Happy Wednesday!
I’m really excited today because we are talking all about luxury accessories.
Ever since I was a little girl, I have had a weakness for handbags. Between my Disney tote bag, my Hello Kitty crossbody bag, my Tinkerbell backpack and my teeny tiny Tommy Hilfiger shoulder bag, I took my collection very seriously.
I remember the first high end bag I received. It was a pink Dooney & Bourke shoulder bag with the brand monogram all over in rainbow colors and the zipper was also a rainbow. Lindsay Lohan was at her prime and was the face of the campaign and honestly I remember it clear as day. Once my D&B bag was so yesterday (if you get the song reference, we’re bffs), I moved on to Juicy Couture. Those velvet tote bags with the satin bow weaved through and the large crown and dog logo just made my heart beat fast. I think I only had one and it was red and navy and it was my prized possession. And then I had a purple velvet bag that was in the shape of a bowling bag and was a top handle and omg, you couldn’t tell me nothing, I was all that and then some.
I’m not sure what the point of this long winded trip down memory lane is other than to embarrass myself, but my point is, I’ve always just loved handbags and accessories and it has evolved into loving luxury accessories. I’m not one to spend $200 on a blouse because how many times can you really wear it a week before people start noticing? But, something like a luxury handbag or shoes are investment pieces that if you take care of, can keep forever and get so much wear out of them.
And the process of purchasing one is such an experience. I remember when my mom purchased her first Louis Vuitton bag. The thrill of going into the store and having the sales associate show you around and tell you the name of each bag and the feeling of walking out with your perfect little package in a dust bag with the fancy box and bag. The thought of it just makes me excited!!
Before we start, I want to preface this by saying, I’m not some spoiled little princess that just waltzes into stores to buy whatever I want. Each of my bags holds a significant memory or occasion for me. While a majority of my collection are presents, they are items my mom purchased for my birthday or Christmas and we would save money all year. We weren’t traveling or buying clothes because that wasn’t a priority for us, we just loved luxury accessories. It’s been a while since my mom or I have purchased a luxury item because our priorities have shifted to travel, but I just wanted to provide some context so this post didn’t come off the wrong way. And, with the exception of two, I don’t really wear my bags every day. I wear them when I go out on the weekends or for special occasions because I just really value them so much so I’m really careful with them. And I don’t want to torture them with a rush hour commute!
So today, I wanted to share my collection, which may include a story of when I received it and some thoughts I may have on the pros and cons. I’m not an expert so I’m not sharing width and dimension and blah blah, but I try to share some info I know and basically anything I would want to know or look into when I’m purchasing an item. And then I want to round up my top 5 favorites so if you’re trying to figure out what to invest in first, I want to narrow it down for you!
A Review Of My Full Luxury Accessories Collection
LOUIS VUITTON SPEEDY 30
My Louis Vuitton Speedy was my first real luxury bag. I received it for my 16th birthday and I was so excited I didn’t know what to do with myself.
I have the original version that is just a top handle, but they now have the newer style that also comes with a longer strap so you can wear it as a crossbody or just on your shoulder. The speedy is currently available in 4 sizes, 25, 30, 35 and 40. Purse Blog has a great photo that shows the size comparison between all 4. I opted for the 30 because I thought it was proportionate to my body because it wasn’t too big or too small. In my opinion, you shouldn’t have a top handle bag that is so big that encourages you to put everything and the kitchen sink in there because it’s going to be too heavy for you to carry on your arm.
The speedy is not really a structured bag so you can’t really organize anything in there. You just kind of throw stuff in and hope for the best. I personally like to put little bags within my bags to hold the essentials to keep some sort of organization so I’m fine with the the black hole.
The biggest con I will say is, if the bag is not “full” it doesn’t look good. Like if you wanted to just put your wallet and keys and run out the door, the bag is going to just fall flat and it’s not going to look good. I used to put a light scarf in there just to fill it out and for it to keep it’s shape.
This bag will always be special to me because it was my first, but I don’t really use it much anymore. I don’t know why, I just feel like it’s not really in style like it was before although looking at this photo makes me want to start using it again!
LOUIS VUITTON NEVERFULL MM
My Louis Vuitton Neverfull was an 18th birthday gift. I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure when my mom purchased it, the customization feature was new. This one was so special to me because it was really a surprise and my mom picked the colors by herself. I remember she came down to visit me for parents weekend when I was a freshmen in college and she showed me the print out of it and I was so stunned.
The Neverfull is such a classic and I still use it to this day. It’s actually my current work bag. The Neverfull is available in three sizes, the PM, MM and GM. Again, I went with the MM because it was proportionate to my body. This bag is definitely more structured than the speedy like the bottom is supported and I can organize my stuff better, but it’s definitely not like a stiff tote bag.
The name is honestly so fitting because I have used this bag for everything and it is still holding up. I used it for class when I was in college, I use it to go to work or as a weekend bag and I even use it for travel which says a lot because I always fill my personal bag to the brim when I’m flying. You can pull in the sides if you want it to look smaller and there is a clasp at the top if you want to close it although I never really use the clasp.
I’m somewhat picky about tote bags. Like I hate super stiff ones, but I also don’t want it to be too light. I hate when it hits right under your arm pits but I also hate when it’s too long it looks like you’re dragging it. So I really love this one because it’s just the perfect balance of structured and light and it hits on my body perfectly.
LOUIS VUITTON KEY POUCH
I love this little guy! I received this one as gift for my 20th birthday I think. It’s the only item I have that is the checkered print versus the monogram and honestly I’m really loving the checkered print.
I used to carry my life in here which was pretty much my credit card, store points cards and some cash. I don’t frequently use it as much anymore, but I still carry it around everyday and it holds my insurance card and some other random store cards. I mentioned before that I like separating my stuff into different little pouches to keep me organized and that’s why I love this. I have a card case now that I use everyday that holds my work ID and my credit card and whatnot, but I still use this to hold the cards I use less frequently.
I think if you are someone who likes carrying the bare minimum and just likes to grab the credit card and go, this is perfect for you.
CELINE MICRO LUGGAGE IN DUNE
Love. This. Bag. A bit of a backstory since I’m obviously never one to get to the point quickly. My mom and I have this tradition that started when I was in college where we go to the MET to see the fashion exhibit, eat at our favorite diner a block away from the MET and then walk down Madison Ave window shopping. One summer, we popped into Celine because I had been seeing this bag everywhere and it was honestly in my dreams. I remember trying on this one in the navy color and just swooning. Seriously, I saw stars. I had decided that my heart was set on this dune color, but it wasn’t available at the time and instead there was a waitlist. The associate, who was so nice by the way, added our names on this list and that was that. When I flew back to Virginia to start school again, I remember getting the call that the bag was in and freaking out. When my mom flew back to NY, she went to pick it up and sent me a photo and I swear I wanted to fly home cause I was in love.
Anyways, the Celine luggage is available in multiple sizes. Honestly, different websites say different things so I’m not sure the accurate number, but I do know there is a nano that is small and has a long strap to be worn as a crossbody. Then there is the micro which is the size I have. Then the next size up is the mini, which is the size most people get and I don’t really consider it a mini since it’s pretty big. And then I think there are a few more sizes above that, which in my opinion gets a little too ridiculous. I think the style of this bag is fine in those three sizes and any bigger and it’s not really attractive.
So a few thoughts about this, I went with the pebbled leather because I like the look and it’s considered “low maintenance” since you risk scratching the smooth leather. The pebbled leather comes with a silver zipper whereas the smooth leather comes with gold. There is a zippered inside pocket and also two small pouches for you to put your phone or lipstick or whatever. The bottom is really structured and even has legs so you can stand it up. I don’t really use the outside zipper because it’s pretty stiff and I don’t think you are really meant to use this.
I will say, I know people who have the mini size specifically in the smooth leather and it gets heavy! The smooth leather bag itself is heavy so when you put items in, it’s even heavier. I make a point to take care of all my bags. I make sure to put them in their dust bags and when I use them, I’m so gentle, but I think out of all the brands, Celine doesn’t wear very well. Louis Vuitton bags are meant to be worn and the handles are meant to get darker. But, I’ve seen in like second hand stores for example the Celine weighs down and loses it’s shape and really wrinkles up.
So it’s definitely something to keep in mind, especially if you’re someone who is interested in buying this pre-used or you yourself likes to re-sell bags. All that aside, I really do love this bag, but it’s just worth keeping in mind if you’re not willing to put in the work to care for this.
CHANEL BOY BAG – NEW MEDIUM
Another backstory! Okay, maybe two. First things first, her name is Constance. Does anyone else name their bags or am I weird? I know people name cars so I don’t think I’m weird. My mom actually gave her that name because this was a graduation present and I graduated in Constitution Hall so she came up with Constance. Secondly, she knew she wanted to get me a Chanel for graduation so one Saturday, we ventured out, stopping by all the stores and no one had any boy bags in stock.
I specifically wanted the old medium so it was smaller than this one. I wanted pebbled leather and silver hardware. The last place we stopped by was Bergdorf Goodman and I remember not wanting to go in because I was tired and the associates in there are known for not being the friendliest. But, we went in anyways. We were talking to an associate and asked if they had this bag. He went in the back and was gone for so long, we were convinced he was avoiding us and when he finally emerged he had this bag. It’s the new medium so it’s bigger and is smooth leather with gold hardware. He even said it was the last one back there and was in the wrong box so he kind of stumbled upon it. It was so beautiful once I put it on and I just feel like because it was the last one left and we stumbled upon this one last, that it was meant for me.
The Boy Bag comes in four sizes. Small, old medium, new medium and large. They also have different types of leather. This article is great for learning about the different types of leather available. The two that I am familiar with is the smooth lambskin which is what I have and the caviar leather which is like a pebbled leather. I normally don’t opt for smooth, but this was the one available and I actually don’t mind the smooth here. It doesn’t show any scratches and I’m normally careful with my bags.
This bag has no “stretch” to it per say so what you see is what you get. If you like to carry everything and the kitchen sink, this bag is probably not righst for you. But, I like carrying the bare minimum so this is fine for me. For context, it holds my wallet, my key pouch, my iphone 8+, my airpods, a lipstick and sometimes my sunnies.
One thing to note is the strap is a mix of leather and a chain. There are holes where you can adjust the length and my hair always gets stuck in them!! So I just adjust it so the leather portion is towards the bottom closer to the body of the bag and the chain is towards my hair. If that makes sense! This is such a classic and iconic bag and it really does wear well. I’ve had it for four years now and it still looks brand new.
SAINT LAURENT SMALL SAC DE JOUR
I’m really going to go out on a limb here and say the Saint Laurent Sac De Jour bag is my favorite. I think. I don’t know. Who can really pick a favorite child, ya know? But, every time I pull out one of my nice bags, I gravitate towards this one.
I believe it comes in four sizes. The nano, the baby, small and large. Again, it comes in smooth leather and pebbled leather. I opted for pebbled. Although when I purchased this one, they had a collection of smooth leather that had colorful linings so like the inside was hot pink or yellow and it was so beautiful, but I really do prefer pebbled leather.
This bag is very structured and while it fits the essentials and then some, you can’t necessarily fit like a DSLR camera inside because it has such a set shape. There is a zipper divider in the middle of the bag and you can also open the buttons to make it looser if you’re trying to squeeze anything in there.
This bag can definitely get heavy especially if you are carrying a lot. But, I love that not only is it a top handle, but it also comes with a longer strap for you to throw over your shoulder or wear as a cross body. Most luxury brands only have longer straps for their smallest size, but I love that this one comes with it. It also has legs at the bottom of the bag so it really stands on its own and keeps its shape.
It is just such a well made, sturdy and timeless bag. I’m really careful with a lot of my bags because I know how pricey they are and I want to take care of them. I of course take care of this one, but it just feels more sturdy so if I accidentally bump into something, I don’t feel like I messed up my bag. It also wears really well. I think I’ve had this for like 2 or 3 years and it still looks brand new.
SAINT LAURENT MONOGRAM LEATHER CLUTCH
This little clutch was a graduation gift from Eddie. I remember he came down to Virginia the day before my graduation as I was moving out of my dorm and wrapped this within some weird box so I had no idea what it was. I was so excited and wore it on graduation day.
I love that the monogram is the classic YSL and again it’s pebbled leather. Saint Laurent has the most beautiful black pebbled leather in my opinion. It just looks so pretty and their bags are so well made and sturdy.
This is a true clutch so it does not have any straps or anything. I haven’t used this recently because I don’t go to a lot of events and I just feel like obviously this clutch is for more formal occasions. I do wish I had more opportunity to wear it. My cousin is getting married later this year so I’m hoping to pull it out then! I think the sizing is great and you can fit the essentials in here. Probably not a wallet, but definitely a card case, your phone and some makeup for touch ups.
3.1 PHILLIP LIM PASHLI MINI SATCHEL
Going off on another limb here, but I think the 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli mini satchel is my second favorite bag. And honestly out of my whole collection, it definitely has gotten the most wear.
I love small bags. Seriously the smaller the better. I have an iPhone 8+ so it doesn’t fit in all my bags and I’m honestly okay with it. Not that this bag is THAT small, but just to give you some context. And I love crossbody bags because they are so easy and I can be hands free. Which is why this mini cross body bag is one of my all time favorites.
I believe this comes in three sizes with this mini one being the smallest. Full disclosure, I’m not a huge fan of the bigger sizes. For some reason, I only think this mini one is cute. You can open the zippers to extend the bag, but again, full disclosure, I don’t personally like the look. I think it looks a bit sloppy so I’ve always kept them closed. I know the bag may seem small, but surprisingly I can fit so much in here. I fit my full size wallet, my key pouch, card case, airpods, phone and sunnies. Pretty much all of my essentials.
You can probably tell from the photo, but there is some wear on the gold hardware which doesn’t really bother me. I like that you can really adjust the long strap to control where it hits your body. The only annoying thing is, then you get this random long tail, but I just tuck it into the bag to hide it.
The one thing I do find annoying is that the top handles, specifically the front one is kind of drooping. I think it’s because I’m in and out of it and moving it and now it doesn’t really stand up on its own. That’s probably why it comes with that leather coil on the back handle so you can lock it in, but I just wish it did keep its shape. I just really love this bag because it’s a great everyday bag if you don’t carry much, but it’s also a great weekend bag for shopping. I just love it so much.
MANOLO BLAHNIK HANGISI JEWEL PUMP
Moving on to shoes!! I’ve never really been a shoe girl, but I went through a phase where all I wanted was shoes. I would circle the shoe department in Barney’s and try everything on.
I got these Manolo’s for my 22nd birthday. They’re super popular because they are Carrie’s wedding shoes from the Sex and the City movie. So basic of me, I know, but I just love them so much. And now they come in a ton of colors and even come in a flat and mule version.
These are actually super comfortable and surprisingly versatile. When I got these, I was working in the Teen Vogue fashion closet and was on my feet running around all day. But, I was so excited for these shoes so I wore them and they were still really comfortable. And I can easily dress them up but I can also dress them down with some jeans and a white button down and really let these shine.
My dream is actually to have a closet of Manolo’s. The classic suede pumps in every single color of the rainbow.
CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN DÉCOLLETÉ 868 PUMP
My Louboutin’s! I’m really proud of this pair because I purchased it with my own money the summer before my senior year of college because I knew I wanted to walk across that graduation stage in red bottoms.
Louboutin’s are not known for being comfortable and while these aren’t super painful, my Manolo’s are definitely more comfortable and I can wear those for longer. Plus the red has worn off at the base and I still haven’t gotten them resoled. I heard that when you do, they aren’t as shiny and alluring as an unworn pair. I do love the iconic red bottom, but I’m not really about the upkeep.
At the time that I purchased these, they were so my style and I loved them. I haven’t really worn these recently because I’m no longer into round toe heels and I prefer more of a pointed toe like the Manolo’s, but these are still very special to me.
TOP 5 LUXURY ACCESSORIES WORTH THE MONEY
Okay so I wanted to break down my top 5 purchases that I think are really worth the money. So if you’re trying to build up your collection or if you’re also obsessed with luxury accessories, these are the top 5 items I think should be at the top of your wish list.
- Louis Vuitton Neverfull – It is honestly such a staple and the name is really true, this bag never seems to be full. It has taken me from class to work to travel and is so practical and you will totally get your money worth.
- Saint Laurent Sac de Jour – This bag is so timeless and so beautiful and it will definitely wear well. I think if you are into luxury accessories, but don’t necessarily want to “baby” your bag, this is perfect because it’s low maintenance.
- Chanel Boy Bag – A classic. Seriously, if you are a fashion lover or a a luxury accessory lover, you need a Chanel. It will be with you forever and be your pride and joy. And that’s that on that.
- 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli Satchel – I just love this bag. I think it’s luxurious, but also practical so you can wear it ever day. It comes in a ton of colors and really is the best bag for work or for the weekend.
- Manolo Blahnik – It doesn’t have to be the Carrie Bradshaw shoes, but I think Manolo’s are such a staple. They come in a ton of different colors and styles and they really are comfortable.
Okay that was a long one today. But, I can just go off on a tangent when it comes to my bags and shoes!
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you have a great rest of the week.
