I may as well be a goldfish.

As I clearly have the memory recall of one.  Will I never ever EVER learn?

There can be no such thing as procrastination when it comes to buying something that you love.  You snooze, you loose.  Even with the bigger players in the market like M&S (god  forbid in Zara - you only have to go and get a coffee to have a think about a purchase and it's sold out, never to be seen again by the time you get back.  My Wardrobe are also another "blink and you miss it" contender - recession, what recession...), if you see something you love - buy it. 

Here is my tale of woe. 

I had my eye on the perfect little bag.  I had blogged about it.  It was beyond cute.  It was beyond cheap (it wasn't leather, though by the time I'd got my head around that....).  But I didn't *need* it.  Oh I know, I know.  When did *need* have anything to do with it?  However, believe it or not, I am a frugal bunny (I can hear you guffaw from here. I AM!) and I can't abide having anything in my wardrobe that I don't get good use out of.  Hence, I try and not keep anything for best.  (I fail miserably).  I also try and not buy anything that I can't think of at least two occasions when I'll be able to wear it.

But it's my 40th birthday this year and I had hoped maybe to get a special little black quilted bag of a certain timeless brand to mark the occasion.  However, as it's a big year for us with some significant work on the house which takes precedent over a small bag.  Even I concede that one.  There's always the 41st birthday....... 

Decision made - I rushed off to order the bag.  Which obviously had sold out in the black.   Obviously.  Fool.  Fool fool fool. 

I have posted it before but here is the link to the bag in red (which is a great bag).  

Here are the abysmal pics of it in black, courtesy of the M&S website.

There is one ray of hope on the horizon.  The Husband, bless him, has gone into M&S in Covent Garden and seems to have been able to order one in black to be delivered to store.  I had been told they'd sold out countrywide so either a) he has some magic powers and they've tracked one down or b) I'm going to get a red one.  I would lie if I said I wasn't waiting with baited breath...

In the meantime, not having four figures to spend on a bag, I have had a look around to see what else there is that would fit the bill.  Criteria being a cross body smaller bag - but not an evening bag, bigger than that - in black.  Ideally with gold hardware.  The latter isn't a deal breaker. 

Top of my list comes this beauty from Bottega Veneta - the Cubo small intrecciato cross body bag  At an uncompromising and completely unaffordable £855.  Nope.  Were I to spend that much, it wouldn't be on this.  But it's still quite cute.  It would though, have to be newborn puppy cute for that price.  Actually it would have to be a newborn puppy. 


On to something more palatable, I love this timeless classic from Hobbs.  The Maeve Bag 















Lastly we have a sale bargain (although not nearly as cheap as my M&S lovely) from Jaeger.   Also not quite as big as I'd like, but it is a really sweet little bag. 

The Josephine bag - now £99 from £150








White longsleeved tee - Topshop
Grey Elgar Cowl neck dress - All Saints
Navy, white and black tie dye jeans - H&M
Grey poncho - Simply Be
Grey crocheted hat - Primark
Charcoal wrist warmers - Toast
Brown Mardy boots - Caterpillar
Chestnut cross body bag - Campomaggi from Plumo

Now hopefully the snow doesn't go on for too long as I am not overly fond of these boots - very much outdoor boots and I don't tend to carry a spare pair in my bag.  Other than wellies, I am pretty much tied to these in the snow.  And it gets dull.  Here's hoping....!