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.

 

[Sparkletastic]

Here are my two cream colored handbags: Coach Pillow Madison in chalk and Polene Tonca in ecru. Love both of them but should use them more often .

View attachment 5976396

I REALLY like that Polene! Do you find it to be practical. I read a review that said it doesn’t hold much.

Didn't you use to put things you were considering getting rid of in different rooms closet. Could it be in there?

You have a great memory! Yes, I did that before and it was a really helpful system. But, I’ve moved since then and have had to put a different system in place since we’re living in two houses in different states.

I did call back to have my son check the other house and he didn’t see it.

Thank you Sparkle! It’s great to see you here, and to enjoy pics of your gorgeous collection! Is it possible your daughter borrowed your Fendi WOC?


Thank you Sibelle! It’s been nearly two years since I bought my last bag, and I’m delighted to have picked up something colourful and fun, chosen by my sons and husband.


Thank you so much dc!

It’s actually my Fendi large By The Way that’s missing, not a WOC.

In any case you are absolutely right on my DD being the prime suspect in any bagnappings. But, I bought her the smaller Fendi BTW at the same time I bought the larger one for me (which was the last time she & I did a girls’ trip to Europe) so she doesn’t need to pilfer mine. But, I did call her just in case. Currently she’s bag squatting my red Chanel Jumbo, yellow Miss Dior and blue Miss Dior. She’ll be back around in May to swap out her ill gotten gains. Whatcha gonna do? LOL!

Black beauties
2019 - which is amusing in light of the next photo
View attachment 5976558

2021/2024
View attachment 5976559

I obviously need to take a new photo, but it *is* the same minus the MZ Wallace…

Gorgeous additions!

 

[Sparkletastic]

I knew coming back to tPF meant I’d end up buying bags again.

But, I’m very ok with that because me life has changed so much that I need to adjust my collection trading 5-7 underperforming bags for new ones that better meet my needs.

With that I’m surprised to find I’m more interested in acquiring bags I passed on than new styles. So this should be an interesting ride! Aaaaand, I seem to have just bought two bags! One is purely @Jktgal ’s fault I loved seeing your stams and found a cutie on ebay for next to nothing. How could I resist?

The second is a vintage black lamb Chanel medium single flap w/ 24k gold plated HW. I love the external dimensions of the Chanel medium double classic flap but hate the space constraints from having that utterly non sensical double flap. I also promises myself I wouldn’t buy another Chanel with ghw unless I bought vintage to have real gold plating. So, I’m thrilled this bag meets both requirements and looks to be in outstanding condition. I know I’ll use this endlessly as I’ve needed a smallish bag in the black /ghw combo. This bag is what I should have bought instead of the jumbo but I told myself I’d prefer the larger bag and that the shw was more neutral Buying this will make it easier for me to let go of the black Jumbo I’m not using.

All that being said, my DD graciously offered to take the blk jumbo off my hands so I “don’t have to think about it any more”. Gosh… I’m so incredibly gratified that I’ve raised a child so sacrificially helpful. In the end, I may give it to her. At least it would stay in the family.

 

[Jktgal]

TPF is partly responsible for my currently 4 stams (which I could not afford back in their heydays), so the least I could do is pass on the stam love. Great to hear of your find, @Sparkletastic.

 

[Sibelle]

I REALLY like that Polene! Do you find it to be practical. I read a review that said it doesn’t hold much.

Thank you! Honestly it is not a very practical bag, especially the opening is awful. But I still think that it's a lovely looking spring/summer crossbody bag if you don't want to carry too much items with you. Because of the shape it does not hold much, just essentials like phone, small wallet, keys and some other small stuff.

 

[Bag peace]

Popping in late with stats/updates for March. It's been a wild ride.

Spoiler: Personal life update

I can't remember if I posted that my mum's back home but, she is.
She's not at all herself and is having to relearn how to do everything from holding a pen to walking, but she's alive and with me. I've never been so grateful for anything in my life! The issues we're dealing with now are just a result of her multiple surgeries and extended time in a coma. I've learned that, at her age, recovery looks very different to what I'm used to.

The unfortunate thing now is that we don't know what comes next. There's a chance she requires a few more surgeries this year. There's also every chance we have a repeat of this critical state she was in, and it can happen at any given moment without warning. Normal patients have a high risk of complications in cases like hers, but she's not a normal patient and is predisposed to the complications that come with her procedures, so there's no respite ahead.

It's an understatement to say that I'm deeply traumatized by it all. I keep having full blown panic attacks. It's exhausting.
Still, tomorrow is not guaranteed to any of us and I'm remembering that I beat the odds myself by still being alive today, so hopefully she will, too.
For now, I'm forced to be present in each moment, which is actually a wonderful skill to master (albeit in terrible circumstances)! I am grateful for each additional moment we have together and I'm making sure she feels loved and safe with me. That's all I can control. I absolutely refuse to lose hope that she will be fine and avoid all the potential pitfalls ahead. Why not hope for the best? I lose nothing but gain tons of strength from it.

The next step is to better manage my own treatment plan, which has, predictably, fallen by the wayside during this time. However selfish it feels, the truth is that if I'm not okay, I can't take care of her.

Bag update: Nothing in or out in March. That will be changing this month, I think.

I took 3 of my rather "mature" (not quite vintage) Marc Jacobs bags to a consignment store. You will all remember that I don't typically sell my things, but our medical expenses are insane and I figured, I'm not able to enjoy these in my current circumstances so it's time to let someone enjoy them and put some much-needed money in my pocket.
I sold a bag for the first time some months ago out of necessity, but that was an easier choice because I knew my life has changed so much that I will never get the opportunity to wear that python beauty out. As careful as I was with it, the scales would eventually dry out from sitting unused and I didn't want that to happen. It went to a good home and was immediately put to use, so it was a good decision and I had no regrets.
These bags, though...well, it's not as easy to consider releasing them. I'm still rather torn on how to move forward but am leaning towards keeping.
To be fair to the consignment store, they offered me a great deal on all the bags. I would have made around $50 profit on them, when I was expecting a massive loss. They were impressed by the condition they were in so they offered a decent amount.
I don't think I'll do it, though. The leather on my bags just isn't available in the market today. Perhaps H leathers are like this- I wouldn't know- but nothing in the price range I can afford offers leathers that are this lush. Present-day Marc Jacobs leathers are awful and it amazes me that he puts his name to something so inferior given his vintage bags were made from really thick, chewy leather. The money earned from these bags can't make up for losing really high quality items.
I may give these bags away, though. I am looking to downsize, after all. I'd rather gift them than sell them. It's more 'me' that way. Or I'll just keep them and eventually get the chance to use them more often. We'll see. I have another 15 days to get back to the consignment store with my decision, so I'm mulling it over.

The other thing I'm debating is adding in more vintage MbMJ bags! Just one or two of my favourite styles. Again- that leather! There are some in the market that are still in decent shape and very low prices, so if I want to add, this is the time to do it. They're only going to look worse in a couple of years as more people (mis)handle them. Still undecided on this, too. It may be the stress of my situation that's making me seek out some dopamine hits in the form of bag purchases. I'll sleep on this for a little longer before making my final call.

Happy to hear your thoughts on what I should do!

I really miss the forums and this thread, in particular. I keep intending to get caught up and chime in on the conversations but, I'm just not getting the time. I hope you're all keeping well. Sending lots of love and positive vibes your way.

 

[dcooney4]

Popping in late with stats/updates for March. It's been a wild ride.

Spoiler: Personal life update

I can't remember if I posted that my mum's back home but, she is.
She's not at all herself and is having to relearn how to do everything from holding a pen to walking, but she's alive and with me. I've never been so grateful for anything in my life! The issues we're dealing with now are just a result of her multiple surgeries and extended time in a coma. I've learned that, at her age, recovery looks very different to what I'm used to.

The unfortunate thing now is that we don't know what comes next. There's a chance she requires a few more surgeries this year. There's also every chance we have a repeat of this critical state she was in, and it can happen at any given moment without warning. Normal patients have a high risk of complications in cases like hers, but she's not a normal patient and is predisposed to the complications that come with her procedures, so there's no respite ahead.

It's an understatement to say that I'm deeply traumatized by it all. I keep having full blown panic attacks. It's exhausting.
Still, tomorrow is not guaranteed to any of us and I'm remembering that I beat the odds myself by still being alive today, so hopefully she will, too.
For now, I'm forced to be present in each moment, which is actually a wonderful skill to master (albeit in terrible circumstances)! I am grateful for each additional moment we have together and I'm making sure she feels loved and safe with me. That's all I can control. I absolutely refuse to lose hope that she will be fine and avoid all the potential pitfalls ahead. Why not hope for the best? I lose nothing but gain tons of strength from it.

The next step is to better manage my own treatment plan, which has, predictably, fallen by the wayside during this time. However selfish it feels, the truth is that if I'm not okay, I can't take care of her.

Bag update: Nothing in or out in March. That will be changing this month, I think.

I took 3 of my rather "mature" (not quite vintage) Marc Jacobs bags to a consignment store. You will all remember that I don't typically sell my things, but our medical expenses are insane and I figured, I'm not able to enjoy these in my current circumstances so it's time to let someone enjoy them and put some much-needed money in my pocket.
I sold a bag for the first time some months ago out of necessity, but that was an easier choice because I knew my life has changed so much that I will never get the opportunity to wear that python beauty out. As careful as I was with it, the scales would eventually dry out from sitting unused and I didn't want that to happen. It went to a good home and was immediately put to use, so it was a good decision and I had no regrets.
These bags, though...well, it's not as easy to consider releasing them. I'm still rather torn on how to move forward but am leaning towards keeping.
To be fair to the consignment store, they offered me a great deal on all the bags. I would have made around $50 profit on them, when I was expecting a massive loss. They were impressed by the condition they were in so they offered a decent amount.
I don't think I'll do it, though. The leather on my bags just isn't available in the market today. Perhaps H leathers are like this- I wouldn't know- but nothing in the price range I can afford offers leathers that are this lush. Present-day Marc Jacobs leathers are awful and it amazes me that he puts his name to something so inferior given his vintage bags were made from really thick, chewy leather. The money earned from these bags can't make up for losing really high quality items.
I may give these bags away, though. I am looking to downsize, after all. I'd rather gift them than sell them. It's more 'me' that way. Or I'll just keep them and eventually get the chance to use them more often. We'll see. I have another 15 days to get back to the consignment store with my decision, so I'm mulling it over.

The other thing I'm debating is adding in more vintage MbMJ bags! Just one or two of my favourite styles. Again- that leather! There are some in the market that are still in decent shape and very low prices, so if I want to add, this is the time to do it. They're only going to look worse in a couple of years as more people (mis)handle them. Still undecided on this, too. It may be the stress of my situation that's making me seek out some dopamine hits in the form of bag purchases. I'll sleep on this for a little longer before making my final call.

Happy to hear your thoughts on what I should do!

I really miss the forums and this thread, in particular. I keep intending to get caught up and chime in on the conversations but, I'm just not getting the time. I hope you're all keeping well. Sending lots of love and positive vibes your way.

I am glad to hear your Mom is home. I wish her a full recovery. As far as the bags go, if that particular style of MJ doesn't work for you take the money. Someone will buy them at a reasonable price and enjoy them and will be happy they found bags in great condition.

 

[FizzyWater]

I wandered into the local Oxfam thinking, “I don’t need anything; my life is complete.” I have known for decades now that that saying means doom. So I found a Liebeskind Berlin bag and discovered that I am a sucker for a sparkly pink interior? (This is deeply weird. But so pretty!)

I’ve been carrying it as my laptop bag for the last couple of weeks. It’s nice that it has top handles and a shoulder strap, and a ridiculous number of pockets. It’s also really heavy.



On its own it’s very floopy - I have a Tom Bihn laptop sleeve inside in the picture above. I think I like the floopy, though that may be from seeing too many Balenciaga pics. Love the mostly black hardware, am confused that the zippers don’t follow the pattern. The leather feels meh - I don’t know if that means it’s crap leather, I need to moisturize it, or I haven’t used a pebbled leather bag in forever.

ETA it’s also possible that it’s a fake, as I know nothing about Liebeskind except that it’s a nice local-ish midrange brand. I suspect Oxfam knows even less.

Anyway: Ambivalence! With pictures!

 

[Sparkletastic]

Popping in late with stats/updates for March. It's been a wild ride.

Spoiler: Personal life update

I can't remember if I posted that my mum's back home but, she is.
She's not at all herself and is having to relearn how to do everything from holding a pen to walking, but she's alive and with me. I've never been so grateful for anything in my life! The issues we're dealing with now are just a result of her multiple surgeries and extended time in a coma. I've learned that, at her age, recovery looks very different to what I'm used to.

The unfortunate thing now is that we don't know what comes next. There's a chance she requires a few more surgeries this year. There's also every chance we have a repeat of this critical state she was in, and it can happen at any given moment without warning. Normal patients have a high risk of complications in cases like hers, but she's not a normal patient and is predisposed to the complications that come with her procedures, so there's no respite ahead.

It's an understatement to say that I'm deeply traumatized by it all. I keep having full blown panic attacks. It's exhausting.
Still, tomorrow is not guaranteed to any of us and I'm remembering that I beat the odds myself by still being alive today, so hopefully she will, too.
For now, I'm forced to be present in each moment, which is actually a wonderful skill to master (albeit in terrible circumstances)! I am grateful for each additional moment we have together and I'm making sure she feels loved and safe with me. That's all I can control. I absolutely refuse to lose hope that she will be fine and avoid all the potential pitfalls ahead. Why not hope for the best? I lose nothing but gain tons of strength from it.

The next step is to better manage my own treatment plan, which has, predictably, fallen by the wayside during this time. However selfish it feels, the truth is that if I'm not okay, I can't take care of her.

Bag update: Nothing in or out in March. That will be changing this month, I think.

I took 3 of my rather "mature" (not quite vintage) Marc Jacobs bags to a consignment store. You will all remember that I don't typically sell my things, but our medical expenses are insane and I figured, I'm not able to enjoy these in my current circumstances so it's time to let someone enjoy them and put some much-needed money in my pocket.
I sold a bag for the first time some months ago out of necessity, but that was an easier choice because I knew my life has changed so much that I will never get the opportunity to wear that python beauty out. As careful as I was with it, the scales would eventually dry out from sitting unused and I didn't want that to happen. It went to a good home and was immediately put to use, so it was a good decision and I had no regrets.
These bags, though...well, it's not as easy to consider releasing them. I'm still rather torn on how to move forward but am leaning towards keeping.
To be fair to the consignment store, they offered me a great deal on all the bags. I would have made around $50 profit on them, when I was expecting a massive loss. They were impressed by the condition they were in so they offered a decent amount.
I don't think I'll do it, though. The leather on my bags just isn't available in the market today. Perhaps H leathers are like this- I wouldn't know- but nothing in the price range I can afford offers leathers that are this lush. Present-day Marc Jacobs leathers are awful and it amazes me that he puts his name to something so inferior given his vintage bags were made from really thick, chewy leather. The money earned from these bags can't make up for losing really high quality items.
I may give these bags away, though. I am looking to downsize, after all. I'd rather gift them than sell them. It's more 'me' that way. Or I'll just keep them and eventually get the chance to use them more often. We'll see. I have another 15 days to get back to the consignment store with my decision, so I'm mulling it over.

The other thing I'm debating is adding in more vintage MbMJ bags! Just one or two of my favourite styles. Again- that leather! There are some in the market that are still in decent shape and very low prices, so if I want to add, this is the time to do it. They're only going to look worse in a couple of years as more people (mis)handle them. Still undecided on this, too. It may be the stress of my situation that's making me seek out some dopamine hits in the form of bag purchases. I'll sleep on this for a little longer before making my final call.

Happy to hear your thoughts on what I should do!

I really miss the forums and this thread, in particular. I keep intending to get caught up and chime in on the conversations but, I'm just not getting the time. I hope you're all keeping well. Sending lots of love and positive vibes your way.

It’s good to see you here again but I wish it was under better circumstances. I feel for both you and your mother and I’m glad you at least have each other as you navigate these challenges.

My thought is that if your budget and circumstances allow for you to be able to enjoy the bags, then you should get them also, sometimes the hunting of the vintage bags can be part of the fun as well, so enjoy the path you take to get your new babies

 

[Sparkletastic]

As I mentioned, I’m giving each of my Bags on the Bubble 3 wears to see if I can find room for them in my heart and in my closet. Today is wear #1 of my black Caviar Chanel jumbo single flap.

On a scale of 1 to 10 for wearable happiness, I’d give this a six.

Pros:
• It has plenty of room to carry everything that I need
• It’s relatively lightweight, because it’s single flap vs. double flap
• I don’t worry about the bag getting damaged because the caviar is fairly sturdy

Cons
• This bag is big, blocky and boring. It having two C’s on the front doesn’t mean that it elevates my outfit.

Overall, it’s a good bag that I’m simply not excited about. There are probably 25 other black bags I could buy for the same price or less that would make me happier.

Have you had this dilemma where you don’t particularly want a bag but also don’t want to let it go. The only solution for this is to buy the replacement black bag(s) I’ll adore while I work to be sane enough to accept I don’t have to own this bag just because I feel like I “should”. (Side note: this is the first designer bag I ever wanted but, interestingly, one of the last I purchased. There’s probably some odd psychology in that.) I also remind myself that it really can just sit in my closet. It’s not bothering me, I’m not bothering it and DD can freely pilfer it as she chooses. Lol!

 

[Vintage Leather]

As I mentioned, I’m giving each of my Bags on the Bubble 3 wears to see if I can find room for them in my heart and in my closet. Today is wear #1 of my black Caviar Chanel jumbo single flap.

On a scale of 1 to 10 for wearable happiness, I’d give this a six.

Pros:
• It has plenty of room to carry everything that I need
• It’s relatively lightweight, because it’s single flap vs. double flap
• I don’t worry about the bag getting damaged because the caviar is fairly sturdy

Cons
• This bag is big, blocky and boring. It having two C’s on the front doesn’t mean that it elevates my outfit.

Overall, it’s a good bag that I’m simply not excited about. There are probably 25 other black bags I could buy for the same price or less that would make me happier.

Have you had this dilemma where you don’t particularly want a bag but also don’t want to let it go. The only solution for this is to buy the replacement black bag(s) I’ll adore while I work to be sane enough to accept I don’t have to own this bag just because I feel like I “should”. (Side note: this is the first designer bag I ever wanted but, interestingly, one of the last I purchased. There’s probably some odd psychology in that.) I also remind myself that it really can just sit in my closet. It’s not bothering me, I’m not bothering it and DD can freely pilfer it as she chooses. Lol!
View attachment 5977715

Honestly, it seems like it’s too much emotion tied up in the bag. In my experience, letting go a bag like that means that you keep thinking about it over time. I made the mistake of selling my Gucci BTH and then ten years trying to find the right bag to replace it.



I would put it towards the back of your closet, or lend it to your daughter for six months to a year, and see how you feel about it in when you see it again.

 

[Sparkletastic]

Honestly, it seems like it’s too much emotion tied up in the bag. In my experience, letting go a bag like that means that you keep thinking about it over time. I made the mistake of selling my Gucci BTH and then ten years trying to find the right bag to replace it.



I would put it towards the back of your closet, or lend it to your daughter for six months to a year, and see how you feel about it in when you see it again.

I completely agree with your assessment. I feel “shame” for even struggling with a decision like this. It’s “just a bag”, right? But there is something in my head blowing this decision out of proportion and I just need to accept that to let it go. I think I’ll let DD have it on long term loan. She may actually have been right with that solution so I don’t have to think about it.

 

[A bottle of Red]

Popping in late with stats/updates for March. It's been a wild ride.

Spoiler: Personal life update

I can't remember if I posted that my mum's back home but, she is.
She's not at all herself and is having to relearn how to do everything from holding a pen to walking, but she's alive and with me. I've never been so grateful for anything in my life! The issues we're dealing with now are just a result of her multiple surgeries and extended time in a coma. I've learned that, at her age, recovery looks very different to what I'm used to.

The unfortunate thing now is that we don't know what comes next. There's a chance she requires a few more surgeries this year. There's also every chance we have a repeat of this critical state she was in, and it can happen at any given moment without warning. Normal patients have a high risk of complications in cases like hers, but she's not a normal patient and is predisposed to the complications that come with her procedures, so there's no respite ahead.

It's an understatement to say that I'm deeply traumatized by it all. I keep having full blown panic attacks. It's exhausting.
Still, tomorrow is not guaranteed to any of us and I'm remembering that I beat the odds myself by still being alive today, so hopefully she will, too.
For now, I'm forced to be present in each moment, which is actually a wonderful skill to master (albeit in terrible circumstances)! I am grateful for each additional moment we have together and I'm making sure she feels loved and safe with me. That's all I can control. I absolutely refuse to lose hope that she will be fine and avoid all the potential pitfalls ahead. Why not hope for the best? I lose nothing but gain tons of strength from it.

The next step is to better manage my own treatment plan, which has, predictably, fallen by the wayside during this time. However selfish it feels, the truth is that if I'm not okay, I can't take care of her.

Bag update: Nothing in or out in March. That will be changing this month, I think.

I took 3 of my rather "mature" (not quite vintage) Marc Jacobs bags to a consignment store. You will all remember that I don't typically sell my things, but our medical expenses are insane and I figured, I'm not able to enjoy these in my current circumstances so it's time to let someone enjoy them and put some much-needed money in my pocket.
I sold a bag for the first time some months ago out of necessity, but that was an easier choice because I knew my life has changed so much that I will never get the opportunity to wear that python beauty out. As careful as I was with it, the scales would eventually dry out from sitting unused and I didn't want that to happen. It went to a good home and was immediately put to use, so it was a good decision and I had no regrets.
These bags, though...well, it's not as easy to consider releasing them. I'm still rather torn on how to move forward but am leaning towards keeping.
To be fair to the consignment store, they offered me a great deal on all the bags. I would have made around $50 profit on them, when I was expecting a massive loss. They were impressed by the condition they were in so they offered a decent amount.
I don't think I'll do it, though. The leather on my bags just isn't available in the market today. Perhaps H leathers are like this- I wouldn't know- but nothing in the price range I can afford offers leathers that are this lush. Present-day Marc Jacobs leathers are awful and it amazes me that he puts his name to something so inferior given his vintage bags were made from really thick, chewy leather. The money earned from these bags can't make up for losing really high quality items.
I may give these bags away, though. I am looking to downsize, after all. I'd rather gift them than sell them. It's more 'me' that way. Or I'll just keep them and eventually get the chance to use them more often. We'll see. I have another 15 days to get back to the consignment store with my decision, so I'm mulling it over.

The other thing I'm debating is adding in more vintage MbMJ bags! Just one or two of my favourite styles. Again- that leather! There are some in the market that are still in decent shape and very low prices, so if I want to add, this is the time to do it. They're only going to look worse in a couple of years as more people (mis)handle them. Still undecided on this, too. It may be the stress of my situation that's making me seek out some dopamine hits in the form of bag purchases. I'll sleep on this for a little longer before making my final call.

Happy to hear your thoughts on what I should do!

I really miss the forums and this thread, in particular. I keep intending to get caught up and chime in on the conversations but, I'm just not getting the time. I hope you're all keeping well. Sending lots of love and positive vibes your way.

Wow that's a lot to have on your plate, can you hire someone to help with your mother's care so you can take care of yourself as well?
I wish you both healing and happy times together.

I'm sorry I keep forgetting to check this thread, it never pops up for me unless I actively go into the handbags section.
but now that it's spring and a time of renewal and hope, I wish you all health and happiness in the coming months!

 

[Vintage Leather]

I completely agree with your assessment. I feel “shame” for even struggling with a decision like this. It’s “just a bag”, right? But there is something in my head blowing this decision out of proportion and I just need to accept that to let it go. I think I’ll let DD have it on long term loan. She may actually have been right with that solution so I don’t have to think about it.

It’s never just a bag.

A handbag is how we present ourselves to the world. It’s how we prepare for inconvenience or bad times. It’s a weapon, and a plunder sack, and a shield.

The world sorts us by the bags we carry, and we select different bags to signify our place in the world.

We are all part of three different stories that happen at the same time - who we are, who we want to be, and who others see us as.

Spoiler

For decades, I saw myself as the sort of person who could carry a slightly battered vintage Kelly. To me, Kelly people were travelers, minimalists, effortlessly elegant because they put the hard work in at the beginning and they presented a smooth, unruffled front to the world. My grandmother carried a Kelly in the 60s. And I was sure that if I had the bag, I’d be that person. I saw it as being a grownup.

And lord, I was thrilled when I got my Kelly. It was just the right amount of battered (patina vintage brown box retourne 28) and I stared at it in love and pranced around for days.

And then I carried it. And every time I’ve carried it, I’ve had someone comment that it’s a Very Expensive Bag. And every time I carry it, I feel like a child playing dress up.

I’ve debated selling it. The market is up that I could make a healthy profit. And I really don’t carry it that much. Maybe once a year. They are other styles that suit me better - less fussy, hold more, easier to carry.

I’ve struggled with letting a grail bag go, and in my experience, it is giving up a part of myself - I’ll be giving up how I wanted to be seen. And maybe I need to give that up. But I need to give up the mental construct before I give up the bag itself or I will try to rebuy it.

 

[lill_canele]

Popping in late with stats/updates for March. It's been a wild ride.

Spoiler: Personal life update

I can't remember if I posted that my mum's back home but, she is.
She's not at all herself and is having to relearn how to do everything from holding a pen to walking, but she's alive and with me. I've never been so grateful for anything in my life! The issues we're dealing with now are just a result of her multiple surgeries and extended time in a coma. I've learned that, at her age, recovery looks very different to what I'm used to.

The unfortunate thing now is that we don't know what comes next. There's a chance she requires a few more surgeries this year. There's also every chance we have a repeat of this critical state she was in, and it can happen at any given moment without warning. Normal patients have a high risk of complications in cases like hers, but she's not a normal patient and is predisposed to the complications that come with her procedures, so there's no respite ahead.

It's an understatement to say that I'm deeply traumatized by it all. I keep having full blown panic attacks. It's exhausting.
Still, tomorrow is not guaranteed to any of us and I'm remembering that I beat the odds myself by still being alive today, so hopefully she will, too.
For now, I'm forced to be present in each moment, which is actually a wonderful skill to master (albeit in terrible circumstances)! I am grateful for each additional moment we have together and I'm making sure she feels loved and safe with me. That's all I can control. I absolutely refuse to lose hope that she will be fine and avoid all the potential pitfalls ahead. Why not hope for the best? I lose nothing but gain tons of strength from it.

The next step is to better manage my own treatment plan, which has, predictably, fallen by the wayside during this time. However selfish it feels, the truth is that if I'm not okay, I can't take care of her.

Bag update: Nothing in or out in March. That will be changing this month, I think.

I took 3 of my rather "mature" (not quite vintage) Marc Jacobs bags to a consignment store. You will all remember that I don't typically sell my things, but our medical expenses are insane and I figured, I'm not able to enjoy these in my current circumstances so it's time to let someone enjoy them and put some much-needed money in my pocket.
I sold a bag for the first time some months ago out of necessity, but that was an easier choice because I knew my life has changed so much that I will never get the opportunity to wear that python beauty out. As careful as I was with it, the scales would eventually dry out from sitting unused and I didn't want that to happen. It went to a good home and was immediately put to use, so it was a good decision and I had no regrets.
These bags, though...well, it's not as easy to consider releasing them. I'm still rather torn on how to move forward but am leaning towards keeping.
To be fair to the consignment store, they offered me a great deal on all the bags. I would have made around $50 profit on them, when I was expecting a massive loss. They were impressed by the condition they were in so they offered a decent amount.
I don't think I'll do it, though. The leather on my bags just isn't available in the market today. Perhaps H leathers are like this- I wouldn't know- but nothing in the price range I can afford offers leathers that are this lush. Present-day Marc Jacobs leathers are awful and it amazes me that he puts his name to something so inferior given his vintage bags were made from really thick, chewy leather. The money earned from these bags can't make up for losing really high quality items.
I may give these bags away, though. I am looking to downsize, after all. I'd rather gift them than sell them. It's more 'me' that way. Or I'll just keep them and eventually get the chance to use them more often. We'll see. I have another 15 days to get back to the consignment store with my decision, so I'm mulling it over.

The other thing I'm debating is adding in more vintage MbMJ bags! Just one or two of my favourite styles. Again- that leather! There are some in the market that are still in decent shape and very low prices, so if I want to add, this is the time to do it. They're only going to look worse in a couple of years as more people (mis)handle them. Still undecided on this, too. It may be the stress of my situation that's making me seek out some dopamine hits in the form of bag purchases. I'll sleep on this for a little longer before making my final call.

Happy to hear your thoughts on what I should do!

I really miss the forums and this thread, in particular. I keep intending to get caught up and chime in on the conversations but, I'm just not getting the time. I hope you're all keeping well. Sending lots of love and positive vibes your way.

I'm glad your mother is back home but I'm sorry you're going through so much. For patients under long term care, like you said, stay positive, do what you can that is within your limits and take it one day at a time.
I remember taking care of comatose ICU patients when I was an intern and as the days turns into weeks, sometimes it was like a wild roller coaster, albeit a quiet one (the ICU is probably the most quiet department in a hospital), all with the highs and lows.
Don't forget to take care of yourself too! It's exactly as you said, if you're not well you can't take care of her. (Same mantra in healthcare, if you're not taking care of yourself, how can you take care of your patients?)

I'm sorry I keep forgetting to check this thread, it never pops up for me unless I actively go into the handbags section.
but now that it's spring and a time of renewal and hope, I wish you all health and happiness in the coming months!

Same here! I don't ever recall getting a notification. I always have to go check the thread. I thought I was the only one who had this lol.

It’s never just a bag.

A handbag is how we present ourselves to the world. It’s how we prepare for inconvenience or bad times. It’s a weapon, and a plunder sack, and a shield.

The world sorts us by the bags we carry, and we select different bags to signify our place in the world.

We are all part of three different stories that happen at the same time - who we are, who we want to be, and who others see us as.

Spoiler

For decades, I saw myself as the sort of person who could carry a slightly battered vintage Kelly. To me, Kelly people were travelers, minimalists, effortlessly elegant because they put the hard work in at the beginning and they presented a smooth, unruffled front to the world. My grandmother carried a Kelly in the 60s. And I was sure that if I had the bag, I’d be that person. I saw it as being a grownup.

And lord, I was thrilled when I got my Kelly. It was just the right amount of battered (patina vintage brown box retourne 28) and I stared at it in love and pranced around for days.

And then I carried it. And every time I’ve carried it, I’ve had someone comment that it’s a Very Expensive Bag. And every time I carry it, I feel like a child playing dress up.

I’ve debated selling it. The market is up that I could make a healthy profit. And I really don’t carry it that much. Maybe once a year. They are other styles that suit me better - less fussy, hold more, easier to carry.

I’ve struggled with letting a grail bag go, and in my experience, it is giving up a part of myself - I’ll be giving up how I wanted to be seen. And maybe I need to give that up. But I need to give up the mental construct before I give up the bag itself or I will try to rebuy it.

I think about selling my Chanel CF from time to time. I've mentioned it a couple of times on the forum but it was a holy grail for me. But when I finally got it, I didn't have the pounding excitement and the thrill that I thought I would get when I bought a holy grail bag. I was happy to have it but it was a bit anticlimactic.
It's my least used bag. I still like it. It's beautiful, classic and timeless. It suits my aesthetic and goes with my wardrobe. It is something I always wanted and envisioned having for years, but honestly, if I had to sell it or if it was stolen or lost, I don't think I would be as upset as other bags in my collection.
A personal pet peeve, is that I hate it when something sits on a shelf and doesn't get used. The longer it sits there, the more annoyed I get; until I can't stand it anymore and will end up getting rid of it. I wonder if it's getting to the point of sitting there too long. I wear it about once a month....hmmm...is that enough or not enough? Can't really tell.

 

[Sparkletastic]

A personal pet peeve, is that I hate it when something sits on a shelf and doesn't get used. The longer it sits there, the more annoyed I get; until I can't stand it anymore and will end up getting rid of it. I wonder if it's getting to the point of sitting there too long. I wear it about once a month....hmmm...is that enough or not enough? Can't really tell.

I feel this to my soul. I cannot stand owning anything I don’t regularly use. And I don’t need to spend a dollar on a psychiatrist to understand why. My mother isn’t a hoarder but definitely keeps way too many things. This is truly frustrating because she’s also a horrible housekeeper and continually buys aspirational items - clothes that are too small for weight that’s never lost, holiday themed items for parties never thrown…

So, my brain developed the opposite bias - own only what you need, use or love and keep everything aesthetically arranged and / or beautifully organized. And use everything often to bring joy.

That’s why beautiful interior design matters to me. It’s also why it’s irritating for me to keep “extra” bags. They feel like wasted opportunities to have something that’s actively making me happy. And it’s why I have a do it now / save nothing for a foggy future approach - take the vacation, entertain the new neighbors, take the leap into a new career field, use the “good” china for a grilled cheese sandwich, wear heels and a fur on Tuesday to Target.

Ironically, my BFF is similar to my mom in that she keeps almost everything. We see each other’s life approaches and are LOL!

In keeping with this, the moment that my black C jumbo gained an assigned happy purpose in my head yesterday (bag for DD to enjoy while I use it every blue moon) it stopped bothering me.