Last night, while gathered with my family for my Dads birthday, I made an announcement. Probably not an announcement my parents were expecting, or one they were particularly happy about, but a big deal for me nonetheless.

I announced I was going to buy myself a Chanel bag for my 30th birthday.

This was met with strange looks and amusing comments: ‘You are not supposed to buy yourself birthday presents’ said my Dad, to which I replied, ‘Are you going to buy me a $2,500 handbag?’ He quickly shut up. My brothers continued to make fun, all the while telling me about the new thousand dollar super dooper triple extreme power tool they had their eye on.

Apparently because my bag won’t actually make me any money, it’s pretty much deemed a waste of money. As I tried to explain to my fashion challenged family that a Chanel bag is not just any bag, I started to think about why the Chanel bag is pretty much the ultimate of the ultimate. It is the pinnacle of my fashion world, the aspiration of fashionistas the world over.

But to my family, that bag is just some leather, metal and stitching.

By way of a short history lesson, thanks to Wikipedia, the story goes that in the 1920s, Ms. Chanel became tired of having to carry her handbags in her arms and decided to design a bag that freed up her hands. Inspired by the straps found on soldiers’ bags, she added thin straps and introduced the resulting design to the market in 1929. After her successful comeback to the fashion industry in 1954, Chanel decided to update her bag for the modern woman. The resulting design was called 2.55 after the date of creation, February 1955.

The Chanel 2.55 is today a classic; a fashion staple; and an item I have coveted for many years. While many people choose their 30th birthdays to travel the world, buy themselves a diamond ring or splurge on a spectacular new car, I am earmarking this date (ironically, also a February, so obviously meant to be) as when I will finally own a piece of fashion history, and future.

The bag will be one for special occasions, for gifting to a daughter, an heirloom for a granddaughter. The 2.55 Chanel bag will be 59 years old when I procure mine, yet I imagine in another 59 years, when my granddaughter tells her friends about her Chanel bag; that this leather, metal and stitching will be just as iconic then as it is now.   

Just three and a half short years to go until the big day arrives. That’s approximately 1277 days. At $2 a day, that’s $2554. A Chanel bag and a spare $50! Now who says I don’t make my money work for me?