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.

 

[whateve]

It‘s interesting you say this because I have the same thoughts when I’m on vacation since what’s available to me is only those items I packed. By the end of my time away, I’m usually itching for more choices, but things seem so easy for the first several days.

Like so many, I did a lot of pandemic cleaning when there was nothing else to do. Part of that included paring down my wardrobe to only those items I love and that fit well, which has been great. I still have too many clothes, but I am happy with the progress I’ve made. And my dressing habits have changed since the pandemic started (even more casual than before), so I try to keep that in mind any time I consider a purchase. It’s hard because I have ideas about how I want to dress, which is much more glamorous than my actual life really is!

I agonize over what to wear more when I'm home. When I pack to travel, I worry that I won't have every situation covered, and bring more than I need, but once we are on the road, I end up wearing the same things over and over again. It is freeing not to have to so many choices. Part of it is that I usually only travel with one purse and the clothes I packed coordinate with that purse. At home, I have to make sure my outfit goes with the purse of the day.

 

[whateve]

Hope your trip to this part of the world pushes through in September! Just ask away if you need any info. Btw, national election is on Monday. Some experts are saying that this (and campaign activities) might cause a surge in the number of covid cases, which for now remains low, thankfully.


Lovely scarf and lovely you!

Hope to post a pic of my sourdough bake later, lol! I'm just not on my phone where the pictures are. And I'll be glad to share my bakes with you when you get to have a trip here! Oh, and I just made ube-cream cheese pandesal (bread roll) the other day. Are you a fan of ube? I love monggo "hopia", but not much monggo bread. I think you're naturally thin? So no need to worry about getting fat with sapin sapin and all those other stuff being easily accessible.


I was actually shocked when I first got to know about the American biscuits. Because here, biscuits mean cookies! Lol! And we don't have the biscuits that you have.

I also can't make do with a capsule wardrobe even if we have basically the same weather whole year round. I just enjoy having variety!


Same as @DME , I think a looser and lighter-colored top (and shoes) will draw less attention to your bottom half.

I loved how I look when I was still on WFH mode, because I was able to regularly exercise and I had healthier meals (home-cooked). While I did not really shop during that time, I think some of my "old" clothes looked better on me. And now that I have gained back some weight that I lost, I'm a bit frustrated with myself for not being able to maintain that 'better look' even if same clothes still fit.

When we in lockdown, I maintained a good weight the entire time. My clothes looked great on me but no one saw. I've put on a little bit of weight since then and it is frustrating.

 

[whateve]

My husband and I like to celebrate Father’s and Mother’s Day a bit more than we used to. I think sometimes we are just so happy we made it through and have nice young adults now. Back when they were little we were to exhausted ever to fully enjoy it. It was more of an extended family thing and most of the time was spent corralling the four kids. Now we try to make it more special for each other and our parents . What holidays do you enjoy?

This will be my first Mother's Day without my son. He moved away. We had a tradition of going out together sometime around Mother's Day, but not on the day because restaurants aren't very good on holidays. His birthday is around the same time so we celebrated both.

The only holiday we do anything anymore is Thanksgiving, and that is because DH loves the big Thanksgiving meal.

It's not that much fun to celebrate holidays now that all my children live far away and my parents are gone.

 

[Cookiefiend]

Oops - confession time - I completely forgot that I did purchase a bag in April!
I was looking for a dressy bag to take to Paris - looking for something that might work with the formal dress. I remembered someone has a very cute bag that I think was called a Cloud (?), and found this: Demillier Florence.

The chain strap goes inside, making it a nice clutch - and very important for me - it has structure! It holds a lot too, so it’s functional as well. I’m not a big fan of chain straps, but this one did not bother me yesterday when I met a friend for lunch at the mall.

 

[dcooney4]

This will be my first Mother's Day without my son. He moved away. We had a tradition of going out together sometime around Mother's Day, but not on the day because restaurants aren't very good on holidays. His birthday is around the same time so we celebrated both.

The only holiday we do anything anymore is Thanksgiving, and that is because DH loves the big Thanksgiving meal.

It's not that much fun to celebrate holidays now that all my children live far away and my parents are gone.

Maybe plan a zoom call or even just a regular call. Sit with a nice beverage and get all the news he has to share .

 

[Cordeliere]

Haha yes of course!
View attachment 5397385

The blue in the photo above isn't the best picture. The Moynat store is very warm/yellow toned.

View attachment 5397387

The bag is lovely and you look so put together. Matching nails and bag. I can only dream of that.

 

[Cordeliere]

I don’t think I will go back, even though I am down 25-30 pounds from the beginning of last summer. I always thought dresses were too dressed up…now I know it’s only if the shoes and accessories skew them that way.

That is awesome. Good for you. What was your approach?

 

[lill_canele]

The bag is lovely and you look so put together. Matching nails and bag. I can only dream of that.

Thank you! It was a bit of a coincidence haha. My nails have been that color for 2 weeks and didn't expect the colors to match so well when I walked into the store.

 

[Purses & Perfumes]

I love dresses, too. For colder months, I wear them with opaque tights and knee-high boots. If they are short-sleeved or sleeveless, I’ll pair with a cardigan. During transitional months, I wear them with denim jackets (white in spring, blue in fall) and I usually forgo the tights. For shoes during transitional months, it’s ankle booties in spring and knee-high boots in fall. HTH!

Good suggestions, and I have several of these items in my closet already. The only thing is that most of my dresses are lightweight summery things. I probably need more dresses and skirts that are cool weather appropriate, in slightly heavier materials.

I also can't make do with a capsule wardrobe even if we have basically the same weather whole year round. I just enjoy having variety!

I found managing a wardrobe much easier when I lived in a place with the same weather year round. Having four seasons now means I have more stuff in my closet to cover a variety of weather patterns. An example -- T shirts in a variety of sleeve lengths, footwear to deal with different weather conditions, etc. Still, there is a beauty to the different seasons, so there's that to look forward to.

 

[whateve]

thank you @msd_bags, I may take you up on the offer. My mom also thinks that Covid numbers have been suppressed ans may come out post election. . ..IDK. I do remember martial law restrictions way back when, as well as all the corruption post that era. Hope you and your family are safe and healthy.


Scones? damper? Probably soda bread would be pushing the envelop too far
But see,

Important: A Scone Is Not a Biscuit

Sure, they're made up of almost the same stuff, but a scone is not a biscuit.

www.bonappetit.com

although I’m pretty sure bonappetite forgot about cream biscuits which are more scone like. ..
(my thoughts can run around in circles like this lol)

i wanted to share a great condition (feels unworn) 200USD Valentino bargain from TRR, worn backwards with an athletic tank
top (feels unworn perhaps bc it’s not flattering worn the correct way)
View attachment 5397321

I often make my biscuits with cream. When I make scones, I follow my biscuit recipe but add cream and sugar.

 

[Cordeliere]

I love dresses, too. For colder months, I wear them with opaque tights and knee-high boots. If they are short-sleeved or sleeveless, I’ll pair with a cardigan. During transitional months, I wear them with denim jackets (white in spring, blue in fall) and I usually forgo the tights. For shoes during transitional months, it’s ankle booties in spring and knee-high boots in fall. HTH!

Opaque tights, knee high boots, ankles booties, and denim jackets sound wonderfully stylish. What cut of dresses do you prefer?

This is a tangential comment, but my next door neighbor always wears dresses. She is small and buys them at the off price stores like TJ Max. She buys no-iron, washes them, and hangs them over the shower rod to drip dry. (Hot climate). She always looks so polished. We jokingly call her Mrs. Clever (Beaver's mom for those of you too young to get the joke). I would copy her formula but the dresses in my size tend to look matronly.

 

[whateve]

Opaque tights, knee high boots, ankles booties, and denim jackets sound wonderfully stylish. What cut of dresses do you prefer?

This is a tangential comment, but my next door neighbor always wears dresses. She is small and buys them at the off price stores like TJ Max. She buys no-iron, washes them, and hangs them over the shower rod to drip dry. (Hot climate). She always looks so polished. We jokingly call her Mrs. Clever (Beaver's mom for those of you too young to get the joke). I would copy her formula but the dresses in my size tend to look matronly.

I wish I looked better in dresses. They are so comfortable, especially in the summer. Because I'm short and busty, I have to choose dresses that don't cut me in half and nothing with a high waist. It seems like a huge percentage of casual dresses are high waisted. I think the princess style looks good on most people, as it makes the waist look narrower.

 

[Katinahat]

I picked... or she picked me. Louis Vuitton Vernis Alma BB in Amarante...

View attachment 5397003

A stunning choice! Glad you got what you wanted.

 

[Katinahat]

I think the pants look fine. I think at least in this photo the black shoes cut the line of the leg . Try with a light colored shoe and see what you think.

Helpful, thanks. I have a wedge sandal I can try.

I think the brighter pants are fine, just not with the black top. Just as @dcooney4 observed that the black shoes cut the line of the leg, I think the black top cuts the line of your body. These pants are a really pretty color, but probably need a soft colored top that the top color blends with the pants rather that having such a sharp demarcation line.

Good suggestion too. I’ll try a different top.

I love dresses, too. For colder months, I wear them with opaque tights and knee-high boots. If they are short-sleeved or sleeveless, I’ll pair with a cardigan. During transitional months, I wear them with denim jackets (white in spring, blue in fall) and I usually forgo the tights. For shoes during transitional months, it’s ankle booties in spring and knee-high boots in fall. HTH!

I love dresses with boots! They look great and hide many problems for me.

I agree with others about the black shoes and black top. In addition to a lighter color for both with these pants, perhaps consider a slightly looser top? As a fellow pear, I often use that trick to help me appear a bit more proportional. I also find that, as a pear, if I go lighter on bottom, then I need to go lighter still on top to balance things out. Darker bottoms means I can get away with a darker top.

And I hear you on being very conscious of your bottom half. I’m the same way! As a matter of fact, I was just lamenting my hip bulge this morning when trying on a new pair of shorts.

Thanks for this advice. I struggle a bit with loose tops. I generally find they make me look huge as they hide the good bits. I often go tight to show off my smaller waist and chest. I guess it’s about finding the right top that still brings attention to these areas not something that drowns me.

The year or two before covid, I bought a huge amount of clothes, so I had a lot of newish stuff and when the pandemic hit soon after, I literally had tons of nice clothes and nowhere to go! So the restraint comes from having a relatively quieter lifestyle post pandemic, and already having a lot in my closet. And now, a lot of these clothes continue to sit unused because of weight gain. I am giving myself till the end of summer, and I will do a big clear-out at that point, but for now, I am hoping to be able to get back into at least some of those clothes. I didn't stop shopping however. Last year, I added a large amount of vintage perfumes to my collection, and handbag purchasing has continued as well.

I think you look great in both pictures! I agree with @dcooney4 about the shoes in the first picture, so you could perhaps try a softer shade of shoe with black capris. I love the turquoise color and interestingly enough I have a very similar outfit, except that my top is turquoise and my pants are black (also have dark blue and white pants). You could also try wearing a longer or flowy style top if you're not sure about the blue capris, or as @Cordeleire suggested, opting for a top in a color that blends with the pants.

Now, onto the subject of fluctuating sizes, which is a problem I have struggled with as well (hence the need for tubs of clothing in different sizes stored around the house). I am heartily tired of fluctuating sizes. I don't want to have so many bins of clothing sitting around. So I have been working towards a realistic diet and lifestyle approach that I can maintain over the long term. In the past I have lost weight only to gain it back again over time because I don't exercise enough or because I become careless with eating habits. So I am trying to find the balance by focusing on what I eat daily plus moderate exercise, so that I can prevent the fluctuations -- at least, that is my goal!

@DME, I have the same issue in that my clothing and handbag choices are more glamorous than my actual lifestyle! I have to keep reminding myself of this before a potential purchase, but so far it has not always acted as a deterrent.

Handbags are great to purchase as they don’t care about size fluctuations! I have the same problem with gaining the weight back. It’s very common.

Hope your trip to this part of the world pushes through in September! Just ask away if you need any info. Btw, national election is on Monday. Some experts are saying that this (and campaign activities) might cause a surge in the number of covid cases, which for now remains low, thankfully.


Lovely scarf and lovely you!

Hope to post a pic of my sourdough bake later, lol! I'm just not on my phone where the pictures are. And I'll be glad to share my bakes with you when you get to have a trip here! Oh, and I just made ube-cream cheese pandesal (bread roll) the other day. Are you a fan of ube? I love monggo "hopia", but not much monggo bread. I think you're naturally thin? So no need to worry about getting fat with sapin sapin and all those other stuff being easily accessible.


I was actually shocked when I first got to know about the American biscuits. Because here, biscuits mean cookies! Lol! And we don't have the biscuits that you have.

I also can't make do with a capsule wardrobe even if we have basically the same weather whole year round. I just enjoy having variety!


Same as @DME , I think a looser and lighter-colored top (and shoes) will draw less attention to your bottom half.

I loved how I look when I was still on WFH mode, because I was able to regularly exercise and I had healthier meals (home-cooked). While I did not really shop during that time, I think some of my "old" clothes looked better on me. And now that I have gained back some weight that I lost, I'm a bit frustrated with myself for not being able to maintain that 'better look' even if same clothes still fit.

Thanks! I’d love to see your baking too (as we can’t taste it!).

thank you @msd_bags, I may take you up on the offer. My mom also thinks that Covid numbers have been suppressed ans may come out post election. . ..IDK. I do remember martial law restrictions way back when, as well as all the corruption post that era. Hope you and your family are safe and healthy.


Scones? damper? Probably soda bread would be pushing the envelop too far
But see,

Important: A Scone Is Not a Biscuit

Sure, they're made up of almost the same stuff, but a scone is not a biscuit.

www.bonappetit.com

although I’m pretty sure bonappetite forgot about cream biscuits which are more scone like. ..
(my thoughts can run around in circles like this lol)

i wanted to share a great condition (feels unworn) 200USD Valentino bargain from TRR, worn backwards with an athletic tank
top (feels unworn perhaps bc it’s not flattering worn the correct way)
View attachment 5397321

You look incredible! You’ve got great legs.

As far as capsule wardrobe, it has changed for me in the last few years as my personal style has gelled and my body has changed. Summer used to be all about shorts and tees, but when I gained weight, shorts did not look as good. I bought some longer skirts and some casual dresses, reserving 2-3 pairs of shorts for active days, and found they are more comfortable and forgiving, as well as just look better and more pulled together. I don’t think I will go back, even though I am down 25-30 pounds from the beginning of last summer. I always thought dresses were too dressed up…now I know it’s only if the shoes and accessories skew them that way.

Fall/winter is typically about jeans, a tee or sweater and a blazer or cardi with ankle boots or flat shoes. In the last few years, I have added scarves and long skirts to the mix, again always liking the look, but thinking they were too dressy. Not so since I upped my game. I will be adding some simple dresses next year. I also have some basic sneakers I will pair with wide leg trousers to make them more casual.

Pulled together can still be comfortable.

Congratulations on the brilliant weight loss!

Haha yes of course!
View attachment 5397385

The blue in the photo above isn't the best picture. The Moynat store is very warm/yellow toned.

View attachment 5397387

Lovely bags and more incredible legs!

Oops - confession time - I completely forgot that I did purchase a bag in April!
I was looking for a dressy bag to take to Paris - looking for something that might work with the formal dress. I remembered someone has a very cute bag that I think was called a Cloud (?), and found this: Demillier Florence.
View attachment 5397413
The chain strap goes inside, making it a nice clutch - and very important for me - it has structure! It holds a lot too, so it’s functional as well. I’m not a big fan of chain straps, but this one did not bother me yesterday when I met a friend for lunch at the mall.
View attachment 5397414

That’s a very nice bag. Beautiful smooth leather.

Maybe plan a zoom call or even just a regular call. Sit with a nice beverage and get all the news he has to share .

Great suggestion!

I wish I looked better in dresses. They are so comfortable, especially in the summer. Because I'm short and busty, I have to choose dresses that don't cut me in half and nothing with a high waist. It seems like a huge percentage of casual dresses are high waisted. I think the princess style looks good on most people, as it makes the waist look narrower.

I agree about the waistline. Im lucky it works for me as a pear with a tiny bust but its something I’ve wondered about. Sometimes it’s worth buying a bigger size and having it tailored as you get more length too.

 

[BowieFan1971]

20 or so of it was Noom, 9 was not having an appetite after my hysterectomy…