The thrill of a past season hunt

In the art of shopping, there's buyer's remorse and then there is missed opportunity. The former is something that I don't feel often because I prefer to make educated choices when making a fairly big ticket purchase. The latter is something I hope not to experience and usually don't because of what I consider "ignorant bliss" or something flying below my retail radar. How would you know you missed out on something if you didn't know about it to begin with?

Such as how I feel about the Tory Burch Burch tote. It was a feature bag from Fall 2007, along with the Jordana tote, which I blogged about as a GTS item.

Tory Burch Fall 2007 "Burch", $350.

Clearly the style didn't register with me at the time because I chose a different tote to write about.  Last Friday, I saw a woman at my gym wearing a black shift dress, Tory Burch Amy heels, carrying the Burch tote. I immediately fell in love.

After my workout, I went home and googled this bag. Of course being a past-season item, the item is no longer being carried in a classic black (but hot pink is on sale on-line), and has been reincarnated for Fall 2008 as the Bombe Burch tote. The Bombe Burch features the same style but in a glazed, slightly distressed leather and instead of the perforated decoration, the logo is embossed on the front. The updated style is probably more practical and won't show the wear and tear as much as the original Burch, but the patent style is sleeker and more dressy.

Fortunately, I found one listing of this style in black and brand new on eBay (a go-to place for anything you could possibly ever want to find). After a few minutes of decisive bidding at the end, I won the auction and felt much satisfaction doing so. I'm already thinking of outfits to match this bag to.  Ultimately it is a great staple purchase for work and going out, and I'm looking forward to getting this piece of mail!

Drum roll please...

No, this is not the beginning to Will Smith's "Summertime".

I am waiting with slight anticipation for a newly acquired Chloe Betty Hobo circa 2006. I have been working on this transaction for the last 2 weeks, and the package hopefully will arrive Friday or Monday. I can't describe what the color is yet, because I don't really know. Lighting in photographs can cause the color to look totally different. I am hoping that the bag is everything I thought it would be, since I would be getting it at 28% of it's original retail value. This is all a part of my on-going plan to downsize my handbag collection to the bare essentials and loading it with classic and timeless pieces.

I'll post the pic as an update when it arrives. Cross your fingers for me!

Hmm...Possible GTS?

One of my favorite purchases to make anytime of the year is the GTS, that's right: the Gift-To-Self. I find that I do this pretty regularly, as a self-sufficient female who appreciates some of the finer things in life (cue that Go Chicks music!)...anyway, I digress.

I found a possible GTS while considering a new color/finish to get in my preferred flats, the Tory Burch Reva. You see, Tory has expanded her brand to beyond clothing and the Reva flats. She's got handbags, accessories, etc. SO. I saw this while clicking through the Tory Burch site on the net (yes, while wearing my Yoga Toes):


Tory Burch Fall 2007 "Jordana", $495

I thought this tote was just fabulous, particularly in the crocodile finish with gold accents. Crocodile has been big and will continue to be a key finish for accessories. It adds a certain air of refinement and richness to anything, such as a wallet, belt, or shoe. Everyone needs a croc piece, just like I firmly believe everyone needs an animal print piece. In any case, though I have my preferred brands for handbags, this one caught my eye and the pricing is fairly reasonable considering the plain leather bags out there with less style for more money. So for those of you who are looking for some GTS ideas, consider putting this one on the list!