EIGHTY-FIVE/ confessions of a bag lady

I read this interesting article not too long about about shoe people vs handbag people and how they approach fashion. When I finished reading the article I just sat there and stared at the screen; it was like a rude awakening. I was truly a shoe fiend in my younger years but my love for bags has come up swinging recently. After reading that article I thought about the progress of my personal style and I found that since converting to a bag lady that I definitely let my bags be the focal point of my outfits. It's no secret that I adore dark coloured basics and designer purses - if my personal could be summed up in a sentence it would be that. But it wasn't always like this and I'm a bit confused how this came to be.

In high school I had a sneaker collection that would make you sick. I had sneakers in every colour and for every occasion. As I evolved I branched out from sneakers - I dabbled in boots, flats and for a short time, even heels. I even used to work at a shoe store so I that I could have access to the latest and greatest kicks on the market. Back in the day I cared so much about my actual clothes and I would try to wear outfits that would coordinate with my footwear to ensure that I stood out as an individual.

Maybe it was all just a phase but I've definitely seen a shift over the years. Now, I let my bags do all the talking. I'm still trying to figure out how to process this information and some days I even feel like a failure in the world of fashion. When I think about my personal style I wonder why I can't have it all. Is it so hard to mix a statement shoe, killer clothes AND an amazing handbag on top of that? Is that just too much fabulous for the world to handle, you can only restrict yourself to one look or the other? Is it just me? Am I just that lazy? I can never imagine myself giving up my admiration for handbags but I want to start in-cooperating more intricate and beautiful clothing and shoes into my daily routine as well. This adventure in personal style will definitely be a journey and it is one that I fully intend on going on with a fabulous handbag still by my side.

For the simple look pictured below I just wore a soft white blouse, my favourite black skinny jeans from Forever 21, a classic denim jacket, a lightweight scarf, a pair of glittery Converse and the new love in my life - my 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli. Although it is still rather basic, I tried to throw on a pair of statement shoes to match the hardware on my bag so they compliment each other. My style is definitely always evolving and I'll always be a work in progress - but such is life.

JACKET/ Old Navy TOP/ Addition Elle JEANS/ Forever 21+ 

SHOES/ Converse (gifted) SCARF/ H&M via Consignment

HANDBAG/ 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli (medium size)

Photos by Laura Kidd