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.

 

[BowieFan1971]

Happy New Year to all of you!

Sorry, I´m late and jumping in at page 8 already a week into the new year after totally disappearing at the end of December 22!
I seam to have fallen into some mental cotton wool and now have to make my way out of it.

What are my bag goals for 2023? Honestly I don´t know. Planning isn´t on my agenda atm. All I can say is that I made it through Christmas without even thinking of getting a handbag as a Christmas present to myself. I didn´t feel the need. After making my own bag in December I kind of was content with what I have.

Christmas was very special for me this year. I spent it with my family and grown up children and for the first time in many years actually felt a kind of Christmas happiness and magic that had nothing to do with the pictures advertising features. There were lots of special moments full of warmth and deep glow.

I´ve been sick with the flu since mid December and am still not fully recovered- hence the cotton wool, I guess.

Still I´m starting the new year with a new handbag- a surprise gift by a vintage dealer I bought two cheap outfits from. She is closing down her shop and added some gifts to my delivery. I´ve been buying from her for many years.
This unexpected present made me very happy and added to my newfound perception of the Christmas spirit.


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Wow! That’s gorgeous!

 

[JenJBS]

Happy New Year to all of you!

Sorry, I´m late and jumping in at page 8 already a week into the new year after totally disappearing at the end of December 22!
I seam to have fallen into some mental cotton wool and now have to make my way out of it.

What are my bag goals for 2023? Honestly I don´t know. Planning isn´t on my agenda atm. All I can say is that I made it through Christmas without even thinking of getting a handbag as a Christmas present to myself. I didn´t feel the need. After making my own bag in December I kind of was content with what I have.

Christmas was very special for me this year. I spent it with my family and grown up children and for the first time in many years actually felt a kind of Christmas happiness and magic that had nothing to do with the pictures advertising features. There were lots of special moments full of warmth and deep glow.

I´ve been sick with the flu since mid December and am still not fully recovered- hence the cotton wool, I guess.

Still I´m starting the new year with a new handbag- a surprise gift by a vintage dealer I bought two cheap outfits from. She is closing down her shop and added some gifts to my delivery. I´ve been buying from her for many years.
This unexpected present made me very happy and added to my newfound perception of the Christmas spirit.


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I'm so sorry that you've been sick, and still aren't totally well.

 

[More bags]

Thought this would be fun to take inventory and also be more proactive about curating my collection and practicing self control.

I have loved designer bags since I was in high school. I really was into Gucci and Prada back then. I really started buying bags when I started working, after college. Along the years, my favorites have been Gucci and Prada when at school then when I could buy my own bags Balenciaga, Valentino, YSL, Givenchy sprinkled with Chanel and some LV, although really wasn’t a LV canvas logo girl plus I really didn’t like the vachetta. The printed canvas LV I do have was from my mom; I would never sell.

More about me… I turned 50, 3 weeks ago. There I said it; I need to be honest with myself lol. When I was younger, I was a bit rock and roll edgy. I am a bit more whimsy, vibrant, far from classic. I loved a good pop of color. I have always been into clothes and fashion, since I was 10. Being older, I am trying to come to terms with it, that I need to be a little more refined and age appropriate. Again, I have never been classic. As for work, I am on break right now. I clocked like 50-60 hours per week until 3 years ago as a software engineer and being a consultant/analyst in my early years of working. I worked for 24 years and got extremely burnt out. I quit my job to travel Dec 2019 just when COVID was starting to hit. We were all in lockdown and my mom passed away the first year of the pandemic in August. I lived with my elderly dad for 10 months afterwards and have been helping him a few days a week since. So work status now, I am somewhat in a long sabbatical, maybe eventually I will go back to work part time. If I do, I would possibly want to work in something fun fashion even, maybe. When I was working, people would make comments of my bags, but yeah didn’t really care. I loved my bags.

Currently, I have 55 bags in my designer bag collection. I have been actively and honestly trying to curate my collection the last two years. I have sold a lot, not getting my money back but losing but at least getting some funds in order to buy new bags. I decided after two years of trying and stressing and even trying my luck in Paris, I couldn’t play the Hermes game and ended up getting my one Birkin through a reseller.

My collection is Chanel- 36%, Hermes- 7%, Dior- 11%, LV- 11% (favorites are a beaded cappucine and twist), Valentino- 7%, Gucci- 5% Balenciaga- 5%, YSL- 5% the rest going to Prada, Lanvin, Bottega, Fendi and DG.

My goal is to continue to try to curate my purse collection as best as I can and use what I do have. I have 5 bags in my collection that although I don’t wear too often would never sell, since they were from my late mother. I have a few bags that I tried selling once before but I would only get very little and would rather keep or give them to my teenage nieces or friends. Although I would like to get another Hermes BKC or two in the next year or two and hopefully be at purse peace for a while, I am good with my one classic black, so I don’t see myself stressing for another. I still see myself buying other brands, but I will need to sell in order to purchase new things... one in, one out, most definitely. Also, I want to make sure new pieces are timeless pieces, think classic and less trendy. I really do want to focus and rotate my bags and use them more, really enjoy what I already have.

Happy belated birthday! Great to have you here and looking forward to seeing you chat about your bags this year!

 

[More bags]

Happy New Year to all of you!

Sorry, I´m late and jumping in at page 8 already a week into the new year after totally disappearing at the end of December 22!
I seam to have fallen into some mental cotton wool and now have to make my way out of it.

What are my bag goals for 2023? Honestly I don´t know. Planning isn´t on my agenda atm. All I can say is that I made it through Christmas without even thinking of getting a handbag as a Christmas present to myself. I didn´t feel the need. After making my own bag in December I kind of was content with what I have.

Christmas was very special for me this year. I spent it with my family and grown up children and for the first time in many years actually felt a kind of Christmas happiness and magic that had nothing to do with the pictures advertising features. There were lots of special moments full of warmth and deep glow.

I´ve been sick with the flu since mid December and am still not fully recovered- hence the cotton wool, I guess.

Still I´m starting the new year with a new handbag- a surprise gift by a vintage dealer I bought two cheap outfits from. She is closing down her shop and added some gifts to my delivery. I´ve been buying from her for many years.
This unexpected present made me very happy and added to my newfound perception of the Christmas spirit.


View attachment 5685913

Welcome back from holidays. I hope you’re feeling better soon. What a beautiful surprise bag! Congratulations on your newest addition.

 

[More bags]

Hello darlings! How I've missed you all. I fell off the wagon last year as I am officially done with university, yaaaay! Technically convocation takes place in June ; however, I felt like celebrating early. My collection is brimming with handbags right now, something I'm definitely okay with as fashion is my thing. This year I'd like to continue exploring other brands. I'd like to learn more about clothing and jewelry as well. I don't think I shared this but I now work for a consignment store (( amazing but also ouch on the paycheque)) I'm going to have to practice some self restraint as my top priority is my overall well-being whether it be financial, emotional and physical.

I'm not necessarily looking to downgrade my collection but expand it in directions I never thought I could take it in. I'm still in love with the Acne Studios Misubi.

To summarize, this is a massive year of big changes. I'll try to keep in touch, everyone! I hope you guys had a wonderful holiday season.

Congratulations on completing your degree!

 

[More bags]

@880 - Thanks for the tag!

Happy new year to all!

I usually don’t do well with sticking to New Year’s resolutions so I figured I will try to keep things simple this year.

Bag Goals:
I am pretty happy with my bag collection so I don’t really have anything on my list that is a “must have” so my bag goals this year are:
- be more deliberate with my purchases and avoid impulsive buys ..(easier said than done);
- during Covid years, I purged my bag collection and got it down from over 100 to 50. I know this is still a lot but this is over 15 years of collection and I’m at a point now that I appreciate and love every bag in my collection. My goal this year is to keep to that number so this should hopefully force me to be more selective and really think about whether a new bag is worth it enough to let go of one of my older bags.
- I also hope to rotate my bags more to bring down my cost per wear and shop my closet and avoid further purchases at least for the 1st quarter …baby steps ..

As for personal goals, I need to stop drinking diet soda and drink more water which may be harder to do than not shopping for a whole quarter…

So far I’ve been good with the shopping ban but I’ve already fallen off the wagon on the diet soda..but I’m jumping back on since I have to do this for better health.

Good luck to everyone on sticking to their resolutions!

Congratulations on refining your collection to your most loved lovelies, way to go!

 

[papertiger]

Of course! Light dusty teal tote with suede lining and a classic camel saddle bag. I had to wait till Christmas for the teal bag. It was my gift from Lawrence, but I knew about it. I was only going to get the camel one, but really liked it yet was unsure of the color. My DH said “Just get it. You cannot get another like it anywhere else! It will be your Christmas gift.” So we went back the next morning before we left Florence (they opened early for us) and got it.

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Congratulations, can't beat leather goods from Florence (jewellery too)

 

[cowgirlsboots]

I don´t want to jinx it, but we´ve been talking Paris in February lately and even booked a hotel. If nothing goes wrong I might actually get there fairly soon-ish!
Now to the next stressful part after the fear of having to cancel again: the outfit for the vintage car show my spouse considers the one and only reason to travel to Paris. In former years I´ve always dressed vintage. It´s really appropriate and actually fun. People visiting the show come there for vintage cars and a vintage outfit makes many smile.
Usually I´d consider something 40ies to 50ies- the easiest option as generally pleasing to the eye and ideal for my body type. This year I´ll have to come up with something second half of 60ies. My spouse loves the homemade "Jaguar bag" so much and expects me to show it off. I found a nice navy suit and immediately was laughed at: air hostess style. Well, why not...



I already fitted the jacket, but have to try on the skirt. It might need some taking in.
This afternoon went into a frantic search for a coat to go with this outfit. The navy 60ies wool coat from my dress and coat ensemble (which doesn´t work with the bag unfortunately) I have doesn´t work. There are two options on ebay that might... but actually I do not need yet another coat. After hours of browsing and fretting I finally remembered I own a blue Basler leather trench coat from the right era which is almost perfect. The colour is right in between the suit and the bag.

Argh!!!!! Silly things I spend my time on!


The white boots in the photo are originals btw and absolutely perfect imo. Unfortunately they did not pass DH´s quality control. The white is not pristine. He prefers the more cartoony exaggerated white patent ankle boots I have. This decision hasn´t been made yet! Haha!

 

[Sunshine mama]

I´m very sorry for your loss xx

Thank you.

 

[BowieFan1971]

Congratulations, can't beat leather goods from Florence (jewellery too)

Got three pairs of earrings as well. A fleur de lis (symbol of Florence) stud in rose gold and a petite yellow gold Florence coin drop earring, along with tiny sapphire studs for my second hole.

 

[More bags]

Got three pairs of earrings as well. A fleur de lis (symbol of Florence) stud in rose gold and a petite yellow gold Florence coin drop earring, along with tiny sapphire studs for my second hole.

Congratulations on your bags and jewelry from your Italy trip!

 

[dcooney4]

I have been enjoying my bags and loving or listing them. Thanks to some suggestions two bags have moved on. I want to wear all my bags with the exception of formal or evening bags.

 

[limom]

I have been enjoying my bags and loving or listing them. Thanks to some suggestions two bags have moved on. I want to wear all my bags with the exception of formal or evening bags.

Have you decided what to do with evening/formal bags?
I am torn between recycling and keeping.
Having somehow taken inventory of all the bags, there are just too many evening bags.

 

[Sunshine mama]

@dcooney4 @limom
Wouldn't it be nice if we could just wear the formal and evening bags too?

 

[limom]

@dcooney4 @limom
Wouldn't it be nice if we could just wear the formal and evening bags too?

Good idea. I might put some of them in use and consider them mini bags.
Some are already used as pochettes and so forth but the quantity is just overwhelming. Lol.