I have an obsession, and it all started about 12 years ago with a simple brown purse my Mom bought me for my new job in the the corporate world. But let me digress for a moment, to explain the motto that sits atop this blog.

My Mom is, and always will be, a fashion maven. She was a snazzy dresser as far back as I can remember. No sneakers in that woman’s closet.. no sireee. She had clothes, lots of them, and shoes… of Imelda Marcos proportions. And, accessories…. most of all… handbags.

I think back now, how it all started, and I remember Mom and Dad had some pretty lean years when I was a kid growing up with my brother. My father was the kind of guy who had 4 jobs at once just to keep the bills paid (more on my Dad in a later conversation). My father had taken over my grandfather’s construction business after his death in 1976. And, well, we didn’t have a whole lot in terms of money when I was very little, but as the business grew, so did my Mom and Dad’s wallet. By the heydey of the 80’s, before the whisper of a recession, we had enough money for Mom to indulge herself (and us) with the finer things in life. Family vacations (which were little more than a few days away at the shore) grew into cruises and getaways to far-away destinations. I loved the cruises the most, because, as I came to learn…. the Caribbean was a great place to buy HANDBAGS. Especially Gucci. My Mom and I would gleefully walk the shopping areas of St. Thomas and St. Maarten in search of the cutest purse. We always found one (or, two, or ten).

So begins my appreciation of a good handbag. In 1992, I was just off the heels of my first out-of-college job (as, what else? an accessories/jewelry buyer for Macy’s) I took the leap jumping into Corporate America, working for a software company. To commemorate the occasion, Mom bought me a Coach bag. It was brown leather, with a big flap with a brass closure, and it was heavenly.

Since then, I have added to my collection, on the order of maybe 4 Coach bags per year (one for each season), in addition to the other brands I buy occasionally (and I say that because I do actually have a handbag budget… well sort of). My latest addition is a Burberry bag. Love it!

I would love to have the newest Coach Diaperbag…. a good reason for trying to conceive #2, dontcha think? OK- just kidding, but I will have that bag eventually.

Some women say they can’t leave the house without makeup, or their favorite coat… I choose hangbags. There is something wildly appealing to me about a new handbag… always makes the day a little brighter. It’s a bizarre addiction, I know, but it is me.