Trend Tuesday

Good Morning Lovelies,

It's Trend Tuesday and what better trend to kick off this week than the bucket bag.  I must admit I am currently obsessed with the bucket bag, and have been for the last few months.  I originally was planning on the Louis Vuitton petit noe until I stumbled upon the Mansur Gavriel bucket bag. If you wish to read more about the Mansur Gavriel bucket bag there is a post:  Here
 

 

With everyone jumping on the bucket bag trend you have tons of options when it comes to your bucket bag.  You don't have to spend a fortune but I'm going to show a few of my absolute favorite bucket bags.  

Luxury Bucket Bags

Louis Vuitton

The Noe bags were hugely popular back in the 90's and they have been increasing in popularity the past few years.  The history of the Noe goes back much further than the 90's.   Gaston Louis Vuitton was asked by a Champagne producer for a stylish bag that he could transport five bottles of champagne.  In 1932 he created the classic Noe style.  Louis Vuitton revamped the colours in the epi line and you can get your hands on one of these gorgeous bags in one of the three sizes.

Noe: $2,220 USD

Petit Noe: $1,900 USD

Noe BB: $1,730  USD

  

image from: stylehunter.com

You can pick up Louis Vuitton's new bucket bag style from Marc Jacobs last season for the company for $3,700 USD.  While a gorgeous bag it is on the small side.

image from: spottedfashion.com

You can check out the bags on Louis Vuitton

Saint Laurent

This rider bucket bag reminds me so much of a biker jacket.  I love the details in the zippers and the buckles.  I think it's a unique take on the bucket bag which really makes it stand out.

 

image from: ysl.com

You can buy it for $2,150usd on their website:  Rider Bucket Bag

Mid Range

Check out this Betsey Johnson bucket bag. I absolutely love the color scheme, bow and polka dots.

image from zappos.com

It's even on sale for $82.99 USD originally $118 USD

Buy it Here:hopeless romantic bucket bag

This Elizabeth and James Cynnie mini goes for $445 USD. I love the crossbody or shoulder options for this bag.  I also love it's simplicity with the bag and the added texture that the zipper provides.

image from nordstrom.com

Buy it here: Elizabeth and James Bucket bag

Bargain bags

You don't have to spend a small fortune to get this trendy bag here are a few of my fave bags for less.

Check out this bucket bag from Zara. 

 

image from Zara.com

You can buy it for $35.99 USD from Zara drawstring bucket bag

How adorable is this Arizona sailor bucket bag for summer! At only $24.99 from arizona-sailor-print-bucket-bag

 

image from jcp.com

This bag would look great for your fourth of July party.  Even when you are wandering around town or headed to the beach.  If you are looking for a summer bag either this one or the one below are a great choice.  Fun/bold prints are great for the summer.

This Madden Girl bag found at Nordstrom.com is only $38 and is perfect bag for a casual outfit.  I love the fringe which has also been trending.  

image from nordstrom.com

Buy it here: madden-girl-fringed-fabric-bucket-bag-juniors 

The great thing about bucket bags being a trend this Spring is that you can really wear them year round.  I am looking for one that is a classic style that can be worn all year.  The ever popular totes and crossbody bags have been so popular the bucket bag is refreshing and not seen everywhere.  

Are you planning on picking up one of these trendy bucket bags?  Or are you wanting to fast forward through this trend?  I'd love to hear your opinions. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!

These opinions are my own I was not paid by any of these companies that I have compiled in this post.  I only want to assist my lovelies so you do not have to search for hours for your perfect bucket bag.   

Must Have Mondays!

Hey lovelies,
Thanks for stopping in today.  I have decided to create a new kind of list that is a step above a wish list.  The Must Have List helps me narrow down what I have on my wish list to what I really feel I can not live without.   So without further ado.....

My Must Have Mondays

I have the Mansur Gavriel bucket bag in the black/royal color scheme.  Which if it was not so difficult to find this would be at the very top of my list. 

Next up is the Speedy B in damier azur.  I love this print and because of the constant price increases I know I need to pick this bag up soon. 

I have the pochette on the list also and the alma bb.  I have not gotten a chance to go to the freestanding store so I have both on my Must have monday list.  When I go to the store I plan on trying on every bag that I am possibly interested in so I can narrow it down.  Like the speedy b one of these is on my must have list, the price increases I feel are getting a bit ridiculous.  Once I have 3 bags I am Donezo.  I will be excited to move on to a new designer possibly Mansur Gavriel, I do like their tote but as I have my Neverfull I am not sure I would need another tote.   

What are your Must Haves?  I would love to hear.  Thanks for reading lovelies.

-J

Someone needs to tell me how to get my hands on this bag

Happy Thursday my lovelies,
If you haven't heard of Mansur Gavriel it is time you do.  Oh my these bags look amazing.
I am particular to the bucket bag.  In fact it has replaced my lust for a Louis Vuitton Petit Noe.  I am in love with this bag.  Now according to the articles I have read they are extremely difficult to come by.  Every place I checked they are sold out even for pre-order.  Add to that they are not sold in my state I am going to have to be diligent to find one.  I have already checked ebay where of course the few on there are being sold for at least a hundred above retail. 

Photo credit:  www.standupcomedytoo.com

 It is made of vegetable leather.  The interior is absolutely stunning.  I am hoping that I can add this to my collection before 2016, and hopefully they will be released in my state soon.

Photo credit: www.standupcomedytoo.com

Well my lovelies I hope you are able to get your hand on either the bucket bag or the tote.  I am loving the bucket bag but I wouldn't mind the tote if I didn't already have the Louis Vuitton Neverfull.   Everyone should definitely scoop one of these gorgeous bags up before the prices start increasing.


Disclaimer:  The opinions are my own.  I was not paid for this post.

Miss Fran

Good Morning Lovelies, 

I have a wonderful "Mother's Day" Reveal for you.  It's also doubling as a review.  So I was eyeing a bag and knowing how this brand does go on sale I waited patiently what seemed like forever.  Really it was maybe a month at most.  Oh and what do you think of this free, with code, wrapping done by Neiman Marcus!!

Dun Dun Dun Duuuuuuun!

The Classic Q Fran in Pansy Purple!!  I am in love with this color.  WARNING: Marc by Marc Jacobs bag colors do not photograph well!    I am calling it my color of the year bag and added my macaron pantone color of the year bag charm.

#Passengerseatbag

So first things first yes this is a fairly heavy bag.  I believe the majority of the weight comes from the handles and hardware they seem quite sturdy.  When I bought the bag I was unaware of this, but it does not bother me.   I have to admit though I carried this bag with a diaper bag while carrying two kids and didn't notice the bag as being heavy.  I was carrying it crossbody so that may have been why...or the two kids.

I love how many options there are to carrying this bag.  Crossbody, shoulder using strap, shoulder using handle, top handle and crook of arm.  It has a clasp and magnetic closure that is strong.  I have not had any safety issues.

This bag is so roomy I love it.  It can hold a lot, which for a mom is a very necessary thing.  There is a zip and two pockets.  I don't normally care if there are pockets in bags since my bags are usually messily organized.  

To show what is in my bag I am going to do a .....
What's in my bag!!! 

I can fit more if necessary.
I have a changing pad, diaper clutch, Kindle Fire with case, medical bag, book, planner, Louis Vuitton wallet, fossil coin purse, card holder, bag holder, mirror, cookie monster cookie holder, play phone and chapstick.

So overall I would recommend this bag, but make sure you go for a fun color and watch for the sales. 

Happy Easter!!

Happy Easter my Lovelies,

I hope you have had an enjoyable weekend.  I had a very exciting couple of days that included painting a gift for my brother and sister in law. 

Who are Expecting!! So Exciting.  I wanted to give them a congratulatory present but as it was Easter weekend I knew I couldn't go to a store and find something.  The only thing I had to go on was they wanted to have a giraffe theme nursery so I painted a canvas of a giraffe family.

I have actually been on a painting kick lately, I painted a Hawaii landscape for my family room.  I'm attempting to make a travel theme for the family room but this is not always easy as we haven't traveled in awhile.  We are hoping our next vacation as a family will be to Hawaii sometime early next year.  

I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend and this week will be just as wonderful.

Tell me what you want what you really really want

Hey lovelies, 

Today I thought would be a good time to discuss the process I go through when buying my bags.  There are so many factors that go into choosing a bag.  With  so many choices and especially with luxury brands you want to make sure you pick the best choice for yourself.   For this post I will be comparing the bags I have been debating.  Now I am planning on these bags for the future and not necessarily the near future since my family is currently on a spending freeze.  

For Louis Vuitton I have two bags to add before my three bag per designer limit.   The first ones that I am considering are the Speedy 30 vs the Speedy B 30 in the damier ebene or damier azur print.  I love getting feedback from people since they often will point out factors that assist me in making my decision.  If possible search youtube for reviews on what you are considering.    I watched quite a few reviews on these bags.  Took into consideration what the pros and cons were and also went through the Use, Need and Want questions.    

Step One:  Consider all the factors! (Use)

Is this an every day bag? 

Is this an evening bag?

Can it be used for travel?

Ease of use

Do I have anything similar?

Is it a seasonal bag?

Step Two:  Why do you want this?( Want)

What do you like about it?

Is there a part you don't like?

Step Three:  Will this fill a missing part of your wardrobe? (Need)

 

   

Speedy 30 Damier Ebene(de)/damier azur(DA)

Step One:  Consider all the factors! (Use)

Is this an every day bag? No, top handle bag

Is this an evening bag? possibly but probably too big

Can it be used for travel? not ideal

Ease of use: As a top handle bag not necessarily good for a mom

Do I have anything similar?yes, betsey johnson bag

Is it a seasonal bag? no/yes spring and summer

Step Two:  Why do you want this?( Want)

What do you like about it? Classic style

Is there a part you don't like? top handle

Step Three:  Will this fill a missing part of your wardrobe? (Need) 

Not really

Speedy B Damier Ebene and Damier Azur

Step One:  Consider all the factors! (Use)

Is this an every day bag? yes

Is this an evening bag? No

Can it be used for travel? Yes

Ease of use:  The strap makes it a good mommy bag

Do I have anything similar? yes, Betsey Johnson bag and I have a DE bag

Is it a seasonal bag? No(DE), Yes (DA)

Step Two:  Why do you want this?( Want)

What do you like about it? The DA is a great Spring/Summer bag.  Endless pit.  The different options to use the bag as crossbody, shoulder, and top handle.

Is there a part you don't like? The leather strip, potential color transfer

Step Three:  Will this fill a missing part of your wardrobe? (Need)

Technically I don't need anything for my wardrobe.

So after answering these questions I realize that it may be easy to figure out which bag I decided on...... As I am filling these out I have already decided on the Speedy B 30 in Damier Azur.  I do not have that print and absolutely love it.   It's also combining my love of the style of the speedy but making it much more user friendly.  I am not a top handle bag kind of girl especially with my little man in toe.  Now to worry though I have more to choose from.

Next options are the Alma BB in the damier ebene or the epi, the eva clutch in damier ebene or the petit noe in the damier azur or the epi. As you can see I originally had the Ana on the list but after watching a review on the bag I decided to remove it.

 Alma BB in damier ebene 

Step One:  Consider all the factors! (Use)

Is this an every day bag? yes

Is this an evening bag? yes

Can it be used for travel? Possibly? 

Ease of use:  multi use bag

Do I have anything similar? no

Is it a seasonal bag? No

Step Two:  Why do you want this?( Want)

What do you like about it? I love the shape of the alma and the strap on the BB

Is there a part you don't like? no

Step Three:  Will this fill a missing part of your wardrobe? (Need)

n/a

Alma BB in epi cyan

Step One:  Consider all the factors! (Use)

Is this an every day bag? yes

Is this an evening bag?yes

Can it be used for travel? Yes

Ease of use:  same as above

Do I have anything similar? no

Is it a seasonal bag?  not for fall

Step Two:  Why do you want this?( Want)

What do you like about it? The gorgeous color

Is there a part you don't like? no

Step Three:  Will this fill a missing part of your wardrobe? (Need)

Technically I don't need anything

Petit noe 

Step One:  Consider all the factors! (Use)

Is this an every day bag? yes

Is this an evening bag? No

Can it be used for travel? Yes

Ease of use:  could potentially be annoying as a drawstring bag

Do I have anything similar? no

Is it a seasonal bag? seems spring and summery

Step Two:  Why do you want this?( Want)

What do you like about it? drawstring bags are not very common

Is there a part you don't like? unsure how i would like the drawstring

Step Three:  Will this fill a missing part of your wardrobe? (Need)

yes I do not have a bag like this

Eva clutch damier ebene

Step One:  Consider all the factors! (Use)

Is this an every day bag?possibly

Is this an evening bag? yes

Can it be used for travel? Yes

Ease of use:  unsure

Do I have anything similar? yes, i own a few clutches

Is it a seasonal bag? No

Step Two:  Why do you want this?( Want)

What do you like about it? I think its cute

Is there a part you don't like? cost

Step Three:  Will this fill a missing part of your wardrobe? (Need)

nope

So I am torn between the alma bb in the epi cyan and the petit noe in epi.  I am thinking of possibly making an exception to my three bag limit if I purchase a preloved petit noe.  

When buying luxury items please take your time when it comes to purchasing.  Think it through before spending that kind of money.  

Hopefully tomorrow I will get my most recent purchase and I will be able to do a review.  Here is a sneak peak....

 

After going through my bags I realized I have a ton of brown and black bags and very few other colors. 

Red(2)

Pink(4)

Yellow(1)

White(1)

Purple(2 technically but one is a briefcase)

Blue (none)

Green(none)

Orange(none)

Brown(5)

Black(5)

Greyish(2)

My future goal is to add some more bags in the blue/green/yellow/and orange categories.  

Till next time lovelies.

 

 

The art to getting what you want

Good morning my lovelies, 

I've been doing some thinking, which is never a good sign.  There are so many people out there who are unhappy with their lives for one reason or another, some even go so far to drag others down with them.  Now this post originated from the idea that it is simple to get a gift you want and love from your significant other as long as you follow a few suggestions.  While I was thinking about it I realized that it goes with anything you face in life. So while I am discussing getting what you want as a gift it is very simple to throw in whatever you want most in life.  

Disclaimer* I was very fortunate to marry a man who pays attention to me and spoils me.  He knows what I like but also listens to when I mention I like something.  I have received a necklace that I didn't remember showing to him, but I loved it and when I asked him how he knew he mentioned me pointing it out to him months before.  Great significant others are not always easy to come by and I realize that my situation is not what everyone's situation is, however, I use many of these methods on my family as well.  

Some people may call me materialistic and I may enjoy things or love certain things I own, but my family and close friends come before any thing ever would.  In all honesty if there were a fire I would make sure my hubby and son were safe before grabbing our important documents, certain photos(wedding canvas, photos of my son when he was born and my wedding books). Also life experiences, such as traveling is a close second.    

However, my family has always been big gift givers and making wish lists was something I had always done.  Seriously I'm going to be 28 and I made a Christmas list, and got the things I wanted most on the list.  

So tip number 1:

Make a list of everything you want.  This is only a rough draft.  

Tip number 2:

Narrow down what is attainable and what is most important.

Tip number 3: 

Figure out how you are going to achieve the top of the list.   This can be challenging.  I am often expected to make large lists and they can't have the same things on it as someone else's list.  

Tip number 4: 

Determine the type of people you must talk to so you can figure out a strategy.  This can be as simple as putting what you really want and including a bunch of expensive things so they are forced to choose what you want.

Tip number 5: 

Strategize!!! While my hubby is simple and I can just tell him what I want, the folks are more challenging.  This is where hinting takes an important role.  Mentioning how something on the list would be perfect for you at this point.  

Tip number 6:  

If this fails return the item and get something you like.