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.

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!