Mulberry Lily
In this world, there are bag lovers. And there are also bag lovers so crazy that they actually own the same bag, but in multiple colours. Presenting, the Mulberry Lily.
“The Lily is an effortlessly elegant style often chosen as an evening bag due to its versatile size and compact shape. The Lily has a woven leather and chain strap that can be worn short or long, and is finished with signature details such as the Postman’s Lock and leather padlock fob.” – Mulberry website
The Lily actually has TWO different sizes – the larger one is called the ‘Medium Lily’ and the smaller one (which is featured in this post) is simply known as the ‘Lily’.
Mulberry Lily bags: Pale Slate (left) and Hibiscus (right)
Personally, I use this bag most for casual outings. (I use my Chanel wallet on chain or Lady Dior mini for formal events). It’s also a great travel companion if you’re the type that doesn’t carry too much.
In fact, I have used this bag for a trip to Japan in Winter 2019, and it was a practical choice for basic travel essentials.
Owning double: a backstory
I first bought the Mulberry Lily in Hibiscus in 2015. When it first launch I literally gasped at the colour. It was the PERFECT shade of red. But knowing that Mulberry bags almost always go on sale, I refused to pay full price. That summer, in late May 2015, I got lucky. During a work trip to Hong Kong, I went to the Mulberry outlet at Harbour City, saw the bag on a 40% sale, and straightaway bought it.
Fast forward four years later. Pale Slate – a light blue colour with gray undertones – was released at Mulberry for the Spring/Summer 2019 collection. I fell in love with the colour straightaway (In fact, I own a Chanel Deauville tote with similar blueish grays kind of tone). But again, I held out. Really, I was living in the tension between waiting for a sale while being fully aware that it may get sold out lol.
But as lady luck would again I have it, I scored not only the Mulberry Lily, but the classic Bayswater too – BOTH in pale slate!
The Bag Itself
The Mulberry lily, like all the classic bags, has the Mulberry Tree logo engraved on the bag’s hardware.
Postman’s Lock closure
Mulberry Padlock – detachable
Outside, the bag is made of what Mulberry calls ‘Small Classic Grain’. Basically it’s a soft cow leather with a small printed grain effect. The leather is lightly finished to protect the grain surface.
(However, I have seen variations whereby the bag is made in Goatskin. Mulberry calls it ‘Glossy Goat Leather’. This is a smooth and soft goat skin leather with an embossed grain appearance).
Inside, the leather is typically lined with suede.
Bag’s interior: Mulberry Tree, under the zip compartment
What fits in my bag
Measuring 6¾” by 8¼” by 3½” (Or 17cm by 21cm by 9cm)- the space in the Mulberry Lily is limited, but it is sufficient for daily essentials.
In my case, the ‘daily essentials’ are: an A5-sized notebook, my Chanel small wallet, and basic cosmetics (Chanel compact and lipstick).
Not pictured: My phone. Because I was using it to take pictures, lol
It so happens that my short wallet is a matte blue colour – there are days when I want the wallet to match the bag…
And there are days that I feel like having a pop of colour 🙂
Regardless of colour, everything I need fits just nicely in, without being too tight. The postman’s lock is also user-friendly, and it’s easy to access anything in the bag.
My handphone (Samsung Galaxy Note 9), though not pictured (sorry folks, using it to take pictures of all these), can also fit in nicely. The leather is soft and the shape will stretch to accomodate the phone without difficulty.
Mod Shots
One advantage of the Lily is that the adjustable chain allowes it to be carried in three ways.
(i) Chain is doubled up, bag rests under arm
(ii) Crossbody
Personally, while i prefer the above first two ways of carrying the Mulberry Lily, I tend to carry it crossbody, especially when I am travelling.
The 3rd way of carrying it involves letting the bag just be a regular shoulder bag. However, I almost always never carry it in this manner.
(ii) Crossbody
Personally, having the bag rest like that feels awkward – not only does it hit my upper legs when i’m walking around, but it also feels heavier on the shoulders (weird i know, since technically the weight of the bag is the same). Being a chain strap and all – that’s when it digs into your shoulders.
For more Mod shots – check out this post on my Japan travels to see more mod shots and how it looks like with winter wear. It’s definitely something different, as I usually am more lightly dressed in Singapore’s weather.
Overall Thoughts
Generally, I do love this bag (why else would I have TWO if it?).
It suits my lifestyle – if I don’t have to carry too much for work, or if I’m just out running errands. Honestly, the Mulberry Lily is my go-to when I need something simple and idiot-proof for the day.
However, this may not work for those who carry a lot more stuff – it doesn’t fit a water bottle or umbrella for instance.
There are people I know who DO use it as a bag for formal occassions. While I personally don’t do that (i tend to prefer my other mini bags for this purpose), I must admit, the Mulberry Lily does transitions nicely from day to night.
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