Is It 10 Years Already?? O_o

Unlike most women .. I have only 1 purse at a time. I know .. hard to imagine .. but I have such an aversion to purse shopping that I usually buy as good a quality purse as I can afford .. and get as many years out of it as I possibly can .. before having to go purse shopping .. again. *cries*

Purse shopping is a deeply personal experience for every woman. Only *she* knows exactly what her needs are .. and the perfect bag that will fill that need. A bag that will leave one woman trying to keep her dinner down .. will lift another to lofty heights of joy. And .. a purse that made you weep with delight last time .. you wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole the next time. It's truly unique to each of us .. at that given point in time. It can be downright traumatizing NOT being able to find that right and perfect bag .. which is where my aversion comes in. :\

I have a specifice type/style of purse in mind. Similar to one I had years ago. A truly great purse .. a large hobo/sling style that was super .. in an utterly awful taupe color. My mother had had it .. and hated it .. and one day gave it to me as when I asked her why .. if she disliked it so much did she purchase it. Her response was that it had "called" to her as she walked past it in the store .. "here you want it?" .. before dumping the contents and tossin' it in my direction. Um .. 'k Mum .. 'erm thanks? O_o

Pasty putty color aside it was a great looking thing and held loads of essential girlie items .. and I used it for years until it finally gave up exhausted and fell apart. I tried to find something similar after .. but nothing seemed to come close and I'd wind up giving up in frustration .. usually settling for just anything at that point. I've been using one my best friend gave me .. 11 years ago this Christmas .. thinking I'd replace it once it wore out a bit. Finally .. FINALLY .. it's starting to show some wear .. thank God .. cuz .. sssssshhhhhh .. I kinda didn't like it so much as I could have. O_O

So .. I've been purse shopping the past while .. and it's been a painful process not unlike having your eyes poked with sharp sticks.

I decided that *this* time I wasn't gonna give up the search until I found one that was as similar to that old one as I could get .. EXCEPT the color of course. And .. seeing as eBay and I have a close personal relationship .. I'd go there and find one. Oh .. my .. God .. who knew there were so many purses that would answer the search parameter "hobo purse". O_o

I can't imagine how far I'd have to be gone to get some of those .. things. "Hideous" seems so .. inadequate .. in describing some of the patterning used on some of these purses. Doesn't ANYONE work in adequate lighting for these projects ??!! The extent of the "fugly" I've exposed my sensibilities to is hard to adequately express. It's the kind that truly puts the F U G in FUGLY .. purses that are an insult to anyones senses. Certainly no self respecting mugger would be caught dead stealin' those bags .. that's for sure. O_O

Some were attractive .. just NOT what I'm looking for .. they were either far too small to be "hobo" style .. I'd be lucky to get my wallet in them .. much less the rest of my "essential" gear .. and others far too oddly shaped to be "sling" style .. yet somehow have made the cut into that search.

There are patterns so loud my ears bled .. sequins and fringes and buckles .. oh my. And .. after seeing the rainbow of purse colors used out there .. I've come to the conclusion that there are just some colors that purses were NEVER intended to be. The level of colorblindness in the purse making industry must be staggeringly high. Bright oranges .. iridescent greens .. and there is a shade of yellow out there that I haven't seen since I changed my breastfed baby's diaper. O_o

I'd see one and think ... ooohh niiiicee sty..... wait .. is that .. purple ?? !! O_O

Oh .. and what is with the ginormous bags with the wee short shoulder straps anyway?? I've seen huge purses that are larger then the new suitcase I purchased .. and worn as if some weird sac-like appendage hanging from your armpit .. O_O

I have found a handful that are just the right size and shape .. and in darker colors I am leaning towards .. but .. naturally .. they are priced somewhat MORE than what I'd be willing to shell out for what .. in effect .. will be a portable junk drawer. LOL :D

I burst into spontaneous hilarious laughter at the horrible looking purse priced at 695$ .. because I paid LESS for the first car I ever bought myself .. and it was MUCH more attractive too. A maroon AMC Concord .. for the price of 475$ thank you very much .. that stood me in good stead for many years. Though .. to be fair .. this purse was so large I probably could have parked that car in it. O_o

Honestly .. I've seen "purses" so "oversized" they'd make Mary Poppins nipples go hard. And with so much room in them I'd have to add .. good luck findin' your lamp in there missy.

I want a largish bag yes .. but not so cavernous I risk the need for emergency aid to get out should I have the misfortune to slip and fall inside of it. O_o

And I don't mind paying a bit for a good purse .. but straying into the range of my mortgage payment seems just a tad much. When I start paying that much for a bag it had better be plenty roomy enough for me to live in it .. because I'd be givin' up my cozy abode for it. And I'm not even gonna whisper what someone was askin' for a Gucci bag .. that was EXACTLY what I was lookin' for .. *weaves ... moans ... puts head between knees* O_o

Anyway .. after days of "browsing" .. I've finally found a half a dozen that seem to fit my checklist .. and now I'm gonna wait a couple of days .. re-check them .. and providing it's still available .. choose one. Because my purse shopping is on it's last nerve .. and I wanna be sure I really like it .. 'cuz it's gonna be bouncin' off of my ample hip for the next 10ish years .. until I have to do this all over again. *sigh*

LOLOL :D