Foodie Fashion: Cupcake Cuties

Having worked in an environment that is all about fashion for a year now, I’ve come to appreciate an industry that used to be as important to me as the next Superbowl. Three years ago, I probably would have asked if Alexander McQueen had any relation to Lightening McQueen, or, more realistically, confused him with Steven McQueen. I always dressed in a way that I found both fun and comfortable, but now I can tell a McQueen piece from a Valentino and can feel the difference between a two-hundred dollar top and a twenty-five dollar one. While I’m not quite at The Devil Wears Prada level yet, I am certainly more of a fountain of fashion knowledge than my snooty intellectual self ever intended to be.

Since fashion has become such an integral part of my daily life, I’m launching Foodie Fashion, a monthly segment about how my love of inhaling deliciousness intersects with what I put on my body. The focus of the blog will still be on real food, but this will be a fun way for me to share another part of myself. So, to launch it off, I’ll start with the first piece I purchased that set off my Spidey sense that food and fashion can interact in a way I never anticipated.

I have been a fan of Dooney and Bourke for some time because of their great exchange policy and willingness to stand by their products. Then, they came out with a cupcake print. My mother, who supports my eccentricities and addictions, sent me a link to this new design, and I immediately had to have it. Yet, I had a hard time taking the plunge. While it wasn’t the most expensive bag out there falling between $150 and $200, I had a hard time justifying that investment. Clearly, I am the reason someone out there invented Outlets. With Tanger coupons, promos in the store, and descending during the quieter spring season, I was able to get my hands on two of these coated canvas bags for about the price of one.

The light blue Letter Carrier is perfect for concerts or anywhere that requires you to keep your bag close to your body. It’s the kind of bag you can throw on and now worry about as you enjoy a glass of wine and walk around in large crowds. I love it for when I take day trips up to New York and only need a credit card, my ID, a little bit of cash, and my cell phone. Since it has so many zippers, my paranoid self puts each valuable in a different spot in case I get duped on the subway. The shape isn’t great for anyone who needs seventeen lipsticks, a hairbrush, and a large wallet, but it works for people who use little space. The bubble gum colored Ruby bag offers up fewer compartments, but can support bulkier items. The boxier shape means it bangs against your body a bit more if you wear it as a crossbody, but of the two, I find the Ruby to be the perfect marriage between a more streamlined style and a big hobo bag. It might not be able to fit all seventeen of my lipsticks, but I can usually cram two or three in there in case I change my mind throughout the day. They’re both perfect for a minimalist who might need the protective coating to keep the bag safe from grubby hands or dirty floors, and if that sounds like you, you can shop it here or the always reliable eBay.

If you’ve read my review of Flavor Cupcakery, you know I bow down to all things cupcake. They are cute, they are (hopefully) delicious, and they are a dessert that can please both children and grownups. While some think they are overly hyped or are praying for them to finally die off now that donuts are the new thing, my goal in life is to become one. They’re fun, and whether they’re real and being eaten or being replicated on a handbag, I am all for anything that makes life a little sweeter.

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