Store Opening: Hayden-Harnett Soho

A little late on this post, but I had to document my visit to the Hayden-Harnett store opening in Soho last weekend! Needless to say, I was super stoked about new location (yes, I am that lazy New Yorker who thinks Brooklyn is far) and got to the store early like a dork. On the way, I got a little lost, because I thought it was by an offshoot of the central Broadway street, but it’s really more north in a Nolita neighborhood. The area is really cute, and suits the indie, fresh, and upcoming vibe of Hayden-Harnett.

(photo by www.refinery29.com)

The interior is mostly white with whimsical decorations here and there, and allows the colorful, luxe leather pieces to be the real stars of the show.  It was my first time seeing a lot of HH items in person, and in-person views are so much more helpful in determining proportion of the bags (most are bigger than they appear in pictures!), true-to-life color, and touching the smooshy leathers (softer than I thought they would be.. love!).  What surprised me most was the wide range of products the store carried – not only has HH itself expanded its line to clothes and shoes beyond their signature bags, but they also sell third party accessories like perfumes, candles, and jewelry.  They’re selling a complete style guide for their customers, and it works.

I fell in love with a pair of Moonbeam pumps, they’re suitable for work and yet fun enough to wear with a going out dress.  Maybe it’s because I’m not fond of my toes, but I have a love affair with closed-toe pumps and am constantly on the lookout for cute colors/textures/styles on mine.  Price needs to come down a little bit though ($240).

My only purchase ended up being this wonderfully soft passport holder for the boyfriend, who’s going on a six month long trip soon. I never thought passport covers were necessary, but with all the pockets and the ID cover, this one is functional, and helps to keep organized when there’s enough to worry about besides where your passport/boarding ticket/ID is.  I treated it with a leather lotion to protect it, so hopefully it will last a long time =)

In the Bag

What’s in the bag? See for yourself..

Yes this is the Hayden-Harnett Conrad bag from this post! I luurrrve it; it works both as a classic black bag for the office, AND dressy enough for meeting up with friends afterwards. The leather is super supple and soft (look at the shine on this baby!), and now I completely understand girls’ love affairs with purses and handbags because I am officially OBSESSED. This marks several milestones – my first HH, and my first black bag.

The lining is gorgeous! I love peeking into my bag.

Compared to other girls’ purses I’ve seen, I consider myself a light packer O.O Inside, I carry:

• small notebook with weekly to-do list and for jotting down random notes, + pens
• Lacoste wallet from Century 21
• Longchamp makeup bag with 1) Prescriptives Virtual Matte pressed powder, 2) Lancome Juicy Tube in Fruity Pop, 3) MAC Hello Kitty lipgloss in She Loves Candy, 4) MAC SlimShine in Ultra Elegant, 5) Kiehl’s #1 lip balm, and 6) sample size of Prescriptives Virtual Matte foundation which are for emergencies but I’ve never used. I bet you can’t tell I love lip stuff =)
• Neutrogena handcream
• 3G iPhone (I waited 4 hours in line the 2nd day it came out)
• elbow-length gloves to keep my phalanges warm, essential for NYC winter
• earmuffs – useful in theory but I don’t like how they mess up my hair since they go around the head

Not shown but still in the picture is my Blackberry, which fits perfectly into the right external pocket, and my Metro card which lives inside the left outside pocket. When it comes to bags, I still need function in addition to fashion, so I love that this bag has so many pockets. Along with my building keycard and work keycard, sometimes I transfer my phone into the ingeniously magnetic (!) back pocket for easy access.

I must say, my first foray into the realm of purses was a success, and converted me into a believer.

Change (of Accessories) is Here

So sorry this wasn’t posted earlier, but there is still 2 days left for this sale! Hayden-Harnett, a Brooklyn-based bag company, has some cuuuute stuff, and EVERYTHING is 50% off. Enter the code PRESIDENT at checkout for the discount. Barack is already doing great stuff in stimulating the economy before he is even inaugurated =P

In their regular collection, I am really loving their Clutch Wallet in Tango Red ($170, with discount is $85). What a beautiful color – I love red accessories because they offer just the right amount of pop. Am also digging the rear change pocket – so useful for keeping my Metro card and work ID card to quickly get in and out. The hardware makes the wallet look durable and suitable for carrying out as well.

/Edit: Ok, I perused the website all night, and fell in love with these bags! Also did a bit of research and found that there is a loyal following of these HH purses. I like that I don’t see every girl carrying them here, and the bags don’t have logos but are recognizable for those who know and love the line.

I reallyy like the idea of the Ibiza Flight Totes ($98 on sale), and definitely want to get one for the summer. Nylon = durable, convertible (it folds in half east-west style for a smaller going out bag) = practical, and lots of colors to choose from = one for everyone! These remind me of the Longchamp bags that every girl and her mom (literally) has.. but a bit of a twist. It’s meant for travelling, but good for work/school also, as it has a compartment for a laptop. The leather contrasts the leather nicely, and I like how the short/long strap gives you two options of carrying it.

 Mind rules over heart right now though. I need a work bag desperately, and am probably going to pull the trigger on the Conrad bag, above, in black. It’s roomy and holds a decent amount of stuff, but still can carry on a night out.

Since we’re in a recession, even 50% off can still tough on your wallet, so good news! Hayden-Harnett has a Target collection, available now. This is actually how I first heard about the company; their Flight Tote (in canvas instead of the Ibiza nylon) caught my eye as a practical and colorful choice for getting through security and comfortably to your destination. & at $50, it’s muy affordable. The brown Hobo bag is also very cute, and is a Want for work!