After reading a brief mention about Celine bags in Vanity Fair this summer, I decided to buy a Celine bag. I didn't know any of the style names, but I'd heard the name "Phantom", so I just moseyed on over to Barneys and asked the 1st sales associate who approached me for a "Phantom". The SA showed me a gorgeous slouchy black leather top-handle bag. It was the beautiful bag that matched the picture in Vanity Fair. Then the SA showed me another bag that looked very similar to the Phantom. I told her I thought it was the same bag, but she shook her head and showed me the inside. It turned out that the 2nd bag was a Luggage. I couldn't decided, but I liked the Phantom more, and the SA pushed for me to buy it, but I just couldn't at the time. I had to go home and think.
The following week, I went into a Celine boutique for the 1st time. It was a very sleek minimalist space. A very nice red-haired SA offered to help and showed me the slouchy black Phantom. I wanted it, but I couldn't bring myself to buy it. I went back another 2 times, and the SA was so gracious and helpful every time, even getting other SAs to help other customers who approached her. I gravitated toward the black smooth-leather Phantom each time, but just couldn't bring myself to buy it again and again. I then came across a tabloid with a picture of Reese Witherspoon with an orage (grayish blue) Luggage tote and thought it was the bag for me. I went back to Celine and bought one, happy to do so so that the SA would finally get the sale she deserved.
I took it home and was...underwhelmed. I thought it would wow me and make me scream, but it didn't. I took it back to the store 3 days later and got a store credit. I asked for the black Phantom, but was told they were currently sold out and would call when more stock arrived. Lesson learned. Buy only if you're over the moon, especially a Celine bag, cuz those ain't cheap!
So here I was with a $2800+ Celine credit sitting in my wallet for over a month. After work on Saturday, I headed back to the Rodeo Drive boutique to see if I could finally find something to spend my credit on. It was on a shelf...there was my birthday present! My SA came out of the back and immediately brought her to me. I also asked to see the regular black smooth-leather Phantom, the same one I'd looked at before. It turned out that there was a recent price increase, so it was $400 more this time. I nearly kicked myself. Why, oh why did I pass it up just 2 months earlier? But I needn't have fretted. I decided to go with the 1st bag I saw in the store on Saturday that took my breath away. I needed to see it only once to know she had to be mine. So...without further ado...here is...my medium black croc-stamped Phantom!
And since: a) I was in the area; b) there was a limited-edition salty caramel cupcake they'd stop selling at the end of this month; c) their cupcakes are just yummy, period; and d) I was celebrating my birthday, I stopped by Sprinkles after my shopping trip. Like I needed a sugar high! I was already on cloud 9!
And finally, here's a modeling pic. I'm wearing it with my burgundy "Smile" sweatshirt from the Isabel Marant pour H&M kids collection. I love this collection, and this sweatshirt is so perfect cuz it allows me to still express my "California casual" style but still not look ratty:
I apologize for the dirty bathroom mirror. I didn't even notice it until after I saw the pictures uploaded lol
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