Light as a Feather (before you fill ‘er up!)


Hi peeps! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your answers and thoughts 🙂 I posed a pretty tough question to answer in my previous post, eh? It’s not easy to find the “right” answer (if there even is a “right” answer). But then if you think about: 1. all the good stuff you can buy, 2. all the people you can help with that amount of money, 3. all the “financial security” it gets you and your kids if you invest the money wisely, it’s easy to make the choice 😀 *Sigh* Gratefully, I am not and will never be in that predicament hahaha. 😉 I wouldn’t want to have to make a decision when I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place. I feel that a decision in either direction will result in somewhat unpleasant repercussions somehow.

Hmm… if I were to run for Prez, and I was given my $50M “cease and desist” (hehe I can’t think of a better term to use) money, my fringe benefits to those who would’ve voted for me include: Limited Edition Louis Vuitton bags *they won’t be so limited anymorrrrre hahaha* for women and Vertu phones for men 🙂 *hehehe* and for my real special friends, Hermes birkins *hahahaha I’m soooo generous!*. Coz I’ll want them to campaign for me after my opponent’s term ends hahahaha (I get to have my cake and eat it too!!). But dudes, I don’t think you’d want to vote for me to become Prez. I tell you now, you wouldn’t want someone like me to run a country. Methinks: Financial disaster of epic proportions hahahahaha!! *Gulp. Afraid!* 😉 *The world is my Neiman Marcus (as opposed to a mere oyster) :D*

Alrighty then! Onto another topic for now! I don’t want to start believing that I can actually run a country hahahaha *Gag! I can’t even handle my own finances yet!* (Delusional Mrs.T hehehee)

Anyway, as I was walking the halls of my fave mall, Rockwell Power Plant, yesterday, I took a good look around at the bags that women were carrying.

Is it the end of big (heavy) bags?

Because I’ve been seeing a resurgence in women’s use of Longchamp bags *a good thing in my opinion actually :D*. For one, these bags are cheaper and easier on your finances (especially if you’re financially incapacitated like I am). Two, they are literally much, much lighter than the designer bags we’re so used to carrying (goodbye chiropractor hahaha). And three, brands like Longchamp have been coming out with their cool versions of “limited edition” bags.

Longchamp launched the Eiffel Tower bag which is available only in Paris. (I noticed that my Eiffel Tower bag’s interior pocket is stitched behind the Eiffel print– I sure picked a good one hahaha. ‘Coz most of the pockets are stitched right onto the side where the Eiffel print is!)

Anyway, a few online sites in Manila were selling these, price ranging from Php 6,500 (which is very reasonable) to over Php 9k!!! * Steep!! But I guess that’s how in-demand these bags are*. I couldn’t resist getting one for myself even if I’m already flooded with a ton of different light fabric bags 😉 *Cough.. Mrs.T= Hoarder!* Besides, I believe the bag was made to commemorate Bastille Day and Eiffel Tower’s 120th birthday (and yay, I was there!! I watched the huge fireworks display of the Eiffel Tower with my friend CC at the Trocadero)

Aside from Longchamp, of course I am completely head over heels in love with Hervé Chapelier bags. Not many know about the brand, and it’s very discreet. And it brings me back to school days. *Hahaha… ok that was a lie. I was not one of those privileged prep school Gossip- Girl kinda kids who carried Chapelier totes (err… Gossip Girls don’t carry Chapelier… Ok, let’s make it the BevHills 90210 circa ’90 then hahahaha). Back in school, I carried a lilacy- purple Khumbela backpack, though later I graduated to Jansport hehehehe*

Then there’s the super cute Stella Mc Cartney cloud- print (almost periwinkle-ish) sky blue shopper priced at £115 (Php 9,100+). Yikes. Not cheap. But the print’s really, really cute. Makes you feel like you are on Cloud 9 each time you carry the tote! 😉 Available at net-a-porter.com

And sorry I had to add the Fendi B Bag, because it came in a color that I love– Lilac!! *I Heart big time* Beautiful Lilac Patent Fendi B Bag priced at £974 (approx Php 77k). In comparison to the other big bags of 2009, this is already considered a lighter, medium bag. So I guess I’ll choose this over another huge leather tote. Too bad the price is not quite right yet 😉 And well, it’s not exactly in the light and fabric bag category (which is what this post is all about today in the first place hehehe). Available at net-a-porter.com

And oh, this one’s cute– Anya Hindmarch’s Oh My Deer tote (love it!). Nice color combination too. Very “warm” fall/winter 😉

So girls and guys, time to pack up those huge, huge bags for a month and just go with something light. I think your shoulders and your wallets deserve a break this coming August *hehehe*.

Tell me honestly, do you guys get “frozen shoulders” because of your big, heavy bags? I’d love to know what you do to make sure you don’t get them. (If you hags don’t have frozen shoulders, then I believe I’m already battling early arthritis… or is it rheumatism? Or both? Or the same? hahahaha sorry! Mrs.T= old fart :D! )

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: I have a few more days of working out the details and kinks for that AUTHENTIC PREMIER DESIGNER BAG auction for the benefit of Fabella Hospital. STARTING BID of the bag is set at Php 100 (ONE HUNDRED PESOS) ONLY!!! The bag auction will last for ONE WEEK (from August 10 – 16 *9pm Manila time is when the auction will close, and the highest bid wins the bag :D*). I’ll tell you now that the bag is worth Php 120,000. Will be discussing this Bag Auction for Fabella in a few days 🙂 I hope everyone can join in (thing is, you will need to either have a local representative who can come to Manila, or you need to be in Manila personally for it. More details soon!)

x
Mrs.T

28 Comments

  1. How much is the long champ limited edition? There is one for 199 dollars in ebay. Is that a good buy??thnx

  2. how much did you get the longchamp bag with the eiffel tower design? friend of mine will be in paris next month and have him plan to buy :)-gigi

  11. I guess the finacial downturn slash meltdown seems to be taking a toll on people wallets (including mine, which is on recession by the way. hahaha :D) which made Manila go back to its Longchamps (I want one, in Navy blue large one with short handles)

  12. thank you Mrs T , i was about to buy it online, no means for me to buy in the Phil or Paris. You are so right they do not sell it here in california…

  13. there’s also a set of limited edition longchamp le pliage from its Singapore ION Orchard branch — plain colors but the handles are not the usual brown ones — there are whites, dark browns and biege 🙂

  14. Hi Ingrid, I was the one who had our picture taken last night. Thanks for allowing me to, my daughter was amazed I did that. You are so thin and nice in person, good looking too! Btw,the shoes you recommended me to buy, were to my daughter’s liking also.Thanks again and take care!

    p.s. all the best to your blog-shirley

  16. Peeps, I don’t sell these limited edition Eiffel bags! I couldn’t believe I received over 50 texts today asking if I had any Eiffel Longchamp bags to sell (or if I can recommend them to a seller.)

    starlitgrove; genevir; bing; chriscie: Here’s the deal– I can’t recommend these online sites because their prices are HIGH. And seriouslt, I don’t want you to get ripped off because I only paid Php 6,000 for mine 🙂

    My friend sold them for Php 6,000 for the first batch (short handles with the white and the blue one) and Php 6,500 for the second batch (with long handles as well as short ones).

    If you find sellers that offer anywhere between Php 6,000 to Php 7,000, I think it’s still reasonable. After all, it’s not cheap to fly and stay in Paris!! 🙂

    BUT!! Like our reader, gigi, if you know people flying out to Paris, you should ask them to buy for you there because it’s way cheaper :). When I was there though, they only had the white one available in short and long strap, and the blue in long strap. The blue medium short handles (which I wanted) was at the time on back order although they did say they were replenishing stock. They had the xlarge blue and white (good for traveling)

    Petitboyblogger: Agree. LoL on recessional wallets. Should think of writing something about that.

    Shirley: Thanks too for introducing yourself to me yesterday 🙂 And I’m so glad I was able to help you in the decision of the shoes purchase 🙂 I love those on you! Take care and hope to meet your daughter as well soon! And PS– I am on a salad diet pa hahaha.

    kong-chu: really? Wow!! I want to see that 🙂 Collecting Longchamp bags can be quite addictive hahaha 😀

  18. mrs jackie, i can so relate! i even dreamt about buying one from Ion that i went the very next day during lunch break, haha! i am still resisting, but they’ve got a pretty good deal going on: 30% off with citibank credit card! not bad, right?

  19. OMG yes Mrs. T! I think I should also include “recessional wallets” on my proposal for my school paper (another source of stress for me but hey, at least I could add it up to my college application, since I’m only in 3rd year high school.)

  20. Hi Mrs T! Thanks for visiting my blog 🙂 BTW not sure if you know na, you can make customize Longchamp Le pliage from their website. You can choose the main color and the stripe, and the metal accessories. You can have your initials engraved too. Takes 6 weeks to deliver your bag. They deliver to Singapore! Price for a short handle size 2 (medium) is at USD155 including delivery charges. And its made in France!

    BTW, the limited edition at ION Orchard is made in France too 🙂

    Ok that’s it! Hindi naman ako masyado excited ‘no?

  21. kong chu: YEA! I saw that actually 😉 I think it would be cool to get a bag personalized! That’s a very good price for a bag delivered to Singapore! Do you guys get seriously taxed there like we do here in Manila?
    Get one made and send me a photo! I’d love to see it!! 🙂

  22. the taxes that we pay here sometimes are baseless. i got taxed at NAIA2 for an LV bag that i got as a gift (i handcarried it). while very powerful peeps’ (sabay kami ha) with armloads of LV’s and Chanels just breezed through customs. no tax. daya. i was so irked and felt so resigned.
    do they bother you too for your bag purchases?

  23. Hi, You made a mistake about the Eiffel Tower bag. We can also find it in Tokyo and Osaka (where I’ve just bought it).

  24. Re: Eiffel Longchamp in Paris only: I obviously stand corrected then. I was actually told by the Longchamp SA that they only sold it in Paris. I guess not 😉

    Fresh Daisy: Sure, customs at one point even opened my luggage when I just came back from Japan and kept asking if I bought anything. I was like, look for yourself please.

  25. hi ms. ingrid, could you kindly post this message for ms. anonymous 0:2:22:00, which specific stores in tokyo and osaka carry the eiffel tower longchamp. i wanted to buy one and there’s none here in toronto. paige_cu@yahoo.com

  26. RE: JAPAN (Longchamp Eiffel bag)

    One of our readers is asking where to find those Eiffel Longchamp bags in Japan?

    Incidentally a friend of mine alerted me that a store in Manila is also selling these bags for a song– Php 13,000!! Ridiculous!!

  28. hello the interior pocket for the Limited Ed Long Champ Eiffel Tower bag are all sewn on the other side (non print) =p
    i got mine at euro78….

Ingrid Chua

The Bag Hag. Fashion and Lifestyle Journalist. TV Presenter and Executive Producer. Bag Lover and Writer. Instagram: @thebaghag// @thebaghagdotcom// @thebaghagtravels

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