Saving the Planet, One Vintage Bag at a Time

Welcome back, readers! I hope everyone had a chance to recharge this weekend. And if you, like me, spent the week doom-scrolling about the LA fires and their devastating impact, know you’re not alone. It’s been hard to think about much else.

We live in an era where information is everywhere, and with globalization, the world feels smaller than ever. In some ways, that’s a beautiful thing - it’s inspiring to see people from all corners of the globe coming together to send supplies and support to families affected in LA. But it’s also a stark reminder that these catastrophes are becoming far too common.

Let’s dive into this week’s edition with that in mind, and maybe even find a little hope along the way. 💟

It’s equally fitting that a friend of mine asked me what DHGate - or “the fence,” - was this past week. If you don’t know, skip ahead and save your sanity. If you do know, my only advice is: don’t use it. Naturally, I went down a rabbit hole (as one does), and let me tell you, DHGate is as bad as it gets. Sure, it’s already in the same hall of shame as Temu and SHEIN for its mass-produced, poor-quality goods. But DHGate takes it a step further by being a hotbed for some of the worst fakes to ever hit the market. You know the ones - those TikToks where someone orders a “designer” bag and ends up with something that looks like it was made during a kindergarteners arts and crafts hour.

But here’s the kicker: it’s not just bad taste, it’s bad news for the planet ❗️ ❗️ ❗️ ❗️ Counterfeit factories churn out low-quality goods with zero regard for sustainability, meaning mountains of knockoffs end up in landfills after their brief, tragic lives. And don’t get me started on the carbon footprint of shipping all that junk worldwide. So, after giving my friend the rundown on the environmental chaos DHGate fuels, it felt like the perfect moment to hop onto my soapbox.

Buying vintage, shopping secondhand, and supporting small, sustainable businesses doesn’t just make you feel good - it makes you look good, too. Trust me, no fake bag will ever beat the real magic of a vintage find with a story to tell 🪄 ✨ 💖 🌏️ 

For this week's newsletter, I am going to start with highlighting items from one of my FAVORITE bag families to exist! 

• This VERY Y2K Chanel Cambon shoulder bag. This is WILDLY out of my loosely followed mental budget of $500-700 for my vintage finds, but as a product of the Marissa Cooper generation I just cannot get this out of my mind.  She is cute, she is versatile, she is in amazing condition and she has been open on my phone browser since last week. My earliest memory of the Cambon style is from 2007 - I was roaming around Canal Street with my dad and all of the vendors on the street had some variation of it, though if I recall correctly, the tell of these was that the C’s on the fakes were on the opposite side. When I do eventually get this bag, it will be closer to two toned Coop is sporting below.

🤑 Ok back to our regularly scheduled pricing 🤑 Meet Foreign Objects! An LA based sustainability focused consignment shop that has scored me some of my best collectors items at a steal. Their customer service is responsive and EXTREMELY helpful if you have any issues or questions, and really makes your experience an intimate one which we just don’t get at the behemoths! 

• The price on this Prada Tessuto Nylon Backpack is a no brainer. Imagine yourself carrying this cutie on a summer day for a picnic in the park with your friends. You arrive at Prospect Park, put this baby down on the blanket, and whip out some chips and guac for the group to share. Chic with a ton of utility (and no shoulder pain). 

• Lastly, this LV Noe Bucket Bag. For this price, the slight wear that it is showing is easily ignorable. Not to mention Epi Leather is one of the most usable fabrics that LV puts out. This bag is perfect for you if you want to sport classic LV but the monogram is just too out there for you.

Let’s move into our Goodwill segment of the week. I just love seeing the low low prices these bags start at.

• Another Prada for you. This “east west” style (I literally learned that term in the context of purses 2 hours ago) looks to be in great condition with the accent stripe of my dreams. Kind of reminds me of those monogram letter bags Limited Too used to sell back in the day.

  • No, I did not have one despite constantly yearning for it. Yes, this newsletter is also an outlet for me to heal my inner child. And no, I had not seen this series of meme before writing today’s newsletter. I love the internet. Let it be known that the price was $148 when I wrote this. Curious to see what the final price will be 👀

• This Goodwill Gucci that is very much giving the Tom Ford era / current Gucci revival series for .2% of the price. Someone bid on this! Perfect for the girllies on the go that abuse their bags. This one looks like it can take it! Starting price of a whopping $68 ❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️ 

While I am going to do my best to highlight stores you have NOT heard of, I do think some TRR finds that won’t break the bank and have a very low shot at being counterfeit do deserve a call out.

• Sticking with the Mulberry theme from last week, this gorgeous Mulberry "Alligator" Shoulder Bag looks exactly like a bag my grandma coveted for years that I always admired. I bring this up moreso because most recently, said bag has been taken by a Gen Z college student also known as my cousin, because it perfectly fits the essentials she needs during a night out on the town. Yes I do wish grandma gave me that bag, yes I am salty, yes I am being the bigger milennial person 🙄.

• This timeless Proenza Tote. Proenza rarely misses a beat with their leather bags. The best part, it is kind of a if you know, you know vibe which makes it way more fun to carry alongside the oversaturated Miu Miu tote that you have seen EVERYWHERE this season. You know the one.

Buy any of Dizzy’s Designer Dreams? Let me know! Tag me on Instagram, send me an email at [email protected], traditional snail mail works too! 🐌💌