Sorry, you guys: nothing groundbreaking here. Just a solid casual Friday outfit. When I originally bought this blazer, I swore I wouldn’t wear it to the office, but here we are. It’s just too comfortable to relegate to weekend wear exclusively. I usually stick to the formula of print top + solid colour blazer, but the reverse can work on casual days.

I wore this outfit the Friday after an extra long day on the road (for business, alas), when I was basically running on diet Coke and the fumes of my will to live. To distract people from noticing, I piled on a bunch of pink make-up; pink always looks bright and cheerful, right? Ehhh …

Oh, I almost forgot: I recently decided to take off my gel nails. I know some of you have asked in the past about my manicure, so I thought I’d give you a quick update. I loved the look of my gel nails, but the time commitment involved in getting them re-done every 3-4 weeks was becoming too much for my weekend schedule to handle. So far … I’m not hating my natural nails. Especially when they’re painted. They’re definitely pretty thin/soft at the moment, but I’ve only had 2 break in nearly 2 weeks (normal for my nails before). #blahblahblah

Ok, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Buying the YSL Muse II recently reignited my love affair with luxe bags. For the past couple of years, my focus has been more on practical bags; with 2 small kids, and a year spent on maternity leave, this made all the sense. I’m now back in the land of the grown-ups (aka work), and doing that whole adulting-my-wardrobe thing. Beautiful bags are a sensible vice to pick up again, no?

Side note: I love when designers give people names to their bags, because I can then write about them as though they’re, well, real people rather than inanimate objects. Anthropomorphizing my bags? Of course I do.

The story of how Sofia came into my life starts off with one of those meet-cute situations you typically get in rom-coms. I was hanging out at Upper Crust one afternoon (post-Red Pony Consignment visit), and noticed a stylish older woman carrying a beautiful bag. [To be perfectly honest, I noticed the bag first.] She was wearing an outfit that looked deceptively simple in the way that all really expensive clothes look simple: classic blazer, cuffed jeans, sleek pumps … and that beautiful bag. Black leather, classic Birkin-like style, no conspicuous logos. It was the hardware that gave it away, and then only to a fellow bag lover like me.

Believe it or not, I’m actually quite shy, so I did not dare do more than steal glances, as discreetly as possible, at the bag. (I actually really wanted to compliment the woman, on her outfit as well as her bag, but felt like I’d be overstepping some unspoken boundaries. Why is it so easy to tell people on the internet all manner of things, but infinitely harder in person?) But, as soon as I could, I jumped on Google to put a name to my new infatuation. Well, it turns out her name is Sookie, of the House Ferragamo. (Sorry, I still have GoT on the brain.) She certainly shares some lady-like genes with the Fiamma bag, which has been on my radar since last year. What can I say, I have a bag “type”. In fact, the Sookie is also very reminiscent of the Mulberry Bayswater currently residing in my closet. That realization somewhat dampened my enthusiasm for the Sookie … and seeing its current eBay prices dampened it fully.

But then!

One of the first listings in my eBay search for “Ferragamo bag” was this beauty:

I’ve been looking for a red bag ever since I sold my MbMJ Teri tote last year, and I loved the look of this one. And the price was, if not downright attractive, then certainly palatable. I spent the next couple of days “researching” the Sofia … and by that, I mean reading up the Purse Forum threads on it. The consensus gave Sofia high marks for looks and quality, although there were divergent opinions on functionality. Having quickly adjusted to life with my high maintenance Muse II, I was not deterred by the drawbacks of a top handle bag. And the rest is history, as they say.

A few words on where my Sofia came from: eBay, natch. I bought her from another Japanese seller, and she arrived via regular shipping a whopping 4 days later. (I did not have to pay any duties.) The condition was described as “A” in the listing, and it is certainly almost “like new”. She did not come with a cross-body strap (the listing did not indicate otherwise, so this was not unexpected), and I am looking into whether I can buy one separately, as I think it will increase its wearability.

On to the review!

Looks-wise, the Sofia is another 10/10 for me. As is amply clear by now, I am very partial to satchels, and this is a modern take on a classic design. Simple but elegant. The hardware is distinctive if you are familiar with the Ferragamo gancini, but is otherwise fairly understated. The brand name is inscribed on the front lock, but you have to peer very closely to see it. It’s definitely a bag that won’t go out of style any time soon.

Quality-wise, the Sofia is a 9/10, at least so far. The leather looks and feels gorgeous – thick and sturdy, without being too stiff. This is definitely a structured bag, although not a rigid one. The only place where it loses a point, for me, is the fabric lining. I prefer a suede or leather lining, just for the luxe factor, and this silk jacquard version is just meh.

So, function. As compared to the YSL Muse II, which is a similar top-handle satchel, the Sofia is easier to use. Because it’s a more structured bag, it is easier to open and close the bag – top handle-notwithstanding – while on the go. Not super easy, but easier. I’ve read that some people find the opening somewhat on the smaller side, but I think it’s appropriate for the size of the bag (more on that in a moment). There is one external, zippered pocket on the back, which is a great feature – I keep my phone here for easy access, but it can probably fit a few small essentials. There is the usual complement of inner pockets, including a small zippered one, but nothing out of the ordinary.

The top handle is small. I can wear it on the crook of my arm, but putting it on my shoulder is not really feasible. I usually carry it in my hand, so this doesn’t bother me too much. As I mentioned, the bag normally comes with a longer strap, and I’m looking into getting one – I think it’s going to be very useful.

As far as I know, the Sofia comes in 3 sizes, and mine is the small. For me, it doesn’t seem like a truly small bag. I have not seen the medium or large in person to be able to compare, but this is a fairly roomy “dressy” bag (aka not a “hauler”). You won’t be able to fit your lunch in here, but I can squeeze my large wallet, make-up bag, keys, phone, and a small book without problem. I have outfit photos with the Sofia coming up, which will allow you to gauge its size, but I think it looks height-appropriate on me (and I am about 5’7 for reference).

Finally, cost. As I mentioned, minus the unavailable long strap, my Sofia is in almost new condition. She normally retails for about USD$1,400, although she’s currently listed on sale for $973 on the Ferragamo website. Mine cost CDN$630, and after applying a PayPal balance, I ended up paying about $430 out of pocket. That price makes it a pretty good deal, not just in relation to the original retail cost – which, ultimately, doesn’t necessarily mean much – but also in relation to what you get, design- and quality-wise, from the Sofia.

Hope you enjoy another installment of the Adina-buys-yet-another-bag chronicles, and if you have any questions about the Sofia, hit me up in the comments.

This is the last post in my eBay series, and I thought it would be a good idea to touch on a few safety tips. When I started buying on eBay again (after a brief foray in the late 2000s followed by a long hiatus), I was very gun-shy; I’d heard a million terrible stories, and was worried about getting ripped off. I started by only buying vintage costume jewelry (low cost, low risk), and slowly branching out to clothes and other accessories as I started feeling more comfortable. Since then, I’ve bought a couple of pricey items, and a few dozen low cost ones, and I’ve had pretty good experiences across the board. More on that in a second. Let’s talk some very general tips.

Always Follow the Rules

My understanding is that eBay now has some pretty buyer-friendly rules in place that serve to mitigate a lot of the risks that buyers might encounter. I have no firsthand experience with them, because (thankfully) I’ve never had to invoke them, but it goes without saying that you must follow the rules if you want to take advantage of the protections eBay offers. I’ve never been asked by a seller to do something that contravened eBay rules, but if you are – don’t do it! And, by the same token, don’t ask sellers to do anything illegal (like lie on customs forms, apparently a common request).

Do Your Homework

Seller’s Feedback

I always take a quick look at a prospective seller’s feedback before I place a bid; if the item is expensive, I take a very close look. Sometimes negative feedback will reveal unreasonable buyer nitpicks; more often than not, however, it will reveal actual red flags – and the same applies to “neutral” feedback. For example, one or two buyers out of hundreds complaining about an item not being exactly as described may not necessarily mean that the seller is shady; some people don’t pay sufficiently close attention to item descriptions and photos, or have unrealistic expectations (especially for used items). On the other hand, one or two buyers out of, say, a dozen complaining about the same thing could be a different story. Personally, I have never bought anything from a seller that had a less than 98% rating (or anything less than 100% if they had fewer than a few hundred transactions in their history).

Item Listing

I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to read the listing carefully, and look at all photos closely. The only times I’ve been somewhat disappointed with my purchases is when I didn’t do this, and just “hoped for the best” based on a cursory review. Sometimes descriptions are in small font, but will contain disclosure of minor or major imperfections, which may not always be highlighted in the photos.

Counterfeit Avoidance

The main thing you need to know is that everything – and I mean everything – can and has been counterfeited. This is one reason why, for example, I don’t buy make-up or perfume on eBay. There are resources that will help you in identifying fakes (in every category), but it can take time to develop an eye for the right signs, so invest your efforts where it makes the most sense for you. Personally, I rely on eBay a lot for my designer bag habit, so I have developed a process for vetting the bags I’m interested in. [That could probably take up a post or three of its own, so I won’t get into the details. I think I’ve written about it before, but if anyone is interested, I could work on updating the info.]

Ultimately, this is one area where eBay is supposed to be protecting buyers, so if you do unwittingly end up with a fake, you should be able to get your money back. My personal stance is that, rather than incur the upfront cost and then have to deal with the hassle of getting your money back, it makes more sense to invest a bit of time in avoiding the problem altogether.

Ask Questions

Don’t be afraid to ask questions of the seller, including requesting more photos of the item (or photos of the actual item if the listing only provides stock photos). The latter, in particular, can be crucial tools in any authentication process you might need to undertake (see above). Provided your request is reasonable and politely worded, there is no reason for the seller to ignore you or refuse to answer your question/request. If that does happen, it’s a definite red flag.

I’ve generally asked questions of the sellers in 2 specific situations, frequently with great results. One, if the listing states that the seller “may not ship to [insert your location]”, I will contact them to ask if they would consider shipping to Canada. I think that wording indicates that the seller has checked off the “no international shipping” option, but many will still be happy to ship to Canada – at least if I ask nicely. In that case, always get a firm quote on shipping costs upfront, before you actually place a bid or otherwise commit to buy.

I have also sometimes asked sellers if they would consider adding a Buy It Now (BIN) option to their auction listings. As I’ve mentioned before, I find auctions stressful, and if I really want a (rare, hard to find) item, I’m willing to pay a little premium just to avoid the whole waiting-and-bidding game. Some sellers will be happy to do it – generally, in cases where you are the only person “watching” the item, even after it’s been listed for a while – while others would rather take their chances with the auction format. As I said, I wouldn’t bother trying this if the item is “hot” and is being watched by a dozen people, because the seller will have little incentive to do a BIN, at least at a reasonable price. And if you don’t get a BIN, don’t despair. I once contacted a seller to ask for a BIN, got shot down, and ended up placing the sole, winning bid on the auction – for a much lower price than what I had been willing to pay for the BIN option.

Trust Your Gut

In the end, always go with your gut. If the price seems a little too good to be true, or if anything about the listing or the seller seems “off” (even if you can’t quite put your finger on the reason), walk away. Nothing on eBay is a one-off, gone forever if you miss out on it the first time. Whatever it is that you’re looking for, you’ll find it again – and your peace of mind is more important than a (questionable) killer deal.