I seem to be constantly writing about handbags. Here I go again.Last week I was shopping in Prahran, Melbourne. I love the shopping out there. For anyone that likes niche, interesting fashion finds Prahran is the place to head.

One thing that Prahran boasts is its wide variety of consignment and second-hand boutiques. These stores aren’t your average run of the mill second hand stores. These stores are the luxe of vintage shopping.

Anyhow on with the story, I start my shopping. I am really excited. My toddler is thankfully asleep (possibly due to boredom) and my husband soon retreats to a coffee shop or three for the afternoon. I hardly notice. I am in shopping heaven.
I am shopping with a list. I know, so novel. Ok I admit it is not a physically written pen and paper list. It is however an ingrained mental list.
Floral Blazer- TICK
Overpriced Tan Sandals- TICK
Floral Print Shift- TICK

I am having such a great time. Really loving it. I am now in a store that is literally an emporium of old and new. I spot my husband and child. “It’s nearly 5 o’clock, what are you getting?” my husband asks. Honestly I can’t decide the list has become lost in the back of my mind. I grab a half price, white, sleeveless, see through, lace collared shirt off the rack and line up (clearly this item was not on mental list either).
I get to the counter and I note the “special pieces” behind glass. I scan the “special pieces”- Prada Shoes, wrong size, Jimmy Choo Pumps, too pointy and then I see it…
A miu miu bag, just been put out. It is brown leather, cross body style, really nice and about an 8th of the price of a recommended retail miu miu bag. There is a woman eyeing it off behind me. My husband is eyeing me off also in a “Get the bag and let’s get out of here” kind of way. There is no time to doubt the authenticity of this bag. I buy it. And no this purchase was not on the list.

I get back to the apartment. I turn the bag literally inside out. It has an embossed tag but I can’t find a cotton verification tag anywhere. This is not so good. This bag has never been worn. If it has- only for 24hrs, maximum. It also has an extra strap. It smells like leather. It has a few light scuff marks on it. Perhaps the previous owner was so wealthy she just threw it out after she brushed it against her spiky cast iron gate…. Or maybe it’s my worst bag nightmare- a fake….

“Do you think this bag is real?” I ask my husband. Wow he must be thrilled with this conversation. “Yes I reckon, anyway you like the bag”. Good answer. He is definitely covering all bases there. I can tell he is thinking “I hope this bag doesn’t just get thrown in the back of the cupboard to never be worn again” or just “Enough about the bag…”

I Google miu miu bags. There are so many bags to view and I actually have better things to be doing than verifying the authenticity of my new purchase while on holidays. I throw my new bag over my shoulder and look in the mirror. Oh it is nice; I am seriously perving on my new bag reflection.

Whatever the bag maybe- I do like it. Besides if anyone asks it’s from Chapel Street and that’s enough fashion credibility for me.

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