Mama in the City

I am a lover and collector of purses; varying shapes, different styles, many colours and lots of textures to boot! Each purse has a story behind it and I rotate through the collection as seasons change, and events come up and also depending how much stuff I will be toting around.

I've been given them from my sweet gift giving husband and also bought them for myself to mark certain occasions. Recently, I was lucky enough to add to my purse collection with this pebbled white purse from Matt by Matt & Nat. It was a birthday pressie from my little boy and I am really digging it so far. There are secret compartments and magnetic closures and the smoothness of the pebbled material is great.

Last night I had a date with my youngest sister and we attended a wine mingler that was part of a larger wine festival going on in the city. I checked the website and read that it was a dressy event. Naturally my first thought was, 'I wonder what purse I should bring?'. This is the part where I admit that I really love purses and may have a small addiction on my shoulder.



It all started about 7 years ago when my husband bought me a red Coach purse for Christmas. It was soft and beautiful and I fell instantly love with this purse! The love for purses really spiraled from there and new purses joined my wardrobe on birthdays and other special occasions. To me, a purse can do no wrong and I love having a collection to choose from. My husband told me that writing a blog post on purses might be a bit boring but I felt my passion for the handbag outweighed what he thought.

For the wine mingler I picked out my purple Furla purse and it is a purse with a story. I think all my purses are sort of like that and they all have some history too. This particular purple purse was bought 2 years ago while vacationing in Parma, Italy with my husband. Everywhere we went in Parma this lovely violet color followed. I went into the local Furla shop and bought this purse to remind me of traveling in Europe with my husband. I was about 4 months pregnant with Ben and feeling in love. There are so many wonderful memories of our travels through Italy.



Now whenever I take that particular purse with me I automatically remember that time in my life and vacationing in Italy. I've also bought purses to celebrate and recognize occasions in my life. It might have been a birthday, a new job, my first pregnancy loss or just some random day. Some people collect random trinkets and I collect purses. Really not such an addiction but more of a collection.

I am in a rut right now. That zone of feeling not so fashionable and overall quite uninspired. Before I became a mum I regularly took my fashion sense and pay check to different shops and splurged on different pieces. Putting together outfits and mixing and matching accessories to help create 'looks'. I used to put great effort into my wardrobe and will even confess to paying $300+ for a one of a kind belt while on a shopping spree in Toronto.

Back when my husband and I were dating my sweet mother in law gave me the heads up that I was over dressed for the outing we had planned. If I can remember, back to 2001, I think I had on a black skirt and a top with some sandals but I was still over dressed for the crowd, not that I minded too much. I've always liked to look put together and current and I just like to feel good about myself. Dressing nicely makes me feel good about myself.

When I got pregnant I still spent a ridiculous amount of money on maternity clothing from brands like Ripe and Zara Mum. That $300 belt had to be put away because it didn't work with my growing belly but there were enough cool pieces on line or in the shops to keep me looking fantastic through out my pregnancy.

Once my baby came I kept putting off buying nice pieces of clothing because I was breastfeeding (and leaking!). I became a jeans and t shirt kind of girl and that was just fine. I was the Gap's #1 spokesperson and found tops that stretched nicely for nursing my baby and jeans that sucked in my post partum tummy.

It didn't really matter what I looked like because Ben was usually in a sling across my body. In my head I kept on thinking that I would loose that last 8 lbs of pregnancy weight and so I held off on buying anything really nice. The weight was just another reason not to indulge on any real clothing budget and I continued my 'stuck in a rut' feeling but just sort of dealt with it.

The thing is, my child is now almost 1.5 years old and I have not been nursing for almost 6 months. Yet, my closet is still on hold and I am starting to feel more than just stuck. I am terrified of wearing 'mom jeans' or getting a 'mom haircut' and giving up all together on wanting to look and feel a certain way. I don't need to spend bucks of cash on fancy name brand designer cuts but I do want to feel good!

I'm not sure how to change this current state of mind and get out of my fashion rut. I think that I just need the time to peruse and try on items without Ben wandering around the tiny change room while I try to get in and out of jeans. Of course the loss of the 8 lbs would help and a little extra cash would also do the trick.

How can I get out of my fashion rut and start feeling like my old fashionista self? I'm not even talking about high end runway fashion. I just want to get kick started on my daily wardrobe! What tricks do you have up your sleeve to make yourself feel good?

To start get started here is '10 Easy Ways to Update Your Spring Wardrobe' from In Style magazine or 'The Instant Gratification' from J Crew.

PS. Don't forget to check out the post underneath to enter a fun giveaway contest. Contest closes Friday at 8 AM!

This past weekend my family of three went out for brunch to one of the restaurants in Yaletown. I noticed many single ladies wearing their best weekend outfits for co-ed group brunches out. The girls all had glossy hair and planned out outfits from head to toe that were all in perfect fall colours.

As I dined on a delicious egg benedict with prawns and avocado a Coach purse caught my eye. This thirty something gal was rocking a new Coach purse. I haven't added to my purse collection in over a year, not including the nice Christmas gift my husband gave me last year. I have a few over time shifts at the hospital ahead of me if I want to consider a luxury item.


The chocolate bag really caught my eye and I ended up looking at other purses and bags that I could fawn over. Even though I am still on a shopping strike for large 'extra' purchases I still enjoy looking!

There are a few luxurious that I enjoy thinking about from time to time and I allow my mind to wander and dream about these things. I don't know why but thinking about them can make me a smidge happier. Here are a few of the latest things that I allow my mind to wander to and enjoy.

Mad Men! Roar! Seriously excited about watching Mad Men with my husband and discussing Peggy and all the boys. I love the costumes and all the hubba hubba that seems to flow so juicily from this show. Love it! Love it! I can't get enough of all the obscene love affairs and feeling torn between characters. Plus those sweater sets!



I have been eyeing this lovely handbag over at Coach. Just admiring from a distance really because I haven't allowed myself to touch this luscious purse or wear it on my shoulder and live in make believe land while I stand in the shop. My husband will tell you that I have a large enough purse collection but a girl can dream right?



I have had my eye on this sweet handmade pillow from Sarah over at Koo and Poppet. I love the big B and how it is paired along with this specific bear. I have visions of it being in Ben's room and him leaning his sweet head on it. I like the fact that it is made from someone versus a big old machine in a factory. Plus I like that it is local to my geography and shopping local is always good for everyone.



While I am on a roll of things that I am loving I will also include this very nice french press from Bodum. I have glanced at this many times on line. I love a french press and I love purple and here is the wonderful union of both! Of course my kitchen is already stocked with two other presses from Bodum but this one is PURPLE. Purple!!

Right from the start of our relationship my husband has been a good gift giver. He seems to know that if a gift giving occasion arises I will always love a new purse. When I go out I always take a purse with me. In fact, I don't even have a real diaper bag and use a Mr. B Spy Bag for diapers, wipes and a few odds and ends.

My purse today was a Christmas gift that was well received and has been used many many times. I am sure you are wondering what is inside so here you go! I have my Matt and Nat wallet, sample Clinique lipstick in Angelic, hair elastic, house keys, some delicious smelling lemon custard hand lotion from Philosophy, cell phone, Kashi granola bar, no name sunglasses, juice box, Ben's soother. Enough to get me through a day of trekking back and forth Vancouver to baby music class and a coffee with my sister.




So, what's in your purse?