Answers to your questions on You Tube!

You asked... I answered!

My answers to a few popular questions that I've gotten recently on my You Tube Channel, Bags4Bubbles...

Tips for buying Pre-owned, Authentic Designer Handbags & Accessories:

Top 5 Purse Styles and Designer Handbag Brands that are essential for any woman to own!

Tory Burch Spring 2012 Must Haves!

It's no secret that I've been obsessed with Tory Burch lately, especially her popular Revas...

I would love to add a few fun Tory Burch accessories into my mix for Spring though, and I've pretty much been able to find something in every category on her website that I am wanting right now! Sunglasses are the next thing that I *need* to get, and these over-sized square sunglasses are my number one pick.

Tory Burch Over-sized Enamel Sunglasses, www.toryburch.com, $149

All of the shoes on my shopping wishlist right now are Tory Burch, but I think that these Love Pink Miller sandals just scream Summer. (And they scream 'buy me' as well!)

Tory Burch Miller Sandal in Love Pink, www.toryburch.com, $195

Tory Burch jewelry is exceptionally cute as well... I'm mainly a silver-toned gal, but I really like a number of the things that she has on her website even in gold tone! My top two jewelry picks are both silver-toned though...

Tory Burch Logo Earring, www.toryburch.com, $68

Tory Burch Mini Clover Necklace, www.toryburch.com, $98

And of course what would a seasonal wishlist be without at least one bag? (Or two?) I know it's not very bright... but I love this Robinson Satchel by Tory Burch - this would be an all seasons kind of bag for me.

Tory Burch Robinson Satchel, www.toryburch.com, $550

And on days when only a brighter color will do - I love this Amanda Hobo for a pop of Spring color!

Tory Burch Amanda Hobo, www.toryburch.com, $465

Now all I need is the lottery fairy to visit me... so I can get them all at one time!! Happy Spring!

Louis Vuitton Empriente Lumineuse PM in Ombre!

So DH offered to get me a bag as kind of a late Valentine's/early birthday type of gift... after having a hard time mulling over what to get - this Lumi popped up and I grabbed it. The Ombre color is the Empriente color that I had been considering, and even though I previously had mentioned the Empriente Artsy in one of my posts - I decided that the Lumineuse might be even more versatile. (Especially with kids!)

So it arrived this week and I'm still figuring out whether I love, like it, or am just neutral about it? I seem to kind of be wavering all around and my opinion changes from minute to minute. In any case, it is a very pretty bag and  what may be making me balk more than anything could be the price tag (eek!!)... but the leather is just divine and the color is lovely too...

What do you think - a keeper? :)

My updated Spring 2012 wishlist...

I decided it was time to update the wishlist, with the things I'm currently stalking on the Net!

Makeup &Beauty

I've loved all of the perfumes that I've tried over the past few months, but other than finally getting a full sized Bond No. 9 perfume... I think I'm pretty complete on perfumes right now. I'm back to focusing on nail polish and have a few "must haves" that I'm eyeing at Dior.com!

Dior Metallic Silver polish, Dior.com, $23

Dior Graffiti Pink polish, Dior.com, $23

I'm also loving the OPI Muppet collection!

OPI Muppet Collection in Divine Swine, amazon.com, Prices vary.

  

Don't ask me how I stumbled upon the Bond No. 9 fragrance brand, but as soon as I saw the bottle for Madison Square Park I knew I had to track down a sample. As predicted when it comes to these things, I received the sample and really liked the scent as well. As soon as I can reconcile myself to the price... it will be mine. (It comes with jewelry, with the cute little green bracelet/brooch on top - so that has to count for something, right?)

www.saksfifthavenue.com, 1.7 oz. Bond No. 9 - Madison Square Park,  $180

Shoes

I'm totally obsessed with Tory Burch right now! I would love another pair of Revas and also a pair of pink Tory Burch sandals for Spring!

Tory Burch Reva in Royal Tan, toryburch.com, $195

Tory Burch Miller Sandal in Love Pink, toryburch.com, $195

Accessories

I went Tiffany & Co overboard for Christmas (which is never a bad thing!) - so my current Tiffany & co wishlist is fairly (well, relatively) short...

Tiffany & Co Notes earrings, tiffany.com, $125

www.tiffany.com, Daisy Key on Oval Chain, $300

I have a never ending handbag wishlist from Louis Vuitton... but here are the bags I'm currently stalking. (And deciding between.)

Louis Vuitton Alma, louisvuitton.com, $1550

Louis Vuitton Empreinte Artsy MM, louisvuitton.com, $2670

Louis Vuitton Damier Westminster GM, louisvuitton.com, $1260

A girl's work is never done!

Ultimate Mommy Handbag... who would have known???

Well, I mentioned on one of my recent videos doing a You Tube review on the best mommy handbags (which I've been a slacker and haven't gotten around to yet, sigh)... However, I did get around to starting to think about this one on a recent trip to go to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

I was sitting there that morning before we left staring at my accessories closet, and realizing that I didn't really have a "city friendly" and "mommy friendly" (read not to heavy & easily hands free) option for the trip! Toting my Tivoli GM around the suburbs is one thing, but getting to and from parking garages, walking around museums, and doing everything from lunch to diaper changes on the go with the kids necessitates a different kind of handbag, then a few hour trip to a mall in the suburbs does...

I stared at all of the LV in my accessories closet, too big, too heavy, too flashy for what I wanted for the day. (Will be considering a Bloomsbury PM for the future, I believe...) And then all of a sudden I realized what my ultimate Mommy bag for a day trip to museums was going to be - my Marc Jacobs large multi-pocket that had been relegated to a shelf for... well, a long time! It comfortably sits on my shoulder, wasn't too big, would hold all of the essentials, and wasn't too flashy.

I first became obsessed with the Marc Jacobs multipocket style bag back before I was even a mother... when I saw one of my favorite TV mothers carrying it on the Gilmore Girls! Lorelei Gilmore's (sigh, I miss that show - but that's a topic for a different day) go-to bag for the first four or five seasons was an understated small size Marc Jacobs multipocket purse.

Photo screenshot courtesy of the CW

I loved it so much that I tracked down the exact same bag she had on the show in the small size, I realized that the size wasn't quite big enough for me (plus, let's face it - I'm not as skinny as Lauren Graham either) - so I ended up with the large size multi-pocket hobo which was perfect! I also went through a brief "Marc Jacobs phase" during the Gilmore Girls years, and although it has been a while since I've purchased one - I will say that at least the ones from a few years ago were exceptionally well made handbags.

Then the Gilmore Girls show went off the air and Marc Jacobs just wasn't the same for me, over the years I went through my "Balenciaga phase", which led directly into my "Louis Vuitton phase"... and the poor lone Marc Jacobs handbag leftover from my Marc Jacobs days was left sitting on a shelf in my accessories cabinet.

I used it for our day trip to the Shedd Aquarium, and it worked perfectly! I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed carrying it again so much, and I think I will be digging it out of the closet just a little bit more often "just because", now that I've remembered what a great bag it is!

Spring makes me think light leather bags...

I'm currently lemming for something taupe... light gray... or light tan in color. I love a lighter colored handbag when the weather gets warmer. I'm fairly unadventurous to what I actually wear, I tend to stick with neutral colors... A great purple or pink handbag always catches my attention - but I've found that I just can't translate them into my daily life.

This leather shoulder bag by Juicy Couture has ladylike details and the cocobutter color could be dressed up or down...

www.zappos.com, Juicy Couture Cannes in Cocobutter, $298

The Treesje Luna has a bit more rugged look to it and the darker charcoal gray color would be more dirt resistant...

www.museten.com, Treesje Luna in Charcoal Gray, $385

The Coach Kristin elevated leather round satchel is a mouthful to say, but the extra details on the bag make it more than just a plain old boring satchel...

www.coach.com, Kristin Rounded Satchel in gold shell/pink, $698

I have to say though, that my absolute favorite is the Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Mini in Taupe - it is a fun style to use and the color is absolute perfection...

www.lunaboston.com, Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Mini in Taupe, $495

My handbag collection: Louis Vuitton

Actually not my whole handbag collection... but just the Louis Vuitton pieces. I haven't taken updated pictures since October, so my videos and pictures are slightly out of date - but until I can get new videos made and new pictures taken... I thought these would do.

Louis Vuitton became my brand of choice after I had Cupcake, as it just seemed like the most durable (and baby friendly) option. Prior to that I was deeply immersed in all that is Balenciaga, and while I still enjoy looking at bbags, they are just aren't as practical for my life right now. (That doesn't stop me from wanting a Pourpre GSH Part-Time though.)

I need to carry one purse a day with me, and only so much time to use the ones I have.... so I've narrowed my collection down considerably from what it used to be. Besides, the only places I go in a day are usually the post office and Target - with the rare special even thrown in, so I really don't have a huge need to have a massive collection right now. That being said, I do occasionally miss some of the bags I've parted with and wish I would have maybe kept... just a few more of them.

In any case, these are my most recent videos and pictures for my Louis Vuitton collection, I don't have any pictures of all of the brands together.

Showing my collection through video all started when one night I got the urge to try taking a video with my new cell phone I had at the time (a LG KS360, which was the European version of the LG Neon released a few years prior to when it was available in the US) - I just took it to show on a forum as a part of a bag collection thread, and never dreamed it would get as many hits as it has. Today it has over 32,000 views.

LV Bag Collection Video from 2009:

This is the updated bag collection video that I posted at the end of 2010:

And the LV accessory collection that I uploaded around the same time as the bag collection video from 2010:

I've also done a few "What's in my bag" videos on You Tube, as well as some handbag reviews - which I'll upload in a separate blog post. Just thought since my main love is bags - that it was time I shared some of my collection with you!

Here are some recent pictures in October 2010:

Collection as of October 2010 (2011 update in parenthesis): Damier Hampstead MM (sold), Damier Trunks & Bags Cles (sold) Damier Neverful MM, Brea MM Rouge Fauviste, Palermo GM (sold to get PM size), Montorgueil GM, Damier Toiletry 15, Rouge Fauviste Business Card Holder, Rouge Fauviste Zippy Coin Purse, Framboise Agenda (sold), Tapage Bag Charm, Luggage tag, Map bandeau in Cassis, Comete bandeau in Violette, Sarah Wallet in Violette, Large Cles in Violette, Monogram Pochette, Monogram Affiche Mini Pochette, Affiche Bag Charm (sold)

Favorite:

Louis Vuitton Brea MM in Rouge Fauviste

Most of which I still have - with a few deletes as noted in parenthesis, but a few additions as well:

Added: Palermo PM

Added: Azur Totally MM

Added: Leopard Bandeau in Marron

Added: Leopard Bandeau in Blanc Corail

Added: Violette Vernis Cosmetic

Hope you have enjoyed my LV handbag collection look book! I'll try to blog in the future a post with the other brands I have as well!

Best non-designer leather bags

I love labels, I admit... and I'm a sucker for branding. Sometimes it's just nice to just have a label-less leather bag though, for when you are wanting to be more subtle, or just feel like having a knock around bag without the stigma of  carrying a label around.

This one at Anthropologie is one of my favorites right now:

Carica Bag, $178

The Carica bag comes in two colors Sand (shown) and Dark Yellow, and the leather looks so soft and smooshy - just like a leather pillow! I think this would be a great bag for Spring, for a day pushing the stroller through the park and throwing bread at (near?) ducks. 

Available at www.anthropologie.com

This lambskin hobo at Banana Republic is subtle chic and looks like it could keep you super organized"

Murano Lambskin Hobo, $250

The Murano lambskin hobo is available in Nickel, Sunflower, and Black. It's multi-functional design makes it a great option for work or weekend. 

Available at www.bananarepublic.com

The last bag isn't all leather, but it's ultra adorable:

Zara Bowling Marinero, $79.90

I also love that this bag can be carried multiple ways and how all of the details come together. The stripes kind of give it a bit of menswear flair, while still feeling distinctly feminine.

Available at www.zara.com