It is one of the great banes of my mother’s existence that I’m not more “girly”.
I don’t wear makeup or perfume. I refuse to colour my very short and greying hair which I only get cut once every ten weeks. I’ve been known to wander around the neighbourhood in my pyjamas. And I would sooner eat my own spleen than go away on a “girl’s weekend”.
My mother’s dismay extends to my choice of handbags. She would love me to carry a nice leather designer bag (and bless her, is constantly offering to buy me one), but I’m addicted to Crumpler bags.
It’s possibly because there’s a Crumpler clearance store in nearby Newtown (edit: sadly, this has now closed), staffed by the nicest shop attendants you’re ever likely to meet. I spend hours in there, opening and trying on every single bag, and they’re always completely happy to let me do so.
Pete and I both have Crumpler messenger bags, and their appeal lies in both their durability and carrying capacity. We often wander to the shops and bring back groceries in our bags, slung easily over a shoulder on a long, wide strap. The Cordura outerwear fabric is water-resistant and as sturdy as old boots.
For the past year, this snazzy red number has been in daily use. It’s a discontinued style known as “Western Lawn” (Pete’s large laptop bag is called “The Dreadful Embarrassment”)…
Last week, I finally had to face the fact that it was incredibly dirty – the white trim had black smudges all over it, and the red was grotty and oil stained (from a recent laksa).
Crumpler don’t recommend that you do anything more to their bags than spot clean them (doing so voids the Lifetime Warranty – oh, did I mention that the bags are guaranteed to last forever?). However, spot cleaning only served to show up how filthy the bag really was.
So…I put it through a short cold cycle in my front loading washing machine (I personally wouldn’t try this with a toploader, as they’re not nearly as gentle). Then I hung it up to dry, finishing off the pockets with a hairdryer. Crumpler would be appalled, but my bag came out spanking clean…
I was so pleased that I went back to the clearance store in Newtown to look for a new bag. Red is lovely, but even I had begun to notice that it doesn’t match everything I own. I picked up two new bags, including a basic black version of the Western Lawn…
The colourful lining is also made from tough outerwear fabric, which means it will last as long as the rest of the bag does…
And I can’t seem to walk into the store without buying a red bag! This small “Herbas” satchel will be perfect for times when I just want something light (she says, trying to justify the purchase)…
Crumpler started in a little shed in the Victorian city of Ballarat in 1992 and have since expanded worldwide (although I believe the European and Aus/US companies are now separate entities).
Here are a couple of the quirky freebies I’ve picked up over past visits – a little flip book and miniature matches…
The matches are so small that I’m not sure how to use them without setting fire to myself…
We have no affiliation with the company (clearly, or I wouldn’t be telling you that I’d put their bag in the washing machine), but we are huge fans of their excellent products!
. . . . .
(Sadly, the Newtown Crumper Clearance store has closed)
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
I wear perfume daily (in fact, the same perfume for the past 30 years), I must admit I’m a bit girly, although I never ever dyed my hair (see the shocking white of my photo ;-)).
But I WOULD RATHER EAT MY OWN SPLEEN without any seasoning than go away on a “girls’ weekend”. See? We have a lot in common ;-)
Oh we have lots in common anyway! You are a bit gorgeously girly, Sally, my mother would be most impressed! And I love your hair! :)
I love crumpler bags – I have one that is quite grotty from frequent use – maybe it needs a burl in the washing machine. I had the strap fixed last year and when I did I bought another bag to use while it was out of use. I would like many more if only I had lots of money and space. But I always have space for those cute matchboxes
Johanna, Crumpler have an FAQ on their website on how to clean the bag – I’d be loathe to put it into a top loading machine, but my front loader has a very gentle cycle. Either way, I don’t think we’re supposed to do it, but my bag had gotten to the “so grotty it needs to be chucked out” stage, so there was very little to lose! :) The clearance store in Sydney has some amazing prices – my new black bag was $70 and I think the original price was well over $100.
LOL! No make up – Check! No perfume – Check! No hair dye – Check!
No girls’ weekends – Check, Check!
After a few years of unsatisfactory haircuts (my hair has an uneven wave which hairdressers just blowdry to straight) I’ve gone back to cutting my own.
My only 2 handbags are identical – one small and one larger – from the National Trust and canvas!
Also my mother also despaired of my lack of girlyness.
Great, isn’t it.
Hahaha…even I don’t cut my own hair, Pat! :) I’m seriously rough on shoes and handbags, so finding a bag which survived the washing machine has sealed the deal for me on this brand! :)
Feeling very girly now because I like to wear perfume when I go out. Does it count as a girlie weekend if you go to play netball and the whole team decides it’s a good idea to wear drawn-on moustaches?
Those bags look marvellously practical, which is of course the only reason for carrying a bag.
LOL! I just had a vision of your whole netball team hitting the bar at the hotel with drawn on moustaches! :)
Ooh, red and black.
The black bag was surprisingly hard to photograph! :)
As you know John and I bought our first Crumplers in Amsterdam but I am girly even if I do wear trousers most of the time. I love my perfume collection, it’s the designer bottles that also get me in, adore handmade jewellery mostly made by my friends but am aging and am keeping the grey hair. I don’t go for girly weekends. I most certainly would not be seen dead (only sleepwalking) in PJ’s around the neighbourhood. But I share a colour habit with you, I own red handbags, purses, red key holder and red phone case, there are always red shoes in my wardrobe and sins of all sins Celia, I wear red lipstick!! Roz
You are one of the most gorgeously elegant people I know, and I’m so glad you’re my friend despite my lack of girliness! :) I must admit, I do occasionally wear makeup, but only if I’m going out somewhere fancy (maybe three times a year). And on those occasions, I do like a red lippie. I think next time we’re together I’m going to ask you to take me lipstick shopping. :)
I’m not particularly girly- but I do appreciate a good bag. I take it these are very expensive? I might send my niece on a special assignment- do they have stores in Canberra as well? She’s coming for a visit at the end of the month and it looks like these don’t take up much space.
Heidi, they can be expensive, although they’re greatly reduced at the clearance store. Just had a look for you and it doesn’t look like they have a store in Canberra. However, they have some decent prices at their Amazon US store: http://www.amazon.com/Crumpler/pages/2529212011/
Here’s my Western Lawn bag in a different colour: http://www.amazon.com/Crumpler-Western-Lawn-Messenger-Metal/dp/B00BLHNMAQ/ref=sr_1_8?s=apparel&srs=2529212011&ie=UTF8&qid=1375472839&sr=1-8&keywords=crumpler
The bags have a very long adjustable strap which lets me wear it right across the body and over my right hip. It makes carrying groceries home with sore hands MUCH easier! :)
I guess I’m not “girlie” either. No makeup, perfume, dying hair, fancy clothes, etc. My clothes always have to be comfortable and practical..(.much to the chagrin of some people lol!)
The bags look very nice. Long lasting, practical and sturdy fits the bill perfectly! After all, the bags are designed to be used, so might as well put them to good use!
Just thinking about one of your previous posts. I have a motto in my house that reads “A mother holds her children’s hands for a short time but their hearts for ever”.
Manuela, that’s such a lovely saying, thank you for sharing it with us. I hope it’s true for all of us! :) The bags are very durable and suit our lifestyle perfectly – can’t ask for more than that! x
Celia, I also have a love affair with Crumpler bags! Just bought the most amazing camera bag before we went away and it was perfect!
Clare, their camera bags are amazing, but I do wonder whether or not there’s going to be an ongoing market for them – people seem to be carrying smaller cameras these days, or phones! Having said that, isn’t it clever how all the compartments velcro out of the camera bags, so you can just use it as a regular bag as well?
Oh woe, love perfume, get my hair dyed, have designer leather bags, and enjoy girls weekends. BUT I also love Celia’s posts and definitely am off to the website to check out the Crumpler bags!
No woe at all, we’re all different! My sister is just like you (which makes my mother very happy!).. :)
I love that you wander around the neighbourhood in your PJs. When we lived in Darlington, we’d often see people wandering into the local shop in PJ’s, I think it’s a sign of a real, old fashioned neighbourhood.
The Crumpler bags are great but I can’t go in the store at Newtown as it has a smell that causes my airways to close up… great money saver for me!
The G.O. and I both have big hemp satchels we bought at Newtown Festival which are great weekend (& festival) bags for the markets etc. I also have a snazzy leather smaller satchel from Leo Monk in Newtown. My problem with normal shoulder bags is they won’t hang on my shoulders…
I agree re the girly weekends but I would miss perfume – I’ve been wearing Clarins Eau des Jardins for a few years now. Make-up I can take or leave but I help my mousey fine hair out with some colour… if I spent more time outdoors I probably wouldn’t need to.
It is so nice you like the way you are and don’t need to embellish it… if only there was more perspective like that…
Ah ED, you’re kind, but it causes my elderly mother no end of grief! I do usually wear a large coat over the top if I’m wandering around in my pjs, and it doesn’t happen THAT often.. ;-)
And re the Crumpler shop – Pete and I spent a decade heavily involved in large kite making, and I used to sew all our outerwear clothing from high tech fabrics, so I adore all the corduras and ripstops. I think that’s part of why I find the bags so appealing – plus I know how hard the fabrics are to work with, so I really admire the finish. There was a hemp shop open for a while at Newtown, where I bought a really nice scarf. Sadly the staff there were so rude that I never went back!
Oh yes, rudeness will do that every time! There’s a couple of Newtown stores where I could correlate rudeness and that they are no longer there…
We love Crumpler! My partner and I, between the two of us, have over 10 in a wide range of sizes. They’re great, versatile and sturdy bags, that can cope with nearly anything! Better than an girly handbag! Great choice.
As long as you’re happy, who cares what anyone thinks!
Boo, that’s true, although I suspect it always matters what one’s mother thinks, even if we don’t want it to! :) Ten bags! That’s a good effort, I think we’re up to six between us! :)
Ignore Mother. You have style.
Ha! Thanks darling x
Crumpler bags are awesome Celia, I love yours! We have 2 x Status Belly, 1 Maurice and one other large one that we use to store the technical bits for our sheep weighing scales! They are so hard wearing and comfy to wear too aren’t they? I find with the Maurice if we are travelling I can stash my camera in it without having to carry a separate camera bag. Happy days!
We have bought them online but we also visit their Adelaide shop whenever we are there. Have a great weekend x
Jane, I love that you have a bag dedicated to storing equipment for the sheep! :) They’re surprisingly comfortable and their online shop works well too – we ordered a phone case for Pete from them that way!
I knew there was another reason why I liked you so much Celia — besides the food, bread, great persona etc. “And I would sooner eat my own spleen than go away on a “girl’s weekend”.” See me nodding vehemently?
LOL!! I’m astonished to find so many kindred spirits on that one, Rose! Astonished, but delighted – so many of my friends roll their eyes at me when I say that.. ;-)
Well, I don’t think I’m particularly girly, although I’d rather eat my own spleen than grow my hair out to the very aging salt and pepper colour it has become, and i do like perfume very much …..
You are lucky to have this nice shop so close, Celia. We have a Crumpler store in Adelaide, but I think it’s too expensive.
Ah well, maybe salt and pepper doesn’t work so well on redheads! :) Crumpler bags are expensive, but not compared to a designer bag. I guess it’s where we perceive value to lie – I look at worksmanship and durability over style and elegance (much to my mother’s chagrin!).. :)
I’m definitely not too girly either, although I don’t mind frocking up occasionally. I can count on one hand the times I’ve worn makeup this year and wear trackies day in day out around the house. My mother won’t leave the house without lippy Celia, and I know I’m a sore trial to her indeed! Xox
Becca, every time I’ve met you I’ve thought how lovely you looked! Especially in those gorgeous dresses! :)
I think you love that bag more than I love my shoes! I have a friend that’s also obsessed with Crumpler luggage. I haven’t actually bought anything Crumpler (it’s not quite my style) but the matches are cute. I did manage to light one briefly without setting my fingers on fire :P
I tried too, and set fire to my fingers, and dropped the match into the sink. Playing with fire, it’s a young woman’s game. :)
Lovely Saturday morning laughter. Love shoes, love handbags, absolutely adore perfume and put myself through six years of Uni being an Elizabeth Arden consultant at David Jones :) ! Have never heard of Crumpler: homework needed . . . interesting . . . quite like the look . . . Hmm, in totality the male of the species methinks find me very, very ‘girly’ and I love THEM for that, but no way would I ever go away for a girls’ weekend :D !
Eha, good on you, I wish I was just a little bit more girly, but I’ve never been able to find the motivation! Don’t like having stuff on my face, so make-up has never been a biggie for me, although my mother loved all the Elizabeth Arden products when I was growing up! It might all have been different if Pete cared about it all, but thankfully he doesn’t seem to! :)
Vive la difference: makes the world all the more interesting :) !
I never thought of myself as girly until I read this post. :)
Girly weekends wouldn’t be something on my list but I have to say the right women and I’d be in. Does this lock me out of the club? sigh…
I need a new bag desperately. I’ve been clinging to my favourite leather bag and it’s screaming that it’s past its use-by date by two years.
Maureen, that’s part of the reason I like the Crumplers – my expensive Oroton leather bag was well loved but unrescuable after a year! :)
Your poor mother! All that to worry about and you want to buy expensive plants as well! Without a handbag, make-up or perfume you must be one of the most economical women around. How are you with shoes? That’s the only other weakness most women have xx
Charlie, only cowboy boots, but that’s more collecting art than footwear, in my opinion. :) I don’t buy all that many clothes either.. ;-)
My pyjamas are a Ducatti race shirt and black jazz pants and I’ve been out in them! I had a handbag fetish and would love a morning browsing in that shop :)
Tandy, your pyjamas sound very sharp, no wonder you’ve been out and about in them! :)
Oh this made me laugh, for so many reasons. I’m a bad girl too! No makeup, no hair dryer, boots and jeans every day! I also have an addiction to red bags (I thought they went with everything?) xxx
Shhh…if you tell me red really DOES go with everything, I lose my excuse to buy a new bag! :)
hahahahahhaa! Such a lovely post, celia! :) What lovely bags too!
Sophie, thank you! The bags are great fun! :)
Celia, we are very much alike in the non-girly stakes. I also never wear make up or perfume, got my hair cut for the first time in over 18 months just the other day and it is going grey in its own way and time without me fussing over it. My Mum is the opposite, but I’ve never felt pressure from her to be anything other than who I am – she does like putting lipstick and perfume on my two super girly daughters (two and four). I have one bag, a red one that my sister bought me years ago. I will probably have that bag until it falls completely to pieces. Thankfully I’m not conscious enough of my outfits to notice that a red handbag doesn’t go with everything.
Hooray for the red bag club! I’m glad it’s not just me that adores them! I always wondered what it would be like to have girly daughters – maybe it’s just as well I was given sons! :)
I have no idea what to do with girly daughters, except hope it’s just a phase (though four years on we’re still very much entrenched in girls land). I’ve recently given in and am taking them both to a dance class – though I selected the least girly dance school I could find. They can go in tracksuit pants and t-shirts if they choose… of course mine go in bring pink fairy costumes!
I love your stance Celia although I have to admit to a weakness for a little girliness. I often go without make-up from plain forgetfulness though – it’s only when I happen to glance in a mirror with horror during the day that I remember! But I’m totally with you on the bags – have never understood the allure of the expensive designer variety. Especially as mine often ends up full of bits of twigs, feathers and stones that I’m told are precious and asked to hoard.
Oh, it’s not a deliberate stance, Andrea! I’d love to be a bit more girly – I can just never seem to work up the motivation to be bothered. And you are SO right, there’s nothing like motherhood to kill any interest in a fancy bag. I’ve had metal trains poke holes in the linings of a bag, and my friend Terri had her son vomit into an expensive designer bag once! :D
Cheers to the non-girly girls! I don’t have the patience for all that girly stuff either. There is so much more to do! I love it Celia, cowboy boots as art rather than footwear!
Pamela, cowboy boots ARE art! I have several books on them! :) Here’s a few from my collection:
Those blue ones are quite snazzy!
Oh, they come with a story! :)
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2011/12/03/lucas-boots/
LOVE IT! I’d prance in them too.
Hi there, I don’t know if you do awards or not, but I’ve given you a shout out for a Liebster Award. You can pick it up here: http://wp.me/p1K7lx-1Kx if you are interested. I enjoy your blog!
Pamela, that’s very kind of you! I don’t do awards, but I’m honoured nonetheless!
Celia, you are my kind of woman. Rosie has been known to ask “please don’t wear your gardening clothes to pick me up”. The bags look great (I didn’t realise at first that the photo was the after shot and thought that’s not dirty!).
Hahaha! That’s the different between having boys and girls, Jo. Boys say, “Oh mum, WHY do I have to get out of my pyjamas, it’s the weekend!” :)
The only perfume I wear smells like vanilla and cocoa. I also have a bunch of essential oils I dab on from time to time, peppermint, eucalyptus and bergamot. Make up consists of brown eye pencil, anything else rubs off in ten minutes so I rarely bother. My hair = don’t ask. My handbag is usually a giant black leather tote that can hold 8 x 11 paper and everyone’s gear (Call me Sherpa mom) I am envious of your lovely boots.
Cheers to not being too girly! Maz.
Sherpa Mom, I think you’d like these Crumpler bags. They carry a huge amount of stuff in them! :)
I bet I would! I really like the amount of pockets that they have. Sometimes I feel like I need a flashlight to find things that have suck to the bottom of my tote. :-)
I’m sure your Mum is more than proud of the way you “turned out”, Celia, girly issues et al. :) A Crumpler bag sounds like something I’d like but, having made a quick search, they aren’t available here in Illinois. Have to put it on my list of things to bring back from my trip to Oz.
John, they do sell them on Amazon, but I always like to open and feel something like this before buying! We’ll have to add it to your visit itinerary! :)
I had no idea Crumpler was an Australian brand…now I want one.
You’ll need to buy one here in Australia, Deb! The ones in Europe are made and owned by a different company, also Crumpler, but not linked to the Aussie one! :)
Just as well there is no store near me Celia, I would have one for every day of the week.
:-) Mandy xo
Mandy, I’d go shopping with you! We could try on every bag for size! :)
Love those bags! Now you have me thinking about a bag I have & I’m wondering about putting it in my front loading washer on hand wash. Funny how you don’t notice when they get a little grungy until you put it next to a new bag. I’ll have to look those bags up to see if they’re available in the US.
Diane, a handbag usually only lasts me a year before it’s had it – I’m rough on bags! It was so nice to have one which got to that stage and then came out of the wash shiny and new! :) The bags are available from Amazon, and they’re made of outerwear fabric, but I don’t think the ones with thick padded laptop sleeves will survive the wash. Mine didn’t have any internal padding, so it was ok.. :)
You’re probably right. I took it to the dry cleaners but they don’t want to do handbags. I suppose if I just wear it into oblivion then give it a try in the washer there’d be no harm done once it’s at the point.
Suggest that the only reason for the prohibition on washing it is that the new bags are sprayed with a substance that stops dirt penetrating, thus the great result when you washed it first time. The dirt just fell off the surface however now after washing dirt may penetrate the fabric better. Maybe a spray of Scotchguard or waterproofing spray will help this not happen.
I have a rubber handbag. Looks maybe even like recycled inner tubing. Totally indestructible!
I can wear quite girly clothes and have long hair which I like to blow dry if I have the time. There is a lot of junk chemical in make up. Preservatives, parabens and formaldahyde. Lipsticks used to contain lead and who knows what else so you have not missed much. I am allergic to most of it. Even normal commercial soap sets me off sneezing as do most perfumes.
Frances, that’s a great idea, thank you. I’ll get the Scotchguard out. :)
Thank you, thank you, thank you for relating your experience with the Western Lawn bag! I have the very same one (in red and white, like yours) and have been scared to stick it in the washing machine. I WILL NOW!!
Thanks again from NYC
Darby, make sure it’s a front loader! I’m not sure how it would survive in a top loader. Having said that, my bag was SO filthy that I couldn’t use it any more, so it was well worth trying on my part! :)