Thrift Confessions - Texier Leather Bag

If you're going to invest in a bag - make it A Have-It-Forever Leather Bag. But good leather bags are expensive and there is no way I can afford that now. But sometimes you just get lucky, if yah know what I mean? 

Okay, here's a story.

Two months ago I saw this beautiful, creamy-soft bucket bag from the thrift store I frequent. It took my breath away like a punch in my stomach. The good kind of punch. That kind of pressure that makes you all giddy up and imagine yourself carrying that bag anywhere. For the first time this year I know I "needed" that bag. So i inspected it and it's perfect. No scratch anywhere, it is perfect. Twice perfect! Usually, thick leather bags are heavy but this one feels like a feather. The brand said "Texier" and I have no idea about that brand. The asking price was 700php.Wow! it was a little expensive when it's supposed to be a thrift right. Yah know what I mean ladies and gentlegays? So I made my peace to say goodbye to it for a while and maybe, just maybe, after a month if the bag is still hanging up there on it's pedestal, then maybe it's meant for me to take it home.

Fast forward to a month later, (and i know, you know, it's a good happy story right?) it is still hanging up there. (Im going for the kill) With 700 pesos in my hand i marched my thrifty bum inside the store heaving a sigh of relief that that beautiful bag is meant for me. The thrift lady said "300 ate, sale kami". Nothing registered inside my braid, I just stared at her. All the while I was whoohoo-ing inside. Playing along, I pushed my luck to 250php. (it's just a barter trick you need to master when you thrift- always ask for a lower price) She rolled her eyes and pretend to think. ( I know she's just pretending, it's a sales technique - HA HA!) And then she said yes. We both smiled and sealed the deal. Omigod! Omigod! Omigod! I finally have a Texier leather bucket bag. Yah feel me? 

...seriously...

...the best thing about leather bags, is that they get better over time. The oils in our hand make it look better, but you wouldn't see that effect if the bag were black. A classic shape and practical size is important, but in the end, it's all about the color. I love camel and brown hues on bag. Black is a classic, but I prefer camel leather. Especially this one, the amazing looking beat-up brown leather from Texier. It sure is versatile too. You can easily wear it with everything, from pastels to neon. You can mix camel with just as many colors as you would with black.

So, tell me, have you had any luck with thrift leather bags recently?  

ps,
here's another thrift camel bag I have

Thrift Confessions # 2

Aren't animal-face shirts so cute? Okay, not all. When it comes to this trend I prefer the not so life-like print. I am talking about this and this. It's scary. The trick with wearing this print is to make them look cute. At least for me. If it's too real looking, like it's ready to pounce on you and eat you, it's as close as wearing a real fur, or carrying around a taxidermy animal. Seriously, not cute. It's just weird. So how cute is my tiger shirt then that I got from a thrift store? Look, It has a pink bow - sooooo cute right? Because in real life, no tiger in a pink bow will ever attack you. Well, I am the tiger in a pink bow with this ensemble. But I don't bite.

I got it last week. Actually it was a quick quick trip to the thrift store. I saw this, picked it up and paid for it right away, even though there's a lot of potential summer dresses lining up in front of me that night, I did not look back. Not once. How strong am I? It was always a great thrift purchase whenever I was in a hurry. I don't know why really. And also, a visit to thrift store with a barya budget always makes a good purchase. Functionality-wise.

So today, I did a little googling to see if I can find this shirt on-line and whaahlaah, I did. Found the exact shirt at SheInside. It's sold out. Sorry. Just how one-of-a-kind am I right now? woohoo! And it sells for 27$. Boooo! I got mine at 45 pesos (1$). Woohoo! Is this a great thrift or what?

Happy Monday!

top: thrift

skirt: target

heels: Zara

Thrift Confessions #1

Hi Everyone!

This year I am going to do a little fun project here on the blog called Thrift Confessions. The point of this project for me to keep track on how i spend my thrift money wisely, and for me to be honest and more conscious of all my purchases whether it's from sale, a discount,  second-hand items or from thrift stores and I am gonna document them all on the blog. Because at this point in my life, I cannot afford to buy stupid stuff anymore. I have to think twice or trice or a hundred times before any purchase especially on things with a cheap price tag. Now, my main problem with cheap items is that they don't let me think at all before the purchase. Cheap brings out the dumb in me. Like, duh! And then I go home to a lot of cheap stuff I don't really need. And we all know that if we do the math, cheap stuff + cheap stuff + 50 more cheap stuff is a lot of money. A lot! I know, the joke is on me. Thank God, I am now beginning to understand that less is more. 

  

In order for the purchase to be labeled as not-stupid-stuff, it should be something i really need, something I will really wear, and something I will really read.

So last week, we dropped by our favorite discount/second-hand book store. Early this month they even lowered their price to 29 pesos for these books. Some are even lower, like 10 pesos for the Harlequin/Silhouette Desire. (calling all 50 Shades freaks...) But there are more interesting books on the 29php. (duh) I was close to getting 20 books last week but since I am a new person now, (duh) with more consciousness and all ( cccc",) ) I painfully narrowed my picks to only 6 books that I will finish this month. And here's why...