2021 Resolution: Shopping my own bag and SLG collection. Any one else?

[Sparkletastic]

NOVEMBER ACTIVITIES

1. Bags by Brand Showcase!

Each week, share photos of your bags from the specified brands. Choose a posed “beauty” shot or get your bags out and about in action shots!

We highlight 3 brands per week: 2 premier and 1 contemporary in alphabetical order as listed on tPF. Any brands not listed are showcased in our last week. Brands change to the next set each Sunday.

Our first brand week starts now - Sunday, Oct 31. Please share photos of bags from these brands:

• Bottega Venetta
• Burberry
• Alexander Wang

Tip: Grab your photos from last year in the 2020 resolution thread. Search your user name and the brand to find your photos.

2. Special Stories
Thanks @Claudia Herzog for the suggestion

Wear a bag that has a backstory involving a person, place, or opportunity for which you feel grateful.

 

[SouthernPurseGal]

They look so much better than from their 'mug shots'. You must be thrilled, such pretty colour combos, perfect hw pairings.

Oh thank you! This is awful lighting too. I'll take a sunlight pic tomorrow and the color and hw will really be spectacular!

I'm glad you profited, and found some lovey bags along the way, but I am horrified at those scammers. I hope karma comes up and bites them on the b*m - hard!

Me too. I mean cmon. You tell your bank over three weeks later that you didn't authorize a PayPal payment? Did someone else hack her eBay and pretend to be her when bidding? And the shipping address had the item sent to her. So what the ever living beep is she thinking to claim the whole thing as fraud? That's a long and implausible chain of events. And the chanel purse buyer asked to return and I took it and then the post marked it as delivered so she was refunded. But I never got it. A couple days later it says on the tracking "insufficient address return to sender" and then a couple days later "j doe signed for it at 5:58pm". But I reached out to Jane doe who then claimed she did not receive it. I tell eBay this and they tell me I'm SOL. Paypal tells me to resolve through eBay. So....yeah. I am just out the purse.

It depresses me to go to estate sales. The worst is when they have photo albums. It makes me so sad that no one cares about these people's history and the things they considered important.

Me too.

 

[travelbliss]

It can be very disenchanting, clearing out bags, wondering how to find new homes for them. Over the years, I accumulated various sorts of bags. I have a strange attraction to denim style bags, and I found a box of denim backpacks, messengers, etc. along with various other brands (Dooney, Ralph Lauren, Patricia Nash, Brahmin, Burberry, Mulberry, random ones from discount stores, MK, etc). I had no idea where to put them, so I started piling them into my garden tub, which I never use. This continued for over a year, until COVID struck and I had time off from work to finally do something with them. I had imagined grand plans to photograph and list some on ebay, until I realized after listing one or 2, what a hassle and headache it was to deal with buyer's complaints, fees, shipping, etc..etc....so the pile remained untouched and grew some more. I made a decision to only use my favorite brand, and eliminate the rest. The ones that I could resell to FP or Yoogi's, I did, mostly at a loss. The rest went into 3 very large boxes and my hubby dropped them off at the Goodwill so we could write them off our taxes this year. I thought I would feel seriously deflated after these left the house, but surprisingly, I don't! The title of the thread is my mantra now. If it won't fit into the dedicated space I have for my collection (1 in, 1 out) I can't acquire it. I do seem to find myself wanting to add more SLGs and accessories though... Anyway, sorry to ramble on but my point is, that sometimes your best intentions to profit from your unused bags will wither down to just donating them to a charity, and it can feel liberating.

 

[More bags]

Question for those of us wanting to shed a few bags over 2021:

We spend a lot of time discussing why we buy bags but not so much editing. I'd like to let go of at least 2 in Jan and that's just a beginning. Where do I start?

Doesn't have to be selling, could be just giving away.

What is you top priority for letting go of a bag?

1. Not a wearable/pleasing colour
2. Use (or lack of)
3. Price (sell it now to accumulate funds or worry about depreciation of you wear first)
4. Worry about using because of delicacy
5. Too many of the same (style/colour/other)
6. Too worn (I'm laughing at myself because it's doubtful it will ever apply to me unless we're talking boots not bags)
7. Too dated
8. Too big/small/heavy (something we often don't discover until we use)
9. Too showy/plain/awful (file under 'what was I thinking)
10. Easy come easy go (done it's time and it was an extra)
11. Other reason (enlighten us).
12. To raise money for a certain cause (maybe favourite charity)
13. Biggest first (clear some space)

So far I'm thinking of a 1970s vintage cognac, saddle leather briefcase - heavy, but it's the kind of thing I could see myself buying again if I'm not careful. I don't know why I have such a thing for briefcases. I even have a folding one from Aquascutum I've never used (not getting rid of that one).

Another is small rust-brown, brass-studded '00s 'Domino' bag from Sonia Rykiel that weighs a ton. I have a black/silver one that's much lighter which I'm keeping. I'll never get anything like my money back from it but it's just too heavy and small for all day, and wrong colour for evening. Then again, I do love my Sonia Rykiel. Then, there's my blush nubuck Vivienne Westwood, on and off sale for years, it's supposed to look aged, the problem is convincing others that is, they think it's just dirt but it was bought new like that, part of the 'punk' aesthetic design. I could give these to charity.

Last year I gave a lot of my mother's less personally precious pieces to a certain charity that does Ebay as well as a designer boutique rail and raised over £700 just with these bits (some fine jewellery in the mix). They seem to be able to sell better than me, and so long as someone gets money I'm not upset. OT, but I just saw someone able to buy a BV for $15 from goodwill, if I gave a BV to charity I'd be furious if they only put it out for peanuts. The point of giving to charity is raise as much funds as possible for the cause, not just dump unwanted 'stuff'.

This is a very thoughtful question.
We spend a lot of time discussing why we buy bags but not so much editing. What is your top priority for letting go of a bag?

*Nerd alert - long post*
First, I like to ask, what is your goal? Which bags to exit will vary based on the goal, the why, for example,

• To generate maximum cash => sell highest resale value bags
• To generate quick return => sell well known/popular styles and brands
• To make room => sell largest bags

I spent time reflecting on why I exited bags from my bag wardrobe and identified key themes, including,

• Functional issues
• My style changed
• My lifestyle changed
• They are not being worn
• They are being replaced with something I like better

If I am not reaching for a bag, I like to understand why, is it the size, colour, style, high maintenance or functionality?

• Too heavy
• Too big
• Too small capacity
• Short strap drop
• Strap is too long
• Too boxy
• Base is too wide/sticks out from my body
• Not easy to use, ex. fiddly clasp
• Opening is too hard to get into
• Colour doesn’t coordinate with my wardrobe
• Faux leather
• Leather or material doesn’t feel good
• Style looks dated
• I no longer like/use that style, ex. monogram
• I have something similar/does the same job that I like better
• Duplicate colour, function, style to another bag I like more
• Duplicate pattern (canvas) to another bag I like more
• Open top, items spill out when bag falls over
• Zipper slides open while in use
• Things fall out, ex. foldover clutch
• I couldn’t keep it looking as fresh as I wanted to, ex. white, damier azur, vachetta
• Requires work to use it, ex. transfer wallet contents into WOC
• Bag is not wearing well, handles, seams, corners
• Lifestyle change, no longer need corporate style bags
• Maintaining collection size, ie. one in one out
• I bought it when I really wanted something else
• It has served its purpose
• Doesn’t work in my predominant climate, ex. doesn’t fit over winter coats when I live in a climate with a long winter, or exotic in wet climate
• I have multiples
• I have someone who wants to buy it or someone who likes it and I can donate it to them

An alternate approach to decluttering is to think of what do I want to keep vs. what do I want to get rid of.

• Collect, choose, eliminate, organize
• What do I use regularly and love
• Keep what you use, need and love
• Purge anything you don’t need, use, want or love
• Would I buy this now
• Photograph different groups of bags (by colour, size, brand, function, etc.), identify your favourite and least favourite bag
• Have I worn it in the past 12 months (ETA: not as strong a criteria for me, currently; are there special art pieces you want to keep, limited edition pieces, specific function bags, etc.)
• Do I love it
• Do I love the way it makes me feel when I carry it
• Does it represent my current style, lifestyle
• Is this looking worn out
• Does it project the image I want to project
• Would I reach for this over similar pieces
• Can I think of three outfits I would wear this with
• Do I have somewhere to wear it? (think in non Covid times)
• Do I need this, does this bag still fill a particular need

Best wishes to all of us on choosing to keep and use our most loved bags.

 

[More bags]

Thank you for explaining the concept of acquisition rate. I am going to try this! in 2019, I purchased an HG expensive item, my 30cm Black togo Birkin, I wore it a lot! it's surprisingly practical however, I find, I'm not fond of the togo leather, the color isn't saturated as I'd like it looks like a soft black than a true black unlike my Kelly, which is deeply saturated. I'm now considering replacing it same specs but with the new leather Veau Jonathan, what do you guys think? this will be a challenge for me as I don't have a boutique close to me. One is supposed to open in early 2021, we'll see.. @More bags @880 , @papertiger all opinions welcome from everyone. The fine Jewelry pieces I plan to add are, an 18k yellow gold Tiffany Elsa Peretti bean bracelet, and an Elsa peretti platinum and diamond bean necklace.

2020 put a wrench in things for sure! great goals for 2021!

Great goals! i'm with you on the shopping sustainably!

Thank you for your input, I've decided to re-home my togo Birkin 30cm to get VJ leather Birkin. LVMH is the reason why i have made acquiring my T wishlist items this year, as i'm not at all happy with LVMH's takeover of the brand.

Congratulations on your decision! I love swift/Veau Jonathan.
Your planned jewelry acquisitions sound divine. I love EP pieces - great choices @keodi!

 

[More bags]

I start by looking at my collection in its entirety. If something stands out markedly as my least favourite out of the lot, is too heavy, is too cumbersome to get in and out of, or falls into your #10 "easy come, easy go", then it is time to leave my closet.

 

[More bags]

So glad you made this post. I need to give this serious thought. I have never sold a bag but I really need to “shed” for 2020. Maybe we need a week (or month) of posting bags that are “in the shed” for any of the reasons you state above. I could probably use some advice on whether I should venture into selling..or just continue to donate, gift, or keep. In any case, I have to do something..but still with whateve on wanting it to be a stress free year.

'In the shed' is a great idea

@essiedub I love your play on words, putting bags to shed in the shed, like @diane278’s closet of departing bags!

 

[More bags]

View attachment 4938324View attachment 4938325
A peace offering for daring to disagree!

Adorable!

 

[More bags]

...and they are the biggest challenge for me!
My mind keeps warning me about using my beautiful belongings:
"this is too nice for every day", "don´t touch it, you´ll spoil/break it", "you´ll never be able to replace this if you ruin it", "don´t ever get near to food when wearing this- you´ll stain it"....
Haha!

On Christmas Eve after (finally!) putting on a never worn before (I got it as an unfinished job from the daughter of a tailor and finished it myself) 50ies cocktail dress paired with a new hat and my auntie´s mink cocktail jacket for the late afternoon I actually changed my outfit before cooking dinner into 70ies plays 40ies black polyester jersey out of sheer panic to stain my dress that would certainly need dry cleaning (it´s raw silk with metallic threads)... thinking about it I see two possible solutions: a) learn to act, walk, sit, even cook like the lady who would have worn outfits like this in their time or b) stick with good old 70ies polyester! These are the vintage dresses I do get a lot of wear out of, because even me cannot spoil them!

Gorgeous sounding outfits @cowgirlsboots! I’m sure you looked like a million bucks!
DH and I used some Asian themed dishes to set the table for an Asian themed meal, complete with bamboo placemats, chopsticks, chopstick rests and beautiful Japanese style painted dishes. We had a conversation about using what we have and not saving things for a special occasion. We also grimace at a side story of older DS and fancy sneakers he desired for a long time and received as a gift last Christmas. They are a lighter colour, he didn’t want to get them dirty, didn’t wear them often and has now outgrown them.

 

[More bags]

Yes, @More bags, I do have exactly this black Dior Gambler Dice Bag. I was happy to see it in the article. It has been an HG for me for a long time and took a long winded way to come to me. I still haven´t worn it, yet (frightened to lose the dice!), but it sits next to my work table and sparks joy. All my HG bags are from the Galliano era. No idea what it is, but there has always been a strong emotional connection with his designs, even before I knew they were his and researched him. It might be the playful and very emotional storytelling.

I’m glad you were able to add this bag to your collection!

 

[More bags]

1. Not a wearable/pleasing colour
2. Use (or lack of)
4. Worry about using because of delicacy
5. Too many of the same (style/colour/other)
6. Too worn (I'm laughing at myself because it's doubtful it will ever apply to me unless we're talking boots not bags)
8. Too big/small/heavy (something we often don't discover until we use)
9. Too showy/plain/awful (file under 'what was I thinking)

The above are the reasons I've gotten rid of bags. Mostly, because for whatever reason, I'm not using them enough. I have sold bags that were beautiful but I was worried they would get stained or worn looking if I carried them (#4 delicacy.)

If I get a new bag that is the same color as another in my collection, I might get rid of the older one if I determine I only need one bag that color. I recently got a new red bag after I already said I had the perfect red bag in my collection and didn't need another. Neither of them are going.

I have gotten rid of bags because they were too worn. Either I couldn't rehab them to the way I liked, or they had softened too much in a style that I felt was best staying structured.

Too big or heavy bags usually don't last a day in my closet, so those get returned or listed for sale immediately. I've gotten rid of too small bags but lately I've kept some as I've downsized enough to be able to use some of the them, at least occasionally.

Once in awhile, I'll get a showy bag I really like but decide it isn't for me. I'm not quite that flashy so those end up going, like these bags. I feel the same about colorblock - I like them in the store but not as much when I try to coordinate them with my wardrobe.

Great analysis. I would love to see your red bags @whateve!

 

[keodi]

Congratulations on your decision! I love swift/Veau Jonathan.
Your planned jewelry acquisitions sound divine. I love EP pieces - great choices @keodi!

Thank you!

 

[More bags]

View attachment 4938612squeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

View attachment 4938617
My other latest purchases. These 4 plus my paratay, and a Massaccesi midi Juliet ($135 SHIPPED !!) from eBay and an aphrodite ($75 SHIPPED!) from the MM BST are my 6 December bag purchases. I bought 3 in Nov and Oct but 5 in September and none in 2020 before. 17 total this year. I think. But sold 8. So I've acquired 9. But I have not lost any money, I've actually profited around $5k this year on bag flips. And that's accounting for a missing in the mail $750 Chanel. Ok I'm being kind, being scammed by the buyer. Starting a few hours ago I am being attempted scammed the $75 I got for my Burberry trench three weeks ago.
I'm done with selling.
My goals for next year still involve not earning any money at all, but actually spending 12% of my salary on purses and having a 100% acquisition success rate. I just don't want to spend time on it anymore. I want to buy a house and set up a craft room and start crafting with my daughters.

Stunning bags! Congratulations on your successful flipping. Sending voodoo curses to the scammers.

 

[More bags]

The idea that helped me the most in my long tortuous editing journey (I’ve been actively selling and editing my collection for over a decade with varying success) was a concept of:

You and your stuff are in business; you’re the CEO and all your stuff is employees. What job does each thing do? What do you need it to do? How does it support the life you want to live?

So I was able to look at my bag collection and say “I wear this at X,Y and Z. Who else do I wear in those occasions? Will I have enough of those occasions to justify the redundancy? And which do I like best and why?”

So, I’m not banned. I just have a hiring freeze going on. And I’m not selling crap, I’m career counseling my stuff-employees into new positions.

For example, I have a dark red Mulberry Smithfield and a bright red BV deerskin Creel. One’s a hand-carry satchel, one is a crossbody. One’s sturdy thick leather, the other more delicate and smaller. When looking all the characteristics, they are dramatically different bags. But they do the same darn job. Letting go of one allowed the other to be better at doing it’s job.

Now, clutches? Their primary job is to sparkle and make me smile and I treat them like art. So, having a ridiculously high level of redundancy is fine as long as I still have space for them.

I love this post, you are such a talented writer @Vintage Leather!

 

[whateve]

Great analysis. I would love to see your red bags @whateve!

Here they are. Top one is vintage Coach, bottom one is new Coach.

 

[papertiger]

This is a very thoughtful question.
We spend a lot of time discussing why we buy bags but not so much editing. What is your top priority for letting go of a bag?

*Nerd alert - long post*
First, I like to ask, what is your goal? Which bags to exit will vary based on the goal, the why, for example,

• To generate maximum cash => sell highest resale value bags
• To generate quick return => sell well known/popular styles and brands
• To make room => sell largest bags

I spent time reflecting on why I exited bags from my bag wardrobe and identified key themes, including,

• Functional issues
• My style changed
• My lifestyle changed
• They are not being worn
• They are being replaced with something I like better

If I am not reaching for a bag, I like to understand why, is it the size, colour, style, high maintenance or functionality?

• Too heavy
• Too big
• Too small capacity
• Short strap drop
• Strap is too long
• Too boxy
• Base is too wide/sticks out from my body
• Not easy to use, ex. fiddly clasp
• Opening is too hard to get into
• Colour doesn’t coordinate with my wardrobe
• Faux leather
• Leather or material doesn’t feel good
• Style looks dated
• I no longer like/use that style, ex. monogram
• I have something similar/does the same job that I like better
• Duplicate colour, function, style to another bag I like more
• Duplicate pattern (canvas) to another bag I like more
• Open top, items spill out when bag falls over
• Zipper slides open while in use
• Things fall out, ex. foldover clutch
• I couldn’t keep it looking as fresh as I wanted to, ex. white, damier azur, vachetta
• Requires work to use it, ex. transfer wallet contents into WOC
• Bag is not wearing well, handles, seams, corners
• Lifestyle change, no longer need corporate style bags
• Maintaining collection size, ie. one in one out
• I bought it when I really wanted something else
• It has served its purpose
• Doesn’t work in my predominant climate, ex. doesn’t fit over winter coats when I live in a climate with a long winter, or exotic in wet climate
• I have multiples
• I have someone who wants to buy it or someone who likes it and I can donate it to them

An alternate approach to decluttering is to think of what do I want to keep vs. what do I want to get rid of.

• Collect, choose, eliminate, organize
• What do I use regularly and love
• Keep what you use, need and love
• Purge anything you don’t need, use, want or love
• Would I buy this now
• Photograph different groups of bags (by colour, size, brand, function, etc.), identify your favourite and least favourite bag
• Have I worn it in the past 12 months
• Do I love it
• Do I love the way it makes me feel when I carry it
• Does it represent my current style, lifestyle
• Is this looking worn out
• Does it project the image I want to project
• Would I reach for this over similar pieces
• Can I think of three outfits I would wear this with
• Do I have somewhere to wear it? (think in non Covid times)
• Do I need this, does this bag still fill a particular need

Best wishes to all of us on choosing to keep and use our most loved bags.

I have to pin this - to my head