My Favorite Things: Bags

I would like to say it’s my mother’s fault for making me into the shopping diva that I am. Remembering spending my Saturday’s as a little girl with my mother, God mother and God sisters as we did 9:30am to 9:30pm mall trips as the norm. My mother can shop! Her daughter can shop! I pride myself on a few things. One, I will travel and mix up my mall, boutique, specialty shop, trunk sale habits often. A two hour ride to get to one store is nothing out of the norm and sometimes where you find the best things. Secondly, I will find the deal! Especially in today’s world of shopping apps and stores having twitter discounts, text message alerts and Groupon it makes no sense to me to ever pay full price for anything. Who does that? Even if it’s not posted, just ask if there is a special, when the next one will be or look on line for the same item cheaper. Products are there to be sold and someone is going to pay full price so you don’t have to. I have been known to leave an item because the sale starts in a few days and the discount is substantial. Through my shopping I love finding special things that I instantly have a connection with. This items (until the next set of things comes in  ) are what I refer to as “My Favorite Things”. I thought it was only fitting that since the previous post was on Statement bags I should follow it up with My Favorite Things: Bags. So, here they are:

The Stylist find: This gold clutch was almost packed in a bag never to be seen again. A few years ago I was at a photo shoot doing the make-up and the stylist team (two amazing guys with a vintage eye) and all of this vintage stuff. I saw this bag, a belt, a pair of shoes and two dresses and told them I had to have them. One said no but the other said yes. I added this bag to my collection and love it. I will never see it on anyone and being over 50 years old it still looks amazing. The satin lining says “I’m grown!” and when you wear a bag like this you better be!

Got stamps? : This beige envelope clutch not only looks amazing with jeans but it rocks a nice suit. The gold at the closure gives just enough detail to break it up and allow you to play up your gold accessories. This BGBC Harlow clutch also comes in a few different patterns and each is amazing. Which is your style?

http://www.bcbg.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11414135&cp=4372699.2769064&parentPage=family

Cat Fight: I love a bag that is so hot that men comment. This J.Crew find does just that! In my leopard phase I found this bag and when I saw it also had the gold arm chain I fell in love. I have been having fun mixing it will reds, blues and blacks. Sometimes as a clutch and sometimes I pull out that strap and get very Bianca Jagger on them! Sorry ladies this one is sold out. 

Ring-Bag: At this point if you haven’t seen a four finger ringer bag you may be living under a rock. Celebs are rocking them and stores are charging for them! This beauty was sitting in the window at accessory store I passed on the way to the movies one day. It was as if we locked eyes to rings and fell in love. Originally I bought one for $168 but something about that didn’t seem right so I took it back and got this beauty for $33! I told ya’ll I was a shopper right!

The Basics Presents: The Statement Bag

My First year out of college I bought a Fendi Speedy Bag, it was a logo pattern and sat perfectly on my arm. I loved that bag and would joking tell my friends that my bag told people who I was whether I had on sweatpants or pumps! I later felt that it was more of an occasion bag because I wanted to look like estate money not new money. My statement bag would change every couple of years, usually along with my occupation, city and yes with my man. The CPA’s statement bag was a Lous Vuitton EPI Leather Jazmin, the rappers was a Fendi Spy bag, the business man was a Gucci indy ( oh how I miss him!) and the 9-5 government worker who was a good man with catty sisters was a basic Hobo Cole Haan. Either way it was a bag that I wore almost every day and made the statement I was trying to convey. Before looking for a statement maybe we should look at your statement, now remember you can, should, must switch it up for various outings. The statement bag is generally larger so it may not go with the LBD and it would seem out of place in the club. I cringe when I see lady’s in the club with a cute outfit and the purse they wore that day to work, Switch it up boo boo! Sorry I had to get that out, now back to your statement. Is it “College fly chick – Marc by Marc Jacobs Hobo, “ I work hard play hard – Louis Vuitton Damier Speedy”, “ Never the norm – Betsey Johnson ”, “Something’s never go out of style – Vintage Chanel”. You have to make that decision and you should do it before you shop, the last thing you want to do is spend statement bag money on a bag that will become an outfit bag or something that you don’t wear because it’s not really your style.

Allow me to Introduce Myself!

First, I love Fashion and the ability to change our image through clothing, accessories, shoes and make-up! Now that I've said that I also think Fashion is a followers sport and real trend setters have STYLE. What’s the difference? Fashion is what is hot now and how I can pull off that trend of the moment. Style on the other hand is the ability to stay true to oneself while playing with the trends of the moment. A Fashion follower may see a celebrity wear a particular dress and go get that dress, shoes, bracelets the whole shebang! While this is great for the design houses what does it say about you as a person, that you can follow directions or you are a clone? Now a stylish person looks at that same picture and pulls it apart. They look at the venue and compare it to venues they frequent, “Would I be able to wear that to work, school, happy hour?” Then they look at cuts, “Are the pants fitting on her like that because she has a long torso and how would I pull off that look with my short torso”. They sum up what from that look fits into their person style and find a way to use the trends of today in with their personal style. Of course to do this you have to know what your personal style is, I like to call my style Dorthy Dandrige meets Trina in The Hamptons. I know that’s a lot so let me explain. I love the classic beauties and the way they always looked ladylike, even when they were going to the store, always done. Now I believe in showing skin and with my ASSets sometimes there is no way to hide certain things. I also like that “Yeah she looks nice but with that type of body she must be a stripper”, lol. I take this duo to the Hamptons because I love structure and clean lines in clothing and if you let me I will wear my boat shoes all summer long. That’s my personal style and I may do all three at once or one at a time but you can always see my personal style in any trend I decide to participate in. That being said some trends I don’t participate in. I know my body and some things no matter what people say do not fit with every body type! There I’ve said it be mad if you want!
With looking at my favorite fashion blogs out there I decided to create this blog to bring style and situation together. Now we all love the trends of the stars however if you think you are wearing those bright suede platform pumps into the office think again! Yeah you should be able to be comfortable at work but honey you do not work at Vogue and those shoes say the wrong thing in the office. But it’s ok; you can pass on that and find another way to make these things work for your life without having to buy two different wardrobes. Before we get to the fun stuff however we have to take care of business and start with the basics! Those items that every women must have in her closet. Having these items no matter what your profession or age allows you to create a wardrobe that never makes you say “I have nothing to wear!”. The great thing about the basics is also that you can put your personal style in every single piece!