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

[ElainePG]

My resolution is to finally purchase my own home in 2019. I recently came to the painful realization, that if I hadn't spent my money on bags and shoes and clothes for years I would have done it by now! I don't feel guilty, I was young when I was young, I was enjoying myself but enough is enough. I don't want to sell nor buy anything. I just have to accept the fact that I'm nothing but a well dressed homeless lady and do something about that

This is a terrific goal. From my own personal experience, I've found that it's easier to save when you have something concrete to save for rather than just "to see $$$ piling up in the savings account."
Good luck!

 

[pdxhb]

Your comment made me ponder ... I guess it’s the way I look at the world around me... form first, then closely followed by colour and texture and with objects of use : also function ; probably my professional training enhanced this ( I’m an art historian ) [emoji6]

Dream profession!

 

[pdxhb]

I need a celebration bag purchase for finishing my masters thesis, and thus grad school!

Yes you do! Congratulations!!

 

[Darina Angelova]

This is a terrific goal. From my own personal experience, I've found that it's easier to save when you have something concrete to save for rather than just "to see $$$ piling up in the savings account."
Good luck!

Exactly, and this time the thing is not a Chanel bag, it's a house. But, so what?! It's the same principle, right?

 

[pdxhb]

Great conversations - I love coming here to read everyone's thoughts and ideas.

Form will always grab me and yet I won't use some styles unless they fit relatively narrow use criteria. For example, I love a flap bag on others, but they sit mostly unused in my closet. There are a couple exceptions but after selling a Jerome Dreyfuss bag last year, I am fairly done with falling for that.

To be honest, I love bags because I love the craft and materials which go into them. My final purchase decisions hinge on leather quality and color along with use and form criteria (I have some which break these "rules" but the leather is divine): shoulder carry, crossbody optional if avail., easy to get into (many satchels have broken this rule and I have sold as a result), does not fall over if a structured shape, shoulder or crossbody straps attached toward the side and not near top handle connection points, decent hardware.

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)

Catching up with you all!
I did not go count however I have recently been doing some clear-out and organizing so have a fairly accurate idea.
- 40+ does not include evening bags, SLGs/wristlets of which there are abt 15
- Medium verging on Large
- Reasonably happy. I would like to adjust by moving some out and some in to address what I use most. 5 or more bags tend to sit. Ideally I would have all my bags, other than the sentimental ones or the special occasions, be nicely usable.

Okay. I'm going to ask opinions here. I welcome all opinions, positive and negative, to help me decide whether or not to buy…what do you think about this rolling bag?

Back story: I've used totes and backpacks for the last two years working, but recently I've just been having a ton of back pain. I sold my Knomo backpack because I just can't take the weight anymore. I've been using a boring/ugly spinner bag to work, but my back pain has been significantly improved. I'd like to get a fashionable spinning bag, but let me tell you, it's impossible to find four-wheel/spinner/360 degree rolling bags that are cute!! My co-workers tell me my current bag makes me look like a flight attendant; I’ll attach it below!

My friend sent me this and I kinda like it, but do you think it would be tacky to use??

I like your selection a lot. I have some shoulder and neck issues which make it impossible to carry a backpack, though crossbody works for a time; my issue is not important other than to say, "I feel your pain!" Let us know what you decide.

On another note, it makes me a little sad when people call their collections modest. I might be misinterpreting, but in a lot of cases, it seems to be either that they think the brands aren’t good enough or that they think most people have 100+ bags. I don’t at ALL mean to be judgey, but there’s normal and then there’s TPF normal, and I wish all of us handbag lovers could just be proud of our collections at all different sizes and all different price points.

I'm with you on all.of.this. I would love to own a Kelly or maybe even a Birkin, but the price points are over my mental ceiling, and I find all the leather and color options a little overwhelming.
It's kind of silly, because I have certainly dropped some cash on my collection, and I have enough bags at this point that it would make perfect sense to take my yearly bag budget and spend it on one or two bags v. many, but here we are.

Ideally I'd like to go visit a high-end reseller and take a look at their options to see whether it's love in person.

I am working on gratitude and being aware of how very lucky I am to have my collection. Also am reminding myself on the regular how unusual it is compared to the ladies I know in my day to day life and that it's a real privilege to have fun with a bag collection on any level.

Part of that fun, I have realized over the last couple of years is that when it's economically feasible, I like to be able to change out parts of my collection. In other words, I'm not entirely a forever-bag person. So my comfort level on spending tops out at a more moderate/contemporary fashion level. An important discovery for me is how that relates to the way I regard a bag: if I spend more than my comfort zone I get super precious about using it - which is crazy! If money were not an object, I would absolutely have a Lindy and a Garden Party, as I think those styles are beautiful and they fit my form/use criteria. But I know myself and am trying to stay out of denial about my comfort level.

 

[Chanelandco]

I would like to join in this 2019 resolution

- I have 20 ish bags ( 18 luxury bags)
- I consider it is huge compare to where I live
If money is not an issue, I would add some rare clutch only for evenings
But I would probably add lots of jewellery

For 2019, here are my goals :
- Dont buying anything not NEEDED, meaning:
- No perfume
- No make up
- No clothes except 1 paire of jeans and 2/3 white shirts , 2 summer pants, a summer dress
- No shoes except 1 paireofballerinas , 1 mid heel boots and 1 sneakers
No scarfs except 1 Hermes ( a large one)
I would love to buy another 2.55 but first I would like to sell 3 bags and 1 watch that I rarely/ dont use.

I already purge/ reorganise my closet. Will give and sell some clothes.
I think I need to redo that twice or 3 times during the year.

Youhouhou 2019 is going to be interesting. I also ordered a moleskine notebook!

It is very hard to say but I need to find otherways to deal with certains issues. I need to focus more on basics and most important thing in my life...

Thank you for reading

 

[ElainePG]

Exactly, and this time the thing is not a Chanel bag, it's a house. But, so what?! It's the same principle, right?

For sure! You set the goal (maybe in this case even writing it down, since it's a long-term goal), you visualize achieving that goal (what size house? what style of architecture? where will it be?), and you take all the (itsy-bitsy) concrete steps necessary to achieve it.

 

[Darina Angelova]

For sure! You set the goal (maybe in this case even writing it down, since it's a long-term goal), you visualize achieving that goal (what size house? what style of architecture? where will it be?), and you take all the (itsy-bitsy) concrete steps necessary to achieve it.

Tomorrow I'm making a visual dream board of everything I want! I pretty much know what it's going to be - a cozy winter chalet with fluffy pillows and a killer hot tub! With a huge dining table for all my friends, I love to cook and entertain. Collecting visuals of what you want is very helpful! You need to remind yourself everyday of what it is you are working towards!

 

[Rhl2987]

I need a celebration bag purchase for finishing my masters thesis, and thus grad school!

That is wonderful! Many congratulations!!

 

[Sparkletastic]

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?

I can’t see that I’ll do the “beautiful”. I just don’t have the time or interest.

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

Congrats!

That Kelly is a great example of a reseller getting greedy. I believe the color of the bag in your picture is Rose Poupre, which is still fairly new and super desirable. This price is OTT even for a brand new bag, IMO. You’d pay way less buying that bag new in the boutique, if you could find it.

And that’s really the problem. Hermes creates the image of scarcity, which makes buyers lose their minds to get that one color that H will never do again after this season. My SA cured me of that one day by pointing out that they may never do that shade of blue again, but if I wait, they’ll do a different shade that is just one hair different that the one I’m coveting.

So what you (not you specifically, Sparkle, I’m talking generally) have to decide is how bad you want that particular shade of pink (or blue, or whatever). For me, I’m sorry, I’m just not gonna spend that amount of money on a bag. I don’t judge someone who does, I just can’t spend my money that way. Over time, I came to realize that I’m OK with the price of, say, an Evelyne new from the boutique, but for a Birkin or Kelly, I’m happier buying vintage bags. I never would have considered a pre-owned bag before, but once I did a lot of looking and learning, I found a few really special, unique bags at way below retail price. Which still means the price is crazy compared to other brands, but that’s how I was able to find my comfort zone.

Sorry for rambling! It’s just that every time I see one of these bags listed for what is essentially double the retail price, I just shake my head!

This was an example for me. Thankfully, I’m not stuck on a particular shade. And there is no way I’d pay more than retail because I don’t want to pay retail. Lol! And the bag isn’t that important to me.
But, it’s good to know that there are a range of pinks out there so I don’t get hyped over any one bag. Thx!

My initial reaction to this bag is LOVE , but like you, I have my reservations. For me FORM comes first in a bag, very closely followed by FUNCTION. I’m willing to compromise, while a crossbody and a small backpack suit my everyday style the best (I walk and bike a lot), the beauty of my Gucci stirrup, which is hand/arm held, makes me take the time and effort to carry her proudly.
To stray a little; I’ve only been buying bags for 2 years now but I’ve got the same thing going on with jewelry ; some rings and bracelets aren’t for everyday use, simply because they interfere with coats and gloves, but I wouldn’t want to live without them in my wardrobe since they’re so special...
But to come back to the Polens in question; beautiful : YES but too small, so sadly : a NO in the end [emoji6]

Yea. Unfortunately, it’s a no on the Polene No. Six. A lovely tPF’r has one and put various phones in hers for me. It looks like mine won’t fit and that’s a deal killer.

If you or anyone else ever feel “ready” to start looking into all of these different choices with H, I’m happy to help explain it all!! There are actual boxes in Hermes stores with all of the leather swatches and hardware choices and it makes it easier to picture what you may love together. But I can likely help you without the box!!

THANK YOU! I will absolutely take you up on that if I decide to buy!

 

[OnlyasnobwhenitcomestoLV]

I was going to ask others about this! Has anyone ever gone on a major selling off spree, or know anyone who has done this, and how did it make them feel? I’m so curious since it is not something that I have ever considered!

At first it was all about building a collection, then I had this big collection and had more bags than occasions to wear them. I’m super organized, but (for me) if I need a spreadsheet to help me rotate my bags, I’ve got too many bags. I laid them all out, made three piles—keep forever, can live without, and everything else goes in the middle. There’s been so much said in research about the stress caused from choice overload and I agree with it. Less is usually more. Now I know that every single time i pick up a bag to use, I’m picking up an absolute favorite.

 

[dcooney4]

I can’t see that I’ll do the “beautiful”. I just don’t have the time or interest.
Congrats!
This was an example for me. Thankfully, I’m not stuck on a particular shade. And there is no way I’d pay more than retail because I don’t want to pay retail. Lol! And the bag isn’t that important to me.
But, it’s good to know that there are a range of pinks out there so I don’t get hyped over any one bag. Thx!

Yea. Unfortunately, it’s a no on the Polene No. Six. A lovely tPF’r has one and put various phones in hers for me. It looks like mine won’t fit and that’s a deal killer.
THANK YOU! I will absolutely take you up on that if I decide to buy!

As far as journals go I don't need pretty either I just need function. I love the way they look but if I draw or sketch it will be on a canvas. I actually would like a short break from it I think I am a bit burned out from all the last minute painting.
Back to bags and I am sorry the polene didn't work out but at least you found out before you spent the money.

 

[Lilybarb]

.....I am working on gratitude and being aware of how very lucky I am to have my collection. Also am reminding myself on the regular how unusual it is compared to the ladies I know in my day to day life and that it's a real privilege to have fun with a bag collection on any level...

Your post hit me in a tender spot. Thank you for reminding me that appreciation is something I need to work on and needs to be higher on my priority list...above wanting another bag or two that I will never ever need.

 

[pdxhb]

Your post hit me in a tender spot. Thank you for reminding me that appreciation is something I need to work on and needs to be higher on my priority list...above wanting another bag or two that I will never ever need.

Thank you for sharing this!

 

[Sparkletastic]

I was going to ask others about this! Has anyone ever gone on a major selling off spree, or know anyone who has done this, and how did it make them feel? I’m so curious since it is not something that I have ever considered!

I have. I’ve sold over 200 bags in the last 6 years. All of my original set of bags (150ish) and a bunch of mistakes as I tried to rebuild (50).

I was excited to sell off my bags because I didn’t really love any of them. I was also terrified at first because I hadn’t sold bags before. I spent a lot of time confused because I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to buy. (That’s how I stumbled onto tPF) My fear of selling quickly left because I easily learned how to sell. I’ve only been scammed once and PayPal made it right so I got the funds even though I didn’t get the bag back (which I actually preferred). Then I was thrilled because it gave me money to buy new bags that I liked (and eventually loved).

The hardest part has been the exhaustion at the end. I’m sick to death of selling bags and it’s greatly affected my desire to buy anything (which is probably a good thing). I’m super cautious now about buying because I don’t want any bag that I can’t love and use to death before it’s sold yeeeeeaaaars later if at all.

This makes me realize that before I joined tpf, I chose my purses for function first. I almost didn't care what they looked like as long as they had all the pockets, straps and zippers I needed. Then once I started looking at form first, I started compromising on function. Those are the bags that ended up not making me completely happy.

I used to choose bags like a one eyed, drunken sailor who gambled away all his / her money. I bought based on what was on sale in a color I liked and then what looked “alright”. So I ended up with a bunch of junk that didn’t even go with my wardrobe.

Luckily, I’ve radically changed my approach. LOL! I choose bags this way now: I track what I need based on what’s “missing” when I get dressed in Evernote. Then when I get at least 6 hits, I start shopping for that type of bag (e.g. black small crossbody or pop of color satchel.) Then I search my favorite brands to find one I love (form). If they don’t have it, I expand my search. Once I have a couple of contenders, I double check quality (inspection and tPF reports) and function to make sure it will work. I have to have them all: form, function and quality. Even my new Dior WOC is very functional. I can get everything I really need into it except my sunglasses.

But, it starts with - is the bag beautiful to me? Function without beauty just doesn’t work for me at all.