hundreds of dollars on eBay. Sad that I just found out that Paul Frank left the company (http://www.vanityfair.com/news.....rank200609). So I guess I should hang on to my whole collection now? I know purses with these cartoon characters are somewhat juvenile--I had put them all away when I joined here, because my goal was to look stylish and professional. But as I'm getting older I am getting to the point where I'm starting to embrace my pre-YLF self again (yes, I've always loved prints and matchy matchy and whimsy). Life is too short to take yourself too seriously all the time, so why not have fun with fashion!

For the outfits, I went with the matching colors and jewelry to fit the locale. Specs for the British and pearls for Parisians. This striped dress is a cheapie from Amazon that has been making the rounds on a MD fashion board I belong to. It seems to look really good on everyone else, but I think it's not playing well with my food baby (2-3). I may have to get rid of this one before someone rubs my belly and asks when I'm due...gah!!!

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18 replies

Latest reply was from Vix

Sally

Veteran

The bags are really cute. Both dresses with jackets are gorgeous ...you look absolutely smashing in the black dress with the red jacket .

AndiB

Veteran

These are beyond fab!!! Never let them go, integrate them often. Such a fun way to add quirky and individualized fun to your outfits! I have an Elvis bag I've been reluctant to pull out but I'm going to now. You rock these bags! Style and show more please!

Anonymous

GP, these are awesome! I have only seen a couple of Paul Frank pieces here and there, and had no idea it was a full line of characters with their own backstory. I particularly like your first outfit--you really know how to put together a look, and I love how all the elements play together: the Parisian look stripes, the London bag, and especially those specs, both a nod to mod London and the CA high tech culture. Brava!

FWIW I think your blue dress looks great on. I love both outfits, though I am particularly smitten with your shoes in pic 12.

Ledonna N.

Veteran

You just gave me so much life with these pictures. Boy where to start? How about your overall fashion. I've been an admirer of you style and evolution for some time now, years. I love love love that your fashion and sense of self are jelling. I'm a bag um (hoe). It's ok to laugh. My collection of vintage and kitch bags amazes people. I would love to add these to my collection. Your style is very very sophisticated yet still whimsical. Keep on rocking.

Tanya

Veteran

What fun purses, I really like them. Both outfits are great, and I especially like the first one.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Cute, cute, cute, CUTE. I bet your kids want to play with all your bags!

How do you store all your bags, Natalie?

catgirl

Veteran

Yes, how DO you store these items? And how do you carry them with tags etc. intact?

These looks are so uniquely you and the fact that you love them is what elevates them in my mind.

I actually have a love/hate relationship with collectibles; it's like Fear of Missing Out vs. Fear of Becoming a Hoarder. Mostly I'm just not motivated enough to pursue collecting particular items with any real passion. I'm glad I can live through you.

SarahTheWhite

Veteran

These bags are so fun! I love how much thought and attention to detail you give to every part of your outfit and accessories. Everything works so well together. For what it's worth, I like how fun and whimsical the purses are with your outfits because your overall look is more sophisticated and lady like. The whimsy keeps it down to earth and fun! Thanks for sharing. I always enjoy watching what you do...

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Thanks Sally, AndiB, Aliona, Ledonna, Tanya, Angie, Una and Sarah!
Andi, I'd love to see your Elvis bag!
Aliona, that was what I was going for, British Mod in the 1960's. Love that era.
Ledonna, I'm a total bag ho too. Own it! You seemed so familiar and I just realized now who you are (found your thread). So glad to see you again, Ladywone!
Sally and Tanya, glad you liked the dresses! Sarah, thanks for the compliment!

Angie and Una--totally busted! Bag over my head. You would be horrified at the state of my closet. No I don't have enough storage space for all my bags. I have two shelves in the closet on my shoe rack, one for the satchels sitting side by side and one for the larger tote bags stacked horizontally on top of each other (like 3 stacks of 3) and another small shelf with dividers above my dresses for clutches. And diaper bags on the floor under my skirts. My old Paul Frank purses are in a plastic tub. I realize that the purses are way too smushed. I've started saving those air pillows from Amazon packages to stuff into the purses to keep their shape. I know I have too many purses, but even while wearing all of them these past couple of months, I didn't find any that I really wanted to purge. (Except for one and that's for another post). I think I could possibly add one more Elfa shelf to my shoe rack, but that would involve readjusting all of the shelves and I haven't had the time or mental energy to do it. I think I need Angie or someone to come help me edit my closet. The problem is though that I'm trying to cut back on my spending now, and so I'm in this "I need to save this in case I want to use it for an outfit" hoarding mode. Especially when she posts one of those outfit ensembles or WIWs and I'm like, "Damn, I purged my lace bomber!" even though I never really wore it. So that's why I keep wearing all these items like the H&M floral pants or the agate dress or the snakeskin blouse or fish bow pumps that other Fabbers have long since purged. I'm worried I'm going to become dated without realizing it, or that my closet will just explode at some point! Clothes I am more OK about letting go, but for some reason I have a really hard time purging my pet purses!

Ledonna N.

Veteran

Raising hand slowly. I had 152 unique purses. I sold all but 10 while are insured and I love. Now I'm collecting again. ,oh boy. Thank you for sharing goldenpig

catgirl

Veteran

I will happily take your H&M floral pants!

I used to thrift and hoard men's Levis with plans to deconstruct or alter them, or that they would someday be worth something (the orange tag ones on Ebay, blah blah). These are the kinds of fears that haunt me, that I will be consumed by my own obsessions - and I alternate between indulging them and fighting them.

Rest assured you are much too on top of it to look dated!

I know when my closet gets to a certain point, I feel psychologically weighed down by the amount of things in my closet as well as the constant assessing and organizing, plus guilt and fear of being beholden to my own base instincts. And I have a much higher tolerance for chaos than most people.

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Wow Ledonna, 152 purses to 10? You are amazing! I bow down to you! I think I'd die if I had to do that!

Una, I totally feel overwhelmed and weighed down in general. My house is a complete mess with all the toys and books and papers and artwork and DH's scuba and camera gear and just general life stuff. It's embarrassing to have people over. I really want to purge the whole house and am trying to use the Kondo method but it's very slow going because I'm so busy with the kids and work and trying to fit some exercise in. I'm so tired after the kids go to bed that I just want to sleep!

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Oh and Una, over my dead body. I plan to be buried in my H&M floral pants!

(How about the BR version?)

catgirl

Veteran

Natalie, I feel the same - with 5 pets, a busy 12 year old, and two working parents, we just can't keep on top of everything. The fur! And DS's basketball stuff! And living here we have so much GEAR. I try to keep one room presentable for my own sanity, but it's a struggle and there's so much I'd rather do than clean (like sleep!). Cut yourself some slack. And let's start a new thread on how to keep a busy household in shape!

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Also I was planning to rip the tags off those Paul Frank purses, until I saw that one of them was selling for $1500 on eBay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Paul-F.....HTF-RARE-B
Now that is totally ridiculous and I doubt they'd get that (I don't remember what I paid for them about 10 yrs ago, but it was probably about $200 because they were limited edition and HTF on eBay). I also don't think I'd sell these. But I decided to just tuck the tag inside the purse without removing it, just in case.

Jules

Veteran

I think it's great you wear your "old" stuff (and make it look fab!). With a lot of choices (and body changes), your stuff isn't seeing the same volume of wear as someone who's doing a smaller, strictly current wardrobe. You also enjoy making new outfit combos and having a lot of variety (vs. someone like me, not a huge buyer, working from home, who has basically realized I only need 2-3 "outfits" per season - even happily wearing one outfit for several different events over a 6 week period!)

I don't see any value in purging for purging's sake. You're obviously a collector, which is not the same as a hoarder! There is nothing wrong with that. Is Kondo for you?

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Yes Jules, I don't get the same frequency of wear with my large wardrobe. I also like matchy matchy and having the perfect items/accessories for each outfit so that makes it hard to purge. I like the principles of it, but practically, I don't think Kondo was written for two busy working parents with kids! I'm too sentimental too...we are buried in kid artwork and photos. And it's hard for me to part with things because a lot of it does bring me joy. I just have too much joy for the space I have, LOL.

Vix

Veteran

Hi Goldenpig --

Wow, I love the new-to-me Paul Frank purses and actually prefer this version of your matchy-matchy.

Both dresses/outfits look amazing on you (this word includes "flattering") so I was surprised to read you were thinking about giving up the striped one. I will say I see more what you mean when it's a standalone item as in 2-3 but with the jacket over it it's a non-issue.

ps Re the artwork -- could you scan/photograph a chunk of it and make photo books for each child and/or year? Then say goodbye to the originals (keeping some, of course, because: darling!)?