FOR THE LOVE OF LUXURY & BAGS

I recently had the pleasure of acquiring the newly launched LV Biker bag! Its soft "pixel" lamb leather with cowhide trim makes it possible to use almost daily (with lots of tender love and care!).   I had originally planned to buy the Neverfull Bandoulière Inside Out MM, but then I saw the LV Biker bag featured on The Fashionography and it was truly love at first sight. I found the shape of the bag and the contrast of the greige (not grey, like it says on the LV website) against the black trim to be striking. The small LV symbol and gold hardware gave it a touch of elegance while the style of the bag with its side straps that gave it a curvy silhouette made me think "biker chick".  I instantly texted my Louis Vuitton Client Advisor and inquired about the bag. She told me it was available for pre-order and whether she should order it for me as the window to pre-order was coming to a close. It was well outside of my budget so I went back and forth a lot. I was obses...

Since being bitten by the luxury bag bug and getting a bit of luxury fever, I've been visiting Hermes' website fairly regularly. Sadly, there were never any purses except one I'd have to sell my organs for. There were definitely no Birkins (and now I know why- read on). A few more visits were made to the on-line store but there was nothing worthwhile, in my opinion, until now! The Balusoie bag. A cool $3175.00 and this beautiful silk bag with cowhide leather trim and handle can be yours! I've included pictures of all the colors and prints that caught my eye- see which ones catch yours! These beautiful print purses are great for the spring/summer season. Imagine yourself sitting on patio sipping a tall raspberry mojito in your flowy summer dress and shades with this work of art dangling off your arm. I can see me now! Lol.  While I love these purses and they're...

The first time I layed eyes on the Lady Dior bag I was drawn by the quilted leather print, its elegant silhouette and the polished look with its simplicity and shine. The structure of the bag that caused it to stand tall and firm made it the most elegant tote I'd ever seen. No wonder it was called the "Lady" Dior purse. Then, I heard of a recent scandal involving a lawsuit against the company, based on inhumane labor practices and it made me rethink the brand.  Then, I decided I didn't want to save up for 8 months to buy another luxury purse..., for now. When I do it'll probably be another Louis Vuitton.  Whilst deleting my promotion emails a Michael Kors quilted leather purse caught my eye (for most of the reasons the Dior one did). And it was on sale- so I bought it! When it arrived I ripped through the package and the foam to find a beautiful, shiny, red leather bag structured similar to the Lady Dior! Pictures don't really do it justice. It felt soft yet s...

Addendum: March 18, 2024. After doing some more research you CAN invest in Louise Vuitton via LVMH, and you can invest in LVMH via LVMUY if you're in Canada or the U.S. More on this as I learn more about it! My Dad plays the stock market and does well. I've always been interested in it and thought I could do well also but it's a lot to learn! It seemed a bit easier to digest when I took finance as part of my business studies. I LOVED finance! However, it's been years since I used anything I learned and I've since needed a refresher for which I have no time. Therefore, my husband does this for us instead because he does well in the stock market and his brain is better equipped for it. However, since I started looking into luxury purses I couldn't help but notice how the prices have increased on some brands and models. In fact, the resale market for luxury purses is massive and many retain close to their initial value, and some even go up. There are a ton of websi...

Until recently, I thought $150.00 for perfume was a lot to invest in something you couldn't see lol. I also have learned that not only is this false, but some fragrances are less potent with virtually no staying power. Working in Healthcare, I gravitated to this. While I have some perfumes which are 10-15% concentrated, some of my favorite fragrances are an eau de toilette. At the time I bought them I was ignorant to the difference in potency, which dictates the price. Having said that I came across some highly acclaimed fragrances in the hundreds of dollars ($600-$800). There were some that were simply astronomical and not on my lifetime wishlist. However, the fragrances under the $1000.00 limit were fair game. My ultimate fragrance to smell and to own is the Baccarat Rouge 540 (EXTRAIT DE PARFUM). A 70ml bottle sells for $645.00 CAD. Keep in mind it's an extract. The highest concentration and most staying power. The only other concentrated fragrance I know that stays that lon...

I am so happy and grateful now that I have had the pleasure of the full Louis Vuitton experience... maybe not the VIP meant for the rich and famous but the one for people who just dropped a bomb in their store. Not a stink bomb (the whiny complainer), not an atom bomb (the bitchy demanding diva), but a bath bomb (the sweet, fun, devil-may-care shopper who likes to spoil themselves and cater to their self indulgence once in a while).  That's me! And I was pleasantly greeted by the concierge and dotted on with attention and a showcase of beautiful pieces to look at and hold and feel and try on. And a bottle of Evian. When she asked me if I wanted sparkling or flat water, and I said flat is fine (because sparkling might make me come off as a snob) I seriously though it was going to be a glass of tap water. And I'd have been fine with that! Instead I get this...sophisticated, no? lol Seriously go check out the Louis Vuitton boutique if you have the chance. I've added 'see e...

Today I went to the Louis Vuitton store in Edmonton (the only one) and it was a great experience! The sales representative I dealt with was friendly, professional, and knowledgeable about the products in the boutique. She spent a decent amount of time with me, showing me all the bags on my wishlist that they had in stock.  If you're debating whether to buy online or go into a stand alone boutique- do the boutique! It's a great experience to be dotted on and fun to try the different purses and take in the beauty in the store. Plus you get to know your sales representative and she'll give you her personal business card with a direct contact number. AND mine gave me free samples of two of their scents. She was amazing. Back to the purses! The wave (PM) was, of course, sold out. After "trying on" several bags and making a mental note to come back for at least 3 of them, in the (near) future, I settled on a sensible first time luxury purchase. A simple yet elegant shou...

I've had my brand new Louis Vuitton shoulder bag for 2 days now, still safely tucked away in the box and the dustbag. It only comes out to play when I feel like looking at it, touching the smooth soft exterior and interior, attaching the different straps and styling it in different ways. I'm really starting to feel in LVove with it.  When I looked at the knock offs, I didn't see my purse among the many available. It's not flashy or even among the more popular models. I must say, it's an understated beauty. If you're going to invest that much money on a purse at least once in a lifetime, then consider the LV oxford. It's a classic style that is, at the same time, very versatile. It can be worn in MANY different ways! Its not too small or too big. It's subtle yet chic. With all these options available in one shoulder bag you can wear it any way you like! With jeans and a T-shirt, a tweed skirt with leather trim a leather belt and ciffon blouse with neck ti...

After much contemplation, and a dinner that sealed the deal, I decided to buy my first Louis Vuitton purse- and I did!!  At first I was quite heart broken that purses I REALLY wanted were now unavailable. However, the lovely LV concierge I spoke to over the phone assured me they are still being stocked. Whew! They just don't know when. Doh! *insert Homer* But could I really wait that long? For an indefinite period of time??..., idenfinitely?!? DEFINITELY NOT! lol. I jumped online and started looking for the next best LV bag to catch my eye. I thought I found it in the classic and timeless LV oxford shoulder bag. It looked perfect to me in that moment, so I bought it! It was shipped today- just days before my birthday!! I opened the box gingerly and gazed upon the perfection of this bag (with scrutiny) and it's beauty with the golden LV on the front and the turn lock key closure. I must say that, as someone who has 3 coach purses of various price ranges, there was a definite dif...

I'm not a fan of knock offs for many reasons, and I said I wasn't going to talk about them- but! I recently stumbled upon a couple of "stores" on Facebook Market Place and found myself drawn to them for all the wrong reasons. I read the detailed descriptions very carefully and compared all the materials to the real thing, and they matched up! Of course, it's difficult to see what the construction is like from a picture and I did notice some minor differences between some of the fakes and the authentic versions, but overall, I have to say I was impressed. One store guaranteed money back, quality assurance (that made me laugh considering it was a fake lol) and even a certificate of authentication! The thing I don't understand is why a knock off made from the same materials and undergoing the same process of construction (minus a few minor hiccups in production) cost significantly less than an authentic version? I mean, what the hell are we paying for? A slight d...

I was reading up on the handbag trends for 2024, for investment purposes, and in one of the articles I read that "saddle bags are back" (in style). I then looked at the different ones by various designers (e.g. Gucci, Fendi, etc.), but the one that stood out to me was Dior's take on the saddle bag. I found it to be a clever spin on the more traditional style. It was chic and could be worn as part of a casual ensamble or something a little more elegant. I watched an episode of Dubai Bling (I think S1, E1?), anyway, one of the stars was wearing a flowy white dress with open toe sandals and carrying a white Dior saddle bag (see below).                                                                                           ...

I'm beginning to understand why luxury bags are priced the way they are. However, the craftsmanship and materials that go into constructing a luxury bag, as you're all well aware, is not the only thing people pay for. The status and prestige that follows the brand is just as important in determining its market value, if not more so.  No wonder there are so many knockoffs out there. I have actually seen  knockoffs priced at $3000.00 depending on the brand they're "replicating" (aka, kocking-off). For that price, why not just buy an authentic bag of the same value? I'm not one to tote a knockoff, which is why I won't be exploring them. I prefer the real thing or low budget alternatives instead which replicate while maintaining their own authenticity.  There are some handbags I just gravitate to and when I check the price tag, I understand why I was drawn to them. I've always loved the look and the feel of a brand new bag. If I like how it looks and I fee...