2024 Resolution: Shopping my own Bag and SLG Collection

[Sparkletastic]

December Activities and Challenges - pick and choose as you please.

I. 2024 Year In Review Reflection
(Thanks @Vintage Leather)

Utilize these thought starters to evaluate your collection, your usage patterns and your lessons learned in 2024.
• What is your most useful purse?
• What is your best purchase of the year?
• We’ve all had a lot of lifestyle changes this year - how has it affected your style?
• What is the one thing we’ve learned this year that you want to take into the next?

II. Setting 2025 Goals
Take this month to consider what you want to do with your handbag collection, wardrobe or even your beautiful life in 2025. Share these thoughts in January when we start the 2026 Shopping Your Closet thread.

III. End of year optional challenges

• Holiday colors: December has many holidays celebrated across the world - red & green, brown & gold, blue & white and more! Pick the holiday that you want to honor and wear / show off your bags in those traditional colors.

• End with a bang: As we come to the last part of the year, wear the last bag you’ve purchased at least 3 times this month.

@Vlad please pin this to the top of our thread.

 

[dcooney4]

I’ve not posted about my bag movement for a few years, hopefully I can go back to it regularly now.

January
Bag in: 1 (below)
Bag out: 0

I’ve fallen in love with the clean lines of APC bags and their amazing leather smell. I succumbed to the MyTheresa sale and got this Genevive. This is my third APC bag since October last year.
View attachment 5940866

This is beautiful. I am not familiar with this brand, but I really like the clean lines.

 

[dcooney4]

Jan Stats!
0 bags in
2 bags out
0 Slgs in
1 Slgs out
1 sport/ travel bag in -Jack Gomme
0 Sport/ travel out
This is the best I have done in months. I almost slipped yesterday and bought a bag because it was the perfect color and very cheap, but then common sense stepped in when I looked at how thin the crossbody strap was. It would have hurt my shoulder.

 

[papertiger]

For investing less in a bag:
Whatever I see on the pre-loved market, haha.
It could be the drastic depreciation in price right after being bought. (because that means I'd rather buy it pre-loved)
It could be the wear and tear I see overtime based on the photos shown in one a pre-love bag site. (always helpful tbh)

For investing more:
Hmm...I guess if I put in my wishlist and check in weeks or months later, and still love it, then I'll probably be more likely to invest more in it. Or probably a dream bag.

I suppose it's a different way of looking at a 'dream bag' - although perhaps some people's dream bags are not the most expensive.

 

[papertiger]

Jan Stats!
0 bags in
2 bags out
0 Slgs in
1 Slgs out
1 sport/ travel bag in -Jack Gomme
0 Sport/ travel out
This is the best I have done in months. I almost slipped yesterday and bought a bag because it was the perfect color and very cheap, but then common sense stepped in when I looked at how thin the crossbody strap was. It would have hurt my shoulder.

Well done for not slipping!

Just wanted to say how much I like your avatar too

 

[papertiger]

Thank you SO much-it’s Thursday morning now here and today she’s being cremated 😭.I went to pieces and cried earlier and the wonderful messages I’ve received on PF together with my other 2 cats got me through the night ❤️❤️

I know, it will absolutely sting for a long time. She was such a beautiful, special and sweet member of your family, one day you will be able to remember her and smile instead of cry.

 

[dcooney4]

Well done for not slipping!

Just wanted to say how much I like your avatar too

Thank you! It is a painting of a rescue cat I adopted. I painted it because he was looking down at me from high on top of my rolltop desk and I thought he looked quite dignified. Thought all he needed was a crown and cape.

 

[dcooney4]

End of month Jan stats:

Bags out 2
Bags in 0 (but I found another vintage python brown top-handle)
RTW out = sack of stuff
RTW in one unitard for dance
Scarves out 0
Scarves in 0
Jewellery out, sold by weight approx £800 towards something (you get less for cash)
Jewellery in 0 but had a 2 stones reset on 2 rings and some repairs.
SLG out 2
SLG in Goerg Jenson keyring (preloved)

Have been wearing:
Gucci red Aphrodite
Gucci d.red Punch (dome bag)
Hermes black Evie 29
Hermes black/Etain Double Sens Maxi
Dell'Aqua grey croc/polished calf mini bag

I'm on a course related to work for a few weeks (see below) so I've been able to wear some nice bags that I probably wouldn't wear to work-proper. Next week, maybe I'll switch more to more green or blue.

I also have a CHY dinner coming up and I want to wear one of my Flash Dragon ties from H, so maybe an evening suit or something along those lines. I didn't secure the Saint Laurent cropped jacket I wanted (arms too tight in the 36) - and I'm thinking I need to plan for 3 big events in advance (April & May). It's a shame about the jacket because it would have been great with any length of long skirt. I think I have an old Miu Miu cropped jacket but it's not very evening. I'm not feeling I want to wear formal gowns for even white-tie events lately, maybe that will change come Spring. Not sure which bag for CNY yet, I'll be out all day first so it will need to be day > night.

Spoiler: Work training

For work, I completed another course on diamonds. Previously I did a very broad, long course on geology/gemology/mining/grading, etc with GIA. This one was more aimed at jewellery industry professionals already working in the industry and really helped me understand more about the differences between lab-created (2 types) and natural (types of mines) small mine traceability and gem/melee/industrial grades and the whole price/regulation strategy for the industry as a whole. They really went into the many differences of simulated 'diamonds' and feel a lot more well informed, especially scientifically. It's also made me more resolutely 'team natural' diamonds. FYI, there are natural/lab-grown testers on the market which should reassure both 'teams'. I've never been happy with the sustainability argument of lab-grown, for me nature is a very big part of why I love and invest in luxury.

Someone posted they spend more on neutrals and go for contemporary when choosing a colour. For me, I'll invest more money for a variation of a bag I know well and have loved for a long time. Sometimes that means a special version of one I own already, sometimes, one I always, always, always wanted. What has made you invest more (or less) in a bag?

I will invest more in a bag if I am over the moon for it. Less if I have not tried the style or am unfamiliar with the brands quality.

 

[papertiger]

Thank you! It is a painting of a rescue cat I adopted. I painted it because he was looking down at me from high on top of my rolltop desk and I thought he looked quite dignified. Thought all he needed was a crown and cape.

Yes, the regalia suits him well!

My Dini approves, all cats should be venerated Kings and Queens

 

[dcooney4]

Yes, the regalia suits him well!

My Dini approves, all cats should be venerated Kings and Queens

I thoroughly agree!

 

[Sibelle]

My January stats:
2 bags in (although 1 was technically from December )
1 bag out
0 SLGs in
1 SLG out
Used bags: 6

Goals for February:
- Rotate my bags more, looking forward to the color weeks 😄!
- Sell 1 bag (if I find a buyer)
- Not buying any new bags or SLGs 😬

 

[momasaurus]

January 2024 Stats:
Bags Added to Collection: 2
Bags Sold/Decluttered: 0

I added the Polene Un Nano to my collection, a long time wishlist item. Then there are also two small bags I pulled out of storage. Although these aren't new bags, I had them in boxes that I have since recycled, so I pulled them out to get some use out of them. I wasn't using them before, but I'm enjoying them now. I also bought a gray wool coat secondhand since I have only one wool coat in black. It's come in very handy.

Goals for 2024:
-Continue low buy from 2023
-Continue habits from 2023 i.e. exercise, reading and writing
-More savings and investments. I recently contributed more money to my HYSA and my investment portfolio. It's a new year, so that means new ROTH IRA contributions.

Well done!

 

[momasaurus]

This is beautiful. I am not familiar with this brand, but I really like the clean lines.

I agree. Great bag, @msd_bags

 

[FizzyWater]

January stats:
Bags in: 1
Bags out: 2
Scarves in: 1 (though it hasn't yet arrived, sigh)
Scarves out: 10
SLGs in/out: 0
Bag charm in: 1 (I don't really do bag charms, so this is an experiment)

Physical books read: 4
N or M? - Agatha Christie - charming as always, though not anything like her best
Into the Wild - Krakauer - fascinating look into people living (and dying) lives very alien to me
The Last Hero - Pratchett - not his best, either, but amusingly illustrated
Through a Glass, Darkly - Leon - I mentioned to my bf before reading: From reading previous novels in the series, it will describe a beautiful Venice, and the detective will solve the mystery but nothing will happen because: corruption. And so it was!

 

[dcooney4]

Mz Wallace Small Sutton In Quartz Pearl. I really needed a cheerful pick me up . The weather has been grey here for weeks. I need some sunshine and blue skies even if it’s cold.

 

[dcooney4]

January stats:
Bags in: 1
Bags out: 2
Scarves in: 1 (though it hasn't yet arrived, sigh)
Scarves out: 10
SLGs in/out: 0
Bag charm in: 1 (I don't really do bag charms, so this is an experiment)

Physical books read: 4
N or M? - Agatha Christie - charming as always, though not anything like her best
Into the Wild - Krakauer - fascinating look into people living (and dying) lives very alien to me
The Last Hero - Pratchett - not his best, either, but amusingly illustrated
Through a Glass, Darkly - Leon - I mentioned to my bf before reading: From reading previous novels in the series, it will describe a beautiful Venice, and the detective will solve the mystery but nothing will happen because: corruption. And so it was!

Great Stats!