Rebecca Minkoff bags that are gone, but not forgotten...

I thought I would talk about the bags that I have had in my own personal collection in the past, and why I had decided not to keep them. Some of them just weren’t functional for me, or ended up just not being my style. And a few of them, I actually now regret selling.
I will start with Rebecca Minkoff.

Over the past two years, quite a few Rebecca Minkoff bags have joined my family, but then gone to new homes. Because they are rare and harder to find in Canada, and a little more expensive here, I usually bought my RM’s online, new and used. In fact, Holt Renfrew only recently started carrying RM’s. Because of this, I was usually buying these bags without trying them on IRL, so there was a certain amount of trial and error with styles that didn’t end up suiting me or sizes that I didn’t like.

My very first RM was the full-sized Nikki in Dark Brown, which I talked about back in May 2009. This was an excellent choice for me because I tend to be a hobo-style kind of girl. And the leather on this one was the thickest, chewiest leather ever! I still have this bag and have no plans to sell it!

The second RM I ever purchased was a bit of a bittersweet sort of parting. I found one on the Basic Boutique website and on sale with free shipping! The RM full-sized Beloved in Black Haze was a perfect crossbody bag for me.

I loved the size of the bag at 13”L x 9.5” H x 5”D. And the adjustable shoulder strap was a real bonus as it could be worn short as a shoulder bag, or long as a crossbody (messenger) bag. With 4 exterior zippered pockets and 3 interior pockets (1 large zippered and 2 open patch pockets, this bag was the most functional bag I would own! The tassels hanging from each zipper pull was a huge feature for me too. I love tassels.

But I absolutely could not stand the Black Haze leather and the gold hardware. I found Black Haze to be too stiff for my liking. After the soft, slouchy leather on my Nikki, the Black Haze seemed to pale in comparison. When I attempted to clean a small patch that had gotten dirty, the Black Haze actually bled! The gold hardware made it very old fashioned for me. I have always preferred silver or gunmetal hardware on my bags. I was not impressed, but I loved the bag. What to do? I sold it, and decided to get another Beloved, but in a different leather, other than Haze leather. By this time though, RM had stopped making the full-sized Beloved or they were very rare and hard to find. The Mini Beloved, however, was in abundance.

I found a gorgeous Mini Beloved in Black Cat leather and Gunmetal hardware on AsterAlice, on sale and with free shipping! This combination was definitely exactly what I was looking for! The Black Cat leather was so soft and supple and the gunmetal hardware was not garish. I loved it! It had the same adjustable shoulder/crossbody strap as the full-sized Beloved, and the same amount of interior and exterior pockets. And came with matching leather tassels as well. This bag looked so cute and chic on!

But it was too small for my needs. At 10”L x 8”H x 4.5”D, the Mini Beloved was just too tight once I got all my things into it. As a mother of two young children, I tended to carry a lot, so the Mini Beloved just didn’t make the cut.

So, again, I sold it. And now I regret it. My children are older now and I find I don’t carry quite as much…and I am finding myself wishing I had a bag like the Mini Beloved. Perhaps sometime in the near future, I’ll have the pleasure of owning another, possible in a different colour this time? I think a perfect one would be on in a dark grey with silver or gunmetal hardware. If RM puts one out like that, I will be all over it.

Yet another RM that I full regret selling is the full-sized Stud Nikki in Flat Iron Gray (FIG) with Gunmetal hardware. I found this one on AsterAlice on sale with free shipping as well. And I really NEVER should have even considered selling this beauty!

This Stud FIG Nikki was not only the perfect size and style for me, but the FIG leather was gorgeous! It was a pebbled medium gray that was set off perfectly by the gunmetal studs. I had always admired the Studded RM line, but most of them were the gold studs, which I found much too garish. So when I discovered she had the studs in gunmetal as well, I jumped on it. I had initially wanted the black Stud Nikki with gunmetal hardware, but AsterAlice sold out as soon as they went on sale. So I decided to give the FIG a try…and I wasn’t disappointed!

Like my full-sized Dark Brown Nikki, the Stud FIG Nikki had 3 multi-function patch pockets and 1 large zippered pocket in the interior, with an added metro card pocket. The lining was the new white and gray strip lining that matched the FIG perfectly! I was so in love! Unlike the Dark Brown Nikki though, the Stud FIG Nikki had the newer clip hardware, and not the Signature RM hardware that I have a preference for, but that wasn’t a big deal to me. The Stud FIG Nikki was heavier than my Dark Brown Nikki, however, because of the added weight of the studs.
Why did I sell it, you ask? Temporary insanity?? Um…I needed the money to fund another bag – a Chanel. It was worth my Chanel in the end…but I still miss my Stud Nikki.

The next two RM’s were ones that I really didn’t mind selling, in fact, I couldn’t wait to get rid of! First was the RM Morning After Mini in Crocodile embossed leather. This one was actually acquired in a partial trade. I had never owned a Morning After Mini (MAM) or Morning After Bag (MAB), and had not really planned on it either as I am usually not a fan of hand-held satchels.

I really should have gone with my gut instinct on this one, because, sure enough, when Croc MAM arrived, I was not overly impressed. Sure, she was lovely to look at with all that lovely patent embossed leather and shiny light gold hardware, but I quickly found that I was not a fan of crocodile (embossed or not) and the MAM was just too much like my old Louis Vuitton Speedy, which I had traded away because the hand-held satchel didn’t suit me or my lifestyle.

At 12.5”L x 8”H x 6”D with a dual handle drop of 6”, the MAM was really too much like the LV Speedy 30. The advantage that the MAM had over the Speedy 30 would be that it had the large zippered pocket on the exterior. The interior also boasted more pockets than the Speedy 30’s one patch pocket. The MAM had two open patch pockets, as well as a large zippered pocket. However, it still resembled the bottomless pit that I was constantly searching through for my belongings in the Speedy 30. The hardware wasn’t overly garish, as it was light gold and not brass. It also had the Signature RM hardware that I prefer, but even that didn’t save it’s lack of functionality for me. So off this one went as well. I had trouble selling this one, actually, and ended up trading it for another RM, which I was much happier with…the 5-Zip Morning After Clutch in Eggplant, which I will talk about in another post in the near future.

The most recently RM acquisition was actually another full-sized Nikki in Charcoal patent leather with silver hardware that I wasn’t too thrilled about. It was a previously owned Nikki that another Purse Forum member was selling at a steal. So I snapped it up, thinking I couldn’t possibly go wrong with a full-sized Nikki in dark gray with silver Signature RM hardware, and patent to boot! It would be the perfect go-to bag for our Vancouver weather!

When she arrived though, I was disappointed to find that Charcoal was really not dark gray, but a dark brown with metallic undertones. And unlike the soft, slouchy leather that my Dark Brown Nikki boasted, this Charcoal patent leather was rather stiff and unforgiving for a hobo style that tends to be slouchy. So my perfect go-to bag ended up looking too much like my existing Dark Brown Nikki, without the luscious leather. Not even the silver Signature hardware could save her. And off she went too.

Note to self, avoid all MAM’s, MAB’s and Patent Leather with RM’s in the future.

Wow...it's been over a year?!?!

I must be the laziest blogger on the planet! I can't believe it's been over a year since my last post! It's been a crazy busy year for me and my family. We've had the 2010 Winter Olympic games in our fair city, then we moved into our brand new home! We've been busy with adapting in our new place, as well as the commute to school and work. We're working on fine tuning our day to day lives now...it's been a learning curve. Then we had our big family vacation in Los Angeles and our Mexican Riviera Cruise.

My collection has changed drastically this past year, with tons of comings and goings of different bags. The Gucci Pelham has now gone to a new home, as well as several Balenciagas and Rebecca Minkoff bags. I will have to do a quick critique of those that left, as well as the ones that have joined my collection.

Among those that have joined are a couple of coveted Chanels, a couple of LVs, including a Holy Grail LV of mine, a personalized, custom made Gucci, a Balenciaga and a Rebecca Minkoff.

I hope to get to each and every one over the holidays and into the New Year.

Here is my collection as of September 2010, but it's changed quite a bit since then...

A Gucci Classic: Pelham Medium Shoulder Bag

The Gucci Pelham Medium Shoulder bag with Beige/Ebony GG Fabric and Dark Brown leather trim is part of Gucci's Classic handbags line. With it's beautifully braided double handles, light gold hardware (horsebits and studs) and lovely classic shape, the Pelham is a gorgeous bag that goes with pretty much any outfit, whether dressed up or dressed down.

Measuring at 19.3"L X 5.1"W X 11"H, this bag is good, large size for all your essentials. It has a tab snap closure on the interior, and when unbuckled, opens the mouth of the bag wide so that it is more like a tote. It has a large zippered pocket in the interior and bottom feet. This gorgeous bag comes in black GG fabric with black leather trim, beige GG fabric with white leather trim, as well as in a selection of colours in smooth leather and Guccissima leather. It comes in three different sizes, this one being the medium sized one, a smaller version and a larger, luggage sized one. This medium sized shoulder bag retails on the Gucci website for $1595USD, while in Canada, it retails at the Gucci Store for $1865CAD.

In 2007 and 2008, this was my Gucci Holy Grail. I had wanted this bag so bad...it was about $1570CAD back then and I couldn't bring myself to spend over $1K for a bag. The Gucci Abbey Shoulder bag is a similar styled bag - albeit, not has large, not as glamorous and certainly not as expensive at $840CAD!

The Gucci Abbey Shoulder bag in Beige/Ebony GG Fabric and dark brown leather trim was to be my first Gucci bag. After purchasing it in the Fall of 2007, though, and carrying it for a few months, I still lusted after the Pelham. I still couldn't bring myself to spend $1570 + taxes, so I searched eBay looking for one. I actually ended up purchasing one off eBay around Christmas time, but then took it to Holt Renfrew to get it authenticated and it was fake. I sent it back to the seller and they refunded me promptly. After that, I combed the internet to find a way to authenticate the ones I might be interested in on eBay...and stumbled across The Purse Forum. And needless to say my life has never been the same. lol

I did end up purchasing a brand new Gucci Pelham from an eBay seller and fellow tPF member, Purse-N-Boots, and had the Pelham authenticated on tPF. It cost me $1300USD, but our Canadian dollar was at par with the US dollar at the time, and the seller didn't charge me any shipping fees. I was so happy to finally have my Pelham, my Holy Grail of all Guccis!

The craftsmanship on this bag is truly exquisite and it is probably one of the roomiest bags I own! And for those who are worried about getting a fabric bag because it may not keep well, no worries here! The GG fabric is so easy to clean! I once got a little bit of colour transfer from my dark clothing onto a small patch of the bag. I dabbed a small amount of Coach Fabric Cleaner on the spot with a soft cloth and it came right out! And because Gucci GG fabric is pre-treated with water-repellant, it's a great bag for rainy weather!

All around, it's the perfect Gucci to add to any collection and will remain timeless and elegant year after year.

Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince Movie...Disappointed?? **WARNING: Spoilers!!**

I am, very obviously, a terrible blogger, since my blogs are very few and far between. I will try to be more diligent in submitting my blog entries in the future!

So "Harry Potter 6" was released in theatres this past week, after much waiting (especially since they put off the release in November 2008 in favor of "Twilight", not that I'm complaining). I went to see it twice, once on opening night on Wednesday with a girlfriend, and once on Friday night, two nights later with DH and two other couples. I thought the movie was well done - acting, graphics and special effects-wise, but I was very sorely disappointed with the content. They cut out some very key scenes and sequences that, I felt, were vital to the continutation of series - as well as hard-core Potter fans who may have been waiting to see these key scenes/sequences on the silver screen.

One such scene in which I was very greatly disappointed was the scene where Harry and Ginny finally kiss. In the book, this first kiss takes place in the Gryffindor Common Room after Ginny takes the Gryffindor Quidditch team to a victory against Ravenclaw as Seeker to win the Quidditch Cup for the year. Harry doesn't play in this match as he has detention with Snape for using the Sectumsempra spell against Malfoy. Harry returns to the Common Room to find Gryffindor celebrating after the victory, and Ginny runs at Harry and throws herself into him for a hard hug...and Harry kisses her in front of 50 other Gryffindors in the Common Room, including Ron, Hermione, and Dean (Ginny's ex-boyfriend). As a hard-core Potter fan...this is one of the scenes I couldn't wait to see. In fact, in my mind's eye, I had already pictured the actors in this scene and was very disappointed and dismayed when the entire sequence was cut out of the movie, and only thrown in as an afterthought when Harry was forced to hide the Half-Blood Prince's Potions book in the Room of Requirement. No relationship developed from this scene either. The movie goes from this scene straight to Dumbledore and Harry going to find the Horcrux in the cave. I mean, the whole sequence of Harry and Ginny going out in the book was supposed to show how much he had to sacrifice, personally at the end of the book when he decides to break up with Ginny for her own safety and go on his own to find the Horcruxes and destroy Voldemort! This scene falls short for those romantics in the Potter fans. Yet, somehow, the screenwriters thought it more important to develop the, albeit brief, relationship between Ron and Lavender, in order to develop the relationship between Ron and Hermione.

The movie also leaves out some very key memory sequences that would lead into the final chapter of the Potter series. While Harry and Dumbledore delve into the Pensive to witness the memories involving Voldemort's childhood at the orphanage and Slughorn's tampered and untampered memories of Voldemort asking him about Horcruxes, we never get to see the memories that reveal Voldemort's ancestory, which are key in developing the story behind how and where Harry needs to find the remaining Horcruxes. Besides the brief hint that Harry may be a Horcrux too (when he touches Voldemort's ring and it reacts to him) just before Harry and Dumbledore leave for the cave, in this movie, Harry has no idea that what objects he will be looking for in the next movie. In the book, however, Harry lists off with Dumbledore what he needs to find...7 Horcruxes, two of which have been destroyed (Riddle's Diary, Marvolo's Ring): Slytherin's Locket (which they never mention actually belonged to Voldemort's mother and was passed down by Slytherin, as she is a descendant); Hufflepuff's cup; possibly something of Ravenclaw's and Gryffindor's; the snake, Nagini. Without this knowledge going into the 7th movie, I think they'll have to waste a certain amount of time figuring this out at the beginning of the next movie. I feel the scene where the Burrow is set on fire probably could have been deleted for a crucial Pensive memory scene involving the clues to the Horcuxes.

I was also disappointed that there was no burial scene for Dumbledore. I thought the whole scene after Cedric Diggory (Robert Pattinson) died in "Goblet of Fire" was more heart wrenching than when Dumbledore dies in this movie. I felt the memorial fell short for what the great Headmaster deserved. I'm also very disappointed in the fact that there was no formal break-up scene at the end of the movie between Harry and Ginny. In the book, Harry nobly tells Ginny they can't be together anymore for her own safety. This scene would show how much Harry would have to personally sacrifice to go off and fight Voldemort. However, since there is no relationship development in the movie between them anyway, I suppose a break up is not necessary. She only goes on to become his wife, why on earth would they need to develop their relationship? How lame....instead, Harry and Ginny's non-relationship is only touched upon as an afterthought thrown in by the writers at the end of the movie when Harry and Hermione are discussing important Voldemort fighting tactics for the next movie and Hermione says, "Ron's okay with you and Ginny, you know, but if I were you, I'd keep the snogging to a minimum around him." And that's supposed to be enough to satisfy our romantic hearts...

I must say though, that Daniel Radcliffe looked quite buff, despite that fact that he hasn't grown the the 6' that Harry is supposed to be by this book. He's really grown up a lot and is quite cute (from a sisterly perspective on my part). Bonnie Wright, who plays "Ginny" has grown up a lot and has become quite pretty. I thought that they still made her look quite homely in the movie, where in the book, Ginny is supposed to be have grown into quite a beauty and very popular among the boys.

Emma Watson is just gorgeous...no wonder all the Hogwarts boys are chasing after her! And Rupert Grint...well, while I've never found him attractive and still don't...he has impeccable comedic timing. This movie was much more light-hearted than any of the other films. It still had its dark parts, but I found I was laughing a lot throughout the movie, which did make it refreshing.

Overall, I'd give it a 9 for cinematography, but maybe only a 5 for actual content satisfaction...

The Understated Elegance of Foley + Corinna

Shout out to my little brother, who turns 31 today! Happy Birthday, Bro! And of course, a big Happy Birthday shout out to my favourite man, Wentworth Miller, who turns 37 today!

Whew! What a hot day it was today in Vancouver! DH, the kids and I grabbed a few Japa Dogs and went down to the George Wainborn Park in Yaletown to eat them in the sun, while watching a couple of city park rangers give tickets to all the dog owners who didn't have licenses or leashes on their dogs! It was beautiful...then we went to the little playground there and worked off those Japa Dogs by chasing the kids around! God, I'm so pale, I must have been shimmering in the sunlight...wait a minute...I'm not a vampire. Hmmm...moving on...

In March 2009 I was on a search for the perfect white Spring/Summer handbag. I wanted something white or off-white or cream and something in patent leather because white leather on it's own is impossible to keep clean when you have two young children. I really wanted another Balenciaga, but alas, they don't make Day bags in patent. The Gucci Hysteria bag, which is just gorgeous in white patent, was way out of my price range at over $2K!! The only other bag I could think of that I really liked and was within my price range of around $200 -$300CAD was the Marc by Marc Jacobs Posh Super K Turnlock in white patent.

Gucci Hysteria & Marc By Marc Jacobs Posh Super K Turnlock

So went in search for the MJ Super K on eBay. I had once owned the Chocolate brown version of this bag, but sold it because the design didn't fit my needs at the time, but am now kicking myself for selling it! Will go into a more detailed description/critique on this bag later on. Anyways, I did manage to find a couple on eBay, but was out bid on them because I wasn't willing to go more than $200USD...Ha! Probably a good thing...

I started doing searches on eBay for white patent leather bags, rather than searching for specific labels and stumbled across this beauty:

Foley + Corinna Mid City Tote in Cream Crackle

I had seen this bag at Holt Renfrew before and admired it's beauty. My sister had also expressed an interest in this bag, but in black leather. I didn't like it as much in leather, but in patent, I thought it looked stunning! This bag retails at Holts for $595CAD, and $444USD on most online sites. I ended up paying $229USD, shipping included...and let me tell you, I am so glad I didn't go further and bid higher on the MJ Super K! I LOVE this Mid City Tote! I love the fact that the double handles have a drop that is long enough that I can carry it on my shoulder, and I love that I can fold it down and use the shoulder strap as well. The best feature though, is that fact that it has large zippered pockets front and back, and two zippered pockets inside on opposite walls as well! It measures at 16"H x 15"W, which makes it very roomy! It's very light weight and the patent leather makes it virtually worry free! It's the perfect go-to bag for Spring/Summer!

When I posted this bag to my showcase the The Purse Forum I was so surprised that a lot of purse lovers weren't familiar with the house of Foley + Corinna! I've seen a few Foley + Corinna bags on some of the showcases of other tPFers, but for the most part, this is a fairly understated label. I find the elegance and simplicity of the design of the Mid City Tote refreshing and definitely practical for a working mother of two!

The Rebecca Minkoff Phenomenon

Ever since I joined the Purse Forum and was introduced to the handbags of the young American designer, Rebecca Minkoff, I wondered what all the fuss was about. I'd never heard of the RM brand before tPF, but saw that many of my fellow handbag enthusiasts were collecting RM bags in their collection showcases. I guess it was around the time that I was falling in love with Balenciagas that I noticed the RM phenomenon. Much like the Balenciaga label, the RM brand doesn't boast a large selection of styles like those of Gucci or Louis Vuitton. In fact, RM only has less than ten different styles of bags with varying sizes or degrees of studdedness. The draw here is the array of colours and the different types of skins Rebecca Minkoff uses in her designs.

Since Rebecca Minkoff has yet to make a full scale debut in Canada, her bags are largely unrecognized here. Holt Renfrew doesn't sell them, and the Rebecca Minkoff website only lists two stores in East Canada who sell RMs (in Toronto and Quebec). Recenly, a friend of mine told me that she had seen some RM patent cosmetic cases in a boutique in downtown Vancouver called Blubird at Alberni Street & Burrard Street. I paid the boutique a visit and was pleasantly surprised to find that they carried the newest RM Supernova Stud Nikki and Supernova Stud Devote!

I was more than thrilled as the RM Nikki is the bag that I had been admiring on tPF for the last few months now...and hoping to have a better look at before deciding if I really wanted one. I'd read on tPF that the RM leather is "very smooshy", "chewy", "buttery soft", "thick". Trying on the Stud Nikki in black leather with gold tone studs, I would have to agree with every adjective used on tPF...hands down! I loved the size of the Nikki as well. It measures at 19" x 4" x 15" with a 9" drop at the handle. There are three multi-function, open pockets on one wall and a large zippered pocket on the opposite wall. The open pockets are trimmed with the same leather as the exterior...a nice touch. The Stud Nikki is lined with the blue and white striped lining. I have seen on tPF that many RM bags have the coveted black and white floral lining, but I have yet to see that in person. I found the Stud Nikki to be a little heavy, but the bag is studded, and the hardware is not the RM signature hardware, but the original hardware with the large lobster clips on either side of the bag. Gorgeous, gorgeous bag! I fell completely in love with it...until I took a peek at the price tag! Now the Supernova Stud Nikki retails in the USA for $650USD. Blubird's price tag for it read $847CAD!!! Ouch! I looked hopefull at DH, who'd gone to see the bag with me. And at the look he gave me after he took a look at the price tag...I put Nikki back on the shelf.

I didn't give up though...I went back to see the bag several times and resolved that the Supernova Stud Nikki, or just a Nikki, for that matter, would be my next designer bag conquest.

So as I had mentioned in a previous post, I did find a brand new, never used dark brown Nikki on eBay that was being sold by a fellow tPFer. That transaction went smoothly and Nikki arrived to me the day before yesterday.

She came, brand new, still with tags at $407USD shipped, which came to $490CAD with the exchange. I was charged another $60CAD in duties at the post office. The dark brown lambskin is thick, chewy, very smooshy and soft as butter! The colour is rich and the leather smells just amazing! My new Nikki is quite a bit lighter than the Supernova Stud Nikki, but shares the same interior features. The leather, however, is even softer and smooshier on the dark brown than on the black Stud Nikki. According to my fellow "Minkettes" (an endearing term used by the designer for all her followers), the kind of leather used to make an RM bag depends on the colour of the bag. I'm assuming this is because certain skins take better to certain coloured dyes?

Because of the size of the Nikki, things in your bag may tend to get a little lost, but I have one of those Purseket-like purse organizers that my friend MJ once made for me, so I don't have that problem. I highly recommend a Purseket purse organizer though...you can find them on eBay. However, because the Nikki has so many pockets, I have a pocket each for my iPhone, keys and work ID, as well as the zippered pocket to put cosmetics and such in. So really, an organizer isn't even needed for the Nikki. And I love that my Nikki has the signature RM hardware rather than just the original lobster clip!

Now I've also been warned by my fellow "Minkettes" that once you buy one RM bag, you'll want more and more. Well, I know what other RM styles there are and I'm not particularly interested in any of the others. Some of the either styles just suit me, I feel. The Nikki suits my lifestyle and my personality, but I'm not about to run out and buy a few more Nikkis in different colours. I've never been one to buy the same bag, but just in a different colour, fabric or skin. But apparently, as with Balenciaga, having several Nikkis is all the rage!

Anyway, I am just thrilled with my dark brown RM Nikki bag! Folks, I now know what the fuss is all about over Rebecca Minkoff! Now all I need to get is the official "Minkette" bag charm to add to my Nikki - and I'm officially a "Minkette"!

And the Season is Over...

I'm still numb from last night's loss...not like the Canucks got spanked or anything...I mean, it was good game...but still...

I had said during round one of the playoffs that if the Canucks won the Stanley Cup this year, I'd get myself a new tattoo of the Vintage emblem on the back of my left shoulder (where my other two tattoos are located)...lol *Sigh!* Guess that's not happening for a little while yet...but this is what it would have looked like...

Talking to DH last night, he doesn't feel too optimistic about the team's future either...the Sedin Twins are free agents now, Sundin only signed with the Canucks for this season...and Ohlund maybe retiring. We'll just have to see, won't we?? It was a good run while it lasted...and I'm still breathless from the sweep of the first round...this round just came out of nowhere...Poor Luongo...I feel for him...

Golf, anyone?