The stark truth was bought home to me on one of my regular jaunts on the number 14 bus: Out of the window I saw an averagely-pretty Indian-Asian girl in a simple single breasted grey wool coat, black trousers (probably from Next) and pointy black court shoes (shudder). She was carrying a purple patent sac the like of which has been flagged up as being (one of) The Must-Have Bags of The Season.Although no, it wasn't the luscious Mulberry Mabel - above - yes, it was very purple and, yes, it was very patent (your head must be screwed on backwards if you didn't know that the regal shade and shiny finish are on-trend (hate that phrase) for Autumn 2007) but adding something so incongruously It to a mediocre look didn't "update" her look, "freshen (her) outfit" or "add a splash of so-this-season". It just looked like she was an average office-worker carrying a brand new bag. I could see her chatting to her girlfriends over a glass of ABC* (she's not that unaware) in All Bar One and them all cooing how it's very "trendy" and how they read in Company that purple was "really big this season".
The reality is that one trend-led piece worn with a classic outfit will throw the whole of your look out of kilter, bringing the focus onto your basics and making them look out-dated and dowdy. The prescription? I'm not going to tell you stop buying magazines - hey, I like having a job - but rather boringly that you should search out classics that will add polish and finesse to your look and not make you look like a mis-matched trend slave (because that's so not a good look).
*ABC = Anything But Chardonnay
UPDATE: Maybe I didn't make myself clear - this isn't a post berating It bags, but a post about how it's finally dawned on me that adding one on-trend / so-this-season piece (be it a bag, shoe, hat, midi-skirt or big-shouldered jacket) will not update your look on it's own and will instead draw focus onto the rest of your out-dated outfit.
Clear? As mud.