2014 - a catalyst to stopping my frequent bag buying habit

For many, many years I tried to get my bag and wallet purchases under control - I made yearly resolutions and tried to limit the number of bags I purchase per year, but nothing worked.

In 2014, I was thisclose to having a no-purchase year of bags and wallets but caved mid-year and purchased 11 bags!

I was really disappointed with myself but turns out, these 11 bags filled important gaps in my bag collection. 

When I used to purchase bags, I went on simply what I liked and bought it. I didn't think about the function they played in my life, or their practicality. I love all my bags, but the 11 I bought last year, without knowing it, were useful to my daily life. 

Just a reminder, my bag purchases are not included in my budget for my wardrobe.

Why were these bags so important/special? 

Banana Republic clutch and crossbody, used 5 and 2 times respetively

Cole Haan large tote in pebbled leather, used 34 times

Cole Haan satchel in pebbled leather, used 44 times

Cole Haan tote, used 26 times 

Dooney & Bourke satchel and crossbody (another crossbody in 
violet not shown), used 15, 5, 7 times respectively

Dooney & Bourke satchel (nylon version not shown), 
used 25 times, and 43 times respectively

Dooney & Bourke satchel, used 16 times

When I tracked my bag usage, despite only owning them for 1.5 years, these bags were the ones I used the most since I got them. I use them on a regular basis because they are easy to use and their quality is fantastic. I don't have to worry about ruining them, or getting any scratches on them as they are super durable. The calf-hair bags have been my go-to for special events since they go with everything and with the price I paid for them, even if I were to use them recklessly wouldn't be too sad. 

The reason why I didn't use my other bags so much is because they were too expensive and I just cared too much about them. I care about these bags too but the price I paid, wouldn't cause me to cry. In total, I spent approximately $1,059, averaging less than $100 per bag! Since these 11 purchases, I have been able to spend 2015 purchase-free of bags! 

Never say never - Dooney & Bourke

Last year I discovered that I love bags by Dooney & Bourke - this surprised me because it was one of the brands that I really did not like and couldn't understand its appeal. I thought them to be too plain or too ugly, especially the much loved fold-over satchel. 

Being part of a fantastic online community of people who love and celebrate bags, I was exposed to a lot more styles and colors by D&B and became more curious. Coincidentally, the Hudson's Bay began to carry their bags and I was able to test them out in real life and I found that the leather on the popular florentine satchel was amazing; the stitching and detailing for a bag at that price-point was more than worth it - the braided zipper pulls, the green suede lining, heavy stitching, and the interior organization - amazing.

While I finally understood the hype over the bags, I wasn't sure if the style was going to be suitable for me because, while I love the satchel style, I wasn't sure if I could do the fold-over part as it requires a little bit more maneuvering to get to my things. Also, since the zip doesn't break apart, I was worried that it would add more of a hurdle for me. 

Despite these hesitations, when I went to the outlets, and finally saw alllll the colors, sizes, and styles that they offer - I fell in love. The bag-loving part of me wanted to get every single florentine satchel there was, but I was refraining from going overboard. 

I oddly, decided to go with a small orange florentine. Orange wasn't on my radar but something about it really caught my eye and I figured, go big, or go home. She's one of my favourite bags in my collection and while she's too small to bring to work, I try to take her out as much as possible =)

Navy - my new ‘go to’ color

Blue was always in my wardrobe but it was mostly because I like the color, not because I knew how to make it work for me. I decided to go with navy as my main blue shade and bought pieces that I would use as ‘anchor’ pieces - pieces that would hold the eye. This year I added a skirt (Gap, similar to this one), kitten heels (Zara), nylon bag (Dooney &Bourke), and zip-wallet (Michael Kors) to the mix.