My pocketbook collection is sizable. In fact it is so substantial that I can not put it in one place.
No Room for Storage I can’t store it either. Therefore I have come up with a unique solution. Since I can’t store them, I decided to display them. And this post is a tour of the collection display I created.
What They Are I have limited my collection to a few brands that are my favorites. Some of them were expensive when I could afford such a luxury. But now I have become a thrifter in my collecting habits.
An Economical Hobby It comes as a surprise even to me how economical my hobby has become. These days it is required that any addition to my collection be a fraction of its original cost. Even with that constraint, I have been able to get quite a lot of very nice pre-owned and vintage bags.
Where I Get Them – New from Catalogs My collection’s history could be described as a pyramid. For example, it started with a few new retail bags available through colorful mail order catalogs. These included Coach, Dooney & Bourke, and lastly Kate Spade.
Outlet Store Malls In fact, the above collections now have outlet stores with discounted new handbags. Once I even treated myself to a bag from that venue.
Where I Get Them – Pre-owned But since then I have progressed to pre-owned bags. It is like hitting the lotto because this method includes an abundance of online stores like Poshmark, Etsy, eBay, Mercari and more. Least I forget thrift stores, fundraising events and even garage sales.
apartment layout for pocketbook collection tour
THE TOUR
Here, There and Everywhere My pocketbook collection is displayed in just about every room in our apartment. In fact, one is welcomed immediately to my collection upon entering our foyer.
Exclusions Actually the only two rooms excluded from the display tour are the kitchen and bathroom. This is for sanitary reasons that I have not hung any of them there. But let’s continue with where they are.
Repurposed media racks make perfect display unit for some of my vintage handbags
1.Hallway Racks Welcome to our apartment and the first pocketbook collection in the display. As you can see, they are showcased on two sets of video cassette racks repurposed ideally for this task.
2.Small Hallway Petite Bags This part of the collection consists of small, mostly monochromatic patent leather vintage Coach bags. In fact, they were mostly thrift store finds.
Hallway Tour Continued These are actually the second set of bags displayed to welcome tourists in the small hallway on the way to the bedroom. For contrast to the purses, their background is a vintage red and gray tablecloth.
3.Bedroom Corner Here a colorful and varied part of my collection resides. For example, there are Very Bradley bags, Arcadia bags, and a variety of other bags accompanied by matching hats.
4.Bedroom Wall This is where the second largest part of my collection on tour is located. Specifically, the east facing wall is where it is located.
Mostly Dooney & Bourke bags with a great plaid cloth behind
5.The Living Room/Studio To conclude the tour one moves on to where it all started. Before being the display’s focus, this was a living room. But now it isn’t a traditional living room at all.
Where the Tour Originally Began
The End Is the Beginning
The end is where I originally started displaying pocketbook. In other words, it is how the tour began. I’d ask, “Would you like to see my pocketbook collection?” And into the living room a guest and I would go.
This wall displays most of my Coach Bag collection as well as others and is the view on my studio wall
Where Will It Go Next? As I mentioned earlier, the kitchen and the bathroom are not part of my pocketbook collection tour. In fact, they never will be. Since they are the only rooms without a display, I don’t know where I will go next. But I never imagined what I have accomplished so far. Therefore you never know where I will go next.
My Pocketbook Collection Passion seems to come and go. But the fact is that it never completely disappears. The reason is that it resurfaces whenever I find and then fall in love with another irresistible brand.
First was Dooney & Bourke. Then was Coach, next was Kate Spade, and now is Arcadia. In fact Arcadia ia a very newly discovered brand for me. My latest pocketbook collection passion is Arcadia Handbags. But will it stay or share the ‘come and go’ fate of Coach and Kate Spade? Well, at least it is tops for now.
Passionate Purple From the first images, one can see two NWT bags. These ‘new with tag’ bags come in great colors and designs. Luscious colors are usually available on newer bags, specifically the NWT.
A rare Arcadia Design and color on Poshmark
Mouthwatering Mustard Another of my current favorites is quite a unique Arcadia. In fact it has almost as much smooth leather as it has embossed patent leather. The asking price is almost $300. But the new with tags ‘NWT’ bags are way outside of my price range.
Latest Discovery
Just when I think I have found my favorite Arcadia handbag, another even more beautiful comes along. What could be more beautiful and stylish than a pink and black Arcadia handbag?
Again,the bag I love is not affordable. So what do I do? I have found a solution. There are several online stores that carry Arcadia as well as other bags. In fact, they carry a wide range of ‘pre-owned’ price reduced bags.
Pre-owned Bargains
These online ‘buy and sell’ shops include Poshmark, eBay, Etsy, Mercari, and occasionally Priclist. In fact these sites can offer some terrific pre-owned bargains that I have benefitted from. But I also have made a number of purchases that had to be returned due to unacceptable conditions. Actually getting approval to make a return can be a nuisance. So it’s best to check out thoroughly what you want to buy before you take out your credit card.
Secondhand Shop with Caution
This is because conditions for returning purchases are very strict. So it is essential to examine the online photos and description before purchasing any pre-owned items. A new handbag can be an expensive purchase. Therefore a greatly reduced pre-owned price can signal minor or significant wear and tear.
Arcadia pink mini bag with dust cover
Here’s A Bargain Here’s a great looking pre-owned bag. I love it. Take note of the scuff in the bottom left corner. In addition, read the description that confirms it.
“Arcadia mini shoulder bag. Pink Patent Leather with Tan leather trim. Dust cover. Minor scuff as shown. Otherwise good condition. Made in Italy”.
If that is all okay with you, remember to add tax and shipping. Then your total for this bag that will never look new is over $40. To me that is a bargain. Besides I do love pink. So I might go for it. How about you?
Pre-owned but Not a Bargain
Meanwhile here’s another pre-owned bag. It looks great from the front. The price is great too. So why is it so cheap? Now look in the photo of the corners confirmed by the description. It looks terrible. The photo is transparent but the description is not. No bargain here.
“This bag is gorgeous and has gold detail with leather trim. The corners have some wear but everything else is like new.” I don’t think so!
Beware the wear and tear on this ‘gorgeous’ ‘like new’ bag.
The meaning of spectator sport style as in ‘spectator pumps’ was a complete mystery to me in my youth. So I decided to do some indepth research recently to find out. As it turned out, the spectator pump was part of the spectator sport style that appeared in the fashion world starting in the 1920s. In fact, the trend has survived over the last century to a greater or lesser degree.
Curiosity Plants the Seed
As a result of long term curiosity, I decided to explore where this name came from and why fashions were branded ‘spectator’. Basically, all I knew from my youth in the mid 1950’s was the name ‘spectator pumps’. As a matter of fact, my mother had a pair of them. Because they were so popular most women did. Thus, I wanted to know where this popular but strange name came from.
Women’s Spectator Style Pumps from Etsy.com
DEFINITION FOUND
It turns out that the definition of spectator sport style that even exists in fashion today, can be summarized by the name of a particular fashion icon, Ralph Lauren. Granted, he was not the inventor of the style. None the less, he immortalized this classy fashion statement.
Iconic Brand
As a result. this fashion style has great popularity still. In addition, it has brought great fortune for the Ralph Lauren brand. To summarize this definition are simply these words ‘a fashion style for spectating sports’. And it comes in many clothing items and accessories.
HISTORY
The history of this style includes specific and classic for both men and women. Therefore, this next section from Spectator Sport Style addresses those qualities with description and appropriate photos (as much as possible).
SPECTATOR STYLE FASHIONS: Then
Part One: Men’s Winter Spectator Fashions
Racoon coat circa 1920’s spectator sport fashions from Wiki
“Attending sporting events was a popular leisure time practice that was popularized in the 1920s. Fashion-conscious spectators dressed in attire appropriate for a variety of sports events. The weather often dictated the fashion.
For instance, male and female college students who attended autumn and early winter football games wore bulky raccoon fur coats or heavy tan-colored camel hair and woolen polo coats belted at the waist or with a partial belt at the back.”
Part One: Women’s Winter spectator sport style
tailored woolen tweed suits with knee-length skirts
“Women’s sportswear was becoming more masculine. By the late 1920s college-aged women wore tailored woolen tweed suits with knee-length skirts and loose-fitting slacks to collegiate sports events.”
(I was unable to find an exact replica of the sort of outfit described above. But the Hermes tailored woolen tweed suit pictured above bears a close resemblance to it. Granted the shoes may be from a later date.)
Part Two: Warm Weather Events Spectator Fashions
“Warm weather events such as horse races often were held in stylish surroundings such as resorts. Wealthy male spectators wore navy blue woolen blazers with gold buttons.”
Men’s Navy Blue Blazer with Gold Buttons and Handmade Men Black and White Shoes, Men Spectator Dress Shoes, Brogue Shoes
“In the late 1920s men and women began wearing black-and-white spectator sports style shoes. They were white wing-tipped leather shoes trimmed with black leather or patent leather at the toes and heels.”
Women’s Spectator Ferragamo shoe and matching Diophy handbag
“Women wore spectator pumps with matching spectator handbags, white leather rectangular pocketbooks with a clasp at the top and black leather or patent leather trim at the four corners.” (I was unable to find the exact vintage handbag. Instead I included this current, very handsome Diophy bag).
Part Three: Aviator Jackets Became Spectator Rage
“In 1927 Charles Lindbergh (1902-1974) became the first aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. He became an instant popular cultural hero to millions of Americans. By 1928 fans of Lindbergh bought mass-produced reproductions of his leather aviator jacket to wear at sports events”.
CHARLES LINDBERGH AVIREX A-2 Bombers Cockpit Flight Leather Jacket. Very RARE
Part Four: Golf Participant and Spectator Outfits
“Golf matches also were fashionable places to see and be seen. Men watching the golf games wore clothes that mimicked the players’ outfits: three-piece sports suits that featured knickers (loose-fitting pants that ended just below the knees, usually fitted at the bottom by a button), a vest, and a jacket.”
Vintage golf outfits from a variety on manufacturers available on Amazon.com
“These often were made of light-woven woolens or tweeds. Knickers were worn with colorful argyle (diamond-shaped pattern) knee socks. Many of the accessories to golf attire, such as ties, caps, and socks, often were fashioned from Scottish clan plaids, because the game of golf was developed in Scotland.”
Part Five: Tennis Participants and Spectator Outfits For Men From Vintage Fashions comes this example of the men’s tennis outfit. It is similar to the spectator’s attire.“For tennis matches spectators wore variations of tennis players’ garb.
“The major difference was that tennis players wore white only. Men often wore soft, loose-fitting white woolen flannel trousers with a navy blazer.
Part Five: Tennis Participants and Spectator Outfits For Women
“Women wore knee-length pleated summer dresses in white or pastels, or loose trousers with pleats in the front.
During the late 1920s many women chose to wear berets, or soft, wide rounded woolen caps with narrow headbands, with their spectator style clothing”
1920s tennis clothes on vintagedancer.com
SPECTATOR STYLE FASHIONS: Even Now
HATS: The Ultimate Spectator Sport Accessory The Kentucky Derby is home to one of the most spectacular spectator sport events today. It even has a signature spectator sport fashion, the Derby hat. It would seem that almost as many people enjoy the hats as do the horses.
A sampling from the collection of colorful, original scarves and shawls from Hermes.com creates this wonderful, colorful border above
Chanel evening bag sold on Rebag
WHAT I LOVE
I love all kinds of colorful accessories. They range from head to toe. For example, these include items from hats to handbags. Then handbags to scarves and shawls. Even scarves and shawls to shoes. As well as shoes to costume jewelry. Whatever the item is, there is one thing that they all have in common.
Stepping out in Stride
Kurt Geiger makes an outrageous colorful statement in the shoe department. No need to take my word for this. Instead check what’s next in colorful accessories.
Kurt Geiger shoes for casual and dressup occasions.
Going Out in Style
Emphatically, the one thing all these items share is their flair. The Kensington collection from Kurt Geiger of London is a statement to their pallette.
The Kurt Geiger Kensington Collection of very Colorful purses
OVER THE RAINBOW
Colorful accessories come in all shapes, sizes, and price ranges. These Balenciaga bags are definitely at the over the rainbow end of prices. But appeal is not always based on cost. In fact, I have also found some very affordable brands that are equally as attractive. Dasein and Diophy are two such companies. You can learn more about them in a little while.
This Balenciaga Logo Ville Bag Printed Leather XXS available on ReBag is a perfect example of a fantastic colorful accessory.
IMAGINE: Everyday Affordable and Still Colorful
Here are two colorful bags that I have now. One is a Dasein handbag in turquoise. The other is in orange. They are available is numerous other solid colors in addition to a leopard print. Just imagine if this style came in the colors of the Balenciaga bag above. It is my dream idea for Dasein to create a bag in the Rainbow pattern colors. In fact, I plan to ask them to make this design.
Above are the Turquoise and Orange Faux Patent Handbags available from Amazon.com and Daseinbags.com
Last but not least is a brand called Diophy. In fact, they carry some amazing colorful patterns at very reasonable prices. Here is an example of both the affordable and the irresistible.
NEWLY DISCOVERED HANDBAG TREASURES MAKE MY SEARCH EXTRA FUN
I keep a close watch on what is new as well as what is newly available in the world of handbag treasures. Let’s say this is sort of the-bag-of-the-month club. Sometimes there are bags I have never seen before. Then I jump for joy.
Other times, there are bags I love so much, they bear repeating. There are even handbag treasures that are so affordably special that I have been able to purchase them. Dasein fits right into that category. This brand is featured at the conclusion of this post.
HANDBAG TREASURE BRANDS
There are several brands that I adore. Besides this, I have special ways that I keep track of my passion for my favorite brands. To start, let me introduce the brands:
Faux patent leather handbags are currently at the top of my favorites list of accessories. There is, in particular, a new brand handbag that is affordable, comes in brilliant colors, is shiny, roomy and their clever name Dasein, translated from German, means ‘Being there’. The hang tag image below explains the significance of their name with ‘About Us’.
This is the front with logo (left) and back with About Us (right) of the Dasein faux patent leather handbag hang tag.
THE HANDBAG STORY
As discussed in previous blog posts, Designer Purse Gems , I love handbags. In fact, I have a collection approaching 80 bags. It started out with ones I purchased decades ago. Then moved on to thrift store vintage bags. After that I started researching valuable vintage bags. But they started to get pricey. Suddenly and mysteriously, I discovered a company that I had never heard of before, Dasein. The name stands for ‘being there’.
Shiny Patent Faux Leather Handbags Barrel Top Handle Purse Satchel Bag Shoulder Bag for Women
I was amazed at their appearance, practicality, affordability, attention to detail, storage bag accessory, and brilliant colors. Most of all, I loved the name, ‘Faux Patent Handbags’.
DASEIN JOINS MY HANDBAG FAMILY
Because it was autumn and Halloween was approaching, it was easy to choose the color for my first Vegan Leather Dasein Handbag, autumn leaves or pumpkin orange.
A photo of the Orange Vegan Patent Handbag. This is from Amazon.com. Bags are available directly from Daseinbags.com
MORE
Clearly, I had to adopt more Dasein bags. The many qualities I described above made having more irresistible. The choice was not difficult. Although the color was not as much in season as autumn orange, turquoise went well with my fall into winter wardrobe. So there I was ordering one more.
Above is the Turquoise Vegan Handbag available from Amazon.com and Daseinbags.com
THEN A MISTAKE
What would I do next? Would I quit with two? Try for a third? Go for another style or another brand? How about PINK?!
Although on the pale side, I hoped the pink displayed by both retailers would still be pretty.
CORRECTION AND CONCLUSION
All was not lost. There was one more option, a leopard pattern vegan patent handbag. Actually, it appears very chix on the internet. So I ordered it. Hopefully, it will be as cool as my first two and not another pale pink disappointment.
This is the only Dasein handbag in this style that has a pattern. I hope it is a winner.
I am hoping that the wonderful color fashionistas will follow suit with more brilliant colors for the Spring pr Summer of 2022. These include other brilliant hues such as yellow, hot pink or magenta and the 2022 Pantone Color of the Year, Very Peri.
A border of polka dots patterns colors from a Yahoo search for polka dots
INTRODUCTION
As much as I love plaid and check patterns, polka dots patterns will always bring great joy to my heart. For example, I will smile or even laugh whenever I see them or think about them. Therefore when I see clothes or home decor in polka dots, I find it irresistible to buy them.
Marilyn Monroe in a polka dots pattern two piece bathing suit
APPEAL
I was very curious to learn about the history of my beloved pattern since the only thing I knew about polka was a dance named the polka.
As a matter of fact, I wondered if there was any correlation between the two, the dance and the pattern.
Therefore, an online search should answer my question. But even before an answer to its history, I got side tracked.
It is undeniable that it has been very popular. Although one critic insisted that the pattern was childish, polka dots clearly have a much wider appeal than just to children.
The pose of Marilyn Monroe above in a two piece polka dots pattern bathing suit attests to the most outstanding quality of this pattern. That is its appeal to adults not just children. Similar to it is the appeal of the photo below of Victoria Silvstedt. Even more so, her polka dots bikini barely covers her.
MORE (OR LESS)
Strutting her stuff: Victoria Silvstedt, who has worked with top designers including Chanel, Christian Dior and Valentino, looked incredible in the bandeau bikini which did little to contain her assets.
“Strutting her stuff: Victoria Silvstedt, who has worked with top designers including Chanel, Christian Dior and Valentino, looked incredible in the bandeau bikini which did little to contain her assets.”
Quote from The Daily Mail
MUSIC
Let’s Have A Party Polka – Walter Ostanek, Brian Sklar and Western Senators – Polkarama! from Youtube.
HISTORY OF THE POLKA DOT PATTERN
The woman festooning polka dot hair scarves resembles ‘Rosie the Riveter. Is this a call for all women to wear polka dots?A History Pt. 1History Pt. 2History Pt. 3History Pt. 4History Pt. 5History Pt. 6
From PBS NewsHour: “At the Hirshhorn Museum, visitors are lining up to experience Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s world of whimsy, color, shapes and a peek into the beyond. Jeffrey Brown tells us why this new exhibit is currently the toughest ticket in Washington, D.C.”
CONCLUSION
A Simple polka dot pattern of yellow and Red from Wiki
“The nine decades of artist Yayoi Kusama’s life have taken her from rural Japan to the New York art scene to contemporary Tokyo, in a career in which she has continuously innovated and re-invented her style.” YouTube
Buffalo Check which is also known as Lumberjack Plaid is a mate to tartan plaid. Similar to the Royal Stewart tartan plaid, the former is equally as popular. Just about anything that looks good in Royal Stewart looks great in this pattern, too.
Whichever you call it, it is one of my favorites and a very popular pattern. Getty image.
HISTORY
Historically, this pattern could include clothing, then bedding, now handbags and other items. Here’s a great story from Tartan Authority describing its history.
It’s Origin Part 1History Part 2History Part 3Bee & Willow sheets available at Bed Bath & Beyond
MORE OF THIS PATTERN
Continuing on from its Indian blanket trading history, it became a pattern for a man’s shirt. This design has been popularized on many items. Here is a sampling of its use in bedding above and then in a woman’s handbag below.
Royal Stewart Plaid Kilt from the Scottish Kilt Shop
12538 Basque Pl Woodbridge VA 22192 USA
INTRODUCTION
My plaid passion began sometime in my youth although I can’t say exactly when. But plaid has been a favorite pattern of mine as far back as I can remember.
My earliest memory may have just been the pattern itself. But there is no question that I soon developed a taste for anything with it.
I had clothes, a jacket and tartan plaid sheets and towels. My mother even had a plaid bathrobe.
But it was not until I was an adult that I learned about the Scottish plaids that represented the clans. They proudly wore the tartan and it was not just for decoration.
I later learned that there are many different tartan plaids as well as plaids that are unrelated to Scottish clans.
The Vermont Country Store is where you can get all kinds of plaid sheets and other bedding to your heart’s content
There are two types of plaid that I love. They are tartans plaid and lumberjack plaid aka buffalo check. The former come from the clans that wove this fabric and made their garments from these ancestral patterns.
This toddler’s dress is in the Royal Stewart Dress plaid. It is by George and available on Poshmark.
Their history is described here in this post. In addition, images above focuses on bedding and clothes in the Royal Stewart tartan plaid while images for lumberjack plaid aka buffalo check are on the next blog post.
CONTINUE
My plaid passion has never worn out. In fact to this day, I have found a new object for my love of plaid, handbags. I don’t think I ever owned a plaid one. But that is about to change. Searching online, I have discovered an abundance of plaid handbags. This actually includes those made out of wool and cotton. Then there are my outstanding favorites, patent leather plaid.
This is an outstanding example of a patent leather plaid handbag found on poshmark.
Although the above handbag is not in a traditional plaid, it is still beautiful. Here is a tote that is in a traditional Stewart plaid.
This tote was found on Etsy and is decorated in Stewart plaid.
It is a well known fact in the fashion industry that haute couture can only be afforded by the very wealthy. Thanks to the world of ‘knock-off’ fashion, the extraordinary becomes affordable. Therefore, this blog post provides some really surprising financial examples of this in the handbag industry.
Anne Hathaway’s famous blue sweater that Meryl Streep lectures her about in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’
As Meryl Streep deliberately explains to Ann Hathaway in, ‘The Devil Wears Prada‘, the extraordinary births the ordinary. Meryl Streep describes the origins of a shabby blue sweater that Anne Hathaway is wearing. Its history is from glamorous haute cuttiere. Anne Hathaway is totally oblivious to this. At this stage in the movie, Anne has no idea that the the ordinary is inspired by the extraordinary.
WILD ABOUT HANDBAGS
Although I am not devotee of high fashion clothing, I am wild about handbags. Therefore I have been studying the world of glamour in this industry. One of my favorite companies is Rebag. I have been introduced to luxury handbags through their social media and website. This adds to the knowledge I already have to what I consider affordable quality handbags including Coach, Dooney and Bourke, and Kate Spade.
Luxury Gingham bag on left and two less expensive bags to its right
HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS
Since I have only been able to encounter handbags in the hundreds in person, I can only surmise the difference in the cost of those in the thousands.
My favorite Coach vintage bag is called the Willis bag. Because it is a classic, variations of it have been made over many decades. A recent version, in green, and two original designs are pictured below.
They are all high quality Coach products but their age can impact the price by several hundred dollars. Due to its rarity, the vintage Willis is about twice the cost of the new one.
Three Coach Willis bags are pictured here. The green one is the latest version. Photo from Coach. The two on the right are classic version. Photos from Etsy.
THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS
I had no idea that there were handbags that were more expensive than new automobile or even a house. Even those designer bags have imitators or want-to-be handbags. The designer bags include the Hermes Birkin bags which are six and seven figures. Their inspired versions cost a few hundred retail like the totes from Coach and Kate Spade.
Three pink totes ranging from nearly a $1 million Hermes Birkin Bag, a five figure Prada bag to a Coach tote on sale for about $100.
WHIMSICAL
Both very expensive and less expensive handbag companies make whimsical purses. Great whimsy inspires affordability. The most famous of this is Judith Leiber handbags. They are very whimsical as well as expensive. In similar fashion, Kate Spade came out with its frog bag. The former retails for a few hundred dollars. The latter goes for between about $5,000.
A Kate Spade Wicker Frog Bag next to A Judith Leiber Frozen Marguerita Clutch. The Judith Leiber is over 10 times as expensive as the Kate Spade bag.
ALMOST TWINS
These two totes are so similar. In fact, I took a double take when I discovered the Burberry Remington tote. It’s hard to believe that it can cost up to five times as much as the Kate Spade on the right when this designer ‘knock’ goes on sale.
Two bags that look so similar. The Burberry on the left can be five times as expensive as the Kate Spade on the right when it goes on sale.
GUESS WHICH BRAND THIS ONE IS
Sometimes the affordable bags are so well made that one can’t tell the difference between luxury, ‘working girl designer’ (like Coach and Kate Spade) or a total ‘knock off’. This example is from the best knock off company I have found. If you’re curious, the answer is in the Sources and Resources section.
Guess which brand this is. The answer is in Sources & Resources.
CONCLUSION
As a handbag collector and flea market stalker, I am always on the prowl for that special but accessible bag that the seller is practically giving away. Wouldn’t it be great if someone was selling an extraordinary purse for next to nothing. That is my dream. So I continue to search and collect in the hope my dream comes true.
