I can't believe it! I finally have two gorgeous LV pieces that I can call MY OWN!! I didn't think that I would reach this point so soon and now that I have, I just want more!! 
My fascination for LV started many years ago when my sister purchased an LV for herself. It was the star of many conversations with friends and family who were impressed that it was in fact a "real LV". I wasn't really a fan of it back then because I thought the monogrammed print looked funny. Then again I was only 13 and very naive.
Only two years later, I came to lust over the MC pochette. I knew that it was several hundred dollars for one and had no hope of buying one. After the Mean Girls movie, everybody in my high school had an "LV"... I think only one of the girls had a real one.
A few years down the road, I've had a few jobs and have saved up some cash. I've gotten used to spending a nice buck or two on a Coach bag at the outlet but still nothing compares to LV prices. After becoming active on the forum, I suddenly can justify the cash to buy myself a nice designer bag that I REALLY want. First was a mini Dior Gaucho, then a few Rebecca Minkoffs... and *drumroll please* finally my first LV's!!
As a student still, I can't afford to purchase from the boutique or elux so I resorted to eBay. My first LV purchase was a Mono Pochette off eBay which was a complete disaster! The seller claimed it was in great condition but it came and was worn and dirty beyond belief! Its a long story and I won't go into it but you can read about it here. The whole experience left a sour taste in my mouth and so I sold it since I couldn't stand it.
I got a GREAT deal on a lighly used mono pochette off cragislist! $100 and I picked it up 1 hour after I contacted the owner. My need for the pochette was filled and I love it to death. Its so useful especially at school when I am going out to eat with some friends, I don't need to bring a huge bag.
The other bag that really caught my eye was the Papillon. Now my concern for this was the patina on the straps. I discovered that the older papillons had a different strap that would not discolor with use and set out to find one. I got a great bargain on eBay and it came in today!!
Its a vintage Papillon 30 with the pochette and I absolutely LOVE the colors of the handles. It will always stay this color and so I don't have to worry about the patina! I am really impressed as it is over 20 years old but it has no signs of wear on the monogram! Very unlike the first pochette I received where alot of the monogram was worn off. My only concern though is that since it is vintage, it has become very very soft and doesn't hold its shape. I have never seen a new papillon so I do not know how stiff they are. Is there anything I can do to help the bag keep its shape while I use it? I know a purseket won't help because I read it won't fit in the bag. I was thinking of getting a stiff but pliable piece of plastic and rolling it up inside the bag so that it would push outwards to keep the round shape. Also I am curious, did LV lengthen the straps on the newer papillon? I barely fit the pap 30 under my shoulder and I noticed the straps seem shorter than in some of the pictures I have seen.
I've had it for only a few hours and I already want another one! I am going to wait until this summer after I earn some moolah first... I think my next purchase will be either the Damier Pap30, Damier Speedy 30 or the Mono Speedy 30. Until then, here are some pictures of my very first LVs!!!
My fascination for LV started many years ago when my sister purchased an LV for herself. It was the star of many conversations with friends and family who were impressed that it was in fact a "real LV". I wasn't really a fan of it back then because I thought the monogrammed print looked funny. Then again I was only 13 and very naive.
Only two years later, I came to lust over the MC pochette. I knew that it was several hundred dollars for one and had no hope of buying one. After the Mean Girls movie, everybody in my high school had an "LV"... I think only one of the girls had a real one.
A few years down the road, I've had a few jobs and have saved up some cash. I've gotten used to spending a nice buck or two on a Coach bag at the outlet but still nothing compares to LV prices. After becoming active on the forum, I suddenly can justify the cash to buy myself a nice designer bag that I REALLY want. First was a mini Dior Gaucho, then a few Rebecca Minkoffs... and *drumroll please* finally my first LV's!!
As a student still, I can't afford to purchase from the boutique or elux so I resorted to eBay. My first LV purchase was a Mono Pochette off eBay which was a complete disaster! The seller claimed it was in great condition but it came and was worn and dirty beyond belief! Its a long story and I won't go into it but you can read about it here. The whole experience left a sour taste in my mouth and so I sold it since I couldn't stand it.
I got a GREAT deal on a lighly used mono pochette off cragislist! $100 and I picked it up 1 hour after I contacted the owner. My need for the pochette was filled and I love it to death. Its so useful especially at school when I am going out to eat with some friends, I don't need to bring a huge bag.
The other bag that really caught my eye was the Papillon. Now my concern for this was the patina on the straps. I discovered that the older papillons had a different strap that would not discolor with use and set out to find one. I got a great bargain on eBay and it came in today!!
Its a vintage Papillon 30 with the pochette and I absolutely LOVE the colors of the handles. It will always stay this color and so I don't have to worry about the patina! I am really impressed as it is over 20 years old but it has no signs of wear on the monogram! Very unlike the first pochette I received where alot of the monogram was worn off. My only concern though is that since it is vintage, it has become very very soft and doesn't hold its shape. I have never seen a new papillon so I do not know how stiff they are. Is there anything I can do to help the bag keep its shape while I use it? I know a purseket won't help because I read it won't fit in the bag. I was thinking of getting a stiff but pliable piece of plastic and rolling it up inside the bag so that it would push outwards to keep the round shape. Also I am curious, did LV lengthen the straps on the newer papillon? I barely fit the pap 30 under my shoulder and I noticed the straps seem shorter than in some of the pictures I have seen.
I've had it for only a few hours and I already want another one! I am going to wait until this summer after I earn some moolah first... I think my next purchase will be either the Damier Pap30, Damier Speedy 30 or the Mono Speedy 30. Until then, here are some pictures of my very first LVs!!!
