While I was in Rome (you can see blog post here), I came across some great Italian designer brands. Being in such a historic, iconic place with “Made In Italy” as a stamp of luxury and quality – I had to purchase a bag from one of the stores. There’s so much to see, experience and…shop. Plus, the VAT return was very appealing (let’s just say I was ready to spend!). I spent an entire afternoon and evening eagerly entering into one store after another (Gucci, Prada, Fendi, etc.), but was sadly disappointed as I could not find anything that caught my eye.

All those sleepless nights of editing in Rome finally caught up to me when I made it home. I got pretty sick, as I mentioned in April’s edition of “Life As I Know It.” During my recovery, I took a break from emails, downed a lot of water…and started browsing the web for luxury handbags. After not finding the one in Italy, my mind was still on the hunt.

Most times when I feel like I’m missing out on any designer goods, I’ll search eBay (last seen here). I love being able to click on “Authenticated Luxury Handbags” and browse luxury items without thinking twice about it being verified as authentic. It really is no surprise that I always end up returning to this treasure trove for any classic luxury bag or hard-to-find throwbacks. They’re a reliable source!

While I didn’t quite pull the trigger on a new Chanel bag (yet… I kind of love this one right now), I did see a few wicker bags for the summer (like this one by Prada) that caught my eye. I also came across a few vintage black Chanel bags that are no longer available in store (scroll down to the bottom of this post for options). PRO TIP: Skip the bidding process and go straight to the “Buy It Now” feature to browse styles you can buy immediately because like they say, “when you know, you know.”

PRO TIP #2 – a great way to make money while spring cleaning is to list your luxury goods on eBay. Just sit back, pour yourself some tea and watch the bidding frenzy commence as you sell your old handbags and earn money to “Buy Lot’s of New Things Now.”  

eBay continues to be one of the best kept secrets, but one that’s made me so happy to share (I’ve talked about eBay extensively). I’ll keep you posted on what bag I ultimately buy to dress up my summer looks and add to my collection. Until then, I leave you with a round up of Chanel bags I absolutely adore (and are currently on my “Watch List.”)

Xo, Stephanie

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Thank you eBay for sponsoring this post!