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.

 

[dcooney4]

I used to go to the outlets at the holidays and get small bags from Coach , Michael Kors, Dooney & Bourke or Kate Spade for my nieces when they were in their teens. They always said thank you but until recently I didn't know how much it meant to them. I bought one niece a really nice diaper bag for her first baby. She thought it was the best thing that her aunt who always got her the coolest bags would buy it for her. She told me it really meant a lot her. So you never know . You might make a bigger impression then you realize, because after that all the nieces chimed in and said they always looked forward to it.

 

[Cordeliere]

I don’t have an exact magic number for bags, but I think I’m pretty much arrived to having enough:
- 3 Celine bags
- 2 Valextra
- 1 Fendi
- 2 Chloe
- 2 Alaia
- 1 YSL
- 2 Maxmara + 1 Weekend Maxmara
- 1 DKNY
- 1 Lululemon
- 1 Marc Jacobs
- 1 Furla
- 1 Longchamp (even if it’s Filet bag, so not a proper bag, but I’ll count it this time)
- 1 Lanvin

So it’s 20 bags if I haven’t forgot about some bag and it’s more than enough! I see why you put your max at 18, as if I don’t count Lululemon and Longchamp, I’ll arrive to 18 bags and some of these I barely use. I can’t imagine having 30 bags, if I barely use all the 20 bags I already have Also I don’t understand when people get the same bag in different colors, like multiple Chanel or Hermes bags, same model but in different colors. I would have a hard time of choosing which one to wear, and one bag would end up being “more favorite” than the other, it would broke my heart to see I like one color more than the other. So no multiples of the same bag for me, I’d rather get another style in same colors, but not the opposite.

What a nice and varied collection you have.

 

[Cordeliere]

Does your passion for bags ever lead you to purchase them for other people and do you like other people purchasing for you?

Once. I had a remote girlfriend. We were mostly phone friends who got together when she came to my state on business. I would see her when we were in CA. We were the purple sisters. We both LOVED purple. I bought her this Nancy Gonzales bag made of real croc from Fashionphile for $440. She was having a really hard time and could use a bright spot in her life. Then before I gave it to her, she said she would never have a bag that didn't have a shoulder strap. Opps. So I did not give it to her. Shortly after that she really p$ssed me off, so I sold the bag back to Fashionphile for 75%. The bad feelings I had towards her transferred to the bag. The bag was pristine and I loved it. I kick myself in the behind for selling it. I wish I could re purchase it for that price. So it was probably mainly a bag I wanted for myself, that never even made it to the intended recipient.



I have also been the recipient of a gift bag--a Pendleton wool tote from a man friend of DH and myself (one half of a friends couple who is no longer a couple). It was a birthday present. I appreciated the thought but hated the bag. I gave it to a girlfriend here and she seem thrilled, but who knows.

Bag giving is risky IMHO.

 

[dcooney4]

Once. I had a remote girlfriend. We were mostly phone friends who got together when she came to my state on business. I would see her when we were in CA. We were the purple sisters. We both LOVED purple. I bought her this Nancy Gonzales bag made of real croc from Fashionphile for $440. She was having a really hard time and could use a bright spot in her life. Then before I gave it to her, she said she would never have a bag that didn't have a shoulder strap. Opps. So I did not give it to her. Shortly after that she really p$ssed me off, so I sold the bag back to Fashionphile for 75%. The bad feelings I had towards her transferred to the bag. The bag was pristine and I loved it. I kick myself in the behind for selling it. I wish I could re purchase it for that price. So it was probably mainly a bag I wanted for myself, that never even made it to the intended recipient.

View attachment 5409670

I have also been the recipient of a gift bag--a Pendleton wool tote from a man friend of DH and myself (one half of a friends couple who is no longer a couple). It was a birthday present. I appreciated the thought but hated the bag. I gave it to a girlfriend here and she seem thrilled, but who knows.

Bag giving is risky IMHO.

I get this. Teens or someone you know really well is easier to please. I have gotten a few gifts of bags that weren’t my cup of tea.

 

[zinacef]

He didn't come with the property. There was a time when I was obsessed with pets. I blame it on my parents not letting me have any. I went to the pet store nearly every weekend. One time they had baby tortoises. They were about the size of a quarter. So tiny and perfect looking, so I had to bring one home. I knew he was going to get giant. He is now 23 years old.View attachment 5409284

View attachment 5409286

i know you’ve shared this before, I always remember you having this tortoise! 23 yrs old! you are tortoise mom! Unbelievable devotion! maybe I should ask you this questions in the animalicious sub but does he go to the vet,too? Or who takes care of him if you’re out of town? I’m just amazed! A friend of mine had her cat for 25 yrs. Since she’s a little girl, it helped that her dad was renowned vet.

 

[Cordeliere]

Bag giving is risky IMHO.

To quote myself to continue the topic, I have thoughts on how to buy a bag for someone else . If I wanted to give someone a bag, I would do more delving into their opinions about bags. In a casual conversation, I would start talking about a bag I had recently purchased or planned to purchase. I would talk about how it ticked all my boxes in terms of size, closure type, carry type, degree of sturcture, etc. Then I would ask what was important to the other person in a bag. If they couldn't answer I would ask them about their favorite bag they had ever owned. Whenever we were out, I would comment on other people's bags and ask their opinion about specific aspects of a bag. "have you ever had a bag with a shoulder strap that long? How did you like it?" 'Or I love that bag except it is just too thick for me. I bang into stuff. What about you? Do thick bags bother you?" Or take her with you shopping for clothes and wander past the table of clearance bags and hold them up and discuss them. It would be a slow process but then your chances of getting a winner are much higher.

 

[BowieFan1971]

The bag I bought for my sister arrived yesterday. It’s a Ted Baker camera bag. What do you think?
View attachment 5409615
It’s colour is cinnamon so a sort of tan/orange mix. It’s croc leather. We don’t buy expensive gifts as an extended family so it’s more than I would usually spend (despite 30% off all stock) but I wanted to treat her as she never treats herself. She carries the Radley shoulder bag she owns all the time. I don’t carry any TB bags but they are lovely designs. No dust bag or anything so no luxury feel which is a shame as I hoped for that.

It’s so hard to chose for someone else, especially when price is a factor. I think this is a simple, small but fun evening bag for holidays and we are going on holiday together in the summer. Do you think this little bag fits that brief?

When DH buys me a bag it’s usually one I’ve dropped hints about for months so he can’t go wrong. I did once have friends but me a little Radley for my 30th when I was Radley obsessed and I was delighted back then. I’m not so sure how I’d feel now. Grateful yes but my taste is more honed.

So my new question for today:
Does your passion for bags ever lead you to purchase them for other people and do you like other people purchasing for you?

I love the Ted Baker and think she will too!

Yes on purchasing for others. My mom, niece, sister in law and sister have all received bags or SLGs from me. I generally don’t like others purchasing bags for me because they get it wrong unless it is a bag I picked out and they then purchased. My D&B obsessed sister has bought me 3 D&Bs and they were all wrong. One was an ugly and too small crossbody, one was way too big and the other (the sand one) was very pretty but I hated the fold over zipper (scratched my hand) and it was bulky and heavy. They make great quality bags but a lot of their styles are not quite right for me. Put them all up for sale…the sand one was one of the ones taken to the consignment shop.

 

[Cordeliere]

I love the Ted Baker and think she will too!

Yes on purchasing for others. My mom, niece, sister in law and sister have all received bags or SLGs from me. I generally don’t like others purchasing bags for me because they get it wrong unless it is a bag I picked out and they then purchased. My D&B obsessed sister has bought me 3 D&Bs and they were all wrong. One was an ugly and too small crossbody, one was way too big and the other (the sand one) was very pretty but I hated the fold over zipper (scratched my hand) and it was bulky and heavy. They make great quality bags but a lot of their styles are not quite right for me. Put them all up for sale…the sand one was one of the ones taken to the consignment shop.

I think the only difference between the bag-obsessed and the non-obsessed, is that we in the obsessed camp like to analyze what makes a bag work. (And we want the perfect bag for every situation). When it comes to the actual carry, everyone either likes carrying a particular bag or they don't. It works or it doesn't. If it doesn't work, we care why. They don't. They just don't carry it.

 

[Cordeliere]

@BowieFan1971

I have questions for you. A while back you were talking about what a great value LV epi is. What are the things you like about it? I understand that it is heavier than LV canvas. Is it about the same weight as a same sized non LV bag, or is it lighter? How does it wear? Is it scratch or corner wear prone? Is there anything special to consider when evaluating an epi piece? Is epi highly faked?

In case you are wondering, the "good enough" potential travel bag I was considering is in epi (purse not luggage). It is ivory, which I am not crazy about, but the only alternative color for this bag is black, which I don't want. I got more excited about the bag this morning when I realized I could jazz it up with bag charms. It meets all my numerous hard to meet criteria except I don't love it. But love might bloom here. Please weigh in.

 

[whateve]

i know you’ve shared this before, I always remember you having this tortoise! 23 yrs old! you are tortoise mom! Unbelievable devotion! maybe I should ask you this questions in the animalicious sub but does he go to the vet,too? Or who takes care of him if you’re out of town? I’m just amazed! A friend of mine had her cat for 25 yrs. Since she’s a little girl, it helped that her dad was renowned vet.

Thanks! He's never been to the vet. I've gotten the name and number of a traveling vet if I ever need one, or if it is serious, we'll have to figure out how to get him to the vet school at UC Davis. Neither DH nor I, nor both of us together, can lift him, so we would have to enlist help. Most vets don't know enough about reptiles to treat them properly. There are a lot of horror stories on the tortoise forum I use about vets doing the wrong thing and killing the tortoise.

I used to have a lot of pets and when we went on vacation, we took all of them to a kennel. That was when he was still small enough to fit in an aquarium. The kennel was never very good about taking care of him or my guinea pigs; they needed fresh food which I supplied, but when it ran out, they wouldn't get more. Now we just leave him in the yard when we travel. It's easier during the summer and that's when we travel most, since during the winter he needs to go into his heated house every night, which he usually does by himself, but I'd worry if I wasn't here to check. He eats the grass and plants in our yard, so we don't have to leave any food for him. One year we left him alone for 2 1/2 months and he was fine.

 

[BowieFan1971]

@BowieFan1971

I have questions for you. A while back you were talking about what a great value LV epi is. What are the things you like about it? I understand that it is heavier than LV canvas. Is it about the same weight as a same sized non LV bag, or is it lighter? How does it wear? Is it scratch or corner wear prone? Is there anything special to consider when evaluating an epi piece? Is epi highly faked?

In case you are wondering, the "good enough" potential travel bag I was considering is in epi (purse not luggage). It is ivory, which I am not crazy about, but the only alternative color for this bag is black, which I don't want. I got more excited about the bag this morning when I realized I could jazz it up with bag charms. It meets all my numerous hard to meet criteria except I don't love it. But love might bloom here. Please weigh in.

Epi is not heavy at all. Not noticeably more than canvas. It was the first leather offered by LV because they wanted with the wear and durability of their canvas. As far as corner wear or scratches, i would put it on par with saffiano or epsom (all are pressed leather) but not as plastic looking/feeling. The one thing about it is I would advise keeping it stuffed when not in use because it can wrinkle. I used a bag base in my vintage Speedy 25 to prevent worsening of wrinkles already in it. There may be counterfeits, but I don’t think as likely/much as canvas or empriente. Especially on bag styles that are not iconic. What would the point be? They would not be recognizable as LV so no status.

I like epi and almost bought a Neo Noe in epi in Paris, but I had to choose between my trench coat and the bag. The coat I could only get in Paris…the bag I could get later pre-loved. I like the weight, the durability and the saturated color. It is colored all the way through. It is more pliable than saffiano so it feels better.

 

[Cordeliere]

Epi is not heavy at all. Not noticeably more than canvas. It was the first leather offered by LV because they wanted with the wear and durability of their canvas. As far as corner wear or scratches, i would put it on par with saffiano or epsom (all are pressed leather) but not as plastic looking/feeling. The one thing about it is I would advise keeping it stuffed when not in use because it can wrinkle. I used a bag base in my vintage Speedy 25 to prevent worsening of wrinkles already in it. There may be counterfeits, but I don’t think as likely/much as canvas or empriente. Especially on bag styles that are not iconic. What would the point be? They would not be recognizable as LV so no status.

I like epi and almost bought a Neo Noe in epi in Paris, but I had to choose between my trench coat and the bag. The coat I could only get in Paris…the bag I could get later pre-loved. I like the weight, the durability and the saturated color. It is colored all the way through. It is more pliable than saffiano so it feels better.

All really helpful information. I showed the bag I am considering to DH. He is all enthusiastic as it solves a problem. We joke that we spent years, way back when, talking about what to do about my hair. This decade it is what to do about a travel purse. I am warming to this bag. I am a slow decider, but will report back if I go for this one. Thanks for your help.

 

[papertiger]

Gorgeous! I love roses too. DH doesn't. He hates that they have to be pruned so often. I put a rose bush in my front yard that I bought specifically for the smell. Both my daughter and I think it smells divine. DH can't smell it but he can smell other roses. Isn't that odd? I love the smell of orange blossoms too - we live in an orange growing area so the smell is here a lot - but DH says they smell good at first, then get overwhelming. I never feel they get overwhelming.

We used to have more rose bushes than we do now. Several of them didn't survive. Part of it is that I have a "bulldozer" (really a giant tortoise) in my yard that walks through things instead of around them. He broke many sprinklers around the roses until we got the bright idea to make them popups. He loves to eat the roses but he never eats them off the bushes. He only eats them when I cut them for him.

Somebody needs to write a children's book about Charlie and the roses

 

[papertiger]

Epi is not heavy at all. Not noticeably more than canvas. It was the first leather offered by LV because they wanted with the wear and durability of their canvas. As far as corner wear or scratches, i would put it on par with saffiano or epsom (all are pressed leather) but not as plastic looking/feeling. The one thing about it is I would advise keeping it stuffed when not in use because it can wrinkle. I used a bag base in my vintage Speedy 25 to prevent worsening of wrinkles already in it. There may be counterfeits, but I don’t think as likely/much as canvas or empriente. Especially on bag styles that are not iconic. What would the point be? They would not be recognizable as LV so no status.

I like epi and almost bought a Neo Noe in epi in Paris, but I had to choose between my trench coat and the bag. The coat I could only get in Paris…the bag I could get later pre-loved. I like the weight, the durability and the saturated color. It is colored all the way through. It is more pliable than saffiano so it feels better.

My mother had a green Epi Noe in the '90s (more emerald than my Bambou green bags). I can remember not only the bag, but all my mother's friends telling me what a lovely bag it was and me (12) not really understanding what the heck they were talking about or why they were telling me and not her.

I still see really good vintage examples of LV bags in Epi leather in consignment stores/dress agencies, I think it's a great option for LV lovers, obviously it wears like iron.

 

[papertiger]

The bag I bought for my sister arrived yesterday. It’s a Ted Baker camera bag. What do you think?
View attachment 5409615
It’s colour is cinnamon so a sort of tan/orange mix. It’s croc leather. We don’t buy expensive gifts as an extended family so it’s more than I would usually spend (despite 30% off all stock) but I wanted to treat her as she never treats herself. She carries the Radley shoulder bag she owns all the time. I don’t carry any TB bags but they are lovely designs. No dust bag or anything so no luxury feel which is a shame as I hoped for that.

It’s so hard to chose for someone else, especially when price is a factor. I think this is a simple, small but fun evening bag for holidays and we are going on holiday together in the summer. Do you think this little bag fits that brief?

When DH buys me a bag it’s usually one I’ve dropped hints about for months so he can’t go wrong. I did once have friends but me a little Radley for my 30th when I was Radley obsessed and I was delighted back then. I’m not so sure how I’d feel now. Grateful yes but my taste is more honed.

So my new question for today:
Does your passion for bags ever lead you to purchase them for other people and do you like other people purchasing for you?

It's a lovely colour. I cannot imagine anyone not liking a small cross-body camera bag, whatever they do, work or leisure, I'm sure it will be handy for some part of their life.

Yes, it is very hard choosing a bag for others. I just bought my aunt a bag for her birthday (a Polene nr. 1 in 'Heather'). I recently bought my niece a backpack for work too. Both were well received but maybe they were just being polite.