There are new listings on my shop blog, including a number of rarer Anthro pieces. Check it out!
Showing posts with label editing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label editing. Show all posts
October 26, 2011
April 27, 2011
Which one would you keep?
If you only wanted to keep one...
Marc Jacobs Stam Hobo in Mouse Gray
Pros:
big
neutral
strap fits over shoulders
cool
chain is removable
rare style and color
Cons:
chain is heavy so I don't bring it out of town
I already have a bag in this color
kind of a black hole (too big to be organized)
not iconic like the regular stam (though I sold my regular stam)
kind of a black hole (too big to be organized)
not iconic like the regular stam (though I sold my regular stam)
Marc Jacobs Quilted Blake in Mouse Gray
Pros:
easy to stay organized with the divisions
straps fit over shoulders
pretty
neutral
rare color/quilted combo
rare color/quilted combo
Cons:
kind of small for work
I forget which compartment I put my stuff in cause I am forgetful
I already have a bag in this color
common style
common style
April 21, 2011
How do you decide when to say goodbye?
I've been thinking about parting with some of my lesser-used bags. Adrien and Marianne of Looks Good from the Back call this recycling, since the old often funds the new. As much as I enjoy them, they mostly sit in my closet. Let's face it: I just don't have the Kardashian-caliber closet/lifestyle/income to justify collecting for the sake of a collection.
But that leaves me with the decisions. I don't mean to sound dramatic or so crass as to liken this privileged process of material weeding to Sophie's Choice. I fully recognize that this is among the first-world-iest of a developed world/global north problem. But even so, how do you decide what stays and what goes when it is in a genre you happen to (kind of) hoard?
When I am weeding out fast fashion, the process is easy. I don't feel a lot of commitment to that stuff. I didn't buy it with longevity in mind. No one expects to keep some necklace from Target for decades. That's part of why I've begun avoiding fast fashion. No matter how cute the item, I often view the stuff as temporary or even (more guiltily) disposable.
With nicer clothing the process is a little more simple and less intimidating. If I haven't worn it that must mean it 1. doesn't fit my lifestyle 2. doesn't make me feel confident and/or 3. just plain doesn't fit. I don't typically feel that pang of sentimental "what if someday I will want this again" anxiety with clothes.
Bags have long been my vice. They were my high-end gateway drug. I hold onto them with irrational fervor. Quite a few were purchased with great care and effort, to (for lack of better and less pretentious word) curate a fine accessories arsenal that could enhance any range of outfits. Parting with the ones I have kept to this point would mean parting with the ones I really like. Even if I don't use them now, I see their value in remaining a part of my collection. If they've made this many closet edits then I obviously feel kind of attached. And all of these irrational material musings add up to my becoming emotional (and therefore unrealistic) about pricing. When I feel confident about selling a bag, I price it to move. When I feel mixed, I end up being less realistic in my evaluation of resale market value.
I hope I don't sound too materially dependent. I am curious about the thoughts of others on this subject. What about you? How do you decide what stays and what goes? Do you consign, use ebay/bonanza, or a shop blog? Is weeding and re-selling a simple or emotional process? How do you determine a price for something you might have coveted desperately at one point but realize you just rarely use? Do you feel more attached to specific types of items (like shoes, watches, tote bags, etc.) over others?
One such aforementioned Kardashian closet. (from Elle)
But that leaves me with the decisions. I don't mean to sound dramatic or so crass as to liken this privileged process of material weeding to Sophie's Choice. I fully recognize that this is among the first-world-iest of a developed world/global north problem. But even so, how do you decide what stays and what goes when it is in a genre you happen to (kind of) hoard?
All of these MBMJ bags have been rehomed except the Pan Am and the Softy.
When I am weeding out fast fashion, the process is easy. I don't feel a lot of commitment to that stuff. I didn't buy it with longevity in mind. No one expects to keep some necklace from Target for decades. That's part of why I've begun avoiding fast fashion. No matter how cute the item, I often view the stuff as temporary or even (more guiltily) disposable.
As much as I love the Stam, it didn't suit my lifestyle.
With nicer clothing the process is a little more simple and less intimidating. If I haven't worn it that must mean it 1. doesn't fit my lifestyle 2. doesn't make me feel confident and/or 3. just plain doesn't fit. I don't typically feel that pang of sentimental "what if someday I will want this again" anxiety with clothes.
I thought I was ready to say goodbye when I sold this Balenciaga City.
A month or so later I bought it back from its new owner.
Bags have long been my vice. They were my high-end gateway drug. I hold onto them with irrational fervor. Quite a few were purchased with great care and effort, to (for lack of better and less pretentious word) curate a fine accessories arsenal that could enhance any range of outfits. Parting with the ones I have kept to this point would mean parting with the ones I really like. Even if I don't use them now, I see their value in remaining a part of my collection. If they've made this many closet edits then I obviously feel kind of attached. And all of these irrational material musings add up to my becoming emotional (and therefore unrealistic) about pricing. When I feel confident about selling a bag, I price it to move. When I feel mixed, I end up being less realistic in my evaluation of resale market value.
I hope I don't sound too materially dependent. I am curious about the thoughts of others on this subject. What about you? How do you decide what stays and what goes? Do you consign, use ebay/bonanza, or a shop blog? Is weeding and re-selling a simple or emotional process? How do you determine a price for something you might have coveted desperately at one point but realize you just rarely use? Do you feel more attached to specific types of items (like shoes, watches, tote bags, etc.) over others?
November 30, 2008
Out with the Old
My recent bouts of shopping haven't been without sacrifice. Many savvy shoppers have a rule of "one in, one out," whether it be via donation, strategic gifting, consignment, or ebay. After the purchase of my first home this summer, the subsequent move led to a decrease in net closet square footage. When Chris and I found out were were being evicted because our landlord was a victim of the housing crisis, I spent days and days sobbing as I sorted through my endless empire of crap.
Vintage clothes/accessories/etc. that I bought with the good-but-never-realized intentions to sew/alter/gift became my new enemy. I chastised myself over the sheer volume of STUFF I managed to accumulate?! I swore that I would never again collect junk just because I had a house and easy, regular access to the cheap, well-stocked thrift and antique stores of the Mon Valley. I made a promise to Chris that I would never again come home from my parents' house with a trunk full of what was essentially garbage.
My most vivid memories of this summer were of hauling my things: From the living room to the lawn for the yard sale; From my trunk to resale shops and Goodwill; From my front seat to the post office, where they would be mailed to their winning ebay buyers; From my rented home into Chris's parents' garage where the stuff that survived the ruthless edits lived for most of the summer. Thank goodness for their unwaivering generosity or else we would have needed to rent storage and throw away a lot of stuff we needed. It was during the time I spent hauling my stuff that I realized how important it is to stay on top of revising and editing one's things. I also have vivid memories of hauling our things out of that garage and into the new house after Chris finished working on the floors.
Professional movers are a luxury I've never known. We were lucky to have so many friends who were happy to be paid in beer, pizza, and the promise that we will return the favor someday. My most precious box of things that weren't coming with me to DC for the summer was kept out of the garage. I made my purse collection fit into one box. One big box. And I stored it separately just for peace of mind. Now two of those things contained in that box are off to their new owners. And one more is in the marketplace of The Purse Forum, waiting for a buyer.
I already mailed the Chloé Tracy to the buyer last month. Tomorrow I will ship the MBMJ Turnlock Teri. And the Kate Spade is still waiting for a new home but I am sure I will find one. I am eager to keep pace with an ethic of editing.
I make more room in my closet, more room in my life (because you can only really carry one bag a day), and more room in my budget if I don't allow myself to merely accumulate. When I examine my collection of goods, I evaluate what has been bumped to low rotation and what hasn't seen the light of day in recent memory. Making room for something new makes the entire process that much more exciting and that much more necessary! I wish my bags good luck in their future adventures!
Vintage clothes/accessories/etc. that I bought with the good-but-never-realized intentions to sew/alter/gift became my new enemy. I chastised myself over the sheer volume of STUFF I managed to accumulate?! I swore that I would never again collect junk just because I had a house and easy, regular access to the cheap, well-stocked thrift and antique stores of the Mon Valley. I made a promise to Chris that I would never again come home from my parents' house with a trunk full of what was essentially garbage.
My most vivid memories of this summer were of hauling my things: From the living room to the lawn for the yard sale; From my trunk to resale shops and Goodwill; From my front seat to the post office, where they would be mailed to their winning ebay buyers; From my rented home into Chris's parents' garage where the stuff that survived the ruthless edits lived for most of the summer. Thank goodness for their unwaivering generosity or else we would have needed to rent storage and throw away a lot of stuff we needed. It was during the time I spent hauling my stuff that I realized how important it is to stay on top of revising and editing one's things. I also have vivid memories of hauling our things out of that garage and into the new house after Chris finished working on the floors.
Professional movers are a luxury I've never known. We were lucky to have so many friends who were happy to be paid in beer, pizza, and the promise that we will return the favor someday. My most precious box of things that weren't coming with me to DC for the summer was kept out of the garage. I made my purse collection fit into one box. One big box. And I stored it separately just for peace of mind. Now two of those things contained in that box are off to their new owners. And one more is in the marketplace of The Purse Forum, waiting for a buyer.
I already mailed the Chloé Tracy to the buyer last month. Tomorrow I will ship the MBMJ Turnlock Teri. And the Kate Spade is still waiting for a new home but I am sure I will find one. I am eager to keep pace with an ethic of editing.
I make more room in my closet, more room in my life (because you can only really carry one bag a day), and more room in my budget if I don't allow myself to merely accumulate. When I examine my collection of goods, I evaluate what has been bumped to low rotation and what hasn't seen the light of day in recent memory. Making room for something new makes the entire process that much more exciting and that much more necessary! I wish my bags good luck in their future adventures!
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