New bag

This was my Sunday afternoon outfit, worn for running errands (I bought thread and some extra bobbins, because dangit, I am going to make a dent in my sewing pile) and having afternoon coffee with my grandma and aunts.

This beautiful bag is my new purse, from the Portland company Ellington Handbags. I've been wanting one of their bags for years, but the cheapie in me just couldn't pay that much for a purse. But recently I was thinking that there's probably a reason why all my $30 purses have fallen apart so quickly over the years, and it's probably because the quality is proportionate to the price. So a week ago, after making some extra money at a side job, I bought this bag. Since I've only had it for a week I can't attest to its longevity, but I will say that the quality is superb, and boy does it feel nice. I know a lot of people think it's wasteful to spend that much on a bag, but I fully intend to get years of use out of it (and it will probably look even better with age since it's leather), and I think I've reached a point where I would much rather buy one expensive bag every five years than one cheap bag every year. How do you guys feel about pricey bags? Worth it, or wasteful?

[I feel compelled to include this side note: I hope no one thinks I sounded braggy talking about my expensive new bag. That was certainly not my intent. Since I probably won't buy anything that expensive for years to come, I felt like the anomalous nature of this purchase made it worth mentioning. I'm a budget shopper by nature - I really hate paying full price for anything - but sometimes it's worth it to splurge.]

Blue shirt: gift, from Macy's

Green skirt: thrifted from Crossroads Trading Co.

Brown sandals: Nordstrom Rack

Purse: Eva Messenger Bag from Ellington Handbags

Blue ear cuff: free from my aunt

Green earrings: B. Lee Designs, gift from my parents

Necklace: purchased in China

Silver bracelet: won in a giveaway