My new dressing room!

One of the perks of moving to our new house was the agreement that because my husband got his mondo sized garage, I could use a bedroom in the house for my "lady's nice things" room! I was very excited how this worked out, because having a room like this was something that I had only dreamt about in the past.

After we moved into the house in late October, it was a whirlwind of activity with the holidays and projects around the house. I didn't feel like I could truly focus on the purse room/dressing room until I had things take care of for the holidays. During December, I did get a good amount of momentum done on the room and I'm happy to finally be able to share the beginnings of my purse room!

Check out my video reveal on YouTube here:

I ordered a display cabinet from Home Decorators, the Essex Glass Door book case - and I'm using this to display a number of my handbags. Not all of them fit in the cabinet unfortunately - so I am looking for a secondary, likely smaller, cabinet to house extra purses and books…. However I love the styling of the Essex cabinet and the aesthetic it brings to the room.

The chair was a particular sticking point for the room. (And being able to finally share the room!) I wanted a chair that would pull out into a twin sleeping space, so that the room could function as additional guest sleeping space when we were hosting a number of people at our home. I originally was looking at a twin sleeper chair from Ballard Designs, the Tate Twin Sleeper Chair, and had settled on a fabric and design.

However at the last minute, I came across a chair at JCPenny, called the Twin Sleeper Chair, that was on *mega* sale - and it was a deal too good to pass up!! (Practically half of the price the Tate Chair was going to be.) In my hast in ordering from the few day sale going on, I missed that the fabric on the gray (my color of choice) chair was a microfiber… which because of fingerprint imprints would not be my first choice - overall I'm excited about the value and I think it will work great.

On the walls, I added a few prints by Lauren Maurer (check out her Etsy store!) - her gorgeous dress form watercolors have been some of my favorites to pin on Pinterest.

I also included a "charms wall" where I can add various wall pieces of interest as I find ones that speak to me.

All in all, I'm excited about the room and where it seems its headed. I think there is still a lot of work to be done, items to be ordered, and some more moving of things around… but I'm quite enjoying having my own space in our new home for my own passions and pursuits.

I'm looking forward to adding some finishing touches - changing out things like the chair at my vanity, adding a script print ottoman, and possibly a full size dress forum mannequin. It has been a lot of fun to be a bit "girlie" with a room in the house!

Do you have your own "lady's nice things" room? How have you chosen the decor for that room?

National Handbag Day!

National Handbag Day is tomorrow, October 10th! It is the first ever 'National Handbag Day' and was recently enacted by the Purse Blog as an official holiday! (They applied for it to be a holiday just for purse enthusiasts!)

I thought this was neat and wanted to spread the word, check out my video below to see what handbag I will be using for the inaugural Handbag Day and go to Purse Blog for more information on the new holiday!

* I am in no way affiliated with Purse Blog, I just thought this was a neat holiday and wanted to share! This is not a paid review. All opinions are my own.

What's Inside my Purse? Rebecca Minkoff MAC!

My latest installment of "What's inside my purse?"... see what fits in my Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Clutch! It is the regular size MAC and is a great size for all of the grab'n'go essentials!

Product Review: Gigi Hill Audrey Tote Bag

Gigi Hill is a company that was started by two moms that had fashion and function in mind. They wanted to create bags that were feminine, but could still meet the demands that moms have on bags. The company has a full line of handbags and accessories to meet the needs of any consumer that desires a bag that can be functional and pretty at the same time.

They've sent me a purse to review and I'm excited to share my thoughts with you on this feminine and functional accessory!

Gigi Hill Audrey Tote, www.gigihillbags.com, Starting at $130

The Audrey is a versatile tote style that I selected in the Enchanted color, because I thought it would be a great addition to be something different in my collection. The print is a gorgeous tangerine and pink rose floral against a neutral tan background. The exterior is a faux leather finish that is easily cleanable and could be wiped off with a baby wipe - and the interior has a laminated canvas lining that would contain spills while still being pretty to look at with a colorful striped lining.

Size wise, the bag is the perfect tote size... large enough to carry all of the things you would want to carry in a large tote, without looking like lugage. It is spacious and could carry everything from items for a diaper bag, to work essentials. There is a magnetic button closure at the top and snaps on either side so that you cinch in the sides to create more of a closed look when you don't need the top to be open. The strap drop is 10.5 inches and comfortably fits on the shoulder.

There are a few special details which make you realize that the creators of Gigi Hill really are passionate about handbags and creating something special for their consumers. The interior has a tag that reads, "a great bag is a woman's treasured secret place" ~ gigi hill. There is also a matching key holder that can hang from the d-ring on the inside. I think these extra touches just make the bag feel that much more personal and special.

My verdict: I think that the Audrey style tote bag is a fabulous bag that would be perfect all types of occasions. From mommy bags to work tote, this bag could do it all! The enchanted print is perfect for summer and the bright floral print feels very in tune with this season's trending colors. It is comfortable to use and the perfect tote size.

In a few words, substantial, beautiful, and most definitely worth the $130 pricetag. If you're looking for reasonably priced durability that will last you a long time, I think that a Gigi Hill bag would be perfect.

Watch my video review on the Audrey Tote here:

Learn more about Gigi Hill here:

http://www.gigihillbags.com

View the Audrey Tote, Starting at $130 - HERE

Stop by their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/gigihillcollection

* Please note the products in this review were sent to the reviewer by the company to perform an independent review. I've given my honest opinions on the products mentioned.

Purses I've been eyeing recently...

There have been a few purses that have caught my eye recently, and surprisingly - they are not Louis Vuitton handbags, and all by brands that I've never had a purse from before, or haven't used in a long time!

Kate Spade has a number of bags out right now that have me going back to her website to take a second look. I first saw them in person at Nordstrom and again later at the Kate Spade store in Somerset Collection during our Michigan trip. I carried a nylon Kate Spade bag a number of years ago, but hadn't really paid attention to anything by the brand for years... However I cannot get this bag out of my mind!

Kate Spade Gold Coast Georgina, www.nordstrom.com, $458

The leather is a gorgeous, shimmery black and there is also a great beige color! I think these would be great basics to have in a wardrobe.

Kate Spade Gold Coast Maryanne, www.katespade.com, $378

And honestly, after being so used to seeing Louis Vuitton prices, Kate Spade pricing seems... well, reasonable!

The next bag that I've had on my mind is by Tory Burch, and I've also mentioned it in previous blog posts. Come Fall, if I still can't get it out of my mind - this may be my new Fall bag...

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

Another bag that caught my eye while browsing the Saks and Tory Burch websites is also by Tory Burch, and was previously off my radar. I love the bright colors and a pink-turquoise color combination is one of my favorites. I wouldn't mind welcoming one of these bags into my collection for warmer months, but feel like I really need to go check out the bag in person to get a sense of the size of both of them.

Roslyn Stripe Tote, www.toryburch.com, $395

Roslyn Stripe Satchel, www.nordstrom.com, $395

I think that any of the bags I'm liking right now would give my collection some great variety... and I find it interesting that I seem to leaning towards all leather bags again!

What was in my Louis Vuitton Brea MM for Valentine's Day!

I did a Valentine's Day week "What's in my handbag video", because I was using my Louis Vuitton Vernis Brea MM and thought it was very festive! :)

Mommy's New Bag(s)!

So I did a little collection "re-organizing" while I was on blog hiatus, and a few new bags arrived at my house! If you're here for a Louis Vuitton reveal - sorry to disappoint, but they are actually both Balenciaga bags! If you know me or knew me about some 3 or 4 years ago... I was a 100% Balenciaga girl. It was the only brand I carried. After I had Cupcake, I felt like they were maybe too delicate to carry all of the time, and that Louis Vuitton would be a more durable and long-lasting choice.

Well, I haven't given up on Louis Vuitton (I'm still considering it my "main" brand), but I did feel like I was missing having just a FEW Balenciaga bags in my collection, since I sold off a vast majority of them. So I had some Vuitton accessories just hanging around that weren't being used like they should be, so I decided to turn those into a Balenciaga bag! (Or two!)

The first bag I hunted down was a 2007 Anthracite Work. I used to have this color in a First (the smallest size Balenciaga well-known bag currently in production), but the size was just too small for me, so I let it go some time ago. I always missed the color and leather, so when this bag became available and I had an opportunity to re-home some LV accessories that weren't being used - I jumped on it!

2007 Anthracite Work

The leather is scrumptious, 2007 was the last year for Balenciaga to use their signature chevre leather, and 2007 bags hold a special place in my heart. (2007 also happens to be the year I found a love for Balenciaga.) Anthracite is a beautiful color that can look gray, blue or a dark teal depending on the lighting. It is, in my humble opinion, the best Anthracite that Balenciaga has ever released.

My second surprise purchase happened while innocently searching bags one day, I found a bag in a color that hadn't really caught my attention before that, but I couldn't get it off of my mind. I ended up having a bit of an overage leftover from the sale of my LV accessories, so I decided to go ahead and make it a two-for! 

 Even though it's agneau (the material used post-chevre starting in 2008, and on a few 2007 bags, like Violet, came in both materials) - I don't mind it. I do actually like the leather on this particular bag, and the color is another great chameleon color, that changes depending on the lighting and what colors are around it. It's a deep red burgundy, with purple and brown undertones that - even for a non-red wearing girl like myself- is surprisingly wearable. 2008 Black Cherry is truly a magnificent color.

2008 Black Cherry Work - Most representative of the true color

So those are my new bags for now, don't worry - I haven't given up on Louis Vuitton! Just trying to add a little of variety back into the collection! ;)