Sporran for all seasons
from The Daily Sun, 24 January 2002

Weird and wonderful ways to use the 'new' accessory

SEXY singer Sharleen Spiteri solved every woman's dilemma of where to keep her lipstick when she borrowed pal Ewan McGregor's sporran for their star-studded Burns Supper.

The Texas star's makeshift furry handbag served her practical needs - and inadvertently stole the limelight from the host of trendy guests at the celebrity London bash.

Cheeky Sharleen joked: "It caused quite a stir because people wanted to stroke it. They gave the sporran a good feel and told me ... 'oh, it's lovely isn't it?' It made it an interesting night."

Sharleen's accessory perfectly complemented co-host Ewan's traditional outfit. The Black Hawk Down star wore the full national regalia and is said to keep a wide selection of sporrans at home - which will be good news for his wife Eve, if the trend catches on.

But has the Texas singer really stumbled upon a new craze with her impromptu fashion accessory, or will the humble sporran be relegated back to its traditional duty of protecting a Scotsman's tackle?

We put the versatile pouch to the test and discovered that, whether on the ski slopes or a night on the town, the trusty sporran can double up as a very handy little ladies' bag.

While more commonly used to store a wee dram of whisky, the multi-purpose sporran proved to have ample space for any number of uses.

Perhaps you could shorten the strap and dangle it over your cleavage to make a necklace or use it as a wrist bracelet to charm the men. Alternatively, the sporran could bring a new meaning to chunky earrings.

A backpack, bra, hat or cufflinks are just a few more ideas that you can transform your sporran into. So get creative, dust off your man's sporran and wear a vital part of our national dress with pride.

Here are just a few ideas of how it can be turned into any woman's faithful accessory - whatever the occasion.

LUG NUTS: The ultimate in style and you can store really small change, too
DANCING FEAT: The perfect wear for that wild night of ceilidh clubbing
BIRL POWER: Let's see her rotate the tassles on this trendy new bra idea
HEAD CASE: Stylish chapeau .. if you can stop the tassles blinding you
EYE READY: A fashion statement and a handy place for your contact lens
EDINBURGH TATTOO: Forget hearts and daggers - a sporran is really cool
THE ESSENTIAL ITEM FOR EVERY GIRL ABOUT TOWN

EVENING OUT
FOR a night on the tiles, cram your sporran full of those essential items.
The lippie, powder-press, cigarettes and mobile phone will all fit in.
And, if you are feeling lucky in love, there is room to spare for your condoms, toothbrush and a change of undies.
However, the clasp clicked shut when it came to squeezing in a hairdryer and deodorant.
The leather and chain strap may feel sore if wearing a slinky off-the- shoulder number.
But it will make a novel change to dancing round your handbag and you are guaranteed to turn men's heads.

BEACH HOLIDAY
It may be more commonly associated with cold winter nights, but the sporran will provide a sizzling accessory for any bikini-clad babe on the beach this summer.
It can hold your shades, sun cream and swimwear with plenty of room left over for a miniature towel. But the Jackie Collins novel will have to be left behind, leaving you plenty of time to admire the hunky Baywatch lookalikes.

WEEKEND AWAY
Sling it over your shoulder when heading for a weekend in the Highlands.
You can throw in your woolly hat and gloves, together with spare socks for when your feet get wet and plasters for those painful blisters.
And, when the midges start to home in on you, start swinging it around your head to make sure the nasty little things can't get too close.
But, unless you are partial to squashed sarnies, you will still need your man to carry the picnic basket.


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