Damier Canvas Ribera

Louis Vuitton
13.5"x 8"x 7.5"
$1,210.00

Your first designer bag is always a big decision. (You're first designer anything, for that matter.) So please take your time on making a fabulous choice.

We all know the most classic and timeless bag you can get is a monogram LV speedy (25, 30 or 35). Throughout the years, women of all types have been carrying this bag. I personally love the Speedy 25, but I am also one who likes to be a little different from the masses, while maintaining the classic look.


First of all, The Damier pattern was actually the first pattern Louis Vuitton came out with. The creation of brown and beige was created in 1888 and is still as modern as ever. Its geometric pattern and understated elegance have made its timeless. Relaunched in 1996 with a complete collection of bags and small leather goods for city and travel use, Damier canvas leads itself equally well to sophisticated, feminine designs as to casual, unisex styles. Ten years later, in 2006, the Damier canvas was released in a new color, Azur. This was intended to be a little more feminine and in 2008, a more masculine color was created; Graphite.


When I saw the Damier Canvas Ribera MM, I immediately fell in love. The shape, color and size was exactly what I wanted and was something I could imagine myself (or my future daughter) using in the decades to come.


Unlike the Speedy, the shape of the Ribera is very structured. It keeps its shape no matter how much (little or a lot) you put in there. And because of the size, you can fit a good amount of stuff. When I go to the airport, I able to fit my wallet, lotion, all my cosmetics, cell phone, camera, a novel, a water bottle and a small sweater in my Ribera.

And don't you hate it when you can't find things in your purse? My boyfriend hates that. He always likes to throw his keys in my purse when we go out and I always take forever looking for them when we get back to the car. We've decided, now, that if he puts them in there, he must be the one to take them out. Well, the full double-zipper on the Ribera allows easy access to the large inside compartment and two pockets, making it ideal for busy lifestyles.

Finally, I cannot express how timeless the Classic Damier Canvas is. Not only in style (for it has been around for over 20 years), but also in condition. Most of the Louis Vuitton bags have the nice tan, natural leather color handles. I understand the leather will change color due to the natural aging, but I don't really love how the oils from your hands discolor the leather even more. With the Ribera in Damier, the handles are a dark brown color which makes it difficult to see any aging of the leather or and dirt from your hands. Therefore, in those decades to come, my Ribera will still look like (or at least close to) how I bought it.

If the Ribera MM seems a little big for your liking, there is also the Damier Canvas Ribera Mini ($995.00). With all the same features, it is sized at 9.5"x 5.5"x 5".

Christian Louboutin Pigalle 120mm Pumps

I use to think I had a shoe problem. I use to believe a woman shouldn't have such an extensive collection of heels. But, after watching, "Sex and the City: The Movie," I finally came to a conclusion that a woman really cannot have too many shoes. Especially, when they make beautiful closets for them like the one Mr. Big has made for Carrie.

Mariah Carey's closet

Sorry, Men. Mr. Big set the standard.

Although there aren't very many Louboutins I don't love, the Pigalle 120s in Patent Black ($585) are definitely my favorite.

I now understand the meaning of a, "Shoegasm." With a 120mm (approximately 5 inches) heel, these sky-high stillettos will make a woman feel on top of the world (that is, with a little practice walking in them first).

The Pigalle 120 is not a stranger to the red carpet. Actresses such as Kate Beckingsale, Charlize Theron, Ashley Olsen and (especially) Gwen Stefani love these shoes. Not only do the extremely high heels elongate your legs and create a sexy arch of your foot, the high heels make the infamous red soles much more visible from the back.

Why red?

"It's a green light for men." -Christian Louboutin

When I Brian and I planned a trip to New York, I made a decision to come back with a pair of Louboutin's. They would be the item I would be proud to say, "I got them in New York," when returning home from our vacation.

Can you believe the shoes were sold out from both boutiques in Manhattan? (I ended up buying a different pair, but we'll discuss those another time.) Because of their unavailability, I wanted the shoes even more. I called the Beverly Hills store and put my name on the waiting list and would spend hours during the day looking them up on the internet to see who was wearing them.

You can say the stars aligned when I came across a pair on craigslist in my size! It was too good to be true.

"Black Patent Pigalles 120, size 36.5"

I knew I was a 37 in Louboutins, but decided to contact the seller to investigate a little more. It was meant to be. We met at the nearby Neiman Marcus (where they purchased them a year prior) for me to try them on. Neiman Marcus is an amazing department store and re-printed out a receipt of the shoes to ensure their authenticity for me. Because of the high heel, the smaller size fit perfectly. The shoes had only been worn once (or so they say) and were being sold for almost half the price. It was perfect match.

To this day, the Beverly Hills Louboutin boutique has not called about the Pigalles I had been put on the waiting list for. But it's okay; they found me first.

Shopping

Lent is the season of sacrifice. In grade school, I would give up chocolate or soda (or something of the sort) for 40 days. As a result, when my 40 days were up, it became a habit to not consume what I had given up. As the years went by, those types of sacrifices didn't feel so "sacrifice-y" and I wanted to change that. My thoughts were, if I wanted to stop drinking soda, I didn't need Lent to come around and tell me to do so. Giving it a little extra thought, I came up with something that would be really hard to live without and would probably go back to after Lent. Retail shopping. It seems hilarious at first, but I just love that feeling after making a "great purchase."

It isn't the feeling of wanting to wear something new and it isn't the feeling of pulling out that credit card and signing that receipt. I admit that I shop a lot, but I am also a very picky shopper.

When I go shopping, I ask myself, "Is it comfortable?" I don't think about soft soles in my shoes, or being able to sit in a long car ride in those tight jeans. I ask myself if I feel comfortable in my own skin wearing what I will purchase. Will I know what undergarments (if applicable) will be worn to maintain that comfortable feeling (purposely showing or not showing)? Will I feel comfortable enough to walk down the street in a confident manner?

In the end, I realized that it's putting different pieces together to create this unique image of myself is what I love. The concept of personal style just fascinates me.