Totes Awesome 💁🏼👜

So this is a long story. Me, I have never had a long lasting love of pursing or carrying a purse! In the words of my Latin teacher, "don't you want to just be like a ninja and carry a folder into class!!!" Haha "WAYAH!!!" Or hayah anyways... Ah to be free.. The Dream 💭 Haha and then there's Life ❤️💛💚💙 (game colors in case you didn't notice)

So I had tiny glimpses of glory where I had a spark of interest in wearing a purse, then it would become an accessory, then a ball and chain haha extreme I know #hippychild lol 😂 I would try n try n it would always come down to I just didn't want to carry a purse meh #womenissues men get to walk around free handed?!? Haha no but seriously when I looked at it as Totes it was totes-ally different hahaha 

So I shall take you on my new totes tour and how I got there! I always prided myself on my tiny purse with one diaper with an elastic band on it and wipes in a mini-container (still a purse I am in love with| Miche) but time tells all with two kiddos and increasing responsibility. More like a compilation of embarrassing moments when you're a mom trucking around kids looking for a tissue!! Somebody please lol Or some other emergent scenario lol 

So I realize now every paragraph starts with so. Once my English teacher said I could start a sentence or a paragraph off with that word, I took it a step farther. I like things to have meaning, purpose and rough functionality especially efficiency. If it's fast n efficient, I'm sold! 🏁 So I kept thinking smaller was better cuz that's sexy n sleek, right? I first fell in love with a purse just like the one I own and hands free, less space etc but hauling laundry up and down the stairs with wheels became bags from Thirty-One (work like a dream and cute to boot!) 

 Pic of totes

Then leaving the house with anything more then I could fit in my mini-me purse became tougher with two kids in arms :/ so I think everyone in Long Beach owns a free Walmart bag? Well I would grab that and stick the leftovers or things that needed to be carried to and from church. Well not long before I was looking up cuter solutions on Pinterest and found lots of tutorials on glamming up plain canvas bags. So one dollar, one trip, one dollar store and I had me an upgraded tote bag. Then came my Johnny Choo bag ;) then my dollar store bag didn't look so hot next to it so, we set out to really facelift my friend. 

I know this sounds really elementary and it is.. I only share this for people aspiring to higher purse ways or interested in cheaply adding to their current collection! : )

Then I mininimized my closet you can read that blog from last month! :-) anywhoo I found I like/love purses as a huge price to my outfits I don't mind going hands free if its not matching. But since I don't have money to buy a jimmy choo purse every time , I started at the thrift store I don't like to invest a lot of money until I am for sure. So I found a black leather purse saggy ten dollars. A bright red purse 7$ a bright tan leather purse 3$ all of these I switch out and wear every day: my criteria while I am looking is it the right color ? Is it the right shape? this is important and is it a good quality? Leather etc or easily fixable ... This is the thrift store so don't expect it to be perfect but rather fit the impression you are trying to give off!!!

Now I shall show you my purse collection, and adding to it daily  :) :-) not hard to add to when it is only a couple of dollars away and I am sure in time I will spend more on purses I find bring higher quality. :) but right now those are not my priorities! It could be next week but I am happy with what I have right now !

I now enjoy many purses. And look back on this post from a couple weeks back and think wow I am totally normal now! I love my purses and have to have a great purse (matching) every time I go out! I think that May have been what peeved me so bad was the whole doesn't match perfectly/add to your outfit , now it is a main accessory to many of my outfits. I've added a blush and gold Aldo purse as well as a brown Aldo bag. A Jean Neiman Marcus tote and others. All my purses are worth more than I bout them for! Also filling them I have my wallet and phone and any other things that need to tag along. In my wallet I have sample make up so my wallet always has spruce up elements! Baby mascara, perfume and all the essentials for makeup! Happy Toteing and Pursing!

To minimize your closet?

Minimizing your closet, tips, pictures, video to come and thoughts on whether it is right for you and how too.

To minimize or not to minimize? Maybe you came to this blog, already prepared to downsize just needing tips on how to do it for you... or maybe you are interested in the thought but think you are too wild and free for something as boring sounding as a minimal closet. Let me explain, you don't have to only have 4 black dresses in your closet to be a minimal girl :) (sigh of relief)

That said, let's jump into the potential how to... one YouTuber beautifully explained it as just defining your style and minimizing your closet down to only that. Which makes sense because that is probably what you like. Whether you like it every time you see it on pinterest or you love it every time you see someone wearing it. :) No matter what your style, there is room for you to feel minimal and have a beautiful closet even if you don't get rid of anything. (The idea is storage for stuff you are not ready to let go of or stuff that is not in season) If you have never been able to accomplish the whole winter, summer thing, this tutorial will definitely help you complete and understand the concept more completely :) :-).

So onto the actual doing of where to start in minimizing your clothing and ultimately making your closet feel glam even if all you have to work with is a simple, standard, builder grade closet. Also, if you don't have room for a vanity in your house you can create one in a small closet even if you feel like you barely have room for your clothes. My house has two and a quarter standard closets for four people. Thankfully we are up for an upgrade in that area! We live in socal : ) We trade space for perfect weather all year long. Lol.

OK this is where I started, after how-to researching. I created a pinterest board,  and pinned (at first only stuff I was in love with or would actually wear, that fit my style) once I had gathered enough outfits, I observed patterns. Like, surprisingly I learned I preferred hats, shoes and big purses as simple accessories rather than statement necklaces, bracelets and bling! I also realized I opted for shoes that weren't so obvious, like nudes, tans and blacks. I feel like they make more of a statement when they are less visible. But I had to learn that through studieing what I was attracted to, fashion wise. This is probably the funnest part of the process, so enjoy! :-)

Once all was defined I printed a page with 20 outfits summarizing my style with colors as well, and clipped it to a gold clipboard. While I am dressing my mood picks a photo and voila! Or I have a piece I want to wear and I automatically know my favorite colors to go with. Also for shopping, it is easier having exacts in mind, you won't be disatisfied when you get home with your new sale! Happy shopping!

Now it's time for dwindling and weeding down your closet! Working off your new clipboard or pinn-board put clothing that does not fit that criteria in a bag either to go or to store under your bed or what not. The more you do this, the more you will get addicted to leaving out only your favorite pieces or "embracing who you  are in fashion" :)

I will be adding photos and a video shortly

Enjoy a peaceful, fashionista and more glam you and closet! :-) :-D