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

[ElainePG]

I love everyone's holiday tree pics! We have been decorating since Thanksgiving in my house.
Here is our tree. Each year, we visit a local tree farm and cut down our tree. It's been a wonderful tradition.
And, for the 5 bags in 1 month challenge, I have worn 2 so far (posted below). The Massaccesi Soulmate has quickly risen to the top of my fave bags. It's lovely and easy to carry, and holds a lot while looking stylish. The second bag is an early Christmas present to myself: Givenchy small Antigona soft. I took advantage of an amazing black Friday sale where I got the bag for nearly half off. It's a wonderful bag, versatile and has also become a favorite rather quickly.

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I love your Christmas tree tradition. And your tree just looks magical, all decorated and sparkly.

Loving both bags. Congrats on getting your Antigona at such a great price. Well done!

 

[ElainePG]

This is true! Unless you decide you need a cupholder, and want this outrageous Birkin with pockets and cupholder. I thought this was a joke when I first saw it. View attachment 4923526

You mean it ISN'T a joke????

 

[ElainePG]

Hi Elaine, I hope everything will go well on your hospital stay! I’ve not been in the forum much lately, so my belated post on this. Btw, I’ve almost forgotten about your Cassis!

Thank you for the good wishes, dear.

Tell you the truth, I had pretty much forgotten about my Cassis as well! I got it way back in January, carried it nonstop for a few weeks, put it away (intending to put it back in the rotation in March), and then… well…

 

[ElainePG]

December challenge - bag 2

Voilà, December bag number two and a breach of the rules of this topic as I just bought it instead of keeping away from the the vile internet and all the tempting offers and moisturize the bags I already have...

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Dior St. Germain bag from 2006

It arrived today and did not disappoint at all.
Great leather, addictive Dior smell. The only "faults" it has are slightly rubbed lower corners, only the colour, not the leather itself. Off to moisturize it...

Have a lovely day everyone!

Great bag! What color is it? It looks chocolate brown from here. I love your comment about the "Dior smell." I'm sure your right; every brand has its own aroma!

 

[ElainePG]

That bag is so totally gorgeous!!

Thank you!

 

[ElainePG]

I received a bag today that I'm sort of torn about in both form and function. I love this shade of navy but the contrasting bright blue will limit it's suitability for many outfits..I put this one together with all navy pieces with a fun RGB slogan, "not fragile like a flower, fragile like a bomb." I think it works with this ensemble but it's not going to be easy to pair this bag with my wardrobe but perhaps in summer much easier with dark denim shorts and a solid top. ‍♀

I love the pairing of the bag and the RBG top (and of course, the RBG slogan is terrific). To my eye, because of the bright blue contrast I think this bag would work with colors other than navy. I could see it with brown, and I could also see it with black. And medium blue, if you have any. Jeans, of course, but your top wouldn't have to be navy. In fact, a lighter color top would make the bag stand out. If you wear a navy top, the bag sort of disappears.

Is this a MM bag? I think I was drooling over it on his site. And then reminding myself that I didn't need another bag.

 

[ElainePG]

Your weight sounds ideal. A lot depends on your frame and where you carry the weight. As we get older, I think we look better with a little more weight. Our faces don't look as gaunt.

The French writer Collette apparently said "After a certain age a woman can have either a face or a figure. Not both." (I don't know if she actually said it. And I'm multitasking, so I don't want to look it up.)

 

[Vintage Leather]

My heart goes out to them and I hope they can shake off the remnants of the virus. It's really challenging trying to get back to normal life when there are so many lingering issues. I am trying to be patient with my body as it heals but the process is proving slow and taxing.

I wish people would stop comparing it to the flu (not you, but those who dismiss the severity of it). The flu is harsh enough as it is, so the comparison doesn't really hold up anyway, and covid is another degree of devastating that I wish people would start to understand for their own safety.

I can understand comparing it to the flu as long as people aren’t ableist jerks lacking perspective...

In 1918, over 50 million people died of the flu. The flu vaccine was developed in 1930. In 2019, “only” half a million people died of the flu.

The flu is deadly unless a person is already healthy when they contract it and has access to vaccines and time to recover.

So that’s good news for 2110?!

Sorry for the soap box, but my immune system is compromised, and most bouts of the flu (which I contract even after faithfully getting my shot every darn year) result in either pneumonia or bronchitis

 

[cowgirlsboots]

@dcooney4 Is your new avatar one of the recent commissions? Your work is outstanding! Sorry, you must hear this all the time but I'm blown away by your talent!


Oh wow! You got it looking amazing in no time at all! I'm impressed!
I hope this one is a keeper for you, simply because I selfishly want to see lots of pictures of it when you take it out! I can't wait to see how you'd style it with one of your lovely coats.

Aww, thank-you! It definetely is a keeper! No way I´d ever find another that cheap and this nice after only a little basic tlc. I think it´ll look great with almost everything.

 

[cowgirlsboots]

Never saw a De Manta before and it typically isn’t my style bag, but then I saw yours and then I saw THIS!!!! Wow! Stunning!View attachment 4926075

Wow! That´s a stunning design! The De Manta was (and maybe still is? Little do I know!) made in lots and lots of designs and materials with the runway designs being the most spectacular.

 

[Kimbashop]

Here´s the De Manta after I worked on her last night.
Most of the yucky (food?) stains and bits of red glitter came out. The suede is very good quality and did not mind a lot of brushing and erasing. At some point I stopped, though- clean is clean enough! Any more might have affected the leather. Being suede it shows pawprints immediately when you only touch it, anyway.
I refreshed the colour on the leather trims and repaired the edge coating, too. (Only repaired, as it wasn´t bad enough to remove and redo. Never touch a working part!)

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In the background on "Olga"´s head there is my latest millinery project made from a very random 80ies hat. (Not finished, yet.)

wow - she cleaned up well. That suede and trim look gorgeous.

 

[ElainePG]

I took the day off looking at screens yesterday and spent the day with a friend out walking, and today I had a call with an eye specialist who's given me exercises to do 'till Friday when I see him IRL.

Couple of days late but some pics from Saturday. The Gucci Leonardo-print tin is full of traditional Italian biscuits, and I haven't opened the other yet, but they're both presents from my SA and SM. I'm glad I wore my new Gucci things to go in, there must be a satisfaction of seeing clients wearing their things and not just buying.

Champers at Hermes where I returned my Calvi MM. Hope I'll be able to swap for a CSGM at the weekend, but waiting for the word on a transfer. Once the credit note is spent, I'll order a custom Calvi (or 2). One for cards and one for business cards. No more Calvi MMs or GMs unless they do them in Swift (or another fab leather).

You AND your presents look so festive! (And now I want to sip champagne and nibble on biscuits.)

I hope your eye specialist has good news for you tomorrow.

 

[ElainePG]

Bag number 4 for December- YSL MuseView attachment 4923870

The Muse is a classic, especially in black.

 

[Kimbashop]

Your issues post-COVID are not uncommon. I have two friends—one a nurse, the other an elite athlete— who had COVID and are still having issues weekend and months after the virus left their system just because you don’t die does not mean this virus is no big deal. It ain’t the flu by any stretch of the imagination.

Hope you feel better soon!

same here --- my neighbor who is in his 40s contracted COVID while on sabbatical in Sweden exactly 1 year ago. he had a COVID-induced stroke which led to other issues. His lungs just healed (officially) from the virus 1 month ago. He is currently on disability leave from the university in the U.S. because he can't function cognitively, and has zero physical endurance for teaching. He was a triathlete and competitive cross-country skier and runner. A good day for him now is being able to walk a full block. It has been devasting to watch his decline. Curiously, his wife and children had the virus and are fine.

 

[Purses & Perfumes]

Thank-you @Purses & Perfumes ! I love your WOC- so beautiful! I think I saw the corresponding wallet on Emma Anders´ youtube.

Thanks, cowgirlsboots! I watched the bag collection video by Emma Anders on YouTube and she has a lovely collection. Yes, she does have the Camellia WOC. I do wish WOCs were a tad bigger, but I really love the Camellia pattern and wanted something in that pattern, and am happy to have it in my collection.

You did an amazing job on the De Manta clutch! I think it's such a cool and interesting shape.

Bag #5- new to me vintage Gucci. 30-40 years old never looked so good!View attachment 4926030

Wow, hard to believe this is 30 to 40 years old. Congrats! I love vintage bags, and am drawn to some styles that are maybe about a decade old (so not really vintage, maybe). I just haven't explored the vintage bag market yet.

Thanks! That is one I did last year. I just like it. I love animals.

Your paintings are beautiful! My mom used to paint and she always loved birds so her paintings usually always had birds in them. I keep thinking I should paint but somehow have never gotten around to doing it.

@jblended, I am sorry to hear that you are having lingering health issues. Hope you feel better soon, and I hope these issues will soon be a thing of the past.