Monday Blues: Shopping is The Cure

How do you feel when Monday rolls around?  Usually I don't mind Monday, but today was a bummer. I'd had a great weekend outside in beautiful sunny weather and the last thing I wanted to do was be cooped up inside an office. I love working and I put in more hours than many of my co-workers so it's not that I always dread being there.  In fact, I rarely if ever dread going to work. Even during the Holidays in December, I'm known to volunteer to go in on days when everyone else wants to take off. And as an architect, I'm very busy with clients and keeping up with daily duties. Those days when I go in during the Holidays are especially nice. The day after Christmas is absolutely blissful. The office is quiet and it's super easy to get a lot of work done in no time. Actually those are the days when I get more work done than a normal working day.

But today when I went into work, it was hard to settle down and concentrate.  I have a lot of events coming up and that means I need new outfits and accessories. Most of my morning was spent with busy work, but every now and then my mind drifted to what I needed to purchase.  I imagined new outfits and handbags and where I'd purchase them. During my lunch break I decided to eat at my desk and do a little online shopping.  If you are like me you have your favorite websites for shopping. I love to browse online during the weekends to see if my favorite sites have restocked with the newest and latest designs. There are two work trips, and one vacation trip coming up within the next three months. It was time to dust off the credit card and do some serious retail therapy. The first online boutique I purchased three new blouses and a super cool new pair of jeans. I love denim, but I don't like slim fitting jeans. These were the perfect pair of slouchy boyfriend jeans that would fit well into my denim collection. I'm so over jeggings and the whole skinny jean look. They don't look good even if you are a size 00. And honestly, they cling to the skin in a weird way, but people are odd and they will wear what is dictated to them.

The second site I visited makes my very favorite leather goods and handbags. The label is well known and beloved by many and in fact most of my handbags are by them. I clicked over to some new satchel bags and I was immediately in love. What beautiful new designer handbags. 

I purchased the cute stripe handbag and also a smaller version in a red, white, and black check. These handbags will accompany me on my work trips and also vacation.  I normally do not advocate surfing the Internet at work, but in this case I broke that rule; albeit during my lunch break and ordered some amazing new products. I especially cannot wait for my designer handbags to arrive. They are amazing handbags!  I may have to do a haul video so you all can see them. So much for the Monday blues, but in this case they were banished by a bit of well deserved shopping.

Champagne and Shopping

I recently wrote about a shopping day with my mother.  As you know she is a true fashionista and has the most amazing style and taste.  It’s something she was born with.  Her mother had amazing style as well.  She loves to shop and also introduce people to new labels.  One of her specialties is hosting at home shopping parties.  She will invite a designer or designers to present their collections at her home or the country club.  She then sends out immaculately handwritten invitations to hundreds of her friends.  And let us not mistake, she has a lot of friends.  FromGstaad, Switzerland to Greenville, South Carolina, she is the center of attention and seems to know everyone.

When we went shopping a few weeks ago, she introduced me to PLIA Designs.  This accessories line crafts a beautiful and luxurious collection of designer handbags, satchels, purses, and leather goods.  As I blogged, I purchased several of their handbags; beautiful clutches and a few courier bags.  They have made amazing additions to my wardrobe.  I absolutely love carrying all of my new PLIA Designs handbags.  The clutches are fabulous for light work days and when I know I have to go from the office to a dinner or cocktail party.  The satchels have been perfect and great for not only long days at the office, but also travel.  The larger satchel handbag serves a great purpose for long weekends when you only need a ‘mini-weekender’ as I call it.  I also love it for a carry-on.  The smaller satchel is great for when I have a 13-inch laptop and/or an iPad.  It’s perfect when you want to carry a satchel bag, but not a large one.

I digress.  It’s easy to when the topic is PLIA Designs designer handbags.  My mother recently sent out invites for her friends to meet the designers behind PLIA Designs.  They would have a brunch at the country club and then sip champagne and view the collections of handbags, clutches, and satchels.  She named it:  Champagne and Shopping.   I loved that these designers would be applauded and introduced to a new audience and new customers.  They flew to the US from Paris and checked into the Ritz.  The night before the brunch and shopping party, mom and I took them out to dinner.  Of course they were jet-lagged, but we got along so well.  They were super excited for the show the next morning.

Champagne and Shopping went incredibly well.  PLIA Designs designer handbags earned a legion of new fans and sold over $100,000 worth of goods in just one day.  I cannot wait until we have one again.  I loved meeting the designers.  They are so talented.

My Favorite Designer Handbags

There are many sites online and publications offline dedicated to peoples love of handbags and leather goods accessories.  As a fashion editor I have written my share of articles dedicated to brands and designer handbags.  I can’t even count how many times I have attended fashion shows only to rush back to my hotel room and write an article on handbags presented on the runway to send off to my editor.  Handbags and accessories are now major influences in the fashion world.  Some would even say they are as important or even more important than clothing these days.  After all, you don’t need to lose weight to carry a handbag.   Does this handbag make me look fat?  …. Said no one.Ever.

As much as I write about fashion, I like to write from my own point of view and perspective from time to time.  It is fun to share what is in my wardrobe and what brands I tend to favor.  Usually my work uniform is a crisp blouse and a favorite skirt of loose fitting trousers.  My job is not about me and how I look, but profiling designers and their brands.  Over the years I have met many pleasant and not so pleasant designers and design houses.  One of my favorite design houses is PLIA Designs.  They make a range of handcrafted designer handbags, leather goods, and accessories.  Their handbags are incredibly popular and it is easy to see why.  So many style stars carry PLIA Designs.  Even my fellow editors carry PLIA Designs bags.

PLIA Designs ranks as my favorite bag maker because they are both timeless and chic.  Let’s face it, we are busy and on the move in this connected world.  We now have several smartphones,  carry iPads, and often take our own laptops to work.  I need a well-made handbag that can carry all of these various products while also looking fashionable at the same time.  I need a chic clutch that is bigger than a packet of gum.  I need cute satchels and totes for the summer.  This is why I love all of the handbags PLIA Designs makes.  Not only are the designers behind this brand pleasant, but they really have an eye for what women want.  And I love visiting their design studio and showroom.  When I met one of the designers on holiday in Capri, he immediately remembered who I was.  He wasn’t phony or with attitude.

Their handbags are roomy and as I said fit many of my necessities while still being fashionable and chic.  I always have a PLIA Designs handbag by my side.  It will be hard to replace my beloved Reid courier satchel.  But I cannot wait until PLIA restocks new colors with this bag.  I will be the first to order.