So I'm cruising along in the thrift store and headed down the handbag aisle. I was initially drawn to this bag for its clean lines and extra long straps ( a whopping 13" handle drop). Then I zipped open the top and saw that gleaming "Judith Leiber" signature! {insert chorus of angels singing} Haaaaal-le-leuiah!
Now, I'll be honest, I've never been a huge fan of her bags. Those minaudieres? WAY too gaudy for my taste. Remember that God awful crystal mallard thing Big gave Carrie in SATC? *shivers* Yulch! Never the less, I acknowledge and appreciate the craftsmanship. So you could imagine my delight in stumbling upon this practical canvas speedy of hers. What a rare find! It has all the signature elements of to the classic bag. The simple geometric shape (love how this expands with this side fold over snap tab!), the wear with everything color (platinum silver & brown canvas, brown leather, gold/silver toned hardware) and of course - the designer's monogram print.
As it is with some of my best vintage finds, there wasn't a price tag to be found. Although this particular shop has a "No tag - No sale" policy, I was NOT about to leave that store without her. I got up to the cashier and had a manager paged. Ladies, I laid it on THICK. Went into the whole story about just moving to California, getting lost for over an hour trying to find the store and dreading having to drive ALL the way from Long Beach into Orange County tomorrow if I would have to wait for it to be priced. Can you say drama queen? Ha-ha! Finally, the manager said, "Alright, alright. I've heard enough...I get it. How about $2.49?" I did my very best to maintain composure, sighed heavily and said, "Well....OH-kay....I GUESS that's fair." Ha ha ha ha! I had to play it off ! After all - its a cardinal rule in thrifting: Never let 'em see you get stoked. If the staff figures out they're pricing the good stuff cheap they'll start jackin them up. We cant have that now can we?
