Meet My New Bag (no, it isn't a Vuitton)

When I blogged about my bag dilemma, I omitted to tell you that a designer bag that I would have happily exchanged my BR for (let's call it my "dream bag") existed; just, it wasn't a Vuitton. My husband can be very obstinate and the deal that he offered me was only valid on a Luis Vuitton.
Many of you were surprised that I couldn't find a Vuitton that I liked but the reason is that there was another bag that I simply LOVED and have been lusting after for a while and I'm not greedy enough to let my husband buy me an expensive bag that I'm not in love with. It really seems like a waste of money to me.
So I dropped it and I started to wear my BR purse and I have to say that I'm pretty happy with it: it's the right dimension and it's a carefree bag, plus it goes with many coats that I have.
But I must admit that I would find myself browsing the Internet to catch a glimpse of my "dream bag".

OK, enough with the suspence: my dream bag is the Marc Jacobs "The Single". For those of you who are not familiar with Marc Jacobs bags it's a quilted cross-body that retails for $525 and comes in different colors/leathers. I wanted a plain leather one because it is the only one that comes with a chain strap (while the other styles come with a leather strap). It is in a price range that makes it almost "affordable" but if I can spend the same amount of money in different, smaller purchases, I always have scruples to blow more than $150 on a single item (I know it's silly, but it is what it is). So I have been watching every single Marc Jacobs bag sale for more than a year (Gilt, RueLaLa, you name it) and I think that I have missed my big occasion to buy it on sale the day after Xmas at Saks (I arrived at Saks too late and I didn't even think of checking the website before going).

So when a friend of mine gave me the coupon for the Bloomie F&F event I thought that I would give it a try. I had been at Bloomingdales during President's Day weekend to try the Tory Burch shoes and I had stopped by the Marc Jacobs corner to check it out (again). At that time they only had the studded one (in a weird color), which wasn't my first choice so I was almost sure that I wouldn't find it (this time I had checked the Internet first).
But they had it. Classic black. Plain leather. Chain strap. The 20%coupon applied and I had my gift card to spend plus an old return (2008 old) that almost covered for it. You agree that I couldn't leave it at the store.

So meet my new "Single". In my opinion it is the most Chanelesque bag out there (because let's face it: Chanel it's out of my league). The leather is the softest and most luxurious:



It is roomier inside than the BR and the JCrew charmed mini-bag. I like that even if one day I buy a bigger wallet (my Prada is one of the smallest wallets on the market) I will still be able to stuff it in the bag:



And the style? Classic, I tell you, and like a Chanel it will never go out of style:





Now, will I wear it to the playground? Certainly not, at least at the beginning. The "instructions for care" are pretty clear: "Due to the delicate nature of the quilting, we recommend that you treat this item with care. Avoid getting it wet (ie avoid sprinklers at the playground and don't let your toddler come close to you with a watercan full of water. If she wants to jump in a puddle, don't try to dissuade her and just run away), as water stains may occur. Avoid overexposure to direct light (ie, don't stand in the sun waiting that your daughter has finished examining every leaf or insect that she finds on her path) as color fading may occur. If it has frame, we reccomend that you use the frame gently (ie, don't let your toddler pull on it to obtain your attention when she has a tantrum).

So no, I won't wear it to the playground on a regular basis even if it might happen that I go out to run an errand and I end up at the playground (in those situations I guess that I will be a stressed mom). But because my husband ultimately didn't pay for it I'm entitled to keep the BR for my everyday life and I will wear this one mostly to go out with him (or alone). I don't have to wear it every single day as it is meant to last alifetime. And a deal is a deal, right?

I bought something else at Bloomingdales but, yes, you guessed, I will leave it for another post.