the social media inspired world of luxury

This post is mostly about Louis Vuitton … and how super easy it is to get sucked ALL THE WAY in. Instagram and YouTube are mostly the culprits that reel me in. One day I stumbled upon videos on YouTube of people showing off their collections (a cool way to refer to someone’s stash of designer pieces), what’s in my bag videos (what they carry on a daily basis), un-boxings (new product reveals), reviews (what they likeĀ  and don’t like ) and finally wear & tear videos (how a handbag is holding up after 1 year, etc.) Oh … you didn’t know? This is entirely a thing! I even made a couple of videos of my own (#WIMB Gucci Soho Disco, #Bag Swap … peep the actual view count from my videos… šŸ‘€).

There are hundreds of channels on YouTube (like tv stations) devoted to luxury goods. There’s one particular YouTuber, Minks4All, who produces a weekly Q&A answering all kinds of questions from users…Ā  It’s a coordinated production! She talks about price increases, bag trends, compares bags across designers, all kinds of stuff (I watch it EVERY WEEK… she was 880k subscribers). BTW, one other term I learned watching YouTube is Small Leather Goods (SLG’s) – those are all the designer items that are not handbags (wallets, coin purses, makeup bags, key holders, etc.). And at Holiday time, you can almost always find shopping guides, like from the YouTuber Tracy Hensel. She will do about 3 videos in varying price points. JUST BEWARE OF CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS… IF YOU LEARN SOMEONE OVER TIME AND THEY ALL OF A SUDDEN START RECOMMENDING RANDOM PRODUCTS, YOU’LL KNOW ITS PAID AND TO #IGNORE IT.

Top luxury designers are Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci, Dior.

Then there’s Instagram… where one hashtag can change your life! Thinking about getting a certain bag? You can search for it and see how others are styling or wearing it, like the hashtag #lvneverfullmm for Louis Vuitton’s most popular popular tote, the Neverfull. This is how I ended up with my diaper bag, using the hashtag #totesavvy. Using social media platforms to RESEARCH before you BUY is a MUST! Long gone are they days of solely using stock photos from corporate websites to make purchasing decisions.

 

I must admit that I used to watch those videos and wonder how in the world they ended up with such large collections (so many pieces)! … until I realized that I had quite a large collection myself. The answer is either you’re rich … or it was developed over TIME (6 months to a couple of years). I’m actually thinking of posting a collection video myself šŸ’šŸ½ā€ā™€ļøĀ šŸ‘› (stay tuned to my YouTube Channel just in case something pops up). #pursequeen

Before I end this post, here is the complete list of YouTubers I follow: JerushaCouture (the OG), HappyStylishMommy, 408california408, Kristina Braly,Ā  LuxMommy, LuxPurseLove, Just Jennifer, HaveLouisWillTravel You can find them all on Instagram as well.

Trying a New Thing

s1751221-main-heroI tried something funky last weekend – blue eyeshadow from my Gwen Stefani Urban Decay eye palette. I purchased this last November and have only used 2 of the neutrals since that time. While traveling, and before heading out to dinner, I decided to live on the wild side and let a friend of mine line the bottom of my eye with the blue shadow. I had never worn that color before and was quite surprisedĀ -I liked it!Ā So now I’m experimenting a bit and stumbled across colored mascara (oooh! I’m sureĀ I’m late to this party…) I plan to startĀ with the gold and then will do a little Ā more experimenting from there (purple maybe??) Check out the vibrant colors from Yves Saint Lauren’s line –Ā Mascara Vinyl Couture –Ā below (via Nordstrom).

 

Favorite Things 2015

It’s time! For the 3rd year in a row, I’m sharing my favorite gift ideas for 2015 – all of which are thingsĀ I have purchased for myself this year (why give someone something you wouldn’t want??!) Whether it’s your mom, girlfriend, sister or maybe a special treat forĀ yourself, these gifts will certainly make a splash!! Enjoy and Happy shopping!!! See also 2014, 2013

ft2015

Pandora Ring, Gucci Nail Polish in absolute purple, Fossil Watch, Sole Society Duffel/Weekend Bag, Converse, MCM Reversible Tote, Gucci Bree Wallet,Ā Kate Spade Ring Dish, Yves Saint Laurent BlackĀ Opium Parfum, Astrology Cosmetic Pouch, Tom Ford Concealing Pen, Cara Beanie,Ā Burberry Merino Scarf