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.

 

[More bags]

Wow this thread moves fast!

I’m not satisfying a January bag challenge today, but continuing to rotate through my own bags as was one of my resolutions. I’ve worn 15 different handbags this month so far.

Today: Tory Burch chain wallet. Love the tweed and the working turnlock. If only it would get little warmer out!

View attachment 4956482

Great looking tweed bag and congratulations on carrying 15 bags this month!

The natural grain leather is great but not to be confused with the classic Mulberry natural vegetable tanned leather which was thick, sumptuous and smelled like heaven (only someone on TPF would “get” that!). Natural grain is lovely but has a more treated finish to it. My oak is in NVT and at the time they had oak in both. I definitely prefered the feel and look of NVT so got that but you do have to baby it much more. The NG is lovely leather and probably more robust. They don’t make the NVT anymore but do several shades in glossy goat which again has less of a treatment grain and more of a shine.

I’m rather taken with the one on the website in crimson high shine calf. That leather looks really yummy!

Such an informative post, thank you @Katinahat.

I've hit a bit of a road block on the challenges. My long-covid nerve issues are preventing me from doing anything useful- like carry a bag - so I started looking at my bags and thinking I really should remove some. 38 is a ridiculous number of bags to own and I suspect amongst the highest number on the forums!

I asked myself 2 questions hoping to find some bags to shed:
1- If I were starting my collection over, would I purchase this bag again?
2- If I were moving tomorrow and could only take half my collection, which bags would I choose?
You'd think I'd have answers at the ready, but I felt completely stuck.
I would not edit out the 50% of my collection that has been gifts from family and friends because somehow they got me the most perfect bags. I would not remove any of the ones I bought myself because I love them. I think I'll stop trying to cull at this point.

I feel really greedy with the quantity I currently own but would rather not remove something forcibly only to regret it later.

Age and bag count is just a number. What value and meaning do you attribute to a certain number and why? I think it’s easier to assess our bag wardrobe when we can carry our bags. I am not putting any pressure on myself to evict any bags during Covid. Be gentle to yourself.
Edited to add: also, you don’t have to cull all in one go. How about pick one or two to release, pause and evaluate how you feel.

Do not feel guilty about the number of bags you own. No guilt!!

38 is not really that high of a number. At one point, I owned over 80, of which 70 were premiere designer. I’m not saying this to brag but to admit that yes, I had a problem.

Spoiler

And that ‘01 to ‘12 were a darn dangerous time, with Tom Ford, Lee McQueen and Galliano all being innovative and crazy, and before thrift stores moved online, so you could find 60s and 70s Gucci for $5-35 at the thrifts, and Chanel and Hermes for $100-400 at the Japanese resellers. And I’m spoilering this because I’ve gotten off topic, but yes, I had a problem. Anytime someone says I’ve said anything insightful about collection management, I think “that’s because I’ve been particularly stupid.”

Anywho. The number is not important. What is important is how it makes you feel.

Do you feel like the substitute teacher of 30 sugar-high 4 year olds? (overwhelmed, and while each individual is precious, if half got lost, you wouldn’t be so sad and yet you feel guilty about not loving anything enough?)

Or like a dragon in their most beloved hoard (Each item is precious, and seeing them en mass makes you feel satisfied and proud?)

If things own you, it’s time to let them go. If they stress you out or take up more time than you have to spare, let them find someone else. But if you enjoy your bags, savor them. And to heck with anyone who tells you you have too much.

I love this, What is important is how it makes you feel.
Your writing is full of vivid imagery.

i love natural grain, the feel of it, but it lacks the structure, and after some use the bag becomes a bit 'relaxed' (which i'm ok with), but if you prefer a sturdy and shape retaining option, look at goatskin. My neon pink is goat, it wears like iron!

Thanks for the feedback, greatly appreciated!

 

[Bag peace]

Age and bag count is just a number. What value and meaning do you attribute to a certain number and why?

Good question! It's the stark contrast between my bag collection and the remainder of my life. I'm a minimalist everywhere except in this regard. It makes me feel greedy and wasteful to think I may never use each bag fully.

I think it’s easier to assess our bag wardrobe when we can carry our bags. I am not putting any pressure on myself to evict any bags during Covid. Be gentle to yourself.

Thank you for this reminder. I drew a similar conclusion that the pandemic is making things murky. I will stop trying to edit at this stage and wait to see how life unfolds as the world returns to normacly.
Thank you!

 

[More bags]

Ah, I feel so much better! Thanks to you all for the brilliant suggestions and insightful thoughts regarding editing my collection.

I believe this is all pandemic-driven. It feels like I attempt (and fail) to edit my bags every few days. It's being in lockdown and unable to use them that drives me to want to do something about the total number, but I fear that is actually the worst way to go about editing and I'd make a lot of mistakes if I forced the matter.



The ones I had in the 'departing' closet just got gifted to a covid cleaning crew. I am attempting to re-fill that closet now and that's where I'm failing. I thought it would be easier, especially having nowhere to go these days. It should be easy to look and say 'I can't wait to use x, y and z bags', but what I'm finding is that I can't wait to use all A-Z bags! Addicted, much?


This sounds like a good way to tackle it. I recently pulled 10 bags (comprising of my least favourite and most worn out bags) to use and then let go of, thinking I'd be left with only favourites after that. But I cannot use those 10 in lockdown, and I now think I cannot let go of them either because having them out has made me love them all over again.
Your approach would just be swapping between 2 bag capsule wardrobes, so it may function better for me given how I'm feeling attached to them all. Thanks for the suggestion.

Honestly, this varies by the day!
Sometimes I'm entirely overwhelmed and thinking I'll never get a chance to use all of these properly in my lifetime and it's better to donate and let someone else get some pleasure out of them.
Other days, I love how each of my bags is a unique shape and texture, or attached to a country I once lived in, or was a gift from someone dear...and then I'm the dragon!



Both excellent points! Thank you!

Good question! It's the stark contrast between my bag collection and the remainder of my life. I'm a minimalist everywhere except in this regard. It makes me feel greedy and wasteful to think I may never use each bag fully.

Thank you for this reminder. I drew a similar conclusion that the pandemic is making things murky. I will stop trying to edit at this stage and wait to see how life unfolds as the world returns to normacly.
Thank you!

You’re doing great! I also added above, you don’t have to cull all in one go. I made some mistakes in doing big culls. I don’t regret anything, there are a couple of bags I miss. I consider the learning part of the journey.

 

[whateve]

Good question! It's the stark contrast between my bag collection and the remainder of my life. I'm a minimalist everywhere except in this regard. It makes me feel greedy and wasteful to think I may never use each bag fully.

Thank you for this reminder. I drew a similar conclusion that the pandemic is making things murky. I will stop trying to edit at this stage and wait to see how life unfolds as the world returns to normacly.
Thank you!

I'm much older than you. I have to consider whether I'll use all my bags enough during my lifetime, but then I guess it doesn't really matter because someone will use them after I'm gone if they aren't completely worn out.

 

[dcooney4]

Absolutely gorgeous! I’m loving the Lily chat on this thread. It’s one of my favourite bags. Your pink is stunning!!

I only have the Lily in regular. These are previous shots of my two. The black from Christmas and the oak from early last year.
View attachment 4956591View attachment 4956592
I like the medium but I’ve resisted temptation because I have several satchels that are that size.

I love your lily's . I still have lily on my wish list as well as the hampstead.

 

[dcooney4]

The natural grain leather is great but not to be confused with the classic Mulberry natural vegetable tanned leather which was thick, sumptuous and smelled like heaven (only someone on TPF would “get” that!). Natural grain is lovely but has a more treated finish to it. My oak is in NVT and at the time they had oak in both. I definitely prefered the feel and look of NVT so got that but you do have to baby it much more. The NG is lovely leather and probably more robust. They don’t make the NVT anymore but do several shades in glossy goat which again has less of a treatment grain and more of a shine.

I’m rather taken with the one on the website in crimson high shine calf. That leather looks really yummy!

Last march right before lock down I got an NVT small bayswater in black at their outlet. I Feel guilty because I still have not used her.

 

[dcooney4]

What a pretty strap!!!

Thank you! It is from a tiny company called SoRetro andshe makes the most beautiful straps. You can pick you background color with leather ends or without ,as well as hardware color. There are so many different choices . After using it yesterday and finding it so comfortable I want another .

 

[dcooney4]

I've hit a bit of a road block on the challenges. My long-covid nerve issues are preventing me from doing anything useful- like carry a bag - so I started looking at my bags and thinking I really should remove some. 38 is a ridiculous number of bags to own and I suspect amongst the highest number on the forums!

I asked myself 2 questions hoping to find some bags to shed:
1- If I were starting my collection over, would I purchase this bag again?
2- If I were moving tomorrow and could only take half my collection, which bags would I choose?
You'd think I'd have answers at the ready, but I felt completely stuck.
I would not edit out the 50% of my collection that has been gifts from family and friends because somehow they got me the most perfect bags. I would not remove any of the ones I bought myself because I love them. I think I'll stop trying to cull at this point.

I feel really greedy with the quantity I currently own but would rather not remove something forcibly only to regret it later.

I hate to admit this but I have more bags than you and that is after years of culling my bags. I feel like my bags are where I like them . If I don't have enough variety I end up buying things on the quick for a function and it not always being the best choice. There are a lot of people with a lot more bags. It really just is important how you feel about them ,not whether you have more or less than some one else. When this group first started there was a lovely young woman who felt that three bags was enough. Have you tried reorganizing them by color in your closet? That is what helped me. I use some colors more than others , so I allowed myself to keep more of the black , blue and browns and less of the lighter colors . Organizing them by color rather then brand also helped me grab the bags to use easier.

 

[doni]

I also think sentimental journey bags should not count. @diane278 would probably frame them. I still regret an orange cashmere mock turtleneck I gave away after college in 1990. but, as I get older, it’s easier to let go. Someone, perhaps @Hazzelnut saI’d something like think of letting go as part of a journey in curating your bag collection. . .

re your questions 1. And 2., they seem more geared to decreeing your current favorites (that reflect your current style) among the 38. and if you were moving tomorrow and could only take half, youd have a dear friend box the rest and send them. Plus, totes and clutches and strictly seasonal pieces should not count either. it’s like having foley food mill and a masher. You may only use them once a year at thanksgiving, but they do the job.

I also do not count ”sentimental journey bags” in what I consider my roster of bags (can never bring myself to say collection, too grand for what I have ). So there is that Prada hobo I managed to score as a student living in Italy in the 90s. Or my no brand civil wedding cream silk clutch my mother got out of nowhere in the last minute and is full of stains (what the hell did I do?). Or the Ferragamo shoulder bag my then boyfriend got me for my first job interview. Or the purple MiuMiu baguette with an appliqué leather flower (really...) I carried to my sister’s wedding... and other bags that are packed away and I will never wear but I will never get rid off. Those DO NOT count.

About totes and clutches and seasonal pieces not counting... I think that is a bit of a stretch, but it is making me feel my collection is very small, so it is good

@880 I need you to stop talking about crinoline. Now. Just stop.

 

[Bag peace]

I'm much older than you. I have to consider whether I'll use all my bags enough during my lifetime, but then I guess it doesn't really matter because someone will use them after I'm gone if they aren't completely worn out.

Back when I thought I had only 5 more years to go, and then only 3 more, I had this same perspective. I'll enjoy what I can while I can, and someone else will hopefully love them after I'm gone. Then I lost sight of this perspective when my health started improving and my life line looked like it might be a bit longer than I was originally expecting.
It really holds true at any age and at any stage of life so thank you for the reminder!
We never know what tomorrow brings so it's important to slow down and just be grateful for what we have. <- saying this for myself because I've been beating myself up for being greedy instead of simply being grateful for this abundance of pretty bags.

I hate to admit this but I have more bags than you and that is after years of culling my bags. I feel like my bags are where I like them . If I don't have enough variety I end up buying things on the quick for a function and it not always being the best choice. There are a lot of people with a lot more bags. It really just is important how you feel about them ,not whether you have more or less than some one else. When this group first started there was a lovely young woman who felt that three bags was enough. Have you tried reorganizing them by color in your closet? That is what helped me. I use some colors more than others , so I allowed myself to keep more of the black , blue and browns and less of the lighter colors . Organizing them by color rather then brand also helped me grab the bags to use easier.

That is a good tip. Organizing by colour has really helped me as well.
You're right, it's not about the total number or comparing to others (bad choice of words on my part as this was not quite what I meant to suggest in my original post). It's more about how jarring it is to have more bags than pieces of furniture... or even food items in my fridge, pantry and freezer combined!

The OG member with 3 bags reminds me of where I started. I used to think 8 bags would give me all the variety I needed. Then that expanded to 16 (still my happy place, I believe)! Now that the collection has grown exponentially, I feel a bit...

Having mulled it over, most of my bags are WOC size so they take up little space, and each one is special to me right now. I'm making peace with the number and will pause the process of editing. When I fall out of love with a bag or one of them naturally wears out (and a couple of them are close), I will let them go. Until then, I need to stop trying so hard to reduce the total number. Several failed attempts in a couple of weeks has made it clear that I am not ready to release them.

I'm so grateful to all of you for sharing your thoughts. I never thought I would be so indecisive and confused about reducing the total bag number, so you've really helped bring some clarity into my situation.

I am glad to see you get to the underlying thought/feeling/belief going on with you questioning the number of bags you own!

Thanks! Me too. It's probably why I feel a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I'm going to remind myself every day that instead of feeling greedy, I will feel grateful.

 

[Lake Effect]

Good question! It's the stark contrast between my bag collection and the remainder of my life. I'm a minimalist everywhere except in this regard. It makes me feel greedy and wasteful to think I may never use each bag fully.

Thank you for this reminder. I drew a similar conclusion that the pandemic is making things murky. I will stop trying to edit at this stage and wait to see how life unfolds as the world returns to normacly.
Thank you!

I am glad to see you get to the underlying thought/feeling/belief going on with you questioning the number of bags you own! Because the number of bags we own is individual to us. Period.
And that is why this thread is great. I can find support on this forum to buy or not buy a bag. But when I develop a framework of ideas of what I like, how I use it, does it feel good lol, etc and curate, to use a popular word here, it removes the good/bad judgement. And the purchase, or decision not to, will resonate with me.
ETA lol you posted after I started my post!

 

[momasaurus]

Ah, that makes sense. As I'm seriously eyeing up their mini bags, I was wondering how functional that pocket would be. Thanks to you both for the answer.


The circular jewellery really was a nice touch! I love the piano wire earrings!

The earrings are squishy, but hold their shape. Very fun!

 

[momasaurus]

It is so funny because in most bags I am kind of afraid of color but with these full grain leather bags they seem more subtle and I am having a blast with color. I am really enjoying my rainbow of bags.

Glad you love them. I love your bag family photo! You could just randomly post it now and then to delight us!

 

[momasaurus]

View attachment 4956197
Challenge 1 - Use gifted bags. I’ve been rotating between these two the past several days. The black Kate Spade Amelia on the left was a gift from my sister. I like the structure, interior pockets & that it has pink lining, which makes it easier to find my items. I gifted myself the black Coach Charlie bucket bag & strap. I love the Charlie bucket bags - very easy to use & comfortable crossbody.

These are both so tempting. I like chains!

 

[momasaurus]

Thanks momasaurus! Ha ha, I am pretty sure I got in a few Zoom calls as well.

Thank you @jblended. I hope you’re doing well.

Two scarfie meetup groups!?! That sounds interesting, is it like being in two bookclubs?

Yes, there is a lot going on. Have you got any ideas of how you want to address your mom? Do you have siblings nearby to consult with, your sister?
I am with you on not putting pressure on ourselves to make decisions about bags while we’re sheltering in place.
Great guidelines on what sizes work for you, minimum 3” depth is a good one. Do you have any thoughts on the no bags smaller than x”?

Both are fabulous bags. Pink interior! The Charlie Bucket catches my eye, especially the strap.

Hi @ksuromax! Thanks for responding and sharing pics. I love all of them. Congratulations on your Oxblood regular Lily. Can I ask, of your 5 Lilys, which one do you use most often?

I'm glad you got some mileage out of your outfit!
One small scarfie group is from friends I made here on tPF.
Another one for all H items (temporary suspended) is also from here - we had live meetups in NYC for eating and shopping. I miss those!
A third one (I just remembered there are three, LOL) is scarf collectors from WAAAAAY back, lovely ladies from all over, and it took me ages to get admitted to that group!