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 hate vanity sizing as well-it’s hard to find Anything that fits-ironically 30 years ago when I was a ballerina I was smaller and had the same problem.I used a Greek tailor in Bond Street then.

I didn’t like the coat anyway so it’s no loss, but it looked ridiculous.Im brand loyal, and love bespoke, so tend to rely on the same brands, designers, houses for my clothes , which makes things easier.

Thank you for your condolences ❤️-I’m glad yesterday is over, together with losing Tammy(my Siamese girl) in January, it ranks as the worst day in the year.

Good luck with your selling!

Here’s a picture of the Alexander McQueen suit I wore-it’s very hard to find any off the peg clothes which fit me as well as this suit…

I hope today will be a better day for you. The suit looked lovely.

 

[Sparkletastic]

@Vintage Leather - THANKS again for your tips on selling. I had really hit a mental roadblock and your encouragement helped me break through. I went through my “to sell” closet and listed everything except for 2 handbags (a Bvlgari and a Jimmy Choo) and one large lot of Star Trek themed teddy bears. I’ll list those items this weekend. (I took the pictures so the hard part is done.)

During the process I bundled up 3 large boxes of items to give away. Mr. S dutifully (joyfully? LOL!) hauled it all away. Zounds! What a huge release of pressure off my mind to have that stuff gone. At the end of the day, I won’t receive a lot from my sales but it will be enough for a couple of nice outfits. Which is hugely better than junk sitting in my home.

Now I just have one other area I need to clear out which is a shelving unit in my garage. There is nothing of value out there so I think it will be another charity boxing activity. Once that’s done I literally won’t have even an extra toothpick. I’ve gone thru every nook and cranny of every room to ensure that everything is either serving a needed function and/or sparking joy. I’m in my happy place now.

 

[whateve]

Thanks. I had high hopes, too. It seemed such a good solution. It may work for a regular stinky bag, just not this stubborn one. I think there's something wrong with how the tannery processed the leather used in this line of bags.

Yes, it's bubble lamb leather and can hold up to washing. The first thing I did when I got it was dunk the bag and wash with dish soap. After drying/reshaping, it still stank, so I gave it another dunk in vinegar. Somehow it still stank. Then I moved onto to charcoal and baking soda, then hanging it out in the fresh air for weeks, and finally the aquarium charcoal.
Phew! I'm tired.



We hear it all the time but it hits differently now that I've experienced it.
Great goals for decluttering, btw. Hopefully they'll sell fast now that people are officially on 'holiday' mode.


Wonderful suit!
I'm sorry for your loss and hope everyone's holding up okay.

Can you get Febreze where you are? They make a free nature version that is very good at eliminating odors. I'm not sure how you would apply it without staining though. People have said good things about vanilla vodka. I've tried wiping down with regular alcohol with mixed results.

 

[Sparkletastic]

Can you get Febreze where you are? They make a free nature version that is very good at eliminating odors. I'm not sure how you would apply it without staining though. People have said good things about vanilla vodka. I've tried wiping down with regular alcohol with mixed results.

Great suggestions. Costume mistresses / masters often spray vodka on costumes that can’t be easily washed to remove odors. So that may be a good option. Cheap vodka works just fine so no need to get anything drinkable.

————

Well I ventured into the garage and the shelving unit contents looked like a black hole of wasted time. So, I’m going to box all of it up tomorrow and send it away. I don’t want to spend 5 minutes listing / selling / thinking about any of it.

 

[papertiger]

Thank you everyone for your wishes, I'm feeling strong enough to go to work again tomorrow.

I waited a week but I ended up throwing out the Aviero Martini Geo-print Boston, plus another 2 beyond repair.

I concentrated on saving this Judith Leiber evening bag that someone gave to me after trying to clean it in the washing machine. The delicate silk shattered and some parts were threadbare. Let's call it Kintsugi inspired

 

[More bags]

Thank you everyone for your wishes, I'm feeling strong enough to go to work again tomorrow.

I waited a week but I ended up throwing out the Aviero Martini Geo-print Boston, plus another 2 beyond repair.

I concentrated on saving this Judith Leiber evening bag that someone gave to me after trying to clean it in the washing machine. The delicate silk shattered and some parts were threadbare. Let's call it Kintsugi inspired

View attachment 6091721
View attachment 6091722

Glad to hear you’re feeling better. This evening bag is still pretty.

 

[cecchetti]

Thank you everyone for your wishes, I'm feeling strong enough to go to work again tomorrow.

I waited a week but I ended up throwing out the Aviero Martini Geo-print Boston, plus another 2 beyond repair.

I concentrated on saving this Judith Leiber evening bag that someone gave to me after trying to clean it in the washing machine. The delicate silk shattered and some parts were threadbare. Let's call it Kintsugi inspired

View attachment 6091721
View attachment 6091722

So glad you’re feeling a bit better❤️❤️.

The bag is a jewel!

 

[Bag peace]

Can you get Febreze where you are? They make a free nature version that is very good at eliminating odors. I'm not sure how you would apply it without staining though. People have said good things about vanilla vodka. I've tried wiping down with regular alcohol with mixed results.

Okay, I've tried wiping it with some alcohol but it didn't seem to do much. It's airing out again now, so we'll see how that works.
I'm not sure I'll risk Febreeze as I'm certain this bag has taken all it can. I'm going to use leather 'n' rich on it to restore some of what's been stripped from all these attempts, and then just let it go if I can find someone who isn't as bothered by the scent as I am.

I'm also factoring in that I'm likely moving and this thing will stink up everything if I put it in my storage unit, so I'd have to carry it on my person and try to ignore the stench- I'm just not up to it.

Thank you so much for the suggestions, though! Really appreciate the help.

So, I’m going to box all of it up tomorrow and send it away. I don’t want to spend 5 minutes listing / selling / thinking about any of it.

I'm all for this. There are times in life when it's better to take the easiest option, and this seems like one of those times! Enjoy your freedom from clutter!

Thank you everyone for your wishes, I'm feeling strong enough to go to work again tomorrow.

So happy to hear you're better!

Let's call it Kintsugi inspired

The Leiber looks wonderful, even with the slight damage to the silk.
And I love this perspective! I have a light coloured lambskin bag that is peeling and I'm going to make minor repairs, knowing that it'll show where it's been patched up. I'm going to view it as Kintsugi inspired, as well. It's a whole new form of beauty and a reassuring reminder that I've loved and used the bag, as was intended.

 

[papertiger]

Okay, I've tried wiping it with some alcohol but it didn't seem to do much. It's airing out again now, so we'll see how that works.
I'm not sure I'll risk Febreeze as I'm certain this bag has taken all it can. I'm going to use leather 'n' rich on it to restore some of what's been stripped from all these attempts, and then just let it go if I can find someone who isn't as bothered by the scent as I am.

I'm also factoring in that I'm likely moving and this thing will stink up everything if I put it in my storage unit, so I'd have to carry it on my person and try to ignore the stench- I'm just not up to it.

Thank you so much for the suggestions, though! Really appreciate the help.


I'm all for this. There are times in life when it's better to take the easiest option, and this seems like one of those times! Enjoy your freedom from clutter!


So happy to hear you're better!


The Leiber looks wonderful, even with the slight damage to the silk.
And I love this perspective! I have a light coloured lambskin bag that is peeling and I'm going to make minor repairs, knowing that it'll show where it's been patched up. I'm going to view it as Kintsugi inspired, as well. It's a whole new form of beauty and a reassuring reminder that I've loved and used the bag, as was intended.

I look forwarded to seeing your love-worn, kintsugi-inspired sheepskin

 

[Love Of My Life]

Thank you everyone for your wishes, I'm feeling strong enough to go to work again tomorrow.

I waited a week but I ended up throwing out the Aviero Martini Geo-print Boston, plus another 2 beyond repair.

I concentrated on saving this Judith Leiber evening bag that someone gave to me after trying to clean it in the washing machine. The delicate silk shattered and some parts were threadbare. Let's call it Kintsugi inspired

View attachment 6091721
View attachment 6091722

I remember that patchwork JL bag from yesteryear as well as the love story she & her husband Gus shared
as they were married 72 years & died within hours of each other.

 

[papertiger]

I remember that patchwork JL bag from yesteryear as well as the love story she & her husband Gus shared
as they were married 72 years & died within hours of each other.

I didn't know that about the couple. That's heartbreaking as much as it is heartwarming ♥️

My Judith Leiber bags (and purses) have both come to me through interesting stories.

I remember the first crystal JL bags I saw in a display cabinet in HN (Harvey Nichols, London). It was the dept store for the real fashionistas. I could not believe how much those little clutches were. Funny thing is I prefer the JD that are not crystal now.

 

[cecchetti]

I didn't know that about the couple. That's heartbreaking as much as it is heartwarming ♥️

My Judith Leiber bags (and purses) have both come to me through interesting stories.

I remember the first crystal JL bags I saw in a display cabinet in HN (Harvey Nichols, London). It was the dept store for the real fashionistas. I could not believe how much those little clutches were. Funny thing is I prefer the JD that are not crystal now.

I remember those crystal bags too!

 

[Sparkletastic]

We’re almost at month’s end. How is everyone doing on challenges? Do we want to do challenges in December?

 

[Vintage Leather]

Maybe, instead of styling challenges, a year in review challenges?

Most useful purse?
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 we want to take into the next?

 

[880]

Funny thing is I prefer the JD that are not crystal now.

Agree. JL used to do non crystal purses for other designers. I used to have a fabulous silk one in cream, ebene, orange, that was the same pattern as a Carolina Herrera pleated skirt with an orange cashmere top that had cuffs and collar in the same silk pattern. I think my mom has all of that now. . .

Maybe, instead of styling challenges, a year in review challenges?

Sounds like a great idea. hope everyone is doing well.

@Bag peace , did you try spritzing the bag with vodka? Hugs