If you've been reading my blog for a while now, you probably know that I love all things cute and quirky. And by 'cute and quirky', I mean stuff that looks like one thing but is actually something else entirely...

This is an iPhone casing.

This is a real camera.

...like my iPhone casing. It has so far managed to successfully deceive more than 9 people (and counting!) into thinking that it is a vintage camera. Apparently it looks more convincing than my LX5, which is the real one I use to take pics, and also looks pretty vintage. Good job, my dear casing. *pats fondly*

But I digress.

Today I'm showing you something similar, although from the post title, I'm sure you can pretty much guess what it is already. XD

Look, it's a notebook! No, it's a novel!

Nope, it's neither a notebook nor a novel. It is, in fact, a bag.

A glossy red bag that looks like a book, to be exact - complete with gold lettering and sling chain.

I was browsing through TaoBao again one day (yes, I am more than a little addicted to it) when I happened across this bag. Needless to say, I was like 'I need this bag in my life, right now!' because the super awesome-looking ones from Yumetenbo were way out of my budget.

Yup, these. So pretty, but oh so pricey. T_T *sobs*

Anyway, back to the topic. The one I saw on Taobao was 25yuan including Chinese domestic postage, which converts to roughly RM 12.50. I straightaway messaged my TaoBao shopping service provider, and the total amount I had to pay added up to RM23 (inclusive of Poslaju). Not bad, considering that international shipping can be pretty expensive.

Gold embroidered L on the front.

3 weeks later (delayed due to Hari Raya), my parcel finally arrived on the same day as the Rainbow Feather Ear Cuff. I had read the reviews before buying it, but was still pleasantly surprised to see that the bag was really very sturdy, and that the letter "L" on the front was embroidered with gold thread, making it look more elegant than if it was just printed on in gold, and won't fade over time. MOST IMPORTANTLY...

L is the initial of my surname, and also for Laura! It's like I was meant to have it! I swear, the alphabet was just a coincidence. I might not have bought it if it was another letter though.



It opens up just like a spiral bound notebook if you flip it vertically, like in the pictures above. :D
The surface of the bag is glossy red, while the bottom is white with black polka dots. Admittedly, stripes would have made the deception more complete, but I guess the polka dots are kinda cute. The main body and flap of the bag is made from a hard, cardboard-like material (wrapped with glossy PVC), while the polka dot part is soft, allowing it to expand a little bit when items are placed inside.

Interior of the book bag

The inside of the bag, however, is quite small, and not very flexible. It has 2 inner pockets: a small one that is credit card size, and a bigger one for slipping in pieces of folded paper. As you can see from the pictures, the bag is pretty much full when containing only my wallet and phone, with a little extra space for perhaps a packet of tissue and a lipstick or bottle of eye drops. It cannot be stuffed too full, otherwise the bag won't be able to close with its magnetic closure.

Back | Front

Just try to ignore the weird text on the back of the book bag. "To the delicious woman who inspired this book.." *raises eyebrow* Yeah, okay, whatever you say. It's not grammatically incorrect, exactly, just... weird, like really bad lyrics from a really bad song, lol.


Basically, it's good enough for me to use for going out for a casual meal or shopping trip, since I just need my purse and phone with me. :) The small confines of the bag make it slightly difficult to reach for things if you're in a hurry though, especially if it involves taking out your phone every so often to check messages or grabbing some cash to pay for purchases, so it's still more a fashion accessory than a practical item.


The bright red bag definitely makes my boring old tee-and-shorts monochrome outfit look a little bit more unique. ;)