2023 Resolution: Shopping my Own Bags and SLG Collection

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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.
 
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@cowgirlsboots, here is the pic of Miss Dior, accompanied by the vintage Miss Dior fragrance. The bag has the pale pink leather interior, just like my grey Miss Dior bag.

I was going to try to take a pic today with my pink bags but just haven't gotten around to doing it. I am not sure I will be able to keep up with color weeks, but will post pics as and when I am able.
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Thank you! :heart:
I love your bag! She is so chic! One day when the prices hopefully finally drop, I will get one too...
 
The VCA Cadena watch is amazing! Such a unique design. Very interesting clasp, and the angled face is an excellent feature. Agree with you about the pricing! The thing is, it seems like watchmakers were/are able to make mechanical movements for even small watches, but for some reason it's not usually done; wonder why. Maybe it's just more intricate and challenging to do when the watch is so small? I noticed in one of the articles that @EvaH had linked about Queen Elizabeth's watches, that some of the small watches she wore were mechanical and not quartz.
Lady’s Watches of the early 20th century are mechanical - they are much more intricate than their gentleman’s equivalent and the pieces are very small - a tribute to The horological arts.

I have two cocktail/dress watches, one from the 1920s and one from the late 50s and last time I had one serviced - just cleaning and checking the springs, mind you - it was over $1500. And that was ten years ago.

I have a theory that the reason Rolex watches have survived a century, while Hamiltons of the same era have become gear/art projects is because people are more likely to pay to maintain a Rolex.
 
Lady’s Watches of the early 20th century are mechanical - they are much more intricate than their gentleman’s equivalent and the pieces are very small - a tribute to The horological arts.

I have two cocktail/dress watches, one from the 1920s and one from the late 50s and last time I had one serviced - just cleaning and checking the springs, mind you - it was over $1500. And that was ten years ago.

I have a theory that the reason Rolex watches have survived a century, while Hamiltons of the same era have become gear/art projects is because people are more likely to pay to maintain a Rolex.
Very fascinating, thank you! I am picturing the artists working on the intricacies of the watches in the early 20th century, creating these little things of beauty and precision! It seems that over time, they've reduced or stopped making mechanical movements for small-sized watches.
And of course one cannot forget servicing -- so expensive, but so necessary to maintain these watches. Enjoy your beauties!
 
Lady’s Watches of the early 20th century are mechanical - they are much more intricate than their gentleman’s equivalent and the pieces are very small - a tribute to The horological arts.

I have two cocktail/dress watches, one from the 1920s and one from the late 50s and last time I had one serviced - just cleaning and checking the springs, mind you - it was over $1500. And that was ten years ago.

I have a theory that the reason Rolex watches have survived a century, while Hamiltons of the same era have become gear/art projects is because people are more likely to pay to maintain a Rolex.
DH had a Hamilton no one could fix.

I prefer a mechanical watch for something I'm only going to wear occasionally. When I get a quartz watch I feel like if I don't wear it every day, I'll forget about it and the next time I want to wear it, the battery will be dead. It is a big pain these days to find a place to get the battery changed. The only places that still do it in our town are jewelers where it is hard to park.
 
Every time I send in a mechanical watch to be worked on, I get a small bag with a half dozen tiny gears…

I have four watches - two mechanical, an automatic, and a quartz. And then the two cocktail watches - but really, those are bracelets.

I had more watches at the start of the month. But this has been my month of Massive Jewelry Sort of Doom. So, monthly stats:

February
Bags In: 1
Bags out: 1
Accessories In: 1
Accessories Out: 133
Household Out: 11
Donations out: 0


February YTD
Bags In: 1
Bags Out: 1
Accessories In: 1
Jewelry and Accessories Out: 137
Household: 14
Donations Out: 124
Total out: 274

I have a trunk of bags to donate, but haven’t made it yet. So those numbers will probably be in March

I’m 80% through the Grand Jewelry Sort. I’ve been pretty aggressive about letting things go - and for a lot of the month, it was affecting my mental health. I had to confront so many former versions of me, and how I’ve changed and old dreams I used to have.

I got rid of anything that wasn’t a jewelry box first (I had pieces stored in a shoe box and in a phone box). I then cleaned out a box to be my “jewelry box of departing pieces” (I’m workshopping the name…) and anything for sale got dropped in there. It meant I was limited on what I could list at a time - which reduced my overwhelm, and I can find everything easily.

Some pieces, I held onto even if I’m not wearing them. I held onto the pair of surrealist sterling flower earrings, where each earring was roughly the size of my fist. But I let go four pairs of 30s-60s rhinestone clip earrings. I kept my charm bracelets, but I sold loose charms in lots and commercially made charm bracelets. I sold watches - so many watches. I’m in the process of trying to sell a massive Max Mara Crystal bug brooch.

Some, I’m giving to mon petit, as a part of his Easter basket. Anything he picked out will be his, but the outs will be in April

I find it easier to sell jewelry or give it as a gift than to donate - I know the recipients actually want the items. selling jewelry in lots, offering 50% discounts to anyone who even presses that like button, ect.
 
The VCA Cadena watch is amazing! Such a unique, timeless, and stylish design. Very interesting clasp, and the angled dial is an excellent feature. Agree with you about the pricing! The thing is, it seems like watchmakers were/are able to make mechanical movements for even small watches, but for some reason it's not usually done; wonder why. Maybe it's just more intricate and challenging to do when the watch is so small? I noticed in one of the articles that @EvaH had linked about Queen Elizabeth's watches, that some of the small watches she wore were mechanical and not quartz.

The one on her wrist during the coronation is a mechanical watch, JLC made a couple of one-off pieces that were similar.

 
Lady’s Watches of the early 20th century are mechanical - they are much more intricate than their gentleman’s equivalent and the pieces are very small - a tribute to The horological arts.

I have two cocktail/dress watches, one from the 1920s and one from the late 50s and last time I had one serviced - just cleaning and checking the springs, mind you - it was over $1500. And that was ten years ago.

I have a theory that the reason Rolex watches have survived a century, while Hamiltons of the same era have become gear/art projects is because people are more likely to pay to maintain a Rolex.

Sadly, Rolex won't service their watches earlier than the 1960s, ridiculous.
 
February Stats
Bags In: 0
Bags out: 0
SLGs In: 0
SLGs Out:0
RTW In: 0
RTW Out: 1 large plastic sac bag-full donated (mostly old jeans I can't remember owning - ever)

Carried:
H Evie
Gucci Aphrodite (a lot)
Black 1950s vintage lizard (Bellstone)
H PP Bolide
Chanel tassel-flap
Gucci 1960s vintage patent lapis structured bag (still can't get rid - def needs restoring)

Went out to dinner a few times and went to 3 events which explains list above even though most of the time I was just working.

Ladies, gents and others, go through your wardrobes, you will find treasures!!!!
I went through a couple of storage boxes and found:

H carrés as yet unworn :rolleyes:
Silk moussies (Liberty, McQueen, Etro and Chanel) - so that's where I put them :biggrin: :facepalm:
H hand-stitched Barenia leather cord which I turned into a necklace with a flat Chaine d'ancre scarf-ring
H enamel Boucle H scarf ring (wore as a necklace on a scarf)
H reversible barenia/'something' brown/brown belt strap and Gemma buckle
Bought in Japan Yukata and Haori
Etro embroidered everything you can name (wow, I used to have quite an Etro habit :wtf: )
more - who needs to go shopping?

I did go to the SS23 Saint Laurent, and even and tried on a jacket I will probably be getting. I could help not looking at the current colours of the Lou Camera bags. I mean I was in the store after all and they gave us champagne.
I also confess going to Gucci - but didn't buy anything (and still came out with chocolates).
 
I will post my orange and yellow bags (cuz you know I have and love my orange bags) but this past week has been and the coming weeks are going to be extremely difficult. As you know, my mom has been in treatment for brain cancer for almost 3 years after originally being advised she would only live another 6-8 months. Well, the cancer is now untreatable and progressing rapidly. She is now in hospice care and not expected to live beyond a few weeks. I have been visiting her daily and will be staying with her for next few weeks to help care for her and spend as much time as I can with her while I can.

I am gutted. Tired. Sad. Overwhelmed. Angry. No one, and I mean no one, deserves to die this way. To be stuck in a body that she can barely control and unable to communicate beyond a yes or no. To see her this way hurts so much more than I can express.

So I will not be around as much, more lurking than contributing, but still look forward to seeing and hearing about all the goings on. And I ask for your prayers for my mom. Thanks.
I'm so sorry. I'll keep you and your loved ones in my prayers.
 
My Gucci Aphrodite Medium reveal!

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It comes with 2 extender straps. One makes it a longer shoulder bag and the other makes it a crossbody. Theoretically you could attach them both at the same time and, I don't know, get a crossbody that goes to your mid-thigh maybe? I think I'll start out wearing it with the shorter extender.

It's so differently shaped from any bag I have. Tall and wide and skinny. Here are a couple comparisons next to my Brahmin medium Duxbury, which is what I used today.

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Even though it's skinny, it can fit all my usual stuff with room to spare, which is good, as a I foresee some Nintendo Switches getting put in here


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While in store I was able to try the piston lock on another bag. I know there are Gucci bags similarly shaped to this one but with those locking closures. I definitely prefer just having this magnetic closure. It's got one irregularity in its stitching as far as I can see, which I'm okay with. Overall, I'm very happy with it.

Thanks for letting me share!
Congratulations! Love that shape and color! :loveeyes:

For dress watches, I love vintage women's watches. I'm a sucker for mechanical watches and ones that are old enough are all manual-windups. Winding a watch just makes my heart go pitter patter for some reason. I have one automatic movement watch but its sporty and chunky, so not a dress watch. I have a boatload of fashion quartz movement watches some of which would pass as dressy. I'll get some photos together tomorrow but I'll post them in a new thread as I don't want to go too off topic in this one. I adore watches and could go on for way too long, so I'll stop myself here. :lol:
Reminds me I was very into pocket watches in my college years. Loved to wind them up and listen to the ticking sound! I got a couple of Shanghainese 80's pocket watch replicas. Wonder where they are now lol.


February stat so far:
3 bags in:
Ralph Lauren brown Graci bag, black Medea busted tall bag, and my newest is the preloved Fendi pink mini 3jours.:love::love::love:

1 bag out: a vintage LV Papillon 30
I didn't love this bag and wasn't using it, so I did a trade with the pink Fendi via Rebag. It was my first time doing a trade, and I thought it was a smooth transaction.

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Love you're RLL! :heart: So cute and elegant!


I didn’t think I was going to have any bags to share for this week, but as luck would have it, I walked by the Coach store the other day and this cutie practically jumped off the shelf at me! What was I to do???!!! :lol:

Introducing my mini Ruby satchel!!! I love the sportiness and where it hangs on me. It’s a pastel yellow so I feel like I can wear it with pink, which means I will get even more use out of it than if I just paired it with grays and blues.

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Too cute! I love that shade of yellow! :heart:
 
I will post my orange and yellow bags (cuz you know I have and love my orange bags) but this past week has been and the coming weeks are going to be extremely difficult. As you know, my mom has been in treatment for brain cancer for almost 3 years after originally being advised she would only live another 6-8 months. Well, the cancer is now untreatable and progressing rapidly. She is now in hospice care and not expected to live beyond a few weeks. I have been visiting her daily and will be staying with her for next few weeks to help care for her and spend as much time as I can with her while I can.

I am gutted. Tired. Sad. Overwhelmed. Angry. No one, and I mean no one, deserves to die this way. To be stuck in a body that she can barely control and unable to communicate beyond a yes or no. To see her this way hurts so much more than I can express.

So I will not be around as much, more lurking than contributing, but still look forward to seeing and hearing about all the goings on. And I ask for your prayers for my mom. Thanks.

So sorry to hear about your mother.
I know someone who works with brain cancer patients (I assist her sometimes) and it is something that is very painful and difficult to go through. The amount of frustration and sadness patients have is something so strong it is tangible.
I wish her the best and hope that any pain or stress can be alleviated. :heart: I also wish you the best as you go through such difficult times with her and your family. Please take care of yourself. :heart:
 
@Vintage Leather 133 pieces of jewelry out?! Amazing!!!

My Feb stats are pretty boring. After a busy Jan, I was planning to do 0 bags in, but the yellow Coach messed that up.

Bags In: 1
Bags Out: 1
SLG In: 0
SLG Out: 0

March is going to be hard… spring bags are hitting the shelves and I’m starting to see lots that I like. Fortunately my wardrobe app is helping me mock things up and realize that some of them really would be dupes with things I already have.
 
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