I feel good. I knew that I would. I feel good. I knew that I would. So good. So good. I got a…New Bag!!
Adding another bag to my collection was the last thing I had in mind today. Earlier I ventured out to take care of some personal business.
Had to get dressed and take care of some personal business earlier today!
And on the way home, I stopped at Rite-Aid to see if I could pick up another Wet n Wild concealer. I know. I wrote about this concealer yesterday, and while it isn’t a WOW concealer, for the price of $3.99, it was worth purchasing a backup.
Since I was on the Main Line, I also decided to make a stop at the TJ Maxx in St. Davids. This TJ’s is one of the best I’ve ever been to. On my mental list was a reminder to search for more micellar water at Maxxinista prices because I’m not spending a ton of money on fancy water.
Just my luck, I knew those Philadelphia Main Line frosted blondes would snag all the micellar water up. There was none. But, I was left with remnants of other fancy water. I ended with a Korean brand of hydrating water for the face. The water is manufactured by a company named WELCOS and the brand is IOU.
My new obsession. Spraying water on my face at random intervals during the day! The little bottle on the left was $2.99 –overpriced but it’s in my purse now. The larger one is a Korean brand–and I’ve been hearing a lot about Korean and Japanese beauty brands these days. The larger bottle cost $3.99. Excuse me while I spray my face.
The packaging was very user-friendly as I didn’t need a tweezer or scissors to remove the shrink wrap! And the water does feel very soft and refreshing on my face.
And as I wandered around aimlessly, my little red cart bumping into displays and people, I noticed something. It was on a display shelf in the bag section. Now—I’m not a fan of the bags that TJ Maxx or Marshalls sells. I’m not talking about The Runway section bags at TJ’s, because quite frankly, even at the markdowns, I still can’t afford the bags that this privileged section sells.
Have you ever been to The Runway at TJ Maxx? Some very high-end designer clothing and accessories, but I find better deals at Neiman Marcus Last Call.
Last week, I spotted a Balenciaga City Bag–the small one reduced to $800 from $1,300. At this juncture in my non-career, the discounted price is too much money for me to spend!
I’m talking about the other bags, usually three seasons ago and many of the bags, just not to my taste.
The something I spotted was standing gloriously proud and with perfect posture. On the first tier of a display shelf. I was skeptical of approaching because I’m basically broke. And it looked expensive. But the magnetizing current drew me closer. The color was appealing to me. Not quite green, and not quite gray. It’s the color I want to paint the living and dining room walls but Bonaparte says the color is too dark for him.
I picked it up and looked at the price. Then I did a double-take. $19.99. Oh man, this was too good. I inspected the bag like a jail warden getting ready to do a body check on an inmate. No marks. No nicks. In perfect condition. Into the cart, it went.
The tag said “Vegan”–that’s just a marketing ploy for “pleather”. I’m telling you, this is a bag of chips and more!
And it’s got those little “feet” at the bottom to protect it from standing upon dirty floors!
Did I need a new bag? Nooooo-ah. But this bag—it was just so aesthetically pleasing to me that I found a way to justify the purchase!
My justification? All my bags are big. Some are huge. I like big bags and I cannot lie. Big bags are an outlet for my stuff. Stuff that I don’t need to carry with me but I do.
My brown leather Longchamp bag–I use this more than any other bag. The items I stuff into this bag is ridiculous. I practically have my house in here!
BHere’s another biggie. J. Crew Brompton Bag. Oona got this for me many Christmases ago and I use it every winter. This holds a ton of stuff. It is big and heavy and I still love it!
The fact is, I could use a bag that isn’t big. Except I want a nice looking one. I have a small bag that I can’t stand. It holds nothing and is such a pale color that it’ll get filthy. It’s a Tory Burch bag and isn’t worth the money I foolishly spent on it.
Ugh. I can’t even stand to look at this waste of money. Thankfully it sits in a dust bag. Let me tell you, I learned quite a lot about bags from my days at Nordstrom. Tory Burch bags are NOT worth the money. They are cheaply made. They are poorly constructed. A great many Tory Burch bags are returned. I know this. I wasted my money. You’re welcome.
I need a bag I could take to the web design class that I’m going to tomorrow—with just enough room for my wallet, and a few other essentials. A bag that I could comfortably carry while going to do some grocery shopping and run errands.
This bag was perfect. And I ended up buying it.
Let’s take a better look at it—shall we?
The adjustable shoulder strap is long! That means you will be able to adjust the strap to your personal liking and body length. It won’t keep falling off the shoulder. The hoop handle–OMG–so like the hoop earrings I love so much. The bucket shape. Granted, this is not a bag that holds a lot–so it isn’t an everyday bag. That’s unless you normally don’t carry the contents of your home in your bag!
And the hoop handles are solid. The overall construction of this bag is also very impressive!
Another added touch. The faux suede fabric closure at the top of the bag with the “vegan” drawstring. More security and it gives a luxe look to the bag.
And the faux suede doesn’t look cheap…
We have an equestrian-themed lining, a zippered compartment on one side
And a pocket on the other side of the interior
Another look at the lining.
There is also a zippered compartment on the outside of the bag.
So far, I have my wallet, facial water spray and a little expandable shopping bag that I got for one euro at Nicolas. There is also enough room for my phone, a pad and pen, and lipsticks.
The bag looks great against our dining room rug!
Sometimes you happen to find little treasures you never expect to find—and those are the ones you appreciate and use more than others. I’ll be using this bag a lot!
And so, as I sit here writing, my new bag set on the table next to me so that I can look over and admire it, and my baby Chippy at my feet, I realize that today is a darn good day!
It’s true! I’ve been admiring this inexpensive bag all afternoon! I love the look of it!
And my little man is resting by my feet! It’s a great day!
Momma may have a brand-new bag—but so does Papa. James Brown!
