May 11, 2012

BaROCK! (or: The Great Mini - Summer Edition)

I have been enchanted by the Filofax Baroque ever sinceI first saw it and read about it. It's amazing with all the embossing on the inside, isn't it? I wonder how this pattern is done onto leather, it reminds me of an enchanted forest. I wish my photographing abilities were better so I could capture it in all its complexity, but thankfully Doris; Amanda and Amber from the links above and below have done fabulous job, so definitely check their work!

I certainly agree with fellow philofaxers that Baroque is a line that should be kept and further developed. However, it is on verge of extinction now and, naturally, this is a call for me to preserve it, I guess! :)

Not long ago Doris wrote this amazing post and it turned me from a Baroque-admirer-from-a-far to a woman-on-a-mission.
Funnily enough, just a couple of days later an exactly the same mini in fuchsia pink appeared on eBay and I even didn't have much competition!

I have already shared with you my positive experience with using a mini as my wallet and I cannot imagine replacing it with an ordinary wallet ever again. So I thought such a Baroque would be a perfect summer edition of it, to replace the thick black Balmoral that will be my wallet for the darker months of the year.

Here it is:

Truly, the leather is equisitely soft and pliable (Malden cannot compare to it!), but I wish at least a part of the gorgeous embossing from the inside had spilled on the outside as well, I find it a bit plain.

The layout of the pockets is similar to the Malden, I hear (as I don't have a mini Malden), and it is cute, but not very practical for the coins, as other owners of it have stated, too: it is hard to get the coins out of the pocket, especially once you put your credit cards into the pockets. And I really got spoilt with the Balmoral which has a great pocket at the back, with popper closing that makes it a fabulous wallet!

I also miss the whole width pocket for bank notes that the Balmoral has, but hey, not a big deal, really.

To compensate for it, there is a notepad pocket on the back of the Baroque, which replaced all my to-do and expense sheets, so there are only cards in the plastic envelopes left in; I put a sticky notes pad in it instead to track my expenses and write my shopping lists - this way I can stick a shopping list on the cover of the Filofax when in store, which will come in handy.

So the final verdict is: if I had to choose between the Balmoral and the Baroque mini as a wallet, I'd definitely stay with the Balmoral. The Great Judge (my DH) was very clear about it when sticking his fingers into the coin pocket and searching for the coins in a hurry: "This is a disaster!" :)

However, the beautiful feminine looks of the binder are just irresistible, and the binder is a sheer pleasure to look at...  and I so honestly and wholeheartedly believe that Filofaxes aren't just about being practical!
So - this one will stay with me, definitely:)

12 comments:

  1. I have the exact same mini!
    http://paperpensink.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/mini-baroque-filo-purse.html
    and had the exact same problem with the coins and the silly pocket placement.
    I haven't used the mini for a while now, because I moved to having wallet and filofax combined rather than using two filos, but I still LOVE the Baroques (I have 2 more in personal!).
    Glad you're enjoying the mini.

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  2. Cute title, and you finally got a Baroque! Good for you! Isn't it lovely? I don't mind some of its "imperfections", as you mentioned, because it's just so so pretty.

    @Amanda, you have enabled me with this mini! I couldn't get it out of my mind when I saw it, and had to have it. We now have a mini hot pink Baroque triumvirate with Vanjilla, you and myself -- how fun, and funny! (: Been on the prowl for a pink personal though, with no luck. (Although I did get a pink pocket just recently, I couldn't resist!)

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  3. @Amanda: sooooo, it was YOU! :) It was you who infected me with the Baroque mini as well, but I just couldn't remember where it was when I wrote this post, I'm sorry, I will add you in the links above! I thought your idea with the coin purse was genious! :)

    @Doris: yes, this little one is just gorgeous, and here goes the history of the Baroque disease: Amanda infects you and me and then you infect me once again and then I develop high temperature and buy one! Haha, a triumvirate it is, and I'm glad I'm a part of it!
    I have my eyes on the Personal one in turqoise (do you like yours?), but you have also added the virus of the pocket size when infecting me, so now I'm totally confused at the moment. Stressful times ahead, I think! :)

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  4. @Vanjilla
    I LOVE my two personals... I have one in pink and one in the turquoise/blue and they are FABULOUS! In fact, I am going to have to set up a rota with them, Mr Holborn and the Aston pocket to make sure they don't feel left out.
    Filofax Italy has the pocket Baroque (only in black) on offer for 52.50 euros. Or is that classed as enabling...? :-) Filofax France also have the blue in personal.
    Okay, I'll stop now!
    :-)

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  5. Amanda. Amanda, a shameless enabling indeed... just what I needed, thanks! :)

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  6. There's a Baroque virus going around isn't there? Ha ha.

    Amanda, I've been on the hunt for a hot pink personal Baroque all over the world, but I think they're extinct now. I would die to see yours. I used my daughter's black one for a bit and it's FANTASTIC! But I'm tired of black by now, and I want it in color, namely pink.

    Some more enabling: Filofax Hong and Singapore still has the Baroque pocket in all colors. I got the pink through HK. Contact the distributor to order. They've been very nice and helpful and shipped to me within 3 days. Prices are good too. I'm tempted by the Finchley in Antique Rose (another one on my wishlist) but found it still too expensive.

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  7. Doris, I'm afraid I'm on the verge of the disease... I mean, come on, will I now start hunting down for a Baroque as well??? Will my heart survive all this stress??? :)
    I am really into the idea of getting the pocket one (both for the colour and the pocket size) - did you phone FF HK as they don't have an online store? Here we go. I knew it. :)
    And I promise it publicly: if I happen to encounter it oin Personal Pink, I'll get it for you. :)

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  8. Hi ya! If you'll give me your email address, I'll forward it to you. You can contact them via email, they usually respond within a day or two. Yay for Baroques! (:

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  9. I wasn't thinking - you may not want to post your email address here.

    Filofax Hong Kong is marketing@swindonbooks.com

    I'm searching for the Singapore email address. I'll send as soon as I find it.

    Good luck!

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  10. Here's the Filofax Singapore Distributor site: http://www.beste.com.sg/contact.html

    Their email is info@beste.com.sg

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  11. Doris, thank you (and I don't mean it in sarcastic manner, I love being enabled! :) )
    So, wish me luck indeed, or you, too, will be responsible for my hihg blood pressure, I'll switch to decaf just in case right now, haha...
    My email adress is vanjilla@hotmail.com (very odd, isn't it) - you're very welcome about anything! :)

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  12. I emailed you separately (:

    I do know the heart-thumping, suspense-filled last few moments as you watch the countdown to the end of an ebay auction. Decaf indeed!

    Regards.

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