My New Child (aka YSL Monogrammed Chain Bag) + eBay Tips

I will say, first of all, that this was probably one of the dumbest things I've done in a while.  But what's done is done, and I can't say I hate it.

I'm a big believer in doing what makes you happy (as long as it's reasonable, of course).  This year, I decided to combine a (very single) Valentine's Day and my 25th birthday into one gigantic present to myself.  I had been eyeing and obsessing over YSL-turned-Saint-Laurent bags for years.  My thinking was, if I am going to invest in something so pricey and so timeless, I want to make sure it is a practical bag that I can get a ton of use from.  

I decided on the Saint Laurent Monogram Chain Wallet.. which is not so much of a wallet as it is a smaller-sized bag.  It does have a coin-purse section as well as a bunch of card-holder slots, but I doubt that I'll actually use it as a true wallet.  Its almost 9" in length and 5.5" tall, which I consider to be more of a small shoulder or cross body bag.  And let me tell you all.  I am 100% completely and entirely obsessed with it.  I kid you not, I have been sleeping with it in my bed since I got it on the 14th.  I cuddle with a YSL purse at night.

(Natural Lighting, FYI)

Now I will say, secondly, that I did not pay full price for this bag.  If you clicked that link up there, or googled the name, and saw that price, and gasped, and shouted at your computer.. have no fear.  YES - disclaimer - it was still extremely expensive.  But no where near the $1,500 retail price tag.

My "secret" you ask?  eBay.  eBay all the way.  It can be intimidating, overwhelming, and super sketchy.  But when you find gold, you find GOLD.  Once I settled on this bag in particular, I went on a internet-searching spree.  I searched for hours a day, for days at a time.  I poured over flash sale sites like Gilt, MyHabit, HauteLook.  I was even scouring websites like theRealReal.com, Vaunte.com, ShopHers.com.. you name it.  (In case you don't know what those sites are, they're high-end and luxury brand consignment shops.)  But then I -- miraculously -- stumbled upon a brand new, unused, still in the box with tags, gem.  On eBay, of all places.  

The terrifying part about eBay is authenticity.  If I'm about to drop hundreds of dollars on a single purchase, there has to be no doubt in my mind that I am going to actually receive what I'm paying for.  It is pretty nerve-wracking to send a ton of money off into cyber space, hoping that eventually you maybe get something in return.  Buying from a credible website is one thing.  But risking the unknown realm of eBay is another.  What I try to do before any purchase off eBay is google the seller's username, to see if there have been any complaints right off the bat.  Then, I read ALL of the reviews left from past buyers.  I don't just look at how many positive and negative ratings there are, but I read the words/comments left (mainly to see if the positive reviews are sponsored or fake, and to check if the negative reviews are more about things like "wow this shipped so slowly," or "I received a knockoff when I was told it was real!").

Once I establish the seller is credible enough, I go ahead and message them for details about the product which would indicate if it is authentic or not -- like, can you tell me the serial number and show me a photo of it?, or, where did you originally purchase this from and do you happen to have proof of purchase?  If everything checks out, I place a super low bid and start the haggling!  

(Artificial Lighting)

And of course, I haggled my way down, chopped off HUNDREDS of dollars, and scored a gorgeous present to myself for a ridiculously discounted price.  The quality of this bag is absurd, and I know it will last me literally a lifetime.  It's just the right size, the chain can be removed and the bag converted into a clutch, and pairs beautifully with virtually any outfit you can imagine.  I obviously had a slight bought of buyer's remorse after I hit that "Confirm Order" button, but in the end, it was totally worth it.

[And just as an aside, please do not take this post as me bragging or trying to be boastful in any way, shape, or form.  I run a beauty and fashion blog, and just scored an amazing fashion bargain that I wanted to share with you all.  I don't even make money, and this was purchased using student loans.  Trust me -- I technically shouldn't have bought it, and definitely can't "afford" it.  Please don't think this was meant as anything more than a pretty post on a fashion blog by a dumb and irresponsible student with champagne taste and a PBR bank account.]