2022 Resolution: Shopping my own bag and SLG collection. Anyone else?

[Katinahat]

2 Aug - brand showcase: A-F
4 Sept - brand showcase: G-L
11 Sept - brand showcase: M-R
18 Sept - brand showcase: S-Z
25 Sept - totes
2 Oct - satchels
9 Oct - crossbodies inc WOCS
16 Oct - shoulder bags
23 Oct - bucket bags
30 Oct - clutches
6 Nov - backpacks
13 Nov - bags that don’t count
20 Nov - pairing bags with shoes
27 Nov - pairing bags with other accessories
4 Dec - bag storage
11 Dec - SLGs
18 Dec - charms

Challenges:
Sept - bags in different locations
Oct - Halloween: wear orange or black bags
Nov - International Merlot Day: wear wine coloured bags or pair bags with wine.
Dec - use the bag.

 

[Jereni]

Way late on these shares but here are my metallic (and jeweled) bags.

The one on the right is a $98 evening bag from Nordstrom that I changed the strap on. Such a simple piece but really functional.

 

[BowieFan1971]

Way late on these shares but here are my metallic (and jeweled) bags.

The one on the right is a $98 evening bag from Nordstrom that I changed the strap on. Such a simple piece but really functional.

View attachment 5394119

That bag is great! Slinky and sexy…

 

[Bag peace]

The one on the right is a $98 evening bag from Nordstrom that I changed the strap on. Such a simple piece but really functional.

It reminds me of vintage Whiting & Davis bags! Lovely.

 

[880]

I've seen some on the saks website -- they have a pair by Stuart Weitzman that seems to be in a light gold color. The Prada gold mules are pretty too. (I have been drawn to those Prada mules...perhaps in a different color though, since I don't need gold sandals.) Also, I get the Talbots magazine/catalogue and they had some gold block heels. If you go to their website and type in "gold sandals with block heels" in the search bar, you should see them. I am not sure if they are light enough though, and I have personally never tried their heels. Hope you find the right pair of heels before the wedding!

@DME, I find stuart weitzman goes on sale quite a bit (the more special occasion the shoe the cheaper I want it. . . But a lower heel can be multifunctional and pay for itself in cost per wear. . .
here is one pair

Stuart Weitzman

The SOIREE 25 STRAP SANDAL delivers our newseason take on the minimalist&nbspstrappy SANDAL.&nbspIt&nbspis designed with&nbspthin straps that perfectly&nbspframe the&nbspfoot.&nbspPaired&nbspwith&nbspa&nbsp25mm block heel, this look is equal parts chic and&nbspcomfortable.&nbspIt&nbspalso...

www.stuartweitzman.com

 

[ElainePG]

Thank you!

It's an industrial real estate company. My boss will actually be traveling - scouting a potential new property - so I'll spend the day with the IT guy getting my computer and access set up, and getting familiar with his calendar/emails/etc., and at least glancing though the list of the properties.

Black or grey pants. The color of shirt will be determined by which bag I carry.

I can usually get away with a small bag, since most of my 'extras' are in my desk (Excedrin, comb, allergy pills, compact, etc) but that won't be the case on my first day, so I need a bag big enough to carry those in.

Sorry the changes at your job are making you unhappy. It really is a job hunters market right now. Best one in decades. So if you need to find a new job, now is the time.

Purse options: (I'll let you gals vote and decide for me!)

MonaLisa Bottega Veneta Campana
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Purple Ferragamo W bag
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Black Ted Baker equestrian bucket bag (too... black - not showing my personality like a color could)
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Coral Rebecca Minkoff Nikki hobo (too bright?)
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Dark Cherry Rebecca Minkoff Bryn hobo
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I vote for the BV MonaLisa, even though all of them are gorgeous, because when it popped up on my screen I said "Wowza!!!" And I think it expresses your personality so well.

It would look great with grey pants (less of a contrast than black pants) but then what top are you considering? Is this the sort of office where you need to wear a jacket, or can you do a different sort of top, like a sweater or a shirt? Also, would you be wearing jewelry? What kind and how much? (Before I retired I was teaching in a university, and also doing a lot of public speaking, so my outfit choices were different than they would have been in an office. I'm hopelessly behind the times in knowing what's appropriate!)

 

[ElainePG]

I was introduced to Ottolenghi during the pandemic when our paper (The Washington Post) ran his Cacio e Pepe recipe in their food section. I’m Italian, so love a basic Cacio e Pepe; his incorporated Za’atar, which takes it to a whole new level.

I'd not heard of Ottolenghi until everyone here started talking about him (must have missed his recipe in the Washington Post, which I do subscribe to on line). Just went to his site, and found a gorgeous recipe for roasted chicken marinated in fennel and clementinas. I have no idea where I'd find the clementinas, but I remember them well from the year we lived in Israel when I was a little girl. It would be such fun if I could re-create this at my house! Yum!

 

[Cordeliere]

I recently discovered Za’atar and I love it. Perfect with olive oil as a bread dip or to mix with pasta and chicken or shrimp!

I was introduced to Ottolenghi during the pandemic when our paper (The Washington Post) ran his Cacio e Pepe recipe in their food section. I’m Italian, so love a basic Cacio e Pepe; his incorporated Za’atar, which takes it to a whole new level.

The ladies of this thread know their food. Za’atar sounds delicious.

@JenJBS What's the vibe in the new office like? If it's quite casual and colourful, pick one of the purples because it's most "you" and will have you feeling most confident. Otherwise, pick the black while you're getting settled in, and introduce colour as the week goes on. HTH

Good advice.

@JenJBS That purple BV bag is epic. I sort of agree that black could be good. They can form their opinion of you first and the bag second. The Rebecca Minkoff is sort of in-between. Not black but not so eye catching.

 

[Cordeliere]

Bottega Veneta…under the radar, approachable, but stylish

Here is a dumb question. Sincere but dumb. What makes a bag approachable?

 

[SakuraSakura]

Me: ( waves from off the wagon)

Hi everybody! I haven't updated you guys in a while but things have been so busy. I'm entering a fresh new semester so that leaves little room to chit-chat.

I am celebrating some pretty big milestones, everyone. I'm turning twenty-five in around two months. I'll be done my degree by the end of December. I decided that I'm going to treat myself to something shiny and pretty...

What do you guys think? I'm attempting to decide between a Louis Vuitton Vernis Alma BB in Amarante ( $1600 CAD , basically new) or a Louis Vuitton Ikat Grand Bleu Catalina BB ($1095 CAD, also basically new)... orrr something else

Some background... I have owned a Louis Vuitton Reade PM in a baby blue sort of colour. I felt restricted by its limited ways of being carried and how the straps were untreated leather. This is going to be a more special piece in my collection but if anyone owns the Catalina, how narrow is the top-handle? Since I've gained some weight my arms aren't as thin as they used to be. My wardrobe is mostly blues and greens but since I thrift often I am not too picky about the color difference.

LEt me know what you think!

 

[Cordeliere]

Me: ( waves from off the wagon)

Hi everybody! I haven't updated you guys in a while but things have been so busy. I'm entering a fresh new semester so that leaves little room to chit-chat.

I am celebrating some pretty big milestones, everyone. I'm turning twenty-five in around two months. I'll be done my degree by the end of December. I decided that I'm going to treat myself to something shiny and pretty...

What do you guys think? I'm attempting to decide between a Louis Vuitton Vernis Alma BB in Amarante ( $1600 CAD , basically new) or a Louis Vuitton Ikat Grand Bleu Catalina BB ($1095 CAD, also basically new)

Some background... I have owned a Louis Vuitton Reade PM in a baby blue sort of colour. I felt restricted by its limited ways of being carried and how the straps were untreated leather. This is going to be a more special piece in my collection but if anyone owns the Catalina, how narrow is the top-handle? Since I've gained some weight my arms aren't as thin as they used to be. My wardrobe is mostly blues and greens but since I thrift often I am not too picky about the color difference.

LEt me know what you think!

Vernis in Amarante makes my heart go pitter patter.

 

[SakuraSakura]

Vernis in Amarante makes my heart go pitter patter.

Right?! Absolutely beautiful. The color dimension

 

[DME]

I love Ottolenghi; I love Wapo; I love cacio y Pepe; and I love za’atar. . . So I’m off to google thank you

valentino used to do light gold block heels. Somehow I think Manolo also has some. And perhaps chanel (A cross between mature and Audrey hepburn) And stuart weitzman . i also think Nordstroms might have a ton of other options.

@JenJBS , before DH and I revamped our lifestyle, diet, and exercise, we used to adore sourdough pancakes, waffles or biscuits for dinner. . .

If you can’t find the recipe, let me know and I’ll see if I can share a link. I’ve made it a couple of times and it’s straightforward. WaPo also posted a triple garlic bread recipe that’s totally worth serving with the Cacio e Pepe. I usually make multiple loaves at a time and freeze in portions; it reheats well.

ETA: Thanks for the recommendations on shoes. All of those stores/brands are available at Tysons in Virginia, which is where I’m headed on Saturday!

 

[DME]

I've seen some on the saks website -- they have a pair by Stuart Weitzman that seems to be in a light gold color. The Prada gold mules are pretty too. (I have been drawn to those Prada mules...perhaps in a different color though, since I don't need gold sandals.) Also, I get the Talbots magazine/catalogue and they had some gold block heels. If you go to their website and type in "gold sandals with block heels" in the search bar, you should see them. I am not sure if they are light enough though, and I have personally never tried their heels. Hope you find the right pair of heels before the wedding!

Thank you for the recommendations! I saw a pair of Stuart Weitzman on the Saks website that I liked, but the only size they had left was waaaaay too small. I’m hopeful store stock might be different/better.

 

[Katinahat]

@ItsPurseonal , I agree with @papertiger not to try to kill two birds with one bag

@JenJBS , I vote for the black bag for your first day, (and go violet for day two, but it also depends on the office vibe, JMO

with @Cordeliere and @jblended in mind, some breakfast pics (my endocrin prefers we eat veggies for breakfast and limit fruit and carbs and red meat)

@jellyv, while I love israeli breakfasts, they probably cannot compare to Ottolenghi lol

in UAE: hummus with lamb (traditional breakfast food); falafel; artichoke salad; grilled cheese; humus; and tabbouli
last pic, first row is Chana masala and fried roti
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London And Paris. Second to last pic is buvette in NY. Last pic is our normal breakfast salad
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we adore hotel breakfasts. We book hotels via our travel agent who is loosely affiliated with virtuoso, so we get perks like complimentary breakfast

ETA: the breakfast salad keeps my weight in check, so I can shop my closet (or that’s my story

These breakfasts are incredible. I love staying in a hotel for the traditional cooked breakfast, fruit salad and pastries. It’s a very good thing it’s rare for me! We often skip lunch as we don’t need it after all that food. Mostly our holidays are self catering but the wedding was in a great hotel and we have 5 nights in Nice in July with breakfast.

These are all things that fit into your personalized capsule collection (pants, coat, top)
IMO a capsule collection is a core bunch of things you love and wear that can be combined in different ways or used for different occasions

I think @whateve ’s jeans, tops, and cardigans also form a personal capsule collection.
it doesn’t have to be a designers idea of pencil skirt, gray pants and a jacket
it can be whatever you want

That’s a helpful way to think about it! I know my style, I just have a lot of each thing rather th an 1 or 2.

Mexican food in California has changed immensely from when I was a child. I hated it then; I think it wasn't very authentic. Pretty much everything came with the same red sauce. There are probably decent Mexican restaurants throughout the world now, but generally for truly authentic, you need to go to Mexico or some places in the western US. I live in a farming community with a large Mexican population so we get some great authentic Mexican food. Even in our town, there are some restaurants we call "gringo" style. The food may be good but is modified to American tastes.

Mexico is a big country. Each region has their own style of food, but it is rare to find food from most of these places outside of Mexico. Even where we are, most of the food is Guadalajara style. Our favorite restaurant has some interesting dishes but when we take people there, they rarely want to try anything unusual. It saddens me that they play it safe by ordering tacos when there are so many things that are better.

This is all so interesting. I think, after reading this, I’d like to travel to Mexico!

I hear ya. With ya on that one.


If I don't eat until 10 or 11, I am one inch from being homocidal. You must be tough.



Don't you love it when something is too big? That would make my day.
The DMs are perfect with the new bag. Congrats!
The other stuff: You have to buy good stuff when it is there. You never know when fashion trends will make something disappear for decades or when supply chain problem are going to interfere.
How much do you run? Where and how far? I would love to be able to do that but my knee replacement says no.




I worked in Bakersfield for a couple of years. A woman came to the office once a week and sold her homemade tamales. They were TDF. Just thinking about it makes me drool.

That’s kind! The too big was only too big as I dropped two plus trouser sizes from 2020-2021. The trouble is everything is tight now as I went back up one size so I’m a uk big 10 - small 12. However, I agree I t’s good to see that I’m not back where I started at least and I left the uk14s trousers in the cupboard! I’m trying not give myself a really hard time. My top doesn’t change so much and is a uk8-10. Typical pear!

I run 5-20km a week just locally. I go very slowly as I’m not athletic in anyway and never have been but I’m still doing it! My AD meds make me tired and since increasing the dose I’m at 5-10 painful km most weeks. They are also possibly causing some of the weight gain. I’d like to get back to feeling good running 20km as I miss the high. I run by the shore when I can as I love to see the sea.

Thanks for your helpful comments about my shopping too. The DMs are a great match and I’d be very sad if the Barbour coat I ordered went out of stock before I got it so that’s a good point too! I’ve been looking at it since last summer.

I would love to embrace a capsule wardrobe mindset, but I have a general shopping habit. That said, the majority of my wardrobe is made up of two brands (Lilly Pulitzer and lululemon), so I do have an aesthetic, if you will. Summer is mostly loose, printed dresses from Lilly for work, then shorts and tanks from lulu on weekends. Winter is mostly some form of athletic wear. I dress up when we travel (no matter the season), so there are exceptions, but those are my go-tos.

My niece’s wedding is in two weeks and I have a dress identified, but am struggling with shoes. I know what I want; I just don’t own them and online research hasn’t turned up anything, so off to the mall next weekend I go. I want light gold sandals with block heels. I’m all ears for those with suggestions!

You sound just like me as I can’t do it either! Lulu is great for off duty. I do the same with Ronhill for running but Lulu is much more on trend! Good luck finding those gold sandals. They had some in Office but that is UK!

Street art and self expression in Tel Aviv.

The first three pictures are a yarn store. Notice the knitted cozy on the public bench. It is hard to see, but there is mosaic wall art of a person made from buttons.
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The yarn covered bicycle.
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There is a small alley beside the shop. The used the alley wall to make this fabulous mural out of yarn. It rains so little there that the mural seems to be holding up well.
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The above was obviously done by the shop owner. Other street art appears to be a mixture of opportunistic art and well planned murals.View attachment 5394097

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Maybe this one was done by a TPF member?
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A fair amount of the graffiti is in English letters.

I love these! Sometimes graffiti is sad in places making them look dirty and unloved. This looks bright, artistic and clever so is completely different.

There is graffiti done on the second and third floors of buildings. It seems like a thing.

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I am accustomed to people fighting graffiti and painting over it. People just accept it in Tel Aviv. This is the only attempt I saw at getting rid of it.
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The next three pics are obviously not graffiti/street art, but they capture the free-wheeling sense of self expression in Tel Aviv.

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While wild patterned dressing was not the norm, it was also not unusual. It was hard to capture because someone dressed this way appears and disappears so quickly.
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This was not outside. I waited on the patio of a hamburger restaurant while DH was getting his portrait done. This was their restroom.
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The next set of pictures were taken in Neve Tzedek, the oldest suburb of Tel Aviv, which is pretty far down the road of gentrification. Look how nice the building is in the first pic. That neighborhood is mostly this well manicured, but they still have some graffiti. They are more into clever signs.View attachment 5394112

You might notice that the signs are in English.
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This one says "my bloodtype is cofffee."
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This was my fav.
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I love the quote about loving yourself! Brilliant to see such inspirational wording displayed. Thanks so much for your posts!

You know, sometimes one just needs some shopping therapy! It can be refreshing to get a few new things esp when a new season is starting up. Like you said, maybe not all of it will work out, but it sounds like you made some good choices such as things you’d been looking for for awhile.




Love this, and agree!

Way late on these shares but here are my metallic (and jeweled) bags.

The one on the right is a $98 evening bag from Nordstrom that I changed the strap on. Such a simple piece but really functional.

View attachment 5394119

Yes, retail therapy work for me and I never spend more than I can manage. I hope I’ve made good choices but returning is easy if not!

I love both of these metallics. So glamorous! Reminds me of “Goldfinger!” I’ve got Shirley Bassey singing in my head!

Me: ( waves from off the wagon)

Hi everybody! I haven't updated you guys in a while but things have been so busy. I'm entering a fresh new semester so that leaves little room to chit-chat.

I am celebrating some pretty big milestones, everyone. I'm turning twenty-five in around two months. I'll be done my degree by the end of December. I decided that I'm going to treat myself to something shiny and pretty...

What do you guys think? I'm attempting to decide between a Louis Vuitton Vernis Alma BB in Amarante ( $1600 CAD , basically new) or a Louis Vuitton Ikat Grand Bleu Catalina BB ($1095 CAD, also basically new)... orrr something else

Some background... I have owned a Louis Vuitton Reade PM in a baby blue sort of colour. I felt restricted by its limited ways of being carried and how the straps were untreated leather. This is going to be a more special piece in my collection but if anyone owns the Catalina, how narrow is the top-handle? Since I've gained some weight my arms aren't as thin as they used to be. My wardrobe is mostly blues and greens but since I thrift often I am not too picky about the color difference.

LEt me know what you think!

I can’t help on LV as I know nothing but can I just say congratulations on your milestones and celebrations. 25 and graduating, you have so much joy ahead of you. I’m sure whichever you chose will be perfect. I bought a watch with my first paycheck. It cost £100 which was a fortune for me then! I can’t wear it now as it remind me of a person I need to forget but it’s great to buy presents for yourself so go for it!

 

[DME]

@DME, I find stuart weitzman goes on sale quite a bit (the more special occasion the shoe the cheaper I want it. . . But a lower heel can be multifunctional and pay for itself in cost per wear. . .
here is one pair

Stuart Weitzman

The SOIREE 25 STRAP SANDAL delivers our newseason take on the minimalist&nbspstrappy SANDAL.&nbspIt&nbspis designed with&nbspthin straps that perfectly&nbspframe the&nbspfoot.&nbspPaired&nbspwith&nbspa&nbsp25mm block heel, this look is equal parts chic and&nbspcomfortable.&nbspIt&nbspalso...

www.stuartweitzman.com

Ooh, these are great! I’m getting my nails done on Friday at the mall closest to me and there’s a Stuart Weitzman just outside the Nordstrom, and both are near the nail salon; I’ll be stopping in to see if either store carries them.

Since I wear a lot of Lilly, gold sandals will be a good buy for me. (But I hear you on lower cost for things that don’t get much use!) I have a pair of Jimmy Choo heels in gold with pointed toes roughly 90 mm tall. I love them, but they’re more sitting shoes. If I want to dance at this wedding, then my feet will hate me in about 10 minutes.