…and now, a ray of sunshine for our beloved yet beat-up New York:

Hermes Sample Sale

Wed. 9/24, 10am-6pm
Thurs. 10am-8pm
Fri.-Sat. 10am-6pm
Sun. 9/28, 1-6pm

Metropolitan Pavilion
125 W. 18th St. 4th Fl (6th/7th Ave)

Shop bags, scarves, ties, home collectibles, ready-to-wear, etc. and have fun!

UPDATE: Today around 11:30am we walked over to the Hermes sample sale and what did we see? Millions of scarves? Hundreds of ties? No. We didn’t see any Hermes at all - we simply saw a huge line of well-dressed fashionistas. Stretching down W. 18th St, up 6th Ave, blocking the entrance to the Container Store, and then curving around W. 19th St. were girls and boys patiently waiting in line while proudly displaying their classic ‘H’ belts and clacking away on their blackberries.

It was a sight to behold, but not something we really felt like being a part of (it’s true that I waited in line for my iPhone, but I’ve got enough Hermes to satisfy me for the time being). So what did we do instead? We waited in another line - at the Shake Shack. That’s right - we did not wait for Hermes but we waited for double cheeseburgers and fries.

Learn a bit about Hermes’ famous Birkin and Kelly bags here.

Can you tell the difference between Hermès Birkin and Kelly bags? I thought about this on Monday when watching The Hills, seeing Heidi’s bag, and then realizing that I wasn’t sure which one it was.

I’ve never become obsessed with Hermès bags simply because they’ve never been in my price range (which is why I never really took the time to notice the difference in styles), but I do own a few of their scarves, twillys, a pair of lady gloves, and one of their fragrances. Since I didn’t know exactly which was which (and as a young fashionable person, I really should), I’ve put together a bit on the bags…

About both bags:

• Prices for both begin around $7,000 and can go well beyond $50,000
• Part of the price of all Hermès bags is the privilege to bring it into any boutique to be sent to Paris for a “spa treatment” where the bag, no matter how old or abused, will be bought back to the best possible condition…for an additional cost of several hundred dollars
• Both bags can be customized to the buyers specifications
• Locks and keys are number-coded
• Lining is usually made of goat skin that matches the color of the exterior skin
• Identifiable by their metal-tipped clasp, which can be closed with a tiny padlock (and the clasp’s hidden key often dangles from the handle in a leather sheath of its own)
• Not sold online and never ever will be
• Famous for their waiting lists - Remember on Sex and the City when Samantha used Lucy Liu’s name to score the red one faster?

The Hermès Kelly Bag:

• Named after Grace Kelly
• Became famous in 1956 when Grace Kelly (then Princess of Monaco) used one to shield her pregnant stomach from the prying eyes of the paparazzi
• More formal than the Birkin
• Comes in 5 different sizes (although possibly more from looking at the Fall runway show)
• It takes a single craftsman about 18 hours to make one

The Hermès Birkin Bag:

• Named after Jane Birkin (who has an interesting history with the company)
• 5 Birkins are produced a week at the Hermès Atelier in Paris
• More casual than the Kelly & has a slightly younger more bohemian appeal
• With an open top, it is easier to open than the Kelly
• Both Jay-Z and Lil’ Kim have both rapped about the Birkin

I think I’d go with a Birkin, but which one do you like? Do you know anyone who carries either a Birkin or a Kelly? Do you think they are worth the price

P.S. Want your own Kelly - for free? Go here, and then click on the little picture of the Kelly bag paper cut-out next to a pair of orange scissors. Nothing new, but fun for those of you who haven’t seen this before!