2025 Resolution: Shopping my own Bag and SLG Collection

[papertiger]

Do wet want some new challenges in August?

How about wearing one non-black neutral per week (whatever is a neutral for you)

 

[papertiger]

Off for a walk soon with my brown vintage Loewe chain-strap bag. That'll be 5 bags in 5 day, yay.

Spoiler: Cat Update

Just to update, Dini is well on the way to healing. He's walking almost normally and eating well. He's not running towards food though, or greeting me at the door when I come home so he's still on the mend rather than mended. He's not talking very much at all either. Usually, he tells me when he's hungry or is ready to be groomed. Now, he just sits looking at me and patiently waits. I know that cats and kittens keep quiet when they feel vulnerable, often they hide. He's not hiding though, just quiet. I will keep a careful eye.

 

[papertiger]

We have had so much foul weather and when it is good weather, I have been working on the houses[ plastering and such]. Which means I have not been able to wear my pretty bags very much. I can't wait to have a reason to dress nicer and wear a nicer bag. In the meantime I am glad I bought a lot of useful all weather bags.

Yup, when tempted to donate my love-worn vintage bags or waterproof ones I have to remember where I live.

 

[dcooney4]

Off for a walk soon with my brown vintage Loewe chain-strap bag. That'll be 5 bags in 5 day, yay.

Spoiler: Cat Update

Just to update, Dini is well on the way to healing. He's walking almost normally and eating well. He's not running towards food though, or greeting me at the door when I come home so he's still on the mend rather than mended. He's not talking very much at all either. Usually, he tells me when he's hungry or is ready to be groomed. Now, he just sits looking at me and patiently waits. I know that cats and kittens keep quiet when they feel vulnerable, often they hide. He's not hiding though, just quiet. I will keep a careful eye.

I hope he is fully recovered soon.

 

[880]

If it helps, I can’t roll my Rs in French, Spanish, Italian, or German. And they’re all different rolled Rs. (I hear Turkish and Russian rolled Rs on the street - no dice either.)

Absolutely French is so hard to hear the difference between vowels and all the silent letters. Much easier to read. I gather the grammar is also complicated at a certain level, but I’m not advanced enough to tell yet.

DH and I have a French tutor, and she gave me some advice that helps pronounce words (look at how your instructors mouth is shaped when she says something and try to imitate the shape). The sound that comes out might be closer. In the US, we tend not to move our mouths as much when we speak, which might help us to avoid wrinkles, but doesn’t help pronunciation. (I cannot roll my Rs either). My grammar is a slow work in progress lol. A jumble of imparfait; passe compose and so forth.

Like @dcooney4 , when I was younger, I just memorized some phrases. I think I probably spoke more then than now lol

@papertiger , I’m glad Dini is recovering. I’m sure he will start vocalizing again very soon

I think this week/month is red… i only have what I thought was Bordeaux, but another member told me was most likely prunier. It’s a 32 Box sellier Kelly, and I’m showing it here with shorts bc some members cannot imagine it worn casually (I’m 5’2”, medium build, about size 36-38 FR; 4-6 US)

But, I do have some leather rtw in the red family (a prize find from TRR: a red leather Hermes trench from Nadeges first runway 2018 collection in pristine condition— and, as per my dry cleaner, unworn ). The trench is still made in a simpler format (the quilted flap cannot be removed in the newer models) for 4 times the price of resale.

 

[Sparkletastic]

Do you speak any other languages already? In the past when I was going to a country where I don't know the language, I made a list of things of questions to learn in that language. Like where is the bathroom? Ordering food ? Which way is ? That kind of stuff and built from there. I practiced speaking it. It helped a lot and made it more fun.

My native language is English and I speak enough French to navigate travel so I know those types of phrases plus a little bit more. (I can read much more than I can understand or spontaneously speak.) I want to be conversationally fluent in French by the end of 2026 and then in 2027, I want to begin learning a third TBD language.

Off for a walk soon with my brown vintage Loewe chain-strap bag. That'll be 5 bags in 5 day, yay.

Spoiler: Cat Update

Just to update, Dini is well on the way to healing. He's walking almost normally and eating well. He's not running towards food though, or greeting me at the door when I come home so he's still on the mend rather than mended. He's not talking very much at all either. Usually, he tells me when he's hungry or is ready to be groomed. Now, he just sits looking at me and patiently waits. I know that cats and kittens keep quiet when they feel vulnerable, often they hide. He's not hiding though, just quiet. I will keep a careful eye.

I’m very glad Dini is doing better!

DH and I have a French tutor, and she gave me some advice that helps pronounce words (look at how your instructors mouth is shaped when she says something and try to imitate the shape). The sound that comes out might be closer. In the US, we tend not to move our mouths as much when we speak, which might help us to avoid wrinkles, but doesn’t help pronunciation. (I cannot roll my Rs either). My grammar is a slow work in progress lol. A jumble of imparfait; passe compose and so forth.

Like @dcooney4 , when I was younger, I just memorized some phrases. I think I probably spoke more then than now lol

@papertiger , I’m glad Dini is recovering. I’m sure he will start vocalizing again very soon

I think this week/month is red… i only have what I thought was Bordeaux, but another member told me was most likely prunier. It’s a 32 Box sellier Kelly, and I’m showing it here with shorts bc some members cannot imagine it worn casually (I’m 5’2”, medium build, about size 36-38 FR; 4-6 US)

But, I do have some leather rtw in the red family (a prize find from TRR: a red leather Hermes trench from Nadeges first runway 2018 collection in pristine condition— and, as per my dry cleaner, unworn ). The trench is still made in a simpler format (the quilted flap cannot be removed in the newer models) for 4 times the price of resale.
View attachment 6127225
View attachment 6127231View attachment 6127234

I adore that red coat. Great find!

Re: French, I’m glad I hired the tutor. The apps are so so. In particular, the AI powered conversation feature on Babbel rarely works. My Duolingo is frozen on a lesson (I can only go over and over it, I cannot progress) and they haven’t been successful in helping me.

The one non tutor resource I do like is a set of audiobooks called “Learn French with Paul Noble”. It helps with memorizing meaningful phrases and with my ear for hearing pronunciation.

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I’m reminding myself that this is a journey. I’ll check in 6 months from now on my progress.

 

[FizzyWater]

My native language is English and I speak enough French to navigate travel so I know those types of phrases plus a little bit more. (I can read much more than I can understand or spontaneously speak.) I want to be conversationally fluent in French by the end of 2026 and then in 2027, I want to begin learning a third TBD language.

I’m very glad Dini is doing better!

I adore that red coat. Great find!

Re: French, I’m glad I hired the tutor. The apps are so so. In particular, the AI powered conversation feature on Babbel rarely works. My Duolingo is frozen on a lesson (I can only go over and over it, I cannot progress) and they haven’t been successful in helping me.

The one non tutor resource I do like is a set of audiobooks called “Learn French with Paul Noble”. It helps with memorizing meaningful phrases and with my ear for hearing pronunciation.

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I’m reminding myself that this is a journey. I’ll check in 6 months from now on my progress.

Oh no! I’m sorry to hear about the Duolingo issue. Thank you for the tip about the Paul Noble audiobooks.

 

[Sparkletastic]

I love my YSL monotone cabas but it is such a continuing problem.

I’ve mentioned I was frustrated because it’s soft so when I wear it, it sags a bit.

Then I tried a purse organizer that I bought for another bag in it and it fits (I think??) but it shows these lines and dents through the leather. I don’t think it looks great and I worry it will permanently stretch and dent the bag.

This is the first purse organizer I’ve owned. I’d love advice.

Bag empty
Bag with items inside
Bag with purse organizer

 

[papertiger]

DH and I have a French tutor, and she gave me some advice that helps pronounce words (look at how your instructors mouth is shaped when she says something and try to imitate the shape). The sound that comes out might be closer. In the US, we tend not to move our mouths as much when we speak, which might help us to avoid wrinkles, but doesn’t help pronunciation. (I cannot roll my Rs either). My grammar is a slow work in progress lol. A jumble of imparfait; passe compose and so forth.

Like @dcooney4 , when I was younger, I just memorized some phrases. I think I probably spoke more then than now lol

@papertiger , I’m glad Dini is recovering. I’m sure he will start vocalizing again very soon

I think this week/month is red… i only have what I thought was Bordeaux, but another member told me was most likely prunier. It’s a 32 Box sellier Kelly, and I’m showing it here with shorts bc some members cannot imagine it worn casually (I’m 5’2”, medium build, about size 36-38 FR; 4-6 US)

But, I do have some leather rtw in the red family (a prize find from TRR: a red leather Hermes trench from Nadeges first runway 2018 collection in pristine condition— and, as per my dry cleaner, unworn ). The trench is still made in a simpler format (the quilted flap cannot be removed in the newer models) for 4 times the price of resale.
View attachment 6127225
View attachment 6127231View attachment 6127234

Could be Prune, but it's gorgeous whatever.

That H coat is red-hot!!!! I loved Nadeges' early years were great and most fashion-forward. Most of my shoes were from them.

 

[papertiger]

Dini says thanks everyone . Every morsel of dinner has been eaten and he's curled himself next to the heater.



Another sack of textiles has gone out tonight including an unused beach bag gift from a friend that doesn't look strong enough for its size. I feel a bit bad I never used it. I would give it directly to the local charity shop but I worry the same person will see it Don't tell on me please.

 

[papertiger]

I love my YSL monotone cabas but it is such a continuing problem.

I’ve mentioned I was frustrated because it’s soft so when I wear it, it sags a bit.

Then I tried a purse organizer that I bought for another bag in it and it fits (I think??) but it shows these lines and dents through the leather. I don’t think it looks great and I worry it will permanently stretch and dent the bag.

This is the first purse organizer I’ve owned. I’d love advice.

Bag emptyView attachment 6127441
Bag with items insideView attachment 6127442
Bag with purse organizerView attachment 6127443View attachment 6127445View attachment 6127444

I have the same issue with my Gucci Babushka Boston. It's only visible because of the sheen/quality of the leather gives the organiser away, and only just a tad. Honestly, you'd never now it wasn't just something inside, and no one expects someone to carry around an empty bag. Such a beautiful bag.

 

[dcooney4]

DH and I have a French tutor, and she gave me some advice that helps pronounce words (look at how your instructors mouth is shaped when she says something and try to imitate the shape). The sound that comes out might be closer. In the US, we tend not to move our mouths as much when we speak, which might help us to avoid wrinkles, but doesn’t help pronunciation. (I cannot roll my Rs either). My grammar is a slow work in progress lol. A jumble of imparfait; passe compose and so forth.

Like @dcooney4 , when I was younger, I just memorized some phrases. I think I probably spoke more then than now lol

@papertiger , I’m glad Dini is recovering. I’m sure he will start vocalizing again very soon

I think this week/month is red… i only have what I thought was Bordeaux, but another member told me was most likely prunier. It’s a 32 Box sellier Kelly, and I’m showing it here with shorts bc some members cannot imagine it worn casually (I’m 5’2”, medium build, about size 36-38 FR; 4-6 US)

But, I do have some leather rtw in the red family (a prize find from TRR: a red leather Hermes trench from Nadeges first runway 2018 collection in pristine condition— and, as per my dry cleaner, unworn ). The trench is still made in a simpler format (the quilted flap cannot be removed in the newer models) for 4 times the price of resale.
View attachment 6127225
View attachment 6127231View attachment 6127234

The coat is a fantastic find. Live the bag too!

 

[880]

Thank you so much @Sparkletastic , @papertiger , and @dcooney4

@Sparkletastic , perhaps a slightly smaller organizer won’t push against the sides of the bag?

 

[cecchetti]

@papertiger SO happy that Dini is on the mend ❤️❤️❤️❤️

@880 great colour trench and lovely bag!

Today (6th Feb) New York Fashion Week for Fall Winter 25/26 begins.

I’ll be watching, although tbh I haven’t heard of many of the current designers(30 years ago a whole generation of up and coming designers eg Angel Estrada, was wiped out by AIDS).

I need a distraction, as like @papertiger Ive also been living from day to day this week.

I was fine until last Sunday, when I hadn’t slept, and my Dad insisted that I visited my parents to “look after my Mother”.
Since then I’ve felt run down and under the weather, and I’ve already told him that I cannot visit this coming weekend, although I’ll go the following one.

Today I also have my singing group, which I lead, which also makes me feel better, and tomorrow I’m seeing my girlfriend again.

I follow this thread to keep my spirits up, and have a large circle of “live” friends to support me, but last Sunday I should have stayed at home really, I would have felt fine this week…

 

[papertiger]

@papertiger SO happy that Dini is on the mend ❤️❤️❤️❤️

@880 great colour trench and lovely bag!

Today (6th Feb) New York Fashion Week for Fall Winter 25/26 begins.

I’ll be watching, although tbh I haven’t heard of many of the current designers(30 years ago a whole generation of up and coming designers eg Angel Estrada, was wiped out by AIDS).

I need a distraction, as like @papertiger Ive also been living from day to day this week.

I was fine until last Sunday, when I hadn’t slept, and my Dad insisted that I visited my parents to “look after my Mother”.
Since then I’ve felt run down and under the weather, and I’ve already told him that I cannot visit this coming weekend, although I’ll go the following one.

Today I also have my singing group, which I lead, which also makes me feel better, and tomorrow I’m seeing my girlfriend again.

I follow this thread to keep my spirits up, and have a large circle of “live” friends to support me, but last Sunday I should have stayed at home really, I would have felt fine this week…

Thank you!

Yay for fashion weeks. The little girl in me gets so excited.

Sometimes we have to say 'no'. Have a wonderful singing day!

 

[cecchetti]

Dini says thanks everyone . Every morsel of dinner has been eaten and he's curled himself next to the heater.



Another sack of textiles has gone out tonight including an unused beach bag gift from a friend that doesn't look strong enough for its size. I feel a bit bad I never used it. I would give it directly to the local charity shop but I worry the same person will see it Don't tell on me please.

Dearest @papertiger , I cannot imagine how much you have in your closet, to be able to donate so much, so often!
I wouldn’t have a stitch to wear!!