Closet Investments

All of this Phillip Lim for Target craziness has got me thinking about the kind of role a good bag plays in my wardrobe.
I was lucky enough to snag the Large Tote in black and I quite like it. It has a structured look and feel to it and is a good size.
But the best part was the price at just $54.99, which to me feels like a deal, because I usually spend a little more on bags, and I go as far as to call them my "closet investments."

A really long time ago I remember reading a thread on the Purse Forum where they were talking about fashion bloggers and how many designer bags they seem to own.
A comment from one user in that thread has stuck with me since then.

It said: "Why does this girl carry a Prada bag and then brag about a blazer she found at Old Navy?"

This comment didn't offend me or anything, but as a budget fashionista, it did make me realize that I am the type of person who carries a pricey bag while also rocking an outfit from Target. Or Old Navy. Or Winners.
In other words, I'm a bag lady.

For some, their closet investment might be shoes. I follow a few lovely ladies on Instagram with a very expensive shoe collection. 

Or jewelry. I ogle the amazing J.Crew jewel collections of some of my Insta-friends. 

For others, maybe their entire closet consists of investments!

For me, shoes wouldn't work because I am incredibly clumsy and bash my toes off of things on a daily basis. Most of my heels and flats are scuffed, and all of my boots get worn out because lets face it, I live in Canada. Would I love a pair of Valentino Rockstud pumps? Yes! Would I destroy them? Most likely.

And while I love jewelry, I can't help but buy the Groopdealz version of designer pieces because they look so good and cost so little, because they are so trendy and go in and out of style so fast, and because I get bored of jewelry quickly. I know that if I spent $100+ on a necklace and only wore it a couple of times, I would hate myself. Don't get me wrong, I do have the odd pricey piece (eg: J.Crew pave link bracelet) and a few Michael Kors watches...but I feel they are timeless. 

Finally, while I do love to go into J.Crew and touch the cashmere sweaters, or Banana Republic and feel the nice material of their blouses, I just can't convince myself to pay for them! My cat loves to put holes in my clothes, I spill things on or near myself frequently, and although it may perhaps be TMI...my weight fluctuates too much to ever buy an expensive pair of pants because within 10 days they might not fit me.

So, in the end, having nice purses and bags makes the most sense for me.

I take good care of them, I have enough of them that I can switch between them so they don't get worn out, and overall they just feel like a good investment for me personally.
This is not to say I only buy expensive purses. If I had every one I wanted I would be homeless. In fact, I have lots in my closet that are under $100 or even under $50 (Target Merona satchel for $40...yes please!) and obviously there are way more expensive bags to be had out there than the ones I have, but I really don't think my clothes have to be as pricey as my bags.

All that said, here are a few examples of my faux pas:

Sweater: $30 (Winners)

Pants: $30 (Winners)

Shoes: $40 (Winners)

Bag: $600 second hand (Louis Vuitton)

Shirt: $18 (Gap Factory)

Jeans: $16 (American Eagle)

Sandals: $5 (Old Navy)

Bag: $600 second hand (Louis Vuitton)

Shirt: $29 (Marshalls)

Jeans: $40 (Steinmart)

Shoes: $60 (Sole Society)

Bag: $428 (Marc by Marc Jacobs)

Shirt: $29 (Winners)

Jeans: $30 (Bluenotes)

Shoes: $19 (Target)

Bag: $428 (Marc by Marc Jacobs)

Shirt: $19 (Target)

Jeans: $29 (Gap Factory)

Shoes $19 (Target)

Bag: $280 (Kate Spade)

So, call me a weirdo if you will, anonymous Purse Form user, for I shall continue to carry my expensive bags with my not-so-expensive wardrobe.

What is your closet investment?

Happy Hump Day.