my structured luxe era™how designer handbags shaped my style, my money habits, and my unbothered era

I bought my first designer handbag at 17, right after graduating high school.

A Gucci I paid for with my own money — the kind of purchase that felt like freedom, confidence, and possibility all wrapped into one.

That bag was more than a bag.

my first gucci bag from macy's in 1987

It was the first time I learned the feeling of earning something, choosing quality, and expressing a part of myself without saying a word.

And honestly?

That moment shaped me more than I realized.

2002–2006: the boutique years

Before Instagram was a thing, before “luxury influencers,” before unboxings…I co-owned a little store called Unique Boutique.

While we had a full service boutique specializing in Victoria's Secret OVERSTOCK sales.... on the side I personally authenticated.

I resold luxury.

I bought pieces from women who had entire closets full of stories.

I got to touch the craftsmanship, study the codes, and learn the difference between true quality and hype.

Those were the years that taught me:

• how to spot an authentic bag instantly

• the lifecycle of luxury

• what holds value

• what loses value

• why women buy the pieces they buy

• and how personal a handbag really is

  
  

I didn’t know it at the time, but that experience planted the seeds for everything I believe today about structured living, intentional money, and refined style.

2009: the og YouTube era

Back when YouTube was still in its “dining room filming with bad lighting” era, I was part of the luxury bag community.

I did:

• reviews

• what’s-in-my-bag videos

• collection tours

• authenticity lessons

Women trusted women on the internet in a different way back then.

And honestly… it felt fun.

It felt light.

But life shifted. Priorities changed. Kids grew. Seasons moved.

And I eventually sold many of my collection pieces — including some heavy hitters — and reinvested the money into the stock market.

That was one of my most grown-woman decisions:luxury → liquidity.style → structure.a bag → a bank.

why I’m writing this now

Because the luxury world in 2025 is confusing for a lot of women.

Chanel prices have skyrocketed.

Quality has changed.

Resale is unpredictable.

Fakes look identical.

And now you can rent bags the same way you rent a car.

Luxury isn’t simple anymore.

And I think a lot of us Gen-X women crave clarity, truth, and elevation — not hype.

This is just me reconnecting with a part of my story that shaped:

• my eye for design

• my finances

• my taste

• my discipline

• and the structure I teach now

Because luxury isn’t about logos.

It’s about alignment.

And I think a lot of women in their 40s and 50s are rebuilding that relationship with themselves — through their health, their money, their boundaries, their closets, and their lifestyle.

what’s next

Maybe I’ll share more:

• the bags I kept

• the bags I regret selling

• what I’d buy now

• what I’d never waste money on again

• how to invest without emotional spending

• and how to build an elevated, refined closet as a grown woman

Maybe I won’t.

But this is where it starts.

My structured luxe era™ —a blend of who I was, who I became, and who I am now.

A woman who believes in:

• fewer but better

• structure over chaos

• investments that age well

• and stories worth carrying

Sometimes in the form of a handbag.

Sometimes in the form of a life.

xxh