2019 resolution - shopping my own bag and wallet collection. Any one else?

[Nyc_chihuahua]

I’ve had to start over a couple of times since I started my massive redo 6 years ago. It was painful each time but the best option in the long runn

At one point (and some of the girls here may remember), I made a list of my perfect bag collection. It was disheartening because I was pretty far off. But, it gave me a good roadmap for going forward. I just had to bite the bullet and sell what wasn’t working and buy others.

I don’t think your situation is bad like mine was as you have some amazing bags that work well for you. But I wanted to share as encouragement.
I don’t think you should be any more embarrassed by your 40-50 bags than someone who “only” has 2 bags. We have what works for us and no number is right for everyone.
This is so cute! I don’t like Pandoraa because they’re slouchy but this is the business! I would love to own it. It’s going on my list!

Aw thank you! Yes, regular pandora is too slouchy for me. Love a structured bag!

 

[Chanelandco]

I really identify with this! I'm trying for 2019 to be a no buy--likely, low buy year for me. I think I need to deal with the why I'm buying and get back to the basics.

This !!

This is exactly what I need to work on on 2019!! : « The why?? ! «

 

[jill39]

This !!

This is exactly what I need to work on on 2019!! : « The why?? ! «

I’m with you both on this too!!!

 

[LPR200]

Thank you for the Prada compliments. I have the ever popular Galleria (which I bought last year and I do love it) as well as the Promenade bag; also, lots of SLGs in their saffiano leather. All my saffiano pieces from Prada are a lot more fashionable and current, but in my mind they are no where near the same quality as these calf leather bags.



Thank you!



- A lot of navy, including denim, for casual wear.
- Charcoal and black colour palettes also work.
- A dark blue skirt, with a pale blue lace shirt in exactly the same colour.
- A navy suit, crisp white shirt, black Burberry trench, and this bag with these ballet pumps looks classic with a twist. Then I can change into Dior heeled pumps in the same colour in the office.

I should add that I don’t tend to worry about colour transfer; I’ve never yet (touch wood) had a problem that a wipe of colonnil gel or bizarrely Lancôme moisturiser can’t solve!)



I hear you and @Sparkletastic and I completely buy that. If this clutch doesn’t make my heart sing like the YSL WOC, I won’t attempt to convince myself. It would be false economy. I just wish the YSL WOC wasn’t so frivolously expensive for something I’ll use very infrequently as party wear!



Thank you also for the Prada love
And the blue Gucci love
I haven’t tried Chanel Gardenia! I must remedy that.

Have a sniff of Flora Gorgeous Gardenia if you see it around. It’s so heady and feminine. I feel like I must be head to toe in pink when I wear it I once brought a meeting at work to a standstill because the Partner who was chairing the meeting said “someone smells amazing, I need to buy that perfume for my wife.” Everyone turned to look around the table and their vision converged on me. It sounds terribly dramatic, but it happened exactly like that. I just said sheepishly that it’s Gucci Flora, Gorgeous Gardenia. He scribbled it down, and then the meeting carried on.

That sounds like such a Legally Blonde moment! Elle Woods is my hero! More power to you! Now I'm going to try to find that perfume (though I don't need more perfume!!!)

That sounds really nice! My mum and I don’t share bags but I regularly get her started on makeup I like.

 

[Lake Effect]

How’s this for low tech?
I started a bullet journal a couple of years ago and decided to just keep track there. I actually like that it’s in a physical notebook and I don’t have to go online to look at it.
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I also track by month, and have a list of what bags I bought by year dating back to 2011. Yes, I’m a dork.
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Thanks girl, and to all who mentioned the bullet journal. I’m on my way! Even gonna start my bag tracking, see lower right corner for a few December days this week.

 

[Lake Effect]

I wandered over to the bag showcase thread. And now I’m curious...

Some people feel that they must keep adding to their collections even though they have 100 bags. Others will call their collection “modest”, but will have 30+ bags. I’ve also seen people feel overwhelmed with more than 5 bags.

How people feel about their number of bags is very different person to person. So, my questions for the day are:

• How many bags do you have? (Ball park is fine if you don’t have an exact number.)
• Do you feel your collection is small, medium, large, huge, other?
• Are you happy about the size of your collection? If not, into what number do you want to grow / downsize?
• If you had no limitations (money, space, social pressure, etc.) what would be the idea number of bags in your collection?

My answers
• 25
• Medium
• Happy but, I want to add a bit more variety and close a couple more gaps. I think I’ll be settled with 30 - 35 bags.
• Without limitations, I’d probably have approx. 100 bags. But, I’d have to remember to be thoughtful so, I didn’t end up with bags that caught my fancy yet weren’t right for me. So, I’d still be a member of this thread.

(Note. I have only 3 SLG’s and am realizing I definitely want more. Perhaps a total of 6 or 7)

I have to do a round up. At least 20 that I can use. To distinguish from at 12 ish that need refurbishing in some way shape or form. My goal for January is simply to do an inventory. I want to rotate what I like or am on the fence about. I want to enjoy what I have and to do that I need more organization. This was an explosion from about 5 I had three years ago.
There are many vintage styles I would like to have as collectibles, but I am not hunting any down at the moment. I am still basking in the unexpected find of the Cornflower blue Ace. I will let them find me organically for the time being. As in a walk through a flea market or causal online search.
I think of my collection as rather modest in term of the market / retail value. Vintage Coach was not a luxury brand, and as much as current Coach wants to compete, they’re not listed as a premium brand. That pretty taupe brown Patti I posted last week maybe retailed for $250 in 1997, the year mine was manufactured. I purchased her for less $20 and showered her with some tlc. Also, I am committed to buying on the secondary market when I can, mostly from an upcycle/recycle standpoint. And yeah, my wallet doesn’t mind. So I am a bit of an odd duck here due to my preferences and the fact that refurbishing vintage Coach is a hobby, for now at least (yet feel very much one of the crowd ).
Yet even as the odd duck, I share a love of quality leather and craftsmanship and so many of the questions posed here on to buy or not to buy.

 

[lynne_ross]

I have 19 bags - 2 of which I have listed for sale. I keep a picture of all my purses together on my phone - helps me to know what I have when looking to add or sell one. That excludes my nylon longchamp since it is a travel bag not purse and a few purses I keep meaning to donate but have been saving to give to any family/friends that want.
I like someone else’s response that my collection is large to average person.
I am mostly happy with size - would like to sell 2 and add 2. Ideally I would have only 10 bags, but I have a bunch of repeating bags in different colours.
I would not do anything differently with unlimited funds. My bags are mostly Hermes bags and I already feel it is excessive to have as many as I do. So I would not want more!

 

[Chanelandco]

I’m with you both on this too!!!

Let’s encourage each other !
I will write a more detailed post in this thread to explain where I am and where I would like to be in 2019!
But the thread is very active and I am not sure I understood how to proceed.

 

[lynne_ross]

I’ve thought on and off about getting a Kelly. If it were a $3000 bag, I’d already own one (pink would be my choice). It wouldn’t be my favorite bag but, I think I’d love to wear it.

But, the steep price keeps me away. I’m having a hard time justifying spending twice what my most expensive bag cost for a bag that isn’t an HG and / or wouldn’t be my favorite.

I also struggle because I don’t get to see them in person. I can’t go to the store and try them on. I’ve thought about buying one from Fashionphile since I can return it for a look see but, it doesn’t feel right to do so. I know it technically wouldn’t be but, it feels kind of fraudulent.

So, I’m kinda stuck in “really like the bag but have major hurdles to get over” land.

Anyone else have these issues (or other hurdles) with a bag they really think they could enjoy owning?

———
Edit: I just checked. The pink Kelly’s that I see and love are offered resale for $15-20k...or more. That would make them at least 3-4 times more expensive than my most expensive bag. I don’t think I can do it. I’m eyeballing an upgraded tennis bracelet that costs about $20k and would prefer the diamonds to the bag. Gosh, I need a Purse Fairy to drop this bag into my life. LOL!

I have been going back and forth for years on whether to get a 25 birkin. It appears too small and I am not sure I will like it but at same time I don’t carry much so wonder if I will actually live it. I tried one on in the flagship store in Paris and I was undecided on my feelings. I find you need to use a purse for awhile to decide if it works. I’ll eventually cave and buy one with the understanding I’ll loose money if I don’t like and need to sell it later.

As for a kelly, if you are worried about how easy it is to use I would suggest getting a soft leather one and not a sellier (like you posted). My most used bag is a kelly 32 in Clemence. I leave the straps on the turnlock at all times and then pull the flap over the straps. Makes it no harder to get in/out of then a chanel. I don’t care if it damages the bag since I will use this exact bag to my grave lol. I also find the 32 to be the perfect day/all purpose/ travel bag. The 28 is a bit small for use as a day bag in the winter, with mitts, and crap my kids want me to carry lol. Just my two cents.

Edit - you did post a soft leather kelly - my bad! That is kind I would recommend for ease of getting in and out of.

 

[dcooney4]

View attachment 4290623
Thanks girl, and to all who mentioned the bullet journal. I’m on my way! Even gonna start my bag tracking, see lower right corner for a few December days this week.

I still don’t quite get how they work but I went to moleskin to take a peek. The girl there had a bullet journal and showed it to me. It looked like a work of art . Just beautiful but it looked like a lot of work and how do you plan months ahead?

 

[dcooney4]

Let’s encourage each other !
I will write a more detailed post in this thread to explain where I am and where I would like to be in 2019!
But the thread is very active and I am not sure I understood how to proceed.

Just set what ever goals you want for yourself for the year and then we try to help each other stick the various goals as best we can. Some times goals change and we find what works best but that is okay too.

 

[Lake Effect]

I still don’t quite get how they work but I went to moleskin to take a peek. The girl there had a bullet journal and showed it to me. It looked like a work of art . Just beautiful but it looked like a lot of work and how do you plan months ahead?

Google YouTube intro to bullet journal. Look for the 4 1/2 min video that does the simple intro.
ETA, there must be a Bullet Journal thread somewhere on tPF. I'll look tonight. If not, I'll start one in the appropriate place!

 

[OnlyasnobwhenitcomestoLV]

I really identify with this! I'm trying for 2019 to be a no buy--likely, low buy year for me. I think I need to deal with the why I'm buying and get back to the basics.

I have sold six bags within the past month and I’ve never felt better lol!

 

[OnlyasnobwhenitcomestoLV]

there’s normal and then there’s TPF normal,

This is the best line of the entire thread!!! I laughed out loud because this is so so true!!! I find myself in my own little world of TPF, YouTube, Instagram and growing my own collection, then I go in Home Depot and I’m the only woman with a bag over twenty bucks. In other words, I think I’m perfectly normal with handbags....until I walk out the door.

 

[vink]

Love Burberry navy check. Does yours have a red stripe through it?

I have a Damson and Ash Pink giant check. I wear them all the time.

I also have lots of relatively inexpensive Scottish cashmere scarves from random mills. And cashmere cardigans. Part of my winter uniform. I just wish cashmere didn’t get so bobbled!

Mine is a very old one from like year 2000. I think it has a small yellow line like the common navy check you’ll find from any other vendors. (I’m not home, but I can check when I’m home to be sure. I’m certain it’s not red though. [emoji848])

About Burberry, I already have one in ash pink with brown. These two are the recent and I don’t think I’ll get any scarf from Burberry anymore. I’ve fulfilled my wishlist from them. [emoji4] Plus some more. [emoji28]

I do have two more check scarves from other random mills, too. One is red with gray and another one is also a navy check with green, but no yellow line or anything. Just navy with green.

Aside from my old navy Burberry, the red one is the most used one and I love it a lot. I got that one from a farmer fair in London almost 25 years ago, I think, for GBP10.- and it’s so warm. I’m not gonna question if it’s real cashmere or not, but I think it’s one of my best winter-gear buy. [emoji4]