Favorite (designer) handbags

Hi loves! Today I thought, let me write something personal that is related to fashion! So I decided to share my handbag "collection"! I have actually mostly been sporting two purses over the last 5 years, and recently added another one to my favorites. Enjoy!

I used to be that girl who owned many (fast-fashion) purses in different colors, although I had to walk around with a (lilac) backpack most of the time to carry my books for school. Towards the end of high-school I could finally switch in my backpack for purses, because I did not have to carry 5 kg of books to class anymore. Back then, Friis & Company bags were all the rage! They did cost a small fortune (about €80), but I saw them as an investment. Unfortunately, the quality was not as good as I expected, because I managed to wear out two purses in less than a year (see one of them below).

Having spent many euro's on purses that lasted me only for a brief second, I was fed up at some point. I decided to splurge on a designer handbag, and hoped it would last me a long time. So I bought my Louis Vuitton Tivoli GM at their store in the PC Hooftstraat in 2009.

As you can tell from the oxidation, it is very telling that this bag has been in my possession for quite some time. I have to admit, I am not the best person in maintenance of my designer bags and shoes. But although my baby looks a bit out of shape sometimes, has pretty dirty handles, and her hardware has been fading over time, this has been my favorite purse for over 5 years. It stays gorgeous and has never failed me, despite all the amount of junk I throw in there everytime. Definitely an investment worth its price (which has increased about €400 in price since I bought it, lol)!

Because I wanted to give my LV a rest every now and then, I purchased another designer bag in 2011, which I had been fawning over for a few years. 

I purchased my Gucci Joy Medium Boston bag during a shopping spree trip in Antwerp. Although it is a bit smaller than my LV, it still has enough room to fit most of my stuff and an occasional book (yes, I carry books and my laptop with my purses).

I really tried my best to take better care of my second child, but one day I was struck with major bad luck. I actually refuse to carry anything food related in my purses (aside from a bottle of water), and am also very careful when it comes to pens and pencils. But then, one of my neon-green markers somehow lost its cap in my purse... If you look really closely you can spot a green mark on the bottom of the mid-section. Despite this misfortune, I still really love(d) this bag because of its beautiful design and sturdiness.

However, I recently noticed that the fabric is letting me down. As you can see on the second picture, the top layer seems to have let go of the one underneath it. Definitely a major no-no! I am not sure what happened either, because I have been quite protective of this purse. I also do not think it is for sale anymore, seen as I could not find it on the Gucci website last time I checked.

And finally, my latest addition that I have been loving the past month. Nope, not designer but good ol' River Island!

This purse was actually an unexpected Christmas gift. Although its size is definitely out of my comfort zone (being tiny and all), I have surprisingly grown very fond of it! It is big enough to carry my iPad, and the long strap you can attach comes in very handy. The kiss lock gives this simple bag a bit more glam. 

And there you have it! Let me know what your favorite purses are and your opinion on designer handbags. Do you think they are worth the investment?

Lobi,

Pictures from Google.com / LouisVuitton.com / RiverIsland.com