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]

You do such a good job of rotating your bags, you can manage a high number,

Aw thank you and @Katinahat !!! That’s very kind of you.

 

[BowieFan1971]

Totally off topic. I have a long weekend with a day off work tomorrow. I’ve been feeling out of sorts so DH took me for a walk with the dog late afternoon then insisted I come out with him this evening to find some joy. I found it hard to make the effort so went for a relaxed style with jeans and this top which works with mini Alexa.
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First, pre dinner drinks at a lovely shore front inn with the sea in the background.
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And for all those of you who enjoy looking at lovely food, we went on to a harbour restaurant where they did the best steaks! Delicious food, loving company, good for the soul!
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Your DH is a sweetie!

 

[Jereni]

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.

These are all EXCELLENT thoughts, and I agree - if one is going to buy a bag for someone this is exactly how to do it.

I don’t buy bags for others, probably because I am so picky so I can’t imagine figuring out what someone else would like.

For this past Christmas, my sister got me a pretty sad, signature canvas Coach hobo, where the ‘leather’ bits where either patent or plastic or similar. It was either a 90s outlet bag or perhaps even fake. I think she got it on one of her free cycle groups on Facebook, she was probably excited to get a Coach bag for free. It got out in the charity pile almost immediately but obviously I thanked her a ton and pretended to like it. She paid attn enough to know I like Coach, even if everything else about it was wrong.

DH bought me a Gucci bag, enlisting my SA in the process. Let's say I've learned to love the bag. I couldn't pass it along, DH was always quite sensitive to those kind of things

My DH is sensitive to these things too, and he recently got me a Burberry bag that I’m falling out of love with. It just doesn’t match much of my wardrobe and the plaid style is, in the end, just not ‘me.’ The plaid is exactly what he loves tho, so I’m not sure there’s anything to be done about it.

 

[coffee2go]

I hear ya on the love. In the last four days, I looked at 130 pages of resale bags listed by Rebag in hopes of discovering a bag model that I was not acquainted with to be a travel purse. That is almost 7,000 bags. They have 23,000 bags listed but I just couldn't look at another bag. I gave up. The problem is the numerous exacting requirements for a travel purse. I can't find one that meets all the requirements, much less one that I love. The ones I liked all had major requirement deficiencies.

My computer has to fit in it, so it has to be 12 inches wide but I don't want over 14. It has to be 10 high. And it can't be too thick. Less than 5 is preferable.

It has to have handles that are a length that are short enough for hand held but long enough for shoulder carry (I don't like having a short and a long handle and I don't like crossbody). This is the most difficult requirement.

It has to have a zipper close. Last time I traveled, I tossed my id in before it went through the scanner and it fell out. If another traveler hadn't seen it and picked it up, I would have been toast.

It has to be light weight. It can't have delicate leather. And it has to have feet. And it can't be black.

A travel bag is more demanding on function than a daily bag. Airplane seats, airport scanners, pickpockets, rain, etc. Talking this through will all of you is making me realize that love is less important on this bag than others. Functionality is more important for this particular bag.



Another vote on their wear resistance is good to hear. I have never had a color transfer problem but maybe that is because all my jeans are so well worn. No loose dye left. Very interesting to hear that ivory is currently popular. I thought it looked so old fashioned. I should not be influenced what others think, but that does please me.

On travel bags. I was packing a bag for a two day trip, where I go by car with my DH to one city and the next day have to take a train to go by myself to another city and then take train again later in the evening to come back home. So basically I stay overnight, but the next day since I’ll be out and about it’s better if I don’t have a luggage with me, but just a bag. However, I need to have a laptop with me, so despite originally planning to bring my newly bought Away duffle bag for a trip, while I was deciding which other bag to bring with me that would fit a laptop, I realized that my Tumi backpack would be way more comfortable for this short trip, since I don’t have to bring that many clothes with me, but mainly cause it’ll be easier carrying a laptop. I’m still bringing a mini Chloe C bag, ‘cause there will be a dinner out, but overall the backpack was a smart choice for travel.

 

[Cordeliere]

On travel bags. I was packing a bag for a two day trip, where I go by car with my DH to one city and the next day have to take a train to go by myself to another city and then take train again later in the evening to come back home. So basically I stay overnight, but the next day since I’ll be out and about it’s better if I don’t have a luggage with me, but just a bag. However, I need to have a laptop with me, so despite originally planning to bring my newly bought Away duffle bag for a trip, while I was deciding which other bag to bring with me that would fit a laptop, I realized that my Tumi backpack would be way more comfortable for this short trip, since I don’t have to bring that many clothes with me, but mainly cause it’ll be easier carrying a laptop. I’m still bringing a mini Chloe C bag, ‘cause there will be a dinner out, but overall the backpack was a smart choice for travel.

Your post illustrates how important it is to have the right bag for the way you travel. Our trips are typically 25 days long and involve seeing a lot of places in whatever country we visit. We can end up with 6 legs of flights, so I have to have a purse that works through airports. As far as real luggage, DH and I each have roller bags the size of aircraft carriers. I bring too many clean clothes home so I have to learn to pack 75% of what I think I need. I would love to be able to travel with just a backpack.

 

[whateve]

Your post illustrates how important it is to have the right bag for the way you travel. Our trips are typically 25 days long and involve seeing a lot of places in whatever country we visit. We can end up with 6 legs of flights, so I have to have a purse that works through airports. As far as real luggage, DH and I each have roller bags the size of aircraft carriers. I bring too many clean clothes home so I have to learn to pack 75% of what I think I need. I would love to be able to travel with just a backpack.

I love traveling by car! We load the car with packages of 3 days worth of clothes, and have one suitcase with everything we need on a daily basis that gets taken into each hotel room. When we run out of clothes, we bring in another package from the car. Dirty clothes are stored in bags in the car. We try to have at least 3 weeks worth of clothes so we don't have to do laundry very often.

One year we flew to New York and drove back to California over the next 3 months. That time we ordered DH's underwear online, since it is so bulky, and had it delivered to NY. We bought new pillows once we got there.

 

[Cordeliere]

I love traveling by car! We load the car with packages of 3 days worth of clothes, and have one suitcase with everything we need on a daily basis that gets taken into each hotel room. When we run out of clothes, we bring in another package from the car. Dirty clothes are stored in bags in the car. We try to have at least 3 weeks worth of clothes so we don't have to do laundry very often.

One year we flew to New York and drove back to California over the next 3 months. That time we ordered DH's underwear online, since it is so bulky, and had it delivered to NY. We bought new pillows once we got there.

Brilliant.

 

[baghabitz34]

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?
[/QUOTE]
Yes, I have both purchased bags for others & given them ones from my collection.
There’s really only two people I’m ok with buying bags for me. My sweetheart because I give him pics/links & he buys exactly what I want. And my sister because she has good taste.

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.

As a person that has the same bag in multiple colors, my crazy bag lady self sees & uses them in totally different ways.

Yes, these are both MJ totes in the small size. But one is cement & the other is black. I wear them with very different outfits.

 

[BowieFan1971]

Well, after 3 days of looking and thinking about my replacement bag for my orange Picotin, I settled on a few criteria. One, it had to be tangerine orange. Two, it had to be simple to let the color be the focus. Three, I wear my orange bag with more casual clothes, so the style had to reflect that but not be sloppy or sporty. Four, the size had to be right. Five, I wanted to spend less than $750. I also really wanted a Hermès if I could get one.

Mission accomplished on all fronts!!! I bought this orange Gao in really good condition. Can’t wait for it to arrive and can’t wait to put the extra money let over from the sale of the Pico into my savings account!

 

[Cordeliere]

Well, after 3 days of looking and thinking about my replacement bag for my orange Picotin, I settled on a few criteria. One, it had to be tangerine orange. Two, it had to be simple to let the color be the focus. Three, I wear my orange bag with more casual clothes, so the style had to reflect that but not be sloppy or sporty. Four, the size had to be right. Five, I wanted to spend less than $750. I also really wanted a Hermès if I could get one.

Mission accomplished on all fronts!!! I bought this orange Gao in really good condition. Can’t wait for it to arrive and can’t wait to put the extra money let over from the sale of the Pico into my savings account!View attachment 5410058

Congratulations. The Gao has such nice lines. What size is it? What leather--can you tell from the pics? After you get it and wear it a little while, please give us a review. And you are my kind of girl. 5 criteria. Yes.

 

[BowieFan1971]

Congratulations. The Gao has such nice lines. What size is it? After you get it and wear it a little while, please give us a review. And you are my kind of girl. 5 criteria. Yes.

14”w x 9”h x 5”d, but it has a gusset so it will lay flatter unless I choose to stuff it. It’s the same thick chewy Clemence leather as my Pico, which I love! Very excited!!!

 

[coffee2go]

I love traveling by car! We load the car with packages of 3 days worth of clothes, and have one suitcase with everything we need on a daily basis that gets taken into each hotel room. When we run out of clothes, we bring in another package from the car. Dirty clothes are stored in bags in the car. We try to have at least 3 weeks worth of clothes so we don't have to do laundry very often.

One year we flew to New York and drove back to California over the next 3 months. That time we ordered DH's underwear online, since it is so bulky, and had it delivered to NY. We bought new pillows once we got there.

Interesting, I don’t think I have ever brought so many clothes with me. We usually travel light, just two carry-ons, one for me, one for him. This April when flying to NYC for 10 days, I put some of the bulkiest clothes into vacuum Muji bags, so we managed to leave with two carry-ons, but had to buy an extra luggage for our return flight. This December when we were supposed to go Paris for just 5 days right before Christmas, but got stuck there, and spent 20 days in total with just two carry-ons, we moved from hotel to an apartment. When travelling for longer periods, I prefer staying in apartment rather than hotel, not only you have a washing machine/laundry that way, but also get to feel a bit more how locals live, like going grocery shopping. The apartment we booked last minute was located in Saint-Germain with a view on Eiffel Tower, just fabulous. Once we spent a month living in Bali, I brought a huge suitcase full of clothes, but ended up using just half of it, spending more time in swimsuits and jeans shorts. The laundries in Bali are not that great, so I wouldn’t bring more delicate items to wear there, simple T-shirts and dresses are just fine.

I have never travelled with just backpack, the way people travel with just backpacks, my Tumi backpack is way to fancy, but it’s great for airports and when staying overnight.

 

[whateve]

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?

Yes, I have both purchased bags for others & given them ones from my collection.
There’s really only two people I’m ok with buying bags for me. My sweetheart because I give him pics/links & he buys exactly what I want. And my sister because she has good taste.

As a person that has the same bag in multiple colors, my crazy bag lady self sees & uses them in totally different ways.
View attachment 5410053
Yes, these are both MJ totes in the small size. But one is cement & the other is black. I wear them with very different outfits.

I have multiples too. I figure if I love that bag, I'll love it in another color too. I wear different colors with different outfits so I don't feel one will steal wears from the other. That is more likely to happen if I have similarly sized bags in similar colors, even if they are different brands and/or styles.

 

[whateve]

Well, after 3 days of looking and thinking about my replacement bag for my orange Picotin, I settled on a few criteria. One, it had to be tangerine orange. Two, it had to be simple to let the color be the focus. Three, I wear my orange bag with more casual clothes, so the style had to reflect that but not be sloppy or sporty. Four, the size had to be right. Five, I wanted to spend less than $750. I also really wanted a Hermès if I could get one.

Mission accomplished on all fronts!!! I bought this orange Gao in really good condition. Can’t wait for it to arrive and can’t wait to put the extra money let over from the sale of the Pico into my savings account!View attachment 5410058

Wonderful! I actually didn't realize you could get a Hermes that cheap.

 

[Sunshine mama]

In older clothes there are often three labels:
Designer
Retailer
Fabric mill or other

I have searches set for favorite mid century modern designers; but you can pick any decade that appeals.

for example, when I decided I wanted Norman Foster aluminum chairs (not the navy chair), my search ran for 2+ years before I was able to purchase 12 chairs for 250 each from Florida including shipping

the pickings are slim for what I want now, but again, it’s a matter of waiting. Often an item will not be labeled dead stock but NWT or otherwise be pristine. If an item is not dead stock, I prefer if there were underarm shields, that can be removed, to guard against excessive wear.

I prefer search by designer (Jacques feith, Donald brooks, Adel Simpson, Norman Norell; but will occasionally run a search by store (Ultimo, charivari, Linda dresner, Wilkes bashford, didier ludot, Anna lowe; bonwit teller). or, location, like British Hong Kong. or design element, such as, peplum. I have a continual search for Catherine regher, a canadian designer, bc I used to own the most magic dress ever (40 USD with custom label from Bergdorfs) but I loaned it to my cousin for her wedding after party (and it was left on the floor to be WASHED, probably with third world coconut soap). Urgh. Needless to say, I’ve never loaned my cousin anything else.

As you browse vintage searches, you will come up with other names, either suggested by the search engine or from whatever seller you happen to be perusing. There was once a woman from Iceland selling a warehouse filled with dresses on Etsy.

note: for vintage RTW, it is essential that you know your measurements; the silhouette that works for your body type. Also, factor in cost of cleaning, refurbishing etc. even dead stock may have linings that have given out (due to the weight or age of the garment etc). For example, my norman Norell coat is one of my favorite pieces, but the lining was not the best quality. It cost the same amount as the purchase price of the cost to have my tailor replace the lining in a very luxurious silk twill.

for fur or leather, be especially careful of condition. IMO it is almost impossible or very costly to rehab a dried pelt. Balding calf hair is a loss. I learned this the hard way when I bought a vintage lizard trench coat (not sure if it was Gucci, but it had a certain disco 70s flair that Tom Ford tried to resurrect). It could not be saved. i spent about 700 USD before giving up. The cost of refurbishment can exceed the cost of the item.

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one of my favorite pieces is a wool dress by Donald brooks from a random ebay seller for 57 USD. Such amazing wool fabric is impossible to find nowadays. The inverted pleat and pockets align perfectly

deals like that balance out more expensive vintage finds

also, one last note: pants are hard to fit. It’s possible to size up, but depending on the fabric, there may be marks. Sizing down does not always work. i suspect @cowgirlsboots knows much more about tailoring vintage clothing than I will know in a lifetime, so perhaps she will chime in . If you start buying vintage, go slowly. There is a learning curve and mistakes will be made.

Love that dress!!!