Miyo Sia

So this came in just today and I was so excited to unbox it :) I bought the key pouch at LV online since I wanted something that would keep my cards and cash together when I am using a smaller pouch. I got this for $214.55 inc tax. It came in with the same packaging as the store and they also added a nice ribbon and gift tag to the box which is so cute.

This snall piece of canvas surprisingly can hold more that what I expect. I loaded it with 15 plastic cards plus cash and it still look like it could hold more :) I got the Damier Ebene canvas since I am planing to pair it with my Eva clutch and mini pochette which are also in Damier Ebene canvas. Also, I did not get the monogram since I am still in the hunt for the limited edition Cerises collection whcih is in monogram canvas.

This SLG would most likely one of the items that I would purchase over and over. I target to have at least four or five of these in different print and material so you would see more reveals like this in the future.

Some of you may know how I go cray cray about Sanrio stuff and I chanced upon this Hello Kitty rose wine being sold at winecountrygiftbaskets.com. I am not a wine person so I couldn't speak for the wine quality but I can testify that if you look into collecting wine bottles, then this would be a good addition to your collection. Normally I don't go for anything perishable when it comes to buying  Sanrio stuff but this one is an exception. It wasn't just because it was a Hello Kitty marked wine but the heart shaped on the neck of the bottle got my attention. It's rare to find wine bottled shaped that way so it's kind of cool! :)

I bought this online for $33.90 incl S&H and they have a gift option if you plan to purchase it someone as a gift. The wine came in a really nice and secure package. The only thing surprised me when I got the bottle was that it looks larger in the pics as compared to the actual bottle. The wine is probably half the size of the a regular sized wine bottle so if you are planning to buy this for consumption then his maybe a consideration.

I've no intention of drinking the wine so this will probably sit on my mini bar counter as display.

I had an eye on this for almost three months and have been thinking about it since.  Finally I had the chance to drop by LV in Edina, MN and bought it for $831.38 inc tax. My SA was not around so someone else assisted me. Contrary to the common experience of others with LV SAs, the Edina SAs were more than being helpful to their customers. I came in wearing just casual clothes, completely undone hair and no makeup  and I did not feel unwelcome at all.

During my purchase,  I had second thoughts between the Eva and the Favorite MM but still leaned towards the Eva clutch. The Favorite may be able to handle more stuff but I prefer Eva's zip closure than the Favorite's magnetic flap closure.

The Eva clutch is versatile - you can use it as a cross-body bag for a casual look or use the chain strap for a fancier look. I have a huge phone so size was also a concern for me and my ip6+ fits perfectly and still leaving enough space for other essentials. I'll have another post on what I can stuff in there without breaking the canvas apart. :)

I had an eye on this piece since it was released in 2012 and I saw it at the Edina, MN Louis Vuitton display but was hesitant to buy that time since it was retailed for $1200 USD which during that time was way pricier than the regular Neverfull MM. I had to think so much about the purchase but as soon as I decided I would get it, it was no longer in stock.

The moment I saw this, I automatically fell in love with it. Why? Not only that it is a limited edition item but also the collection is the same name as my daughter. So I find this item close to me at a deeper level :) I figured I would give this to my daughter when she grows up :)

I've seen a number of these being sold in pre-loved consignment stores but normally there had been a significant wear and abuse on it already. Some may seem a good deal as it was being sold for half the price but I tend to be anal about the condition of the item. When I found this pochette at Couture USA site, I didn't second guess myself and decided to purchase. I got this for $349.99 (bag retailed for $355). The thing about getting limited edition items in excellent condition is that you either pay more or pay the same price it was sold for when it was released, so this to me was a a fairly decent deal.

I've used this a couple of times and was surprised that it hasn't had much patina on the vachetta yet for a 9-yr old purse.  Since the cherries print was small, it isn't noticeable so it kind of blends in your outfit like a regular LV purse. The print though, once noticed could be a nice piece of conversation. I like it how I can always make this personal by telling people who noticed why I purchased it in the first place. Even if it's considered a past season release, I still get compliments and even my SA the LV Edina store find it cute. My daughter loves this too since the size was perfect for her (although I am not letting an 18-month old child to use this no matter how much she begs me

Overall, this one is my favorite purchases and never regret getting so yeah :) I hope Cerise would love this as much as she does now when I hand this to her when she's older.

If you happen to like collecting previously released limited edition LV purses and loves to stand-out in the crowd, this 2003 Cherry Blossoms collection pochette is indeed a head-turner. Not only that this was printed with cute cherry blossom prints but also came in three different monogram canvas colors. They released the brown/pink, beige/red and pink/pink.

I was battling between the brown/pink and pink/pink however I figured I'd get the pink/pink one since I already have another monogram pochette. Also, you rarely find someone wearing a pink monogram LV bag :)

It took me a while to find a like new/unused pre-loved of these but as soon as I found it on Fashionphile for  $425, I purchased it right away. The purse retailed around the same price when it was launched so I didn't really save on this for buying a pre-loved item. Since this is limited edition, I would expect to pay more for this beauty.

I wasn't that much happy with the purchase since the pictures look better than the actual product and it already had a noticeable patina on the vachetta. Also, I noticed a distinct scent on the purse which seems like this has been stored in an old wooden chest for a long time. Honestly, to this date, I am still trying so hard to get rid of it.  Other than that,  I didn't find any signs of use and everything looks perfect except for the patina which is expected for an almost 10-yr old handbag. I did not bother to return the item sinceI know it would be rare to find something of better quality (no patina in the vachetta leather) for the same amount.

I look forward to use this eventually (hope I get rid of the annoying smell). :)

I have posted previously about a purchase I did last April 2014 at the Louis Vuitton store in Edina, MN. I've been looking for a push gift to myself as I was due around May. I decided to get the Emilie wallet in Monogram Rouge since I haven't had a decent wallet yet. I initially wanted the Artsy MM  Empreinte in Aube but I feel that it's way too expensive for a push gift (it retails at around $3.1k excl tax).

What I like about this wallet is that it looks compact and not bulky but can hold a lot. I can even store my iPhone 6 plus in it and still have enough space for my numerous cards :) I don't suggest loading it with heaps of coins tho since it might damage the canvas.

At first I wanted to hotstamp it with my initials but decided not to, thinking that I might end up not liking it and selling it after. I've had it for seven months now but I haven't seen any wear on it and I used it like any other wallets I got (no special care or whatsoever). I like that it can hold my phone so I can just carry that with me when running errands without having to worry about bringing a purse to hold my cards and phone.

Compared to other LV wallets available, the Emilie is under the cheaper range retailing at $480 ($514.92 inc tax). This is one purchase that I do not regret and really happy with it :) I am sure I would be using this for a long time :)

If you are looking to buy your first LV wallet then this is something that you can consider. Aside from being cheaper than other LV wallets, usually retailing over $700 excl tax, it looks nicely designed and made.

I know it's been almost a year since I last posted and the past year had been so much for me. Being a new mom is a new but great experience but I admit that there are so many things that I didn't expect. Working full time and being hands on with my baby is tough since having a maid/nanny in the US is so impossible. So I'd say I had a handful of things over the past year which kept me from doing one of the things that I love to do - blogging! My baby just turned one last February and waiting for the second to come anytime soon! Yes, you read right, we are expecting baby number two! Since I have been advised to go on a rest by my doctor, I would say I had a little bit of "me time" before we get in to another chaos :)

For the past month,  I have been doing a lot of browsing and catching up on what's new as well as updating my wishlist haha! Apparently I came upon the thought of investing on a good handbag.  I have designer handbags like Tory Burch, Kate Spade, Coach and the likes but I haven't really had a luxury handbag. With me working and at the same time a mom, I felt I deserve to reward myself with something :)

Honestly, investing on luxury bags never crossed my mind let alone thought about wanting an LV (well except for this Kusama Neverfull that I have been lusting for in 2012). I just feel that it is a waste to spend thousands of dollars over a piece of handbag. Growing up in the Philippines and spending most of my lifetime there, you would see knockoffs of these bags all over the place which I felt contributed to my hesitation over getting one.. I didn't like LV for that matter and I feel that I am paying heaps for the same quality that I can get from cheaper designer bags. Then I realized I was wrong..

I had some time to research in the hopes of finding the best brand that is worth my money and guess what, in terms of quality and functionality, LV got my best bet. Even for the fact that I am looking for a luxury bag, I still would want something that is functional and would last a long time since if I were to spend thousands of dollars for it, I sure don't want it to be just sitting in my closet as an accessory or display - NOT WORTH MY HARD EARNED MONEY.

Chanel and Hermes would be nice to wear but I felt that they don't have much style that I can use. Most of the bags in their collection is purely a fashion accessory in my opinion. With me having two kids, being fashionable is the least of my worries. Although I admit, I would want to have at least a piece of these someday haha!

I also considered Balenciaga and Prada but wasn't too keen about their design. I also have read that quality-wise, Prada bags are not of the same quality as it was before for their new collections so my only option is to get one pre-loved.

When I started looking at Louis Vuitton, I figured that they offer a wide array of designs that suit my needs and taste. As I research more, I also found out that these were made to last years and quality is one of the things that LV is known for.

So then started my LV journey...

Being a noob (newbie), I opted to go for pre-loved items first to give it a test. Also knowing that I missed the Kusama NF years ago, I got so excited about trying to scout for one. I spend weeks of research understanding what to look for in an authentic LV as well as identifying reputable consigners of pre-loved or what most call pre-LVoed bags.

In a span of two weeks I got these babies..