Justin Bieber broke the sacred 'handbag rule'. What should his punishment be?

During her recent press rounds in New York, Hailey Bieber's looks were all perfectly on point. Except for her handbag.

And it wasn't just because the bag in question has been known to sing about babies and peaches, has rocked an enviable fringe in the past, or is the central figure in an infamous young Hollywood love triangle. It was because the bag in question clearly didn't understand the arrangement they had willingly signed up for. 

This particular bag also goes by the name of Justin Bieber, Hailey Bieber's husband of four years, who dutifully trailed behind her as she attended a series of events to promote her brand Rhode's new strawberry peptide lip treatment.

Ever on theme, Hailey was dressed in a series of looks that tied neatly into the latest beauty trend, dubbed 'strawberry makeup', attached to her name.

A look not to be confused with her former beauty trends of course, which include but are not limited to 'glazed donut skin', 'latte eyes', and 'cinnamon cookie butter hair'. Basically, if the look sounds like a deranged escapee from Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, this girl will add it to her beauty regime. 

This week a particular set of photos are doing the rounds online, showing Hailey in a red strapless Ermanno Scervino mini dress, carrying a red Ferragamo bag, and wearing Maison Ernest heels.

Justin, on the other hand, is wearing a look more akin to that of a youngest child whose mum forgot to pack them a change of clothes for after swimming and so had to make do with items from the lost and found.

 Justin Bieber and Hailey Bieber arrive at Krispy Kreme in Times Square for her Rhode press event, in two very different looks. Image: Getty. 

Now, I understand that this look is Mr Bieber's chosen style and so far be it for me and the rest of the internet to question his artistic fashion expression. It's also important to note that this ensemble could easily cost more than the average car (although not the average cost of weekly rent, in the current climate) and therefore is nothing to be sneezed at.

But the reality here is that Justin's actual crime has nothing to do with fashion, and everything to do with breaking the sacred 'handbag' rule that is always invoked when two famous names (who have a relationship of an intimate nature) step out together at public events.

The famous person whose event it is is always given first dibs on the limelight. They wear the show-stopping outfits, they take center stage in the photos, and only they are allowed to scowl at the poor peasants (media) standing dutifully in the background waiting to conduct an interview.

In these moments it's up to their equally famous paramour to act as the 'handbag'. In attendance only to act as an accessory or to hold the occasion item. They should also not complain if they need to be shoved under a chair when the festivities really kick off, only to be scooped up on the way home. 

It's not their moment.

The internet has been quick to point out how the Biebers look wildly mismatched in their chosen New York looks. While at the same time pondering how much these photos highlight the different societal standards set in place for men and women when it comes to how they are perceived. 

With women being held to the highest of beauty standards in order to have their worth determined, while men are seemingly allowed to wear shoes that resemble skinned rubber ducks and still be respected.

Which leads us to Justin's greatest crime, when you're in the professional handbag game, which is making the headlines about him at all.

A good handbag dresses to complement their famous partner, not to look like they suddenly got called into the office on a work-from-home day. Thus drawing the headlines away from the main event.

Justin's ultimate punishment shouldn't be an internet pile-on, of course, but perhaps something more sinister could be put into action.

Maybe it's a lifetime of being slathered in Hailey Bieber's beauty products, destined to smell like a 'glazed frappuccino butter-menthol gooseberry' for all eternity. 

Laura Brodnik is Mamamia's Head of Entertainment and host of The Spill podcast. You can follow her on Instagram here.

Feature image: Getty

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