A pair of hot pink Oka b ballet shoes with a bow on the back from oka-b.com
Patent Leather Perfection is the name of my latest handbag discovery. In fact, it came about completely by accident. I was looking for details about a pair of hot pink Oka b ballet shoes.
Somehow I landed on Pinterest after searching on Instagram and there they were. Not the Oka b hot pink ballet shoes but a whole new collection of handbags.
Pink + Orange Matched to perfection, of course because I love pink. On Pinterest, I found a purse that fits into Patent Leather Perfection. Actually it’s a perfect match to the pink Oka b slip ons.
A pink + orange purse found on Pinterest.com
Green + Pink Jelly Couture Pink Meadow Limited Edition Then I found another bag not only with pink but also in my favorite, popular color combination of green with pink.
Pink and Green Jelly Couture Pink Meadow Limited Edition on Pinterest.com
Arcadia and Furla Round Bags Not only am I partial to certain color combinations but I also adore certain brands and shapes of handbags and shoes. Yes, Arcadia is one of them and Furla is the other. Both are unique to their brand. They’re round and both are part of patent leather perfection.
Here are two collectible round bags. One is an orange Arcadia. The other is a red Furla.
Speaking of Furla I found the most outrageous Furla bags on Pinterest. I adore them. In fact, I wish I could afford them. There is no coincidence that Furla named this style their jelly and candy collection.
A Furla handbag in red-white-and-blue from their jelly collection on Pinterest.com
My pocketbook passion started about 30 years ago. Each year, I would buy myself a beautiful, popular, designer purse. To start my collection, I purchased numerous Dooney & Bourke bags, Coach bags, and then some Kate Spade bags.Vintage Dooney & Bourke Teton Style Multi Color bag from vintagedooney.com
My Passion and My Search
I began my journey searching for and purchasing the most attractive Dooney & Bourke ‘All Weather Leather’ bags.
Since the Internet was not yet a means of advertising and purchasing, items were available from beautifully designed mail order catalogs.
In fact, this is where my passion for pocketbooks began. The handbag at the left is very similar to one of my first purchases.
FAST FORWARD: Outlet Malls and The Internet A photo of a Tanger Outlet Mall with plenty of parking and discount upscale stores.
Over the years, the technology for shopping has become more sophisticated, appealing and convenient. If I want to make a purchase without leaving home, the Internet has become the place to go. If I want a feast including entertainment and purchasing delights, destinations like the Tanger Outlets are the ideal place to go
INTRODUCING: 21st Century Shopping – POSHMARK
There is no end to what I have been able to find online, at upscale mall shops and at mall outlet stores. But isn’t that the whole idea of retail shopping today? The possibilities are endless.
Here’s a video about the fascinating story of the immensely successful online social marketplace community known as Poshmark.
One brand, in particular has become my favorite vintage pocketbook passion, Italian made ARCADIA. This brand is one I recently discovered from the gangbuster technology for feeding my passion, online search and research. In fact, my favorite place to ‘window shop’ and purchase is on Poshmark. It is the hottest spot of them all. I visit almost daily.
Four of my favorite vintage Arcadia handbags found on Poshmark.com
The Evolution of How to Go Shopping
There is an evolutionary path to this search for collecting both new and vintage handbags. Collecting new handbags started with mail order catalogs and stayed there for many years. Then as technology was embraced, it evolved into the Internet.
Out of curiosity, I have even visited one of the Tanger Outlet Malls I had heard so much about. Of course I made a purchase. The mall was an appealing, well designed shopping village. In addition, it had a movie theatre so no parking space was wasted when shopping hours waned.
Three Primary Venues
At present, three venues have become my primary sources of feeding my pocketbook passion. They are online discount sources, like Poshmark, online company websites, and thrift stores.
Thrift stores are a great resource and a way that many non-profits raise money