The Collection of Sir Elton John: Goodbye Peachtree Road
If you are in NYC, head to Christie’s in Rockefeller Center to see all of the items heading to auction from Elton John’s Peachtree Road home in Atlanta.
You will find jewelry, costumes, furniture, tableware, luggage, a Bentley, and lots of artwork and photographs. And the Versace…a lot of Versace. So much Versace.
Of course, you may have questions on why this estate sale is happening. Elton John decided to move back to England after spending 30 years in Atlanta. He kept a home in Atlanta while he was touring, so he could have a place to rest in between American tour dates (instead of living out of hotel rooms). Now that his days of touring are over, he’s decided to return to England, where his sons attend school.
If you are looking to purchase some memorabilia of your own, Christie’s opened up a pop-up shop filled with Elton John Memorabilia for those who can’t afford something from the Christie’s collection. If you just want a t-shirt or tote bag to add to your own collection, they have it. There’s a little something for everybody. [Note: Free Elton John tote bag with $40 purchase.]
One of the coolest items in the pop-up shop includes a jacket filled with ticket stubs from Elton John concerts over the last 50 years. As the shop assistant commented, it is cool to see how much tickets cost over the years. This jacket comes with a $4,000 price tag.
Or if you want Elton’s iconic sequin jumpsuit to add to your wardrobe (or wear for Halloween), you can grab one in your size.
This cool jacket (above) is one of the many collector items available for sale in the pop up shop. Yes, the letter is part of the jacket.
Is it really an auction if he didn’t include one of his grand pianos?
One of the most surprising additions to this auction is the 1990 Bentley Continental Two Door Convertible. The estimate is $25,000-$35,000.
Many of Elton John’s famous stage costumes will be auctioned. In the exhibit, you will see items from every single era. All of these items are part of the auction.
Part of the exhibition includes a look around at many of the items from Elton John’s closet that he is auctioning off. From the stage costumes to his Versace, you’ll find a little something from every decade of his life.
Yes! The famous EJ shoes are going to be up on the auction block, along with the touring case and jacket.
As you go through Elton’s closet, you may be tempted to touch or pick up many of the items. DON’T! Let one of the assistants pull them from the shelf and show them to you. But absolutely, DO NOT TOUCH!
The numerous Versace items up for grabs are currently listed on Christie’s website. The auction began on February 9th and will end on February 27th.
This iconic outfit may have been designed by Bob Mackie.
You may or may not know this, but Elton John became a huge Atlanta Braves fan during the 30 years he lived in Atlanta. His jersey and jackets are going up on the auction block.
A lot of his trunks and suitcases will be available. Tour trunks, Louis Vuitton trunks, and suitcases are available. For those in the market for a Louis Vuitton vintage suitcase, you should try this sale. It has the added history of being formerly owned by Elton John.
One of the most amazing things in this auction is the number of art pieces and photographs he’s collected over the last 30 years. It is hard to fathom how he was able to display all of these pieces, including the glassware, in the two apartments he owned. All of these items were displayed on three floors in Christie’s auction house.
You can view the collection and visit the pop-up shop through February 21, 2024 at NYC’s Christie’s. It is free to the public to visit the collection. The catalog can be purchased at the front desk for $65.
The online auction runs through February 27. The live auction begins on February 21.
To buy or not to buy a dupe? That is the question. Counterfeit bags are the it bag right now. Here’s the low down.
Walking out of my midtown NYC office after work one evening last winter, I saw a blonde woman with a kid in a stroller. Upscale. Very apparent she had money. She was running around like a maniac from one handbag street merchant to the next.
“Fake Chanel. Do you have any fake Chanel?” she asked one man at the corner.
“No. I do not sell fakes,” he responded.
At this point, I wanted to tell her where I bought mine last year while I was doing research for this article. But then I opted not to, because I enjoyed watching this woman running around frantically looking for a fake Chanel bag outside of my office. It was a strange sight: an upscale woman who, by all intents and purposes, had the appearance that she could just walk into the Chanel store and buy the real deal.
It ends up, there are a lot of women just like her running around Manhattan sporting their very fake couture handbags, because believe it or not, carrying the fake is the latest trend.
I never thought I would say that a counterfeit bag is the new “It” bag. Really. That makes me shudder. After working on my own couture handbag collection over the last decade, imagine my shock after I started doing a deep dive into the counterfeit realm and discovered that most women I’ve seen around New York City carrying their Louis Vuitton Neverfulls and Goyard tote bags were actually carrying fakes? Like why was I wasting my money on the real deal all these years?
Why? Because I met with the lawyers for Louis Vuitton when I first came to New York. They told me about their investigations into finding fake LV bags. They scared me straight into never buying fakes. They taught me the importance of buying the real thing.
That was 2005. Almost 20 years later, owning the real bag is met with backlash by the younger generation. Consumers that purchase directly through the brand (or resale) are ridiculed and accused of acting like they are far superior to those who cannot afford the bag. Basically, it has become the equivalent of the peasant throwing cake at Marie Antoinette and telling her to eat the damn cake herself, with a lot of extra anti-bourgeois expletives.
The influencers that are heralded and making a pretty penny these days are the ones that push the dupe and fake narrative. An affiliate link to the dupe they found on the Walmart app or Amazon, nets them a pretty penny, because that’s what their followers want. They want that fake Louis Vuitton bag for $30. So that is exactly what the influencer is going to find for them.
THE INFLUENCER
On a lazy Sunday morning last summer, I was perusing a Chinese marketplace app. My friend, Ethel (God rest her soul), was a big fan of the site. She was a big crafter and loved ordering the free or $1 items to add to her collection. I thought I would peruse and maybe buy some washi tape or stickers.
While I was going through the app, I noticed over and over again fake listings for fake couture bags. I kept thinking these photos can’t be real. Or maybe they’re just poor fakes. I became curious after passing the twentieth listing, so I clicked on it. No, there was no way these dupes could be that good. So I purchased something like 20 bags ranging from Christian Dior to Louis Vuitton, Bottega Veneta, Chanel and Gucci thinking I could do a piece on fake couture bags [i.e., you’re reading that article right now].
When I received the shipments, I was in shock. The bags looked exactly like the real deal. One Chanel bag even came in a Chanel box with receipts from a Chanel boutique in Hong Kong. I was just flabbergasted at how real the bags looked. I took a picture of the fake next to my real Chanel Deauville tote and asked followers to tell me which bag was real and which was fake. Everyone, except the people that worked in the fashion industry, pointed to the fake as being the real bag and the real bag as being the fake! [The pink bag in the picture is the real.]
You actually need to inspect the stitching in the logo to determine which bag is real and which is fake…and that is only if you know what you are looking for!
Two weeks after I received my bags, I was scrolling through Instagram and one of the biggest influencers I follow was showing off her new bags. I stopped and looked closely. She had five or six new bags ranging from Chanel to Bottega Veneta. I took a really good look. They were the exact same bags I just received from the Chinese marketplace app. The exact same bags right down to the color and size.
Now, how ironic is it that she had all of the same bags I just received?
That is when I realized she was one of those Influencers: a mix of fake mixed in with real. I felt like I could say, “I see you now.” And yes, I was very disappointed. I haven’t looked at her in the same way since then.
HBO Max (now Max) came out with a series called “Fake Famous.” They enlisted a handful of people and tried to create an amazing life to share on Instagram in order to help elevate them to a status where they could get sponsorships, free merchandise, and help them become famous. The experiment was cut short due to the pandemic.
The end result was that faking it to make it worked for the actress. It helped her get a few jobs, as well as free merchandise and trips. For one individual, people that knew them called them out, and the experiment failed for them. Others did not like how it made them feel. They couldn’t be their own true authentic self. It took away from who they are and the person they wanted to be.
What amazed me the most about this experiment is that it revealed just how fake Instagram can be. Influencers portray this incredible life, when it is all staged. They pay $100 to use a set, have a photographer take photos on this set, and then they post it to their Instagram. No, they are not on a private jet. That’s just a set. They’re not living in some posh mansion, they rented the room for an hour to take photos in it.
Influencers can and do fake everything they are posting. Sure, there are a few real people out there, but then there are those who will fake it to make it. In this case, this Influencer mixes her fake life in order to get a real life, instead of just being real the entire time.
This can be confusing for newcomers breaking into the TikTok and Instagram fashion influencer worlds. At Vogue World last September, I met a young TikTok fashion influencer that was just starting out. He told me that he was thinking of leaving to go to the Vogue Club party where people would be watching the Vogue World fashion show on television. I stopped him right there. He’s right where the event is happening. Those influencers watching it on television WISH they were at the actual event. Why leave to watch it on TV when you could be living it?
After I said that, he realized how foolish it was to think that. But at the same time, he was revealing something about his generation. There’s a disconnect with understanding what is real and what is fake. Do you choose the fake life to make it real? Or do you live the real life and share your journey?
Why embrace the fake couture and the fake life when you could have the real thing?
HOW DID THIS GET PAST SECURITY?
I put in a very large order through the app and expected none of them to arrive. I had this belief that Customs would see it and confiscate every single item. In a way, this was my way of testing to see if Customs was doing their job.
After the first four bags arrived, it was very apparent which packages were the counterfeit bags. Every bag was wrapped in either a gray or black plastic trash bag like material with lots of tape around it. You could pick out the packages from a sea of boxes. Customs had to have noticed, right?
Oh, every single bag made it through Customs. EVERY. SINGLE. COUNTERFEIT. BAG. To this day, I am still shaking my head that Customs didn’t infiltrate any of these bags.
What does that say about US Customs?
In an article similar to this piece, the New York Times magazine reported that in 2022, only 300,000 bags were intercepted. Considering the demand for fake couture bags, that is only about 5% of what is coming into America.
TO DUPE OR NOT TO DUPE? THAT IS THE QUESTION
For some consumers, there is no question, they are going to buy the dupe. But for hard core ethical designer lovers, they would prefer to buy the real thing. They don’t want to waste their money on fakes and put out a fake image.
Take for instance the Hermes Birkin bag. This bag is at the top of the list for all couture handbag lovers. For the longest time, this bag was the only handbag to go up in value. Owning a Birkin isn’t just a status symbol, it is also a wise financial investment. Not everyone is offered an opportunity to purchase a Birkin from Hermes. A friend of mine was offered a Birkin. He purchased it for $20,000 and flipped it 6 months later for $75,000. Not too many people can get a return like that on their investment that quickly. Because of the bag’s scarcity on the market and the brand’s limitations in the ability to purchase a bag, any bag that enters the resale market can expect a heftier price tag than if you purchased it directly from the Hermes store. Those severe markups will still sell, because people are desperate to own an Hermes Birkin bag.
Joan Rivers was a Birkin collector. She was one of the first celebrities to admit that she owned both real and fake Birkins. Another woman made famous on Good Morning America for her luxury closet was burglarized. The burglar discovered that the majority of her closet was fake and leaked it to the news. She claimed that every woman has high end, low end, and vintage items in their closet. The low end included her fakes.
In 2022, The Cut released an article on rich women who love their fake Birkins. They can afford the real Birkin, as well as a closet full of them. But these days, they’d rather spend a few hundred dollars on the fake Birkins than spend thousands on the real ones. The rich ladies of New York have made it into a contest to see who can get a Birkin that looks as close to the real thing as possible. They are one of the biggest consumers of fake luxury handbags. They even have their own fake couture parties (similar to the legendary Tupperware parties).
So if the rich ladies of New York are buying dupes and making a game of it, shouldn’t everyone else follow?
For those who love couture and are not fabulously wealthy, but can afford 1-4 bags a year, this proves to be a dilemma. They’ve spent years saving for these items and have amassed a collection, something they value. They spend a lot of time curating pieces to add to their collection, even if it takes years to acquire it. It is a collection. So adding a dupe has its ethical issues, but in 2023, they may be saying a different story.
My friend Simon and I spend a lot of time sharing our recent couture buys and the adventure that went into procuring it for our closet. We had a long discussion on the fake couture world, and this is what he had to say about it.
It takes only one time for someone to place judgment upon you. If they realize you are carrying a fake, but you are trying to act like it is real, they will consider you a fake. You’re pretending to be something you are not. Even if you carry the real thing after that, when they see you, they will always assume what you have is fake. They will spread the news that you carry fakes, because this is the opinion they have of you. It’s the Will Rogers saying, “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.”
Letting your children play with fake couture is perfectly acceptable, so long as they only carry the real thing outside of the home. [Back to first impressions.]
But there are exceptions to this in 2023 that Simon and I both agree upon. Influencer Karen Blanchard (karenbritchick) advises her followers that it is perfectly fine to purchase the dupe or a knockoff if you want to try out a certain style before dedicating a lot of money to it. If you find you really like the bag, then she recommends investing in the real thing.
This is sage advice. I loved the Bottega Veneta Jodie and Cassette bags. They came in so many colors, so I ordered the dupes in every color. While I love the way the bags look in my closet, these are not bags I would want to invest in, because they do not properly fit the items I normally put in a bag. I am glad I took her advice on this, because I would not have been happy owning the real thing. I would have resold the bags, because they may look beautiful on the shelf, but I need something I can use.
Another reason to carry dupes in this day and age is because of the rise in crime, especially muggings. Returning to life post-pandemic, we worried a lot about carrying the real thing in Manhattan. There were plenty of stories of people being robbed in Midtown. The idea of losing a bag that costs more than our rent, meant that the girls stayed on the shelves. We carried cheap tote bags, backpacks, or purses that would not attract attention to us.
The idea of carrying a dupe in the post-pandemic world made sense, because we could still carry a similar designer looking bag and not have a heart attack if it gets stolen. One bag I love more than anything are my Fendi tote bags. I bought a dupe of the Louis Vuitton Neverfull, because it mimics the Fendi tote. I do not normally buy LV, because it feels like everyone in NYC owns LV. I got it in pink and I make sure people who comment on the bag know that it is a fake LV. That’s me being honest. Plus, all of my bags have a story. Being honest about it allows me to open up the conversation about dupes and luxury handbags.
One bag I invested in after trying out the knockoff style was Balenciaga’s Agneau bag. Back when I first moved to NYC, I saw the bag being sold by one of the guys on the corner and I picked one up in pink and aqua. I carried those two bags for years until they fell apart. I absolutely loved them. I actually did not know at the time they were Balenciaga Agneau bags. After I found out that I could upgrade to the real thing, I bought one.
Taking Karen’s advice, if you want to be a smart consumer, buy the knockoff style to try it out before you buy the real thing. Upgrade only to the bags you fall in love with. That upgrade is about buying that bag you love in better qualitative materials and craftsmanship. The bag will last you a very long time, unlike the dupe. And because you know you love the bag, you will keep it for a very long time.
THE OLD FAST FASHION VS. DESIGNER/THRIFTING ARGUMENT (I.E. THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT)
You see the argument all of the time: the environmental and human impact on buying fast fashion vs. buying the authentic designer piece. Both sides can say both play a party to the issues we face today with waste. But instead of pointing fingers away, we should ask ourselves what impact we are making in this argument.
How sustainable is the product we are purchasing? If we are trying to curb our carbon footprint, wouldn’t it be more feasible to buy vintage? Wouldn’t it also be better to choose the more qualitative piece that is designed to last a lifetime? Shouldn’t we be doing our part to keep items that have already been made out of landfills, instead of reaching for something that is newly made?
Everyone always wants what’s new and what’s within our budget range. While people flock to places like Shein, H&M, and Forever 21, after the newness wears off, a lot of those items end up in landfills and thrift stores. Some people in NYC report that the majority of items they find in thrift stores are from Shein. No one wants to purchase used Shein, knowing that the reason why it’s in the thrift store to begin with is because it is so poorly made, it did not have sustaining power to last a long time. This is true of fake bags. They are not made to last. They are meant to be a fast fashion product, marketed at a lower price for anyone to purchase, so that they can sell more product to more people.
Considering the constant problems the world is having with climate change, why contribute more to the problem? Why make new items when we have way more than enough products out there to satisfy everyone?
While I struggle with this myself (look at all the bags I bought for purposes of this article), sometimes change doesn’t start tomorrow, it starts now. You can commit yourself right now to making a difference. Focus on designers like Coachtopia or Zero Waste Daniel who are taking old products and repurposing them to create something new. They are trying to help curb their carbon imprint, while still creating something new. Buy vintage or thrifted bags. Even if you have no clue if they are real or not, buy something you love and will use.
THE PROBLEM WITH TRAVELING WITH A FAKE
If you plan on travelling internationally, keep your fakes at home. Do not travel with them. Countries like France and Italy will fine you if you are caught carrying a fake. You may think you can handle the fine, but the fine is actually more than the real bag itself. There have been reports of fines beginning at $5,000.
When I travel with couture, I have always been stopped. Customs officials in England, France, Switzerland and Italy have all inspected my handbags. My $500 Just Cavalli bag I always travel with has been inspected again and again and again for authenticity.
While fakes are becoming more and more difficult to authenticate from the real thing, unless you have the money for the fines, keep the fakes at home or just buy the real thing and travel with it. At the end of the day, if you get caught with a fake and have to pay for all of those fines, you’ll come to the harsh realization that it would have been so much cheaper if you actually purchased the real thing.
ALTERNATIVES
Instead of buying dupes, you should look into buying the real thing for less in the resale market. Look for vintage bags or try your luck in thrift stores or estate sales. I once picked up a Fendi messenger bag for $75 through an estate sale. I even got an iconic Gucci bag for $100 through a thrift find. This style of bag is relaunched every few years, so it is always in style.
If you are in the market for the real deal, go with reputable resale companies like Fashionphile or purchase through Ebay’s Authenticated merchandise. Also, try The Outnet or Net-a-Porter when they have 80% off sales. The Outnet and Yoox are both sister sites to Net-a-Porter and offer severe discounts on couture items.
For over 50 years, the Diane von Furstenberg Wrap Dress has defied the test of time.
While curating the right pieces for your wardrobe that will withstand the test of time, you should add pieces from designers that have historically proven their ability to be fashionable over several decades.
Take for instance, the Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress. In 1976, Cybill Shepherd wore the DVF wrap dress in the iconic movie “Taxi Driver.” The 1972 dress design is still going strong 50 years later. It is timeless. It is an investment piece you will not regret adding to your curated wardrobe.
The iconic dress comes in a variety of prices and styles.
When I first moved to NYC, one of my managers introduced me to the DVF dress. She picked up her dress from Ebay. She wore it through both of her pregnancies and many years afterward.
Keeping that in mind, I added the classic style, as worn by Cybill Shepherd, to my wardrobe, as well as a sleeveless version. That dress never goes out of style, no matter which pattern you get.
Warning for petite women: skip the maxi length dress (especially if there is a pattern), because the dress is very long and not easily hemmed.
[DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links. Should you click on any of the links below, I may receive a commission from the sale at no additional cost to you.]
When I was in my 20s, fresh out of college, my college roommate showed up on my doorstep touting her brand new handbag. My mouth dropped. She was carrying a Kate Spade bag.
She said it was a graduation present from her mom and grandmother.
To someone fresh out of college, barely able to afford rent, seeing a designer bag on the shoulder of a friend causes major bag envy. I could not afford a bag between $100-$400. And guess what? It would take another ten years before I could get my very first Kate Spade bag.
In my 20s, Kate was a dream. In my 30s, I didn’t get just one bag, I got five, because I could finally afford her. Don’t get me started on the stationary line! In my early 40s, I added clothes, shoes and jewelry. To have a wardrobe meant Kate Spade had a prominent right to a space in that closet.
But as time moves on, business plans change. Coach (a brand I refuse to buy) bought out the Kate Spade brand last year, tried to put an end to the online flash sales (the sales that allowed so many women the opportunity to buy a Kate Spade bag), and started pulling the bags from shelves at department stores. As a result of this takeover and how they treated the Kate Spade brand, Coach shares dropped 14% just one month after buying the brand out for $2.4 billion.
Just add that to one of those reasons why I refuse to buy Coach. With their acquisition, it meant my Kate Spade shopping days would come to an end.
[Since someone will ask what is wrong with Coach. I do not like to carry what everyone else is carrying. Everybody has a Coach bag. Even with Kate Spade, the majority of people usually choose to carry Coach over Kate Spade. So I’ll go with Kate Spade over Coach. It’s like Louis Vuitton in NYC. Everyone has a Louis (even I do). But I would rather carry my Fendi over my Louis any day, because everyone carries a Louis in NYC. Kind of goes along with the argument: If your friend jumps off a bridge… If everyone else is carrying it, am I going to be like everyone else or stand out on my own?]
Learning of Kate Spade’s death really made me sad. She was a brilliant designer. She really helped bring out the girly girl in me. I wanted to hug all of my Kate Spade at home and love them just a little bit more as my way of remembering her and the little bit of happiness she brought to me every single day. She was a dream to me for so many years.
I remember when I was in my 20s, standing in Saks Fifth Avenue staring at the Kate Spade bags on the shelves. I could not afford anything in that store. But during my lunch hours, I would walk around Saks and Neiman Marcus making a mental wish list of what my life would be like if I made more money. I would own a Kate Spade bag and a Fendi baguette.
I would ask the ladies behind the counters to let me see one of the bags up on the wall behind them. Sometimes all I wanted to do was just hold one, study it, before giving it back and saying to myself, “Someday.”
That bag my friend brought over…I found a similar bag with a dragonfly where the logo would go for $9 and carried that bag for years. It was like Kate Spade, but it wasn’t. The dragonfly represented the Kate Spade June Lane dishes I’ve been lusting over for the last 15 years. During those starvation years when I worked for the Attorney General, I liked to pretend it was my starter bag…the bag like Kate Spade’s bag that would one day lead me to a real authentic Kate Spade handbag.
It wasn’t until I moved to NYC that I could make all of those dreams come true of owning all of the fashion I dreamed of owning someday. That’s the crazy thing about New York. For the right dreamers, it is a place where you can make every single one of your dreams come true. Kate Spade was one of those dreamers. She made her dream come true here.
In 1998, Forbes released an article on Kate Spade’s beginnings. On the eve of her first trade show, she got this idea to put the label on the outside of the bag. So she spent all night sewing them on. The next day, Barneys ordered 18 bags, but told her to sew the labels back on the inside.
Incidentally, a Vogue editor saw the bags at the trade show too and decided to feature the bag in their magazine WITH the label on the outside. This is what making something go viral looked like back in the old days…before the internet and social media took over. So guess what Barneys had to do? They had to call her back and ask for more bags with the label on the OUTSIDE of the bag.
Her instincts paid off.
What Kate’s story tells us is that despite what the world tells you, listen to your instincts and follow your dreams. Stay true to yourself. Believe in your dream. That’s what she did. She took chances on her impulses and she created a whimsical and beautiful empire.
I will never understand the reasoning of selling her namesake, but for most of us, we were buying a piece of Kate Spade’s dream. Her dream brought so much happiness to so many of us. We were proud to wear her name. Every single thing that women are afraid to say they love, but they do (like glitter), she let us know that we are never too old to let our inner child shine. She gave us glitter, shine, pastels, sophistication, fun…but also that 1950s housewife vibe…even if we never become housewives.
Ms. Spade, thank you for the last 25+ years of your namesake. You brought so much happiness to so many women. That, right there, should have earned your wings. Your beauty and creativity will be greatly missed. If God decides you should continue to create up there in heaven, just make sure you stay true to who you are.
My prayers are with her family and friends as they grieve the loss of this beautiful visionary.
Perfectionist Wannabe Shop – Spotlight on Kate Spade
After spending over the last decade curating the perfect handbag collection, I learned a few things about collecting couture. If you want to buy couture, you need to buy the right bag from the get go.
What do I mean by this?
When I first started out collecting couture handbags, I bought what I could afford. In the end, I was not happy with my choices. So I ended up reselling those bags before I realized I needed to buy the right bag.
Each designer has their own popular classic handbag design that is sold in a variety of prints and colors. Influencers snatch up these beauties and fill up their social media feeds with these IT bags. They develop a culture where every girl dreams of being just like them, carrying a black Chanel quilted clutch, a Celine Luggage, a Fendi Peekaboo, Hermés Birkin, or the Louis Vuitton Neverfull.
If you are going to go designer, buy the classics that have withstood the test of time. Not only will you love your purchase, you’ll feel happier that you chose the right bag. A collection, after all, must begin with the basics.
You do not always have to buy brand new. Sites like Fashionphile offer discounts on pre-owned designer handbags. My favorite part of their site is their Last Call and Outlet (on Ebay). Purchasing through a reputable company that backs the authenticity of their product is very important. It guarantees you are buying the real thing.
After you add these basics, you can begin to curate your collection around your needs (i.e. evening bags, travel bags, crossbodies) and your wants (i.e. artistic bags, limited edition, that cute $5 bag you find at a flea market). As a rule of thumb, always remember that it is better to have fewer, but better things. The only way you can achieve that is if you buy the correct item the first time around.
For those who know me, they know I have a rather large collection of designer handbags. From Céline to Fendi to Valentino and Prada, I have them all. To be honest, I’ve been collecting these designer handbags for over a decade now.
What people do not know is that I rarely pay full price for my bags. I purchase them in some of the most unlikeliest of places. Today, I am going to share with you how I curated my collection.
Fashionphile
I do not remember how I came across Fashionphile, but they are responsible for my Hermes, Celine, Valentino, Prada and Balenciaga purchases. In just a few pictures, I’m going to explain how it was possible. As of this writing, this is their current inventory.
For Gucci, here are a few of their bags and pricing.
One of the reasons why I like to use Fashionphile is not only because of these incredible prices for pre-owned merchandise, but also their guarantee that these designer handbags are authentic. You take a gamble with places like Ebay, Tradesy, etc. when it comes to authenticity. Because, you need to know how to spot the real from the fake. You almost need to be an expert these days. With Fashionphile, they take the guesswork out of it and guarantee the authenticity.
Tips before you buy: 1. Check the “Condition” tab. It will give you a clear understanding of the bag’s real condition. The better the condition of the bag, the higher the price. If you can live with the condition stated, go ahead and buy it. 2. If you find something you love, but can’t buy it now, consider the Layaway option.
My best kept secret: They have a LAST CALL! Some of my amazing finds come from their LAST CALL section. Also hit up their outlet, which is hosted on Ebay. I snagged a Fendi pochette on there for $235.
The Others…
Other places to peruse…if you want to buy a newer bag, but don’t want the price, try Overstock.com. I picked up my favorite Fendi tote bag for $1000. $600 off of the original price. [Warning: They have been known to get a crop of counterfeit bags every now and again. When they discover this, they will reach out to the customer and give them the option of returning it for a full refund…even if you used it.]
The Outnet and Net-a-Porter are excellent places to pick up a discounted couture handbag when they have their semi-annual sales. These sales usually occur in June and December.
Yoox is another go-to spot for all things designer. Check out their sale section.
For those who love vintage (like I do), I tend to get my vintage at places like Housing Works or Goodwill. The best way to shop Goodwill is to put the designer’s name in the search box.
How about you? What are some of your designer handbag collecting secrets?
[Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through that link, this site may receive a commission from the sale. That commission helps to maintain this site and to buy treats for Matthew Lucifer. Thanks for reading and helping this site to grow. We love having you here.]
Fashion. Books. Home. Food. DIY. These are all things this site promises to deliver, but it has not really lived up to doing just that. Or perhaps, it was something I always wanted to deliver, but needed some sort of direction on how I would deliver that to you.
When people ask me about this site, I never really passionately talk about it. Perfectionist Wannabe has not been in a place I was proud of yet. I was honest about that with the people I met. I did not know how to find that sweet spot where I was content with what I was putting out there.
So I went on a mission to discover what exactly I loved about magazines. Blogs were no longer the answer to what I was looking for.
The Bold Type
As I flipped through a stack of magazines, Freeform’s The Bold Type, a show about three young women working for a fashion magazine, played in the background. The show centers around a writer, a secretary turned stylist, and a social media director. As the girls go from one disaster to another, it is the wisdom of their editor that resonates.
1) Write from your own perspective in life.
2) Print is dying. The electronic age is making print media obsolete, so it is important to focus only on that.
Taking these two points, I began to see a clearer vision of what I wanted.
Book Reviews
To get a better handle on how book reviews should be done, I went to the best source: O Magazine. As I read through the book reviews, I saw the importance of writing about experiencing the book. Describing feelings eloquently is what ultimately gets people to read a book.
I read about one reviewer’s morning before she even sat down to read the book. She made me experience her morning with her. There was nothing extraordinary about it. Her morning was a regular morning, just like anyone else’s morning. But by the time she sat down to read the book, I wanted to read whatever she was reading, even though she told me so little about the book.
What made this particular review stand out is that it was written incredibly well. That is the beauty in writing a good review. The writer made me see reviews, not just book reviews, in a whole new light.
The Voice
Finally, it began to occur to me what I was unhappy with. I was dissatisfied with the voice I used on this site. I was mimicking other bloggers and what they were doing instead of focusing on what I ultimately wanted to do with this site.
In the back of my mind, my friends who are well read, played in the back of my mind. Their comments on fast literature (i.e. the books saturating our market), started to bring me down. As much as I shared their opinions on great literature, it made me ask if what I write is great literature. Would they even think I was good enough?
This is where that sense of wanting to be perfect comes in. There is that fear of never being good enough for my friends to recommend my work to others. They are brutally honest (which I respect and need). What if what I was doing did not live up to their standards?
In our opinion, discovering an author or a book that is well written is difficult to find these days. If you think about blogs in this context, it is not so often you will come across a lot of well written blogs.
Magazines and newspapers house many of the best writers that live up to these standards. Yet, these types of publications are failing because of the saturation of mediocre or poorly written content flooding the market. That means there are a lot of incredible writers out there that go undiscovered by the masses.
Branding
There are a lot of blogs out there I love that are both inspiring and beautiful. I like their brand. Even though many of these bloggers are the first of their kind in their niche markets, there are many who try to emulate that same voice, which in turn creates a problem. That brand’s voice is copied, and then it becomes overdone, watering down the original voice. I know, because this site started to do the same thing. I ultimately did not want that.
The direction this site lacked was always something very simple. It was missing my voice and the way I wanted to write and present my views of the world. I spent too much time trying to be like the other bloggers. As a result, I forgot why I created this site to begin with…to share my own adventure into learning how to be a better version of myself.
A Sense of Direction
Most noteworthy of this entire adventure are the opportunities that presented itself to me over these past few years. From Martha Stewart’s American Made to Tribeca Film Festival to Book Expo America (BEA), the universe gave me every single tool I needed to discover how to create my vision for Perfectionist Wannabe.
As a result of those experiences, I learned that even though I believe I am not doing enough, the industry communicated the exact opposite. Publishers explained to me at BEA that I was doing the right thing. I did exactly what they were looking for in order to work with them. They decided who they were allowing into the BEA this year, and I was among the select few they allowed in. [Of all the publishers I spoke with, they only counted three bloggers that were allowed to attend, unlike previous years where the expo was saturated with bloggers.]
What all of these incredible experiences tell me is that I was always on the right track.
AHA!
I finally had an AHA! moment somewhere between flipping through the magazines and binge watching The Bold Type. This site is my resumé. In the end, this site is about a brand. These past few years of discovery was about defining that brand. That is the only thing it’s been about. In a sense, this site is turning into a better version of itself.
So what can you look forward to? Better content. More continuous posts. A more active social media experience. Better inspiration. More importantly, my voice.
On a hot, muggy summer day in Bangkok, I crossed a bridge over a highway, following my mother and aunt to catch a bus. Locals sold their wares along the sidewalk. From lychee fruit to shoes, they lined up along the busy highway, selling their goods to passersby.
At this moment, my aunt believed it was time for me, at nine years old, to own my first handbag. We walked up to a vendor who displayed purses both big and small in an ocean of colors on a large blanket. There was only one that caught my eye. A little thing it was, but the only one I could see in a sea of handbags.
I pointed to it, “That one.”
My aunt asked for the price. “50 baht,” the man replied.
She did not have 50 baht on her at the time. She tried to haggle the price down, but the man saw my face and knew there was no way I was walking away without that purse. He stood firm, “50 baht.”
My aunt turned to me and pointed to the other bags. There must be another bag I was interested in. I pointed to the bag again. “I want that one.”
My mother intervened and tried to convince me that any purse was better than that one. I responded, “It is that one or none of them.”
She tried again, but I would not hear it. I walked off and had the only tantrum to this day I still remember. My mother tried to go after me, but I kept walking. I left them both behind.
Ten minutes later, my mother and aunt walk towards me with a black bag in hand. Inside is that little red purse. The man finally agreed to lower his price after others started chastising him for refusing to haggle.
Asking For What You Want
I should have felt guilty for what I put them through, but there was something about that cherry red purse. This was my way of finally getting what I wanted. Up until that moment, every time I tried to voice what I wanted, I was shot down. So I tried to take others into consideration. I would tell them what I wanted by guessing what they desired for me. Instead of choosing what I really wanted, I always picked something I did not want, because I felt bad asking for anything. Actually, I felt bad for wanting something different than what they were willing to give to me.
This was the first time I ever vocalized what I truly wanted and stood my ground. To be told no and to pick something else, I did not want to hear it. I had enough of it. I felt in that moment I was asked to be truthful, and then told I could not have it. That is a horrible thing to do to a child, especially if you know they never get what they want. I always chose something less, instead of the only thing on the shelf I was eyeing with a fierce passion.
When I was very young, my father bought me a cheeseburger Happy Meal every Sunday after church. I hated cheeseburgers, but I sat there every Sunday pretending I was happy to the point I was sick to my stomach. When I was old enough to see chicken nuggets were the same price as cheeseburgers, I asked my father if I could get that instead. He responded, “But you love cheeseburgers.”
I sat down at the table and tried not to cry. I vocalized what I wanted and was told I loved something else, when it was far from the truth. I really hated cheeseburgers. Just like cheeseburgers, I was being told along that Bangkok highway what I wanted when it was far from the truth.
The Little Red Purse Grows Up
As I grew older, I cherished that little red purse, but it started to become smaller and smaller. New bags caught my eye as my needs and desires changed. In my twenties, I fell in love with couture and Valentino. Seeing Valentino’s work was like being a voyeur in an orgasmic release of a man making love to the beauty of a woman and the end result was the most elaborate gowns you will ever feast your eyes upon. That was art.
His signature color is red, just like my first handbag. So it was only fitting that this year, as I contemplated which couture bag to add to my collection, I would stumble upon an adult version of my little red handbag. There she was…a Valentino couture red patent leather handbag equipped with little roses, just like my first handbag. This was the ultimate upgrade to my first, the one that started it all.
While there are women who race to purchase the rockstud collection from Valentino, I added a piece that means more to me than just a passing fad in our fast fashion world. When I saw it, I did not look at the price tag. I just added it to my cart. This bag was the little red purse I outgrew so many years ago. It had all of a sudden grown up. A piece of my childhood resurfaced in the form of Valentino, the designer who opened my eyes to the beauty of fashion embedded in each thread and embellishment.
Over the years of collecting vintage and couture handbags, I learned the importance of choosing the right bag for my collection. In the beginning, I bought what I could afford from each designer, instead of waiting to buy the bag I truly loved. I found that I should always buy the one that speaks to me, the ones I fall in love with the first time I lay eyes upon it.
It is just like that little red purse from Bangkok. It was the only one I wanted and no other handbag would do. It was that bag or nothing. Why? Because just like falling in love, when you see the one you love, in that moment you’ve fallen, there is no one else in that great sea. All you can see is that one and no one else will do.
[This post contains affiliate links. I receive commission for purchases or clicks made through links in this post.]
It’s that time of year when women across America start thinking about their back to school fall wardrobe. What is wonderful about transitioning from summer to autumn is that we can still wear some of those summer favorites into the fall months. All we have to do is add a layer or two, a fall color and we’re good to go.
Consider adding an autumnal color to a bright yellow jumpsuit. Add a sweater or sweatshirt to a light flowing skirt. Throw on a moto jacket over a maxi dress or throw a pair of cropped or leather pants underneath.
Here are my picks for items under $50 from the site boohoo.com. They have such cute stuff. I was completely surprised by how cheap everything was. My friend has a rule: Everything she buys must be $25 or under. This site passed her test in so many ways.
Make sure to check out their shoes while you are there (especially the sneakers). You can find cheaper versions of Miu Miu and Gucci classic sneakers for next to nothing!
I receive commission for purchases or clicks made through links in this post.
The Sale: Save BIG on Brand-New Fall Arrivals at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. FREE Shipping. FREE returns. When:Now through August 6, 2017.
It seems like back to fall (i.e. school) shopping for adults is starting earlier and earlier each year. Since the kids are buying their supplies in July now (the time I buy my office supplies), we have to start thinking of our own fall wardrobe, because September is coming!!!
Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale is from now until August 6th. Here are 50 of my favorites (plus don’t forget the Spanx).
Since I am redecorating my home, I wanted to come up with a theme that would make me happy. So I decided to make my space joyful, serene and calm. The bedroom is the spot where I add a little glamour with crystal chandeliers and a bed you don’t want to get out of.
I basically sleep in my closet. That is how I describe my bedroom because my closet can’t hold my wardrobe, so the prized items come out of the closet and become part of the decor. Color is the key to creating a gorgeous place to sleep at night. Use soft colors, neutrals, lilacs or blues to create a calm space, then add ONE bright color like pink (see the Oliver Gal print) to make you smile in the morning.
My ombré wall in three shades of blue plus my oversized Chanel Oliver Gal painting in pink makes me smile every single morning, because it is so calm and beautiful to look at each day. You should always decorate in a way that will make you smile before you start your day.
Keep in mind that less is better. Don’t overdo it. Keep it simple. Instead of an art wall, consider buying one oversized piece of artwork. It’s less clutter.
JCP’S BLACK FRIDAY IN JULY SALE
The Sale: JCPenney is having their Black Friday in July Sale. When: Now until July 29, 2017.
Have you shopped the big ShopBop sale yet? You have only a few hours left to save an extra 25% off select items (including sale). Use code SOLUXE at checkout. Want to save even more? Get 2% cash back when you shop through Ebates.
My favorite is this J.O.A. top on sale for $49. The most unique find though is the raincoat for your handbag. Why didn’t I think of something like that? It’s not a bad price. Only $11.
If you shop wisely, you may be able to put together an entire head to toe look for under $100. Now, that is a challenge that would make shopping this sale fun.
Here are my favorite picks for under $50. Happy shopping. Sale ends at 11:59PM (PT).
[Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive compensation.]
There are so many beautiful and fun items out now that caught my eye. From the Gucci boots (my God, they are gorgeous) to the Fenty Puma x Rihanna sneakers to the Asos Unicorn Flats, there are so many awesome shoes out there ready to grace our manicured feet.
As a rule of thumb, never spend a lot of money on items that will last only a few seasons. Invest in items that will last a lifetime, both in quality and in style. The green floral Alice + Olivia dress will be in style 40 years from now. The style has already been popular since the 1960’s and it is still going strong.
Stick to A-line skirts and dresses for staying power. It flatters every woman. The style is forgiving if you gain a little weight below the waist.
Also, consider adding a few artistic pieces into your wardrobe. Art never goes out of style. The Gucci boots will still look fabulous 20 years from now. Also, the Loft jacket will still look amazing decades later over an evening dress, your Sunday’s best, or at the office.
Most importantly, you have to learn what YOUR STYLE is. If you do not know what your style is, consider going through your closet in the KonMari fashion. Look at each piece of clothing to determine what fits and which items bring you joy. Keep only the clothing that fits and brings you joy.
After you complete this task, take a look at what remains. In those items that remain, you will discover your own personal style. The key to finding that style all lies in the joy you find in the pieces that remain. In a way, you will discover who you are in the fashion sense.
From there, you will get a sense of how to build your wardrobe, focusing only on items that compliment your style. There will always be a lot of trial and errors, but discovering your style will only help you become wiser when you continue to invest in new items for your wardrobe.
[Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive compensation.]
Every NYC It Girl goes to J.Crew for the basics. Striped shirts, stadium coats, button up shirts, t-shirts, skirts and blazers are all in their arsenal.
J.Crew is my go-to for every single preppy basic a woman needs in her closet. Their basics are not always so basic. They put a fresh spin on it. Sometimes a striped t-shirt will have extremely long buttoned cuffs. Each year, they release their classic stadium coat in a new eye alluring color.
The items from J.Crew withstand the test of time. Each season, I buy the exact same thing in a new color. I have the same striped shirt in several colors and lengths. I own several stadium coats in various colors. T-shirts come in every shade of the pretty rainbow that J.Crew plucks out of the sky.
The most incredible thing about buying J.Crew basics is that every season they showcase those basic items and show you how to style it for the new season. Whoever thought to wear a button up under a t-shirt? J.Crew thought of it. Why not tuck part of your shirt in and leave the rest out? J.Crew thought of that, too.
They bank on their It Girls already owning the exact same basic products they advertise. That is why their catalogs showcase each of those items, but present you with a new way to wear those basics each season.
That mint top you purchased last year will go perfectly with their new tulle skirt this season. Those pink pants you bought last season will match the new vibrant pink shoes this season. That striped basic top, you should try pairing with a floral pencil skirt. The bright yellow top you bought and have no idea how to wear it, don’t worry, it will go with this season’s pink skirt or with the emerald green jacquard pants this winter.
J.Crew provides inexpensive basic pieces you can play up or down each season. They bank on their customers owning the basics from their collection. Their catalog each season shows you exactly how to wear the current fashion trends with the basics you already own. That is the beauty of J.Crew. In a way, it is very French chic.
What to Buy
Here are pieces every NYC it girl has in her closet. For those new to J.Crew, you should focus on purchasing a black blazer, striped t-shirt, a colorful assortment of t-shirts in various grades (the weight of the tee is different according to season), a stadium coat, trench coat, a white button down shirt, and a cashmere sweater.
You can go neutral if you want, but try buying items in various colors. Each season, those colors are reintroduced in a new way, paired with an item you may already own, or you can invest in.
J.Crew is a classic way of learning how to build up your wardrobe with qualitative pieces that have staying power.
If you love fashion, especially the industry gossip, you probably read the Vestoj interview with former British Vogue fashion editor Lucinda Chambers. If you haven’t read it, read the linked article above, because it is very informative.
I want to point out the last part of the article, which I believe is very important for the future of magazines, newspapers and blogging.
From Lucinda Chambers’s Interview
There are very few fashion magazines that make you feel empowered. Most leave you totally anxiety-ridden, for not having the right kind of dinner party, setting the table in the right kind of way or meeting the right kind of people.
Truth be told, I haven’t read Vogue in years. Maybe I was too close to it after working there for so long, but I never felt I led a Vogue-y kind of life. The clothes are just irrelevant for most people – so ridiculously expensive. What magazines want today is the latest, the exclusive. It’s a shame that magazines have lost the authority they once had.
They’ve stopped being useful. In fashion we are always trying to make people buy something they don’t need. We don’t need any more bags, shirts or shoes. So we cajole, bully or encourage people into continue buying. I know glossy magazines are meant to be aspirational, but why not be both useful and aspirational? That’s the kind of fashion magazine I’d like to see.
Thoughts
This article really made me think over what I wanted to do with this site. For those who come here often, you may notice there are slight changes occurring around the site. I started working with sponsors and book publishers, even Amazon, to create a better site, one that generates an income.
After I spend so many hours monetizing the site, putting up legal disclosures and posting content, I have to ask myself if the posts are in line with the core values of the site. I realize that in order for the site to generate an income I have to have the monetary posts along with the real content…the stuff my original readers come for.
I was reminded by a film director yesterday that I needed to keep in line with the goal of the site. The ‘fluff’ pieces generate a lot of hits, but it is not qualitative content. It is not the soul of what this site means.
When people ask me about the site’s name, they fear the word ‘perfectionist.’ When I explain that’s why it says ‘wannabe,’ and how we are not perfect, but we all strive to be, it makes sense. It is the perfect title, because those who strive to be a better version of themselves, strive to perfect themselves in the things they do, but always fall short. We always learn something new every single day on how to be better than we were yesterday.
Consumerism
I don’t like consumerism, yet I participate in it. I own a rather large wardrobe. I KonMari’d the hell out of that thing every season. I am still nowhere closer to having only a few items, because everything brings me joy.
I still buy handbags, even though what I pay is 2-3 months worth of rent in NYC for one bag. I bought two Celine handbags this year, but I didn’t stop there. I bought a Prada, a Balenciaga, a Valentino and a Fendi. This is all in the state of perfecting my own fantasy wardrobe [curating a wardrobe that I always dreamed of having].
The reality of my wardrobe is that I have low end and high end, just like every serious fashionista out there. I still shop at Gap, Ann Taylor, Loft and Forever 21. They are my low end stores, because they dish out quality. I still own tank tops I bought 15 years ago from the Gap. That is what I mean by quality. That is how a wardrobe is supposed to be built…on quality.
There are a lot of trials and errors with fashion because we don’t know if an item we purchase is going to unravel or discolor after the first or 100th wash. We don’t know how many events we are going to have to go to where we will need a different outfit each time.
We can’t go to work wearing the same outfit two times a week. I know there are women that do that and I don’t agree with it, especially if it is not a uniform and you can afford to buy clothes.
I also have a hard time believing people launder their clothes 2-3 times a week, especially if you are in NYC. If you’re a stay at home parent, ok, maybe I can see it.
Building The Perfect Wardrobe
People always comment that I take good care of my clothes. The truth is that I have a month’s worth of pants, mainly black, that I wear. I stick to the same brands: Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, NY & Co., and Lane Bryant. I have the pants tailored to fit. Those pants have lasted me 15 years and still going.
Most items in my closet I wear once a year. There are some items that I layer or are easy pieces that I wear once a month. I donate anything that does not fit well, or after a washing the stain won’t come out.
I wear each of my couture pieces once a year, because people notice it. These pieces are treasured pieces that are only worn when I want to feel beautiful and extraordinary.
I switch out my handbags all of the time, because that is one item I do not want to show any wear. They are collector’s pieces to me. I may love my Fendi tote and want to use it all of the time, but I force myself to use the other 100 bags in my wardrobe. If I don’t, that Fendi won’t last long.
Keep in mind, I was not in my 20’s when I started buying couture. That’s when I started dreaming of the ‘someday’ fantasy wardrobe. I was in my mid-30’s when I purchased my first Valentino.
It takes time to build your perfect closet…and I think that is what all women aspire to do. They aspire to perfect their closet.
Debt For Fashion
We look to magazines, celebrities, fashion icons, fashion bloggers, etc. on how to dress each season. There are $14,000 gowns, $5,000 handbags, $3,000 shoes that are showcased in magazines like Vogue. Somehow we are supposed to own these items.
But the truth is, how many of those items are actually sold? A celebrity doesn’t want to be caught in the same dress as another celebrity. So who are the people buying these dresses? We can assume it’s the uber-rich, but people like to pretend they are in that crazy rich category.
We live in a culture where people live this fantasy life that they are one of the cool kids, because they own a Birkin or have the latest IT fashion off the runway. They have an in-disposable amount of income where they can buy all of these things, when in reality they probably just have a lot of credit card debt.
Let’s talk about that credit card debt. I bet you didn’t know that a lot of fashion bloggers and people that work in fashion are in serious debt because of fashion. Thank God for Rent the Runway in NYC. That’s been a lifesaver for many that work in the fashion industry and need to wear designer clothing daily. But that debt? It is real.
People in fashion do not make a lot of money unless they are one of the big time people. There are very few that are making millions of dollars a year like Chiara Ferragni from The Blonde Salad. Even the fashion bloggers I follow have a day job and freelance on the side.
Sure, fashion bloggers make more money than hockey bloggers, but it takes a lot of business smarts to create that income. It’s not just about those invites to fashion shows and where you are sitting. It takes more than a great Instagram photo to get Edward Enniful’s attention (and yes, I’m one of the lucky ones). It takes character and knowing how to market and project yourself.
If you’re lucky, a designer or retailer will work with you. It’s what you create in that relationship that determines your success. Some bloggers work for free stuff. The more serious bloggers demand payment for space on their site and use of their brand.
What is In
Most people pretend to live extravagant interesting lifestyles. That is the content that is IN. They give the illusion that you should want to be them. You need to be jealous of them and what they are doing or wearing. But like Lucinda Chambers says, she is not living that perfect lifestyle. She is living far from it.
What magazines and everyone is selling is a FANTASY. They want to show you that living a perfect life where you live, eat, dress, and do extravagant things are very real. You have perfect, beautiful friends, lovers and significant others. Beautiful people surround you. You workout and are super thin with incredible skin and hair. Your home looks like the pages out of an Elle Decor magazine. They are selling you a dream that will never come true.
Looking Perfect Is Not What It Seems
I’ll admit that right now, I have the most amazing ombre wall with a piece of Chanel artwork from Oliver Gal. It looks amazing and brings me joy every time I look at it. I still have yet to finish painting the other three walls, because I can’t decide if I want the entire living room to be ombre or one color. If I decide on one color, which color will that be?
I still have paint canisters for the living room and kitchen sitting around staring back at me every day. There are tiles that still need to go up, artwork that needs to go up or be sold, and stuff all over the kitchen table. My plants are all dying. I keep finding new places where the cat puked.
Trust me, this entire home is still a work in progress no matter how many awesome things I bring into it. If only we could purchase just a few things to decorate our home and it looks exactly like the magazine ad.
I’m sure there are plenty of people out there that have the same predicament as me. You get an idea in your head of how you want to decorate. You try one thing after the other and you hope somehow it will all come together until you are inundated with so much stuff.
Pretty soon the clutter starts forming. Nothing matches. There is no theme. Your home looks nothing like the one in the magazine where you got the idea to begin with!
I oftentimes look at the pictures from magazine spreads and ask where all of the paper is. Where do they put all of the pieces of paper they collect? You can’t tell me paper isn’t in their home. I know it has to be somewhere. Where do they hide it?
False Narratives
What I’m trying to get at is that nobody has a perfect home or life. It’s just smoke and mirrors. Even the Kardashians photoshop their images, just like the majority of magazines and advertisements do. We are left to believe that no one has stretch marks, acne, cellulite or a layer of fat hanging from their arms. Everybody has teeny tiny waistlines.
The false narratives are the issue in our world today. We live in a world where everything is fake. We no longer know what is real anymore. We watch the world around us and believe that we will have a better life if we own X. We are not somebody unless we are rich and famous, so we must all aspire to be that. No one will love us if we are fat, ugly, have skin problems, balding issues, etc. People will hate us if we are not perfect.
That is the current narrative. No matter how many people try to create positive narratives, they still feel small when someone comes along and rips apart everything they’ve worked so hard for to be accepted. They are shamed for being themselves, something different than the perfect narrative.
Be Useful. Be Aspirational.
Getting back to the quote above…what is wrong with being useful and aspirational? How can we create a new narrative that is both useful and aspirational without selling something fake? The truth is we are all wannabes. We all strive to be perfect and fit into that perfect narrative.
But we are not perfect. Perfection is an illusion. It is not something attainable without adding some lies on top of it. An airbrush here, tons of makeup there, a photoshop here and there…they’re all lies that cover up the truth. Why can’t the truth be beautiful? Why can lies be the only thing that is beautiful?
I challenge everyone to create a new narrative. Be useful. Be aspirational. Don’t be a sellout that only goes where money beckons. Be behind the product you pitch to your readers. Be real with what is truly going on in your world. We need to be the change.
I have great news for you. Starting June 30th through July 4th, Forever 21 is having their Buy One Get One Free on their Clearance. This is a sale I plan on hitting up.
Over the past couple of years Forever 21 has become my go to source for items I can’t find in the big department stores. When I was looking for maxi cardigans that go all the way to your ankles, no place had it. I stopped into Forever 21, just by chance, and they had it. Trust me when I say I stocked up.
I spent two years looking for a satin jacket. The search finally came to an end when I found one online at F21. It fit so well and looked gorgeous. I received so many compliments on it.
I am a stickler about quality. I find F21’s quality has improved over the years. I bought a couple of tops the last time I was in Las Vegas (2 or 3 years ago). They are still holding up very well.
Just recently, I was shopping around for the Miu Miu Lace Up Ballet Flats. I loved the style, but not the price. Something told me to check F21. I found the exact same shoe for around $20. [See post]
There are very few shops that are on my list of approved ‘low end’ stores. F21 made the cut just because they seem to have whatever obscure piece of fashion I dream up that I want to add to my closet, and it’s not crap. Each item I purchased has staying power. I love their shoes and jewelry, too. I also purchased a few handbags from them to add to my collection.
With all of the 4th of July sales coming up, this is one you will definitely need to shop, my dear fashionistas. Mark it down!
When I was in my early 20’s, fresh out of college, I worked for a political magazine. My boss was a sought after political consultant who was on TV all of the time. He introduced me into the world of the elite and society.
I love fashion. I bought books on how to dress for political society, as well as any event that could come my way. I picked up a part-time job in the Men’s Polo Ralph Lauren department and learned about clothes in a new way. I learned about quality.
I had a steady progression. I wore Ralph Lauren for years, then Kenneth Cole. In later years, it grew to BCBG Max Azria and Calvin Klein. As I reached my mid-30s, I switched to couture, thanks to a $2 Valentino dress I got at The Outnet clearance.
I still shop at The Gap, Ann Taylor, Forever 21, Loft and Banana Republic. But I also buy the investment pieces from the couture brands, because I know the pieces are going to last a very long time.
My weakness though are handbags. I have a collection. I started off with the designer labels (Kenneth Cole, etc.). Then I bought my first Valentino bag second hand. Next, I bought a Prada, Versace, Louis Vuitton and Gucci. I realized that I could build my couture handbag collection without spending thousands of dollars on brand new. I learned that if I want a brand new bag, I shop around because I might find it for a cheaper price elsewhere.
Today, I’m sharing Gucci finds under $1k. I paid $30 for my first vintage Gucci. It is a black leather handbag that I still own to this day. The girl didn’t know if it was real or not, but I looked at it closely and saw that it was indeed the real thing.
When you buy vintage or secondhand, you need to know how to spot a fake from the real, especially if it does not come with its own documentation. There are plenty of instructional guides out there on how to spot fakes from the real deal. Louis Vuitton is the only brand that is becoming more and more difficult to spot a fake from the real one. LV is the only brand I will not purchase secondhand unless it is direct from a licensed retailer (like Portero or Fashionphile).
If you are looking to invest in a couture handbag, here are a few rules: 1) Never, ever buy white. It gets dirty and discolors quickly. 2) When buying leather, make sure to buy it in a color that ages well. Black and Tan colors age very well as the wear progresses. 3) Try to avoid suede for the long run. It does not age well. 4) Go for functionality. Totes are usually the way to go. Go for leather or a material that wears well in the rain and is easy to clean off. The Louis Vuitton Neverfull is one of the most popular bags. Every major designer has their own version. This type of tote is the best investment for bags that pack a punch. 5) Buy a classic look, i.e. one that will last for years to come.
Take a look at some of my Gucci favorites under $1k. Maybe you’ll find your first Gucci in this batch!
Every woman should have at least one handbag that is a piece of art. When you place it on a shelf, it is a bag you look at adoringly.
Maybe it is a designer bag that you saved up for, or one you found on sale, or that gem you found in a thrift store. Perhaps you carried it during a special moment in your life. Whatever it is, you must have that one bag that you look at with great fondness.
This bag is your go to bag during those special occasions when you want to show off something extraordinary.
Handbags are their own works of art. Find one that brings you great joy every time you look at it.
Here are 50 bags for your consideration. Maybe you’ll find something you love, or one that will inspire you to go find your next great find.
I recently added a Balenciaga Agneau bag to my purse collection. When I first moved to Manhattan, I saw these bags on the street and had to have one. I bought two before finding out they were Balenciaga knock offs. So of course, I had to buy the real thing. Ten years later, I remembered I wanted one, so I added one to my collection. It is one of my favorite new bags. It fits so much stuff! [The Real Real]
Looking for a date night outfit for this Valentine’s Day? Look no further than these picks from Forever 21.
A Special Note from the Editor
This is where that sense of wanting to be perfect comes in. There is that fear of never being good enough for my friends to recommend my work to others. They are brutally honest (which I respect and need). What if what I was doing did not live up to their standards?
His signature color is red, just like my first handbag. So it was only fitting that this year, as I contemplated which couture bag to add to my collection, I would stumble upon an adult version of my little red handbag. There she was…a Valentino couture red patent leather handbag equipped with little roses, just like my first handbag. This was the ultimate upgrade to my first, the one that started it all.
If you love fashion, especially the industry gossip, you probably read the 
