2020 resolution - shopping my own bag and wallet collection. Any one else?

[cowgirlsboots]

Their website has a black one with diamond quilting too, but that seems to come only in silver hardware.

The quilted Mulberry would be the Darley. I´ve been looking at it. It´s too new to turn up preloved and new falls into the used-car-range for me.

 

[cowgirlsboots]

It was mailed back today for a refund. Yuck!
I used to buy quite a few fixer upper bags to get a bargain. But, now I have zero desire to futz with a bag. The most I’ll do is send a bag off for a spa trip to get cleaned, conditioned and maybe a touch up here or there. But, if I do it has to be able to come back looking just about like new because otherwise I won’t carry it.

I´m glad you had the option to return the bag for a refund!


Here´s my Karenina after some home-spa work.



I got her for about a quarter of the price they usually sell for. The handle was coming apart as the edge coat had disappeared, one corner of the top edge was badly sewn and the bottom corners quite rubbed.

 

[whateve]

DH and I bought our first piece of serious furniture in 1991. It was a Roche bobois three cushion couch in castelbajac fabric (white with black outlines of faces) and it was expensive on sale. It reversed completely to black. Since I could not find a similar fabric, I’ve had the black body of the couch and black sided cushions rebuilt and reupholstered (The latest in navy) and have had the cushions professionally cleaned. It still looks amazing And we mix it with our other furnishings (We like mid century modern mixed with old rugs and other things for a kind of lived in eclectic vibe).

ive owned stingray in shoes and purses. In black cherry cowboy boots and a black and white Constance type unbranded shoulder bag, stingray held up well. In a lighter evening clutch, the lighter tones yellowed somewhat. I love exotics, but my favorite is perhaps ostrich In color. Lightweight, durable, and water resistant.

I love ostrich too! Years ago, Gucci had wallets in very pretty colors of ostrich. I wasn't in the market for a wallet at the time but I've never forgotten them.

 

[whateve]

I´m definetely a cheapskate, too. All my bags were bought preloved and some of them at bargain prices I still can´t believe myself. I love looking at bags- new and preloved, but the prices for new definetely make me gasp and some preloved do, too.... I mean lost of the designer bags are more expensive than a used car.
When I spot a bag (I really like) under 25 Euro I don´t hesitate long, a desinger bag up to 250 Euro means I feel I can buy it without too much guilt, but certainly I will research and make sure to get the real thing. Anything above this price is serious and I will have long debates with myself. Some of the bags I really, really wanted and had been watching for a long time were more expensive. The saddle the most expensive of all.

Your remark about a used car reminds me that several years ago my daughter told me I shouldn't buy a purse that cost more than her car. She had a junker of a car that cost around $1000. Even though she has a better car now, she is still struggling to make ends meet, and I've never forgotten her comment.

 

[papertiger]

Here is my H Cecile clutch. It also has a nifty attachable shoulder strap. It was my very first H bag, so I wore it (with the strap) or carried it (without) every time I went to the boutique to buy scarves, LOL.
And, as a mentioned, I tend to forget about it! Must remedy that.

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It's gorgeous, the hw is amazing

 

[papertiger]

I must be the only regular cook on the planet that doesn’t pressure cook. From baking to sautéing to roasting...I’ve never had the need. I’m all for advancements. But, while I’m a great cook I HATE to cook. And, I’m over being Superwoman. So, I’m trying to wean my family off any kind of complicated meal (really any meal) that involves much effort from me. I could “dine” on a can of sardines and a spicy pickle spear. I miss doooooooing things. Food isn’t that interesting.

My mother gave us ours. It can be useful for proper chicken soup, or brown rice (if careful). I don't cook meat but you can cook cheaper cuts of meat in a pressure cooker quicker. DH uses it for potatoes as he loves potato salad. For me it's just another pot unless it's got the lid on and they're better than microwaves I'm sure. I overuse microwave ovens if I have one, they are now banned.

For anything fancy and takes a while to prepare- I use a restaurant - that's what they're for

 

[papertiger]

The color turtledove is kind of a beige color with grey undertones in certain lighting. For me, beige is a very practical color and I have been looking for a premier designer beige bag for a while, but somehow I always chose other colors because I frequently felt lukewarm about beige in the past. However, I really liked turtledove when I saw the color and actually felt excited at the prospect of owning a bag in this particular shade of beige! I'm still debating between the Pochette Metis and the Vavin in this color. Also, I am curious to know if others here have a favorite beige bag.

That's a very good question. Beige is a serious colour and like most non-black neutrals it has to be just right for the wearer/wardrobe.

Beige is not an easy colour for me as it can be either too cool or too warm (OMG I sound life Little Red Riding Hood )

This is my favourite, a Gucci Med Bold Top-handle. Just right

 

[papertiger]

Thanks Purses &Perfumes. I agree re the practicality of grey beige in a,premier brand. I looked up the Vavin and liked it, but I’m unfamiliar with recent LV and thought it was weird that the brand name was printed on the outside (I prefer H blind stamp). I also prefer phw. For grey beige, i loved H etoupe, and got rid of all of my warmer toned Chanel beige. My favorite is the etoupe victoria which I wear somewhat empty and squashed close to the body. I got rid of a recent etoupe Evelyne bc it was more muddy brown than grey beige and subbed it with a sauge one. I also hesitated when it came time to pull the trigger on an etoupe birkin and instead chose a gold swift for the same muddy brown reasons. I also like some of the cool toned balenciaga beige but have not owned any in that color. . .

Which leather is your Victoria? Clemence?

Etain is my 'Etoupe' (Sikkim) and of course I love Gold.

I think perhaps Etoupe maybe my shadow colour. Some people look so perfect in it I stare in amazement at their coolness and chicness. I try it on and look - ill.

 

[papertiger]

The only thing close to beige is actually more like tan. It rarely gets used. My daughter helped my dh pick it. She is a tall dirty blond and it would look great on her. I have the wrong coloring for it. I wish they had gotten it in black as the bag design is wonderful just the color doesn’t look good with my pale skin tone.

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That's a shame, such a nice bag.

 

[papertiger]

I´m glad you had the option to return the bag for a refund!


Here´s my Karenina after some home-spa work.

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I got her for about a quarter of the price they usually sell for. The handle was coming apart as the edge coat had disappeared, one corner of the top edge was badly sewn and the bottom corners quite rubbed.

Your hard work looks like it's has paid off

 

[msd_bags]

I love beige bags. I don’t find it hard to carry. Though I’m confused sometimes, do you make a distinction between beige and taupe?
This is beige, right?

 

[msd_bags]

My max for bag is in the range of $1,000-1,500, plus customs duties. But better if lower. And this will be a once in a while purchase. A good price for a good bag will be at $300-$500 all-in. I have to factor custom duties since it’s a big amount at 30-35%. Before the pandemic, I wanted to get the Loewe Puzzle. But in the end, I couldn’t bite the price.

I used to buy pre-loved, but there had been a lot disappointments and there was a lot of hard work involved with authentication, communication with seller, etc. I got tired of that. And maybe to somehow control my purchases as well, I now buy almost all brand new (except if from tpf contacts who I have access to).

 

[msd_bags]

Growing up I was scared of pressure cookers because of the “hard and scary work” involved. But the InstaPot is proving to be easy to use for me!! A lot of our local dishes call for sauteeing garlic, onion and tomatoes first before putting in the meat. So it’s nice to do everything in the same pot. In the next few days I plan to try its slow cooker function.

 

[missie1]

So, I was bored and went on Fashionphile to snoop. I saw lots of pretty bags but nothing that cried out to me to buy.

Do any of you go through price limit phases? I seem to ebb and flow on what I’m willing to pay for a bag. 2-3 years ago $5-6k was my max-ish. Today I was choking at $2500 for a bag.

There’s no rational reason why I should be feeling this way. I’ve spent so little this year that a fairly expensive bag wouldn’t be a thought. Maybe because I’m bag content? Maybe because I know it would just sit on a shelf for another year? I dunno. Nothing felt “worth” the price. I mean seriously everything looked sooooo expensive.

I think it goes back to something I said on another thread. When I buy a bag I have a momentary giddiness. This can last for months or even a year. But, it’s not permanent. With jewelry, I stay giddy! So, it seems like jewelry would be happier purchases for now.

Tell me about your spending limit and spending priorities journey.

Spark,

Its so funny that you say this. I find myself balking at spending serious money on bags right now. Anything over 3k and I’m like oh no. I think it’s because I’ve been building my staple forever jewelry Collection and that is so expensive. I have priority list so when I think another bag I’m like I can put that towards Arm candy

 

[missie1]

So here is family shot of my current good clutches. I now realize that I need to retire my red YSL clutch and replace her.