2023 Resolution: Shopping my Own Bags and SLG Collection

[Vintage Leather]

A long standing tradition in this thread is to remind ourselves of how wonderful our own collections are by showcasing them. We can see how far we have come, collection wise, and we reminded that we have all (or most of) what we need making it easier to shop our own closets.



• New theme weeks start each Sunday

• Don’t jump ahead but, if you miss a week, please do show your bags “late”.

• Show bags individually or in a group

• You do NOT have to wear the bags that week

• For added fun, show old pictures from previous years to demonstrate how you have curated it over time.

• This is completely voluntary. There is no pressure to post at any time.





So what are the showcases? In the Fall, we group our bags by makers! Feel free to show bags, small leather goods, or however it is easiest to organize!

August 13 - Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta

August 20 - Burberry, Celine

August 27 - Coach, Chanel

September 3 - Chloe, Dior

September 10 - Dooney & Bourke, Fendi

September 17 - Ferragamo, Givenchy

September 24 - Goyard, Gucci

October 1 - Hermes, Kate Spade

October 8 - Loewe, Longchamp

October 15 - Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs

October 22 - Michael Kors, Miu Miu

October 29 - Mulberry, Prada

November 5 - Proenza Schouler, Rebecca Minkoff

November 12 - Saint Laurent, Tods

November 19 - Tory Burch, Valentino

November 26 - Bags by Jewelers: Bulgari, Cartier, Tiffany Co, Van Cleef & Arpels. Alternatively, the pillboxes, compacts and other lovelies made by jewelers that fit in your bag.

December 3 - independent artisans and custom bags.

 

[DME]

Happy New Year to all of you, and a special thanks to @Vintage Leather for starting the new thread!

I’m not really a formal resolutions person because I never tend to stick to them (so why make them?), but I do have some goals for this year.

(1) Rotate my totes more often. I carry a tote to work and will often use the same one for months, usually switching it out when the season changes. I may try to rotate monthly.

(2) Use my non-totes more often. I spend so much time at work that my other bags don’t get a lot of love. I bought a tray for my closet where I plan to keep a grab-and-go bag that’s mostly packed to encourage me not to be lazy and just take a wallet, phone and keys on days off.

(3) Downsize my collection. I have a number of go-to bags that make me really happy, so I feel like I should sell or rehome the ones that don’t to alleviate the guilt over not using the rest. I need to figure out how best to go about this, though, as my local consignment shop (which I really do like) keeps 60% and that’s too steep for my costlier items.

(4) Downsize my “bags that don’t count”. How many reusable bags, travel totes, beach totes, etc., does a girl need?

(5) Reign in the lululemon habit. And the shopping habit more generally; I own enough stuff. I would like to get back to wearing real clothes more often and, like the “bags that don’t count”, how many leggings and sports bras does a girl need? Like @jblended, I want to get better about adding an item to my donate/sell pile as soon as I discover it no longer works for me instead of doing a more seasonal closet purge. I feel like I will streamline better this way and have/wear items I truly love.

(6) Continue to purge the house. I’ve long been good at doing this (outside of my luxury bags, that is) and I want to keep up the extra steam I had during the earlier days of COVID. We hope to retire in less than 10 years and doing this gradually would be better than panic purging (or, worse yet, moving it all to a smaller place and being overwhelmed) if/when we downsize our home.

(7) Upgrade some of my jewelry. I want to look into trading in some older pieces I no longer wear to fill “holes” in my jewelry wardrobe. I would also like to add a few wish list items. We just disembarked from a New Year’s cruise and I was able to scratch one item off my list already, as well as purchase a second item I never knew I wanted, but had to have when I saw it. Those purchases were at the end of December, so they don’t count for 2023, but they have given me momentum for the New Year!

ETA: Downsizing my bag collection also means downsizing my SLG and bag charm collection with it. I have too many of all these things!

 

[Bag peace]

(4) Downsize my “bags that don’t count”. How many reusable bags, travel totes, beach totes, etc., does a girl need?

Love all of your goals! I hope you don't mind if I make a small suggestion for this one. At one point a local supermarket was handing out free reusable bags with every shop (even if you had your own with you) so I ended up with far too many and eventually figured out a good way to reduce the stack!
I started filling my extra reusable bags and canvas totes with basic supplies and handing them out to homeless people.
They often need those types of bags to put their belongings in when they're moving around, so it serves the purpose very well. You don't even have to fill them with things, you can place a bunch of them near shelters and those who need them will grab 'em.

*ETA A TPF friend also once suggested I do this with extra backpacks I wanted to let go of. It worked even better with those, so it's always something I keep in mind (though I now only have 2 backpacks- one mini and one for my laptop). Such a practical way to use those extra "bags that don't count".

 

[More bags]

Agree with above
One of my favorite pics is the bolide belonging to @More bags , post 29

What is your ideal understated luxury bag collection?

So interesting that everyone has different definitions of "understated." IMO, understated is not synonymous with unrecognizable - bags can be both understated and unrecognizable to the general "non-bag-obsessed" public, but I don't think the two terms mean the same thing. I think of...

forum.purseblog.com

Thank you @880!

 

[DME]

Love all of your goals! I hope you don't mind if I make a small suggestion for this one. At one point a local supermarket was handing out free reusable bags with every shop (even if you had your own with you) so I ended up with far too many and eventually figured out a good way to reduce the stack!
I started filling my extra reusable bags and canvas totes with basic supplies and handing them out to homeless people.
They often need those types of bags to put their belongings in when they're moving around, so it serves the purpose very well. You don't even have to fill them with things, you can place a bunch of them near shelters and those who need them will grab 'em.

*ETA A TPF friend also once suggested I do this with extra backpacks I wanted to let go of. It worked even better with those, so it's always something I keep in mind (though I now only have 2 backpacks- one mini and one for my laptop). Such a practical way to use those extra "bags that don't count".

I always love a great suggestion, so thank you for this! And I am always amazed by how much good you do for others. I need to add something like that to my resolutions list!

 

[880]

Here is an article to show that buying too much is not always a bad thing lol

The Japanese call this practice tsundoku, and it may provide lasting benefits

Or, how I learned to stop worrying and love my tsundoku.

bigthink.com

 

[Sunshine mama]

Happy New Year all!

I actually have no goals for 2023 in terms of buying or selling. I'm just going to follow my heart. I've had a tough year last year(witnessed my mom's passing at hospice after an extended stay) so I'm going to keep it easy this year.
In terms of wearing bags, I'm still just going to follow my heart.
So I guess following my heart is my goal.

That said, I've been really enjoying featherweight bags lately.
This Moynat Yoyo bag is the lightest bag I own and for that reason, I really use this bag a lot. (There's a tiny amount of cream on the bag from the waffle in the 2nd picture)

 

[papertiger]

Happy New Year all!

I actually have no goals for 2023 in terms of buying or selling. I'm just going to follow my heart. I've had a tough year last year(witnessed my mom's passing at hospice after an extended stay) so I'm going to keep it easy this year.
In terms of wearing bags, I'm still just going to follow my heart.
So I guess following my heart is my goal.

That said, I've been really enjoying featherweight bags lately.
This Moynat Yoyo bag is the lightest bag I own and for that reason, I really use this bag a lot. (There's a tiny amount of cream on the bag from the waffle in the 2nd picture) View attachment 5682161View attachment 5682164

I am sorry about your mother the year of a loved one's passing is always the toughest. It does take time. No hurry.

I love round bags, I always have and that one is just a darling, glad it's light too.

 

[papertiger]

Mulberry's sale is on. I was looking for a Birthday present for a little girl, I thought a little purse may be nice. Funnily enough Mulberry have women's bags named after both my little cousins (8 and 5) and I would have loved to have bought them a name-sake mini bag each - even to put away for when they are older, but their mummy (my aunt) said no. I quite like buying things for others if I can't buy them for me. I bought Lilly a Billie pouch for her birthday here and my aunt is OK with this (mostly because it's in the sale) Knowing Lilly, I know she'll keep it nicely and 'forever'.

It's good I found something I know she'll love. It didn't have to be Mulberry - but it is. Sorry, not sorry. I looked at high street, such rubbish, and anything leather is the same price as the Mulberry pouch and not nearly as cute.

My Aunt asked if I couldn't just give her an old one of mine - but to me that's not a birthday present, and actually I don't have anything suitable. The only bag on the possible exit list is a never used, but very hard and structured 1960s handbag with a kiss lock. Too big, too formal and too brown for an 8 y o.

I don't have a single Mulberry bag, but they've some nice bags atm, including sale. - I need to sit on my hands, but the woven elegant Iris in Ebony/white here and the robust beauty of the Charcoal Lily Tote (looks nothing like a Lily or a tote IMO) here . if I was thinking of one for me... (which I am NOT) I am hoping these will sell out soon so I'm no longer tempted .

I started a thread on bag gift giving/receiving because it seems to me some people are really strict about these things. Would you buy little girl (or boy) a nice bag if you knew they'd love one (price relative of course)?

 

[880]

Would you buy little girl (or boy) a nice bag if you knew they'd love one (price relative of course)?

Yes of course you are really thoughtful to do it.

 

[JenJBS]

My Purse Goals for 2023:

1) Edit my belongings to what I love and use.
2) Only buy purses / wallets / clothes / accessories / jewelry to fill a hole in my collection; or replace/upgrade an existing item.

 

[dcooney4]

I always love a great suggestion, so thank you for this! And I am always amazed by how much good you do for others. I need to add something like that to my resolutions list!

Me too!

 

[DME]

I started a thread on bag gift giving/receiving because it seems to me some people are really strict about these things. Would you buy little girl (or boy) a nice bag if you knew they'd love one (price relative of course)?

I absolutely would! I gifted my nieces bags when they were little and they are often the beneficiaries of my mid-range bags when I clean them out of my closet. (Three of my nieces and I share the same shoe size, so they clamor for those, too, along with any costume jewelry I weed out. DD shows little interest in these things, so she’s happy her cousins can benefit and she doesn’t get stuck with things she doesn’t want.)

I am going to look for your bag gifting thread since that topic interests me. Would be happy to have you share a link here, if you’re so inclined!

 

[Bag peace]

I always love a great suggestion, so thank you for this! And I am always amazed by how much good you do for others. I need to add something like that to my resolutions list!

You're far too kind and give me far too much credit!
One of the reasons I adore TPF is because everyone here gives so much, to each other and to charity. They share regularly: their material items, their time, their knowledge, their emotional support. There's something baked into the culture here that screams kindness and generosity, and I find it inspirational.
Though I'd never talk about the small ways I try to be helpful irl, I openly share here because I learn from reading others' posts on the subject. It's one of the few places where it's understood that nobody is talking about giving for clout; everyone is sharing their experiences because we get tips off of each other.

I started a thread on bag gift giving/receiving because it seems to me some people are really strict about these things. Would you buy little girl (or boy) a nice bag if you knew they'd love one (price relative of course)?

I would and I have! The parents are sometimes grateful, sometimes upset that I set an unrealistic expectation for their kids. It's tricky.
I agree with @880 that you're being very thoughtful about how you're selecting the bags that are their namesakes.

My Purse Goals for 2023:

1) Edit my belongings to what I love and use.
2) Only buy purses / wallets / clothes / accessories / jewelry to fill a hole in my collection; or replace/upgrade an existing item.

The perfect bag goals. Curating your collection to purple perfection!

 

[Bag peace]

I've had a tough year last year

I'm so sorry, SSM!
Sending you strength and love as you navigate this loss.

So I guess following my heart is my goal.

It's a beautiful goal and something I need to remember. Life's too difficult and too short to live by set rules. Following our hearts is where it's at!

Your Moynat is a stunner. I have a soft spot for round bags but, your photos always make me want jump through the screen! You have a way of making each bag picture look like a gateway to a magical fairytale land!

 

[limom]

Mulberry's sale is on. I was looking for a Birthday present for a little girl, I thought a little purse may be nice. Funnily enough Mulberry have women's bags named after both my little cousins (8 and 5) and I would have loved to have bought them a name-sake mini bag each - even to put away for when they are older, but their mummy (my aunt) said no. I quite like buying things for others if I can't buy them for me. I bought Lilly a Billie pouch for her birthday here and my aunt is OK with this (mostly because it's in the sale) Knowing Lilly, I know she'll keep it nicely and 'forever'.

It's good I found something I know she'll love. It didn't have to be Mulberry - but it is. Sorry, not sorry. I looked at high street, such rubbish, and anything leather is the same price as the Mulberry pouch and not nearly as cute.

My Aunt asked if I couldn't just give her an old one of mine - but to me that's not a birthday present, and actually I don't have anything suitable. The only bag on the possible exit list is a never used, but very hard and structured 1960s handbag with a kiss lock. Too big, too formal and too brown for an 8 y o.

I don't have a single Mulberry bag, but they've some nice bags atm, including sale. - I need to sit on my hands, but the woven elegant Iris in Ebony/white here and the robust beauty of the Charcoal Lily Tote (looks nothing like a Lily or a tote IMO) here . if I was thinking of one for me... (which I am NOT) I am hoping these will sell out soon so I'm no longer tempted .

I started a thread on bag gift giving/receiving because it seems to me some people are really strict about these things. Would you buy little girl (or boy) a nice bag if you knew they'd love one (price relative of course)?

There is nothing wrong with indulging babies once in a while. Besides Mulberry are almost undestroyable. Very thoughtful of you