Favorite Sites for Gently Used Designer Goods

A question I get often from you guys is about designer goods – which to buy, where to buy, favorite sites, etc. I’ve done this post about one of the places I love for these kinds of purchases and this post with my most and least worn bags, but I wanted to put all of the info together in one place for y’all!

I usually buy my bags new, but I have a few secrets to my shopping strategies.

1. Even if you want to buy brand new, you can still get a discount.

I have treated myself to several brand new bags at a phat discount from Gilt. They have some amazing deals on last season’s items or the colors that didn’t sell.

The catch is: all sales are final. So be SURE you want the bag before purchasing. Go to a department store, make sure the size is right, the weight is right, etc. I made this mistake with a YSL Sac de Jour (mentioned in this post) and it’s so heavy. I need to sell it, but haven’t had much luck on my own so I probably need to source a consignment store.

Learn from my expensive mistake!

2. Some bags are even more chic with age. Buying gently used is still fabulous!

I have two Louis Vuitton bags that I bought new. The neverfull and speedy. I love them, but kept waiting for the straps to honey and for the leather to be broken in.

I have two duffels and two bags that I got gently used, and I truly love them equally. The straps are all honey-ed and worn in, the leather is fabulous. I love the character and story they tell in their gently loved state. I have absolutely no issues buying Louis Vuitton used, and at the bottom of this post I’m sharing two of my favorite places to source them.

3. Take care of your bags. As long as they’re treated well, you can always resell them. Sometimes they even become more valuable if the item is later sold out or hard to find!

I have bought and sold bags many times. Sometimes you think you’re going to wear a bag often, and then it turns out you don’t. BUT I keep all the paperwork, cards, dust bags, etc. Even the boxes if I have the storage space. I can resell them for a fair price and put it toward something else – another bag, a trip, life, whatever it may be.

SO, scroll down to see my favorite places to buy vintage and gently used pieces!

My go-to places to shop gently used are:

Fashionphile | I bought my leopard Prada bag here earlier this year after wanting it last year and holding back. It was in mint condition, had all the paperwork and I got a huge discount! Best purchase, no regrets, and my experience with the company was excellent.

Vestiaire Collective | I have a full post on them here, but I continue to peruse and love this site. You can find nearly everything your label-loving heart desires, ask questions and read others questions openly and trust Vestiaire’s team for an authentic, honest experience. A+!

The Lady Bag | I have a duffel and satchel from her and they’re fabulous. Love them, use them regularly and her selection is incredible. She can find the most interesting vintage styles, and I’ve never been disappointed.

New Vintage Handbags | I have this bag from these ladies (and this cute pouch!), and they’re simply put, bada$$. Talk about UNIQUE! Love this idea for something completely rad and custom.

Rebag | I’ve never actually bought or sold here, but I’ve heard a lot of great things about them and they have a great selection!

The Real Real | I bought a bag here once and ended up returning it because it arrived looking more worn in person than I had anticipated. But they do give you a tight return window, so as long as you can meet it, you can get a full refund.

Last but not least, any local consignment stores in your area are a great place to check out. You might even get to know the owner and work out a deal where they can look for a particular style for you with a deposit or contract. I recently snagged this bag for about $300 consigned. No lie!

I hope this will be a helpful resource for those of you wanting to dabble in gently used pieces. With enough research, I promise it’s not scary! My biggest tip would be to be 100% certain you want the particular style of bag. Gently used usually does not allow returns, so make sure your heart is set on it!

If you have any sites or places you love, I’d really love to hear. Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –

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Friday’s Five

– finding ways to make our furniture work in our new space (find the tree details here also by searching “plant” in the search bar!) –

– realizing that I seriously need to wear more perfume because I have waaayyy too much! Whoops –

– a new bed for Bailey that she never wants to get out of (she’s in a size large!) –

– the sweetest surprise from my Estate Five fam –

– the prettiest dress I can’t wait to pull out for a fancy night –

Happy Friday to my beautiful, funny, encouraging, supportive and FABULOUS CBL girls. I am still floating from all of your incredible comments, stories and emails in Tuesday’s post. I feel so blessed and lucky to have a tribe of women like you that continue to show your grace and love to me. I am so thankful, truly, from the bottom of my heart.

The beautiful news… one week down! I truly feel the worst is behind us, and we have a handful of things on our “new home” to-do list (order rug, hang curtains, buy some hardware, get new refrigerator, get washer/dryer, blah blah) before we are fully settled in. But the worst of the chaos is in the past, and I am excited to look forward with a fresh apartment and mind.

I plan to do some city exploring with Christian this weekend, and next weekend I’ll be heading to wine country with some ladies for a bachelorette party that truly couldn’t come at a more needed time. I need some girl time, wine and sunshine – and the countdown is on!

What do you ladies have going on this weekend? Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –

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6 GG Cracker Recipe Ideas

After hearing SO much about GG Crackers, I knew I had to order some for myself to see what the fuss was about. After trying some different combinations over the past few months, I’ve discovered they really are a great foundation for a snack or light lunch with little to no calories/carbs and tons of fiber.

I’m sharing six recipes that I’ve tried that are de-lish, and few more that I think would be fab!

1. Egg Salad – can be homemade or Trader Joe’s egg white salad!

2. Hummus + Cucumber + Bagel Seasoning

3. Goat Cheese + Balsamic Vinegar Glaze + Tomatoes

4. Vegan Cream Cheese + Salmon + Capers

5. Almond Butter + Banana + Chia Seeds + Manuka Honey

6. Nutella + Coconut + Banana

Two other combos that I thought would be delicious are PB&J + Apple + Manuka Honey and Pesto + Almond Mozzarella + Tomatoes + Basil. YUM.

You can find more inspo and ideas here and here! If you are on the GG Cracker train, please tell me how you like to eat them! I’m always looking for ideas and there are so many ways you can jazz them up, it’s kind of wild.

Thanks so much for reading and sharing! XO –

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Summer Staples (Mostly) Under $75

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First things first, wow. The comments and emails from you guys regarding yesterday’s post. You guys are like therapists! I am so inspired and moved by your stories of your own experiences feeling lost, sad or discouraged. You ladies get it. Like… really get it. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. You encouraged and motivated me more than you know.

But can we, like, get back to clothes (said in Valley Girl voice)!? It may be 50-something degrees in San Francisco right now, but for most of you it’s JULY which means it’s summer, baby (in Lisa Rinna voice)! Every now and then I get a question about “closet staples,” and while this really varies person to person depending on budget, style, body type, climate of where you live, etc., I thought I could dig into what some of my summer staples would be.

Y’all know I’m a sucker for a blazer. This one comes in four different colors and I love the fit! You can layer over a dress for church or date night or with a tee and jeans to brunch. Chic.

Speaking of tees, I can never have enough. Solids are my go-to but stripes and graphic are pretty stinkin’ fun.

I know I put these shorts in basically every roundup but it’s because I have this pair and this pair (also what these) and wear them constantly. They cannot be beat and I promise they’re worth the price! On the note of denim, a denim jacket is such a great layering piece and looks equally cute around your waist.

These espadrilles and these lace-up sandals are two that I keep reaching for. They look great with everything. Everything!

Have you invested in any staples for summer? Tell me what you’re loving! Thanks so much for reading and sharing, happy 4th everyone! XO –

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Nothing Worth Having Comes Easy

To say the past week has been brutal would be an understatement. I certainly don’t want to write an entire blog post complaining… but I loved connecting with you guys when I got so vulnerable in this post over real life, truthful, honest stuff. The kind of stuff we don’t talk about that much because we feel the need to say “things are great – it’s all good!” whenever someone asks, regardless of what’s really going on.

I’ve been running on an empty tank. I’ve never had a moving experience that was this challenging and exhausting.

After doing extensive research (and paying more than I ever have for a move), our movers were terrible for many different reasons. To name just a few, they started off six hours late. Then brought in all the boxes first even though we asked them to bring the furniture so when they left 5.5 hours later, we couldn’t even walk in our new place, making it next to impossible to unpack anything. Many things were chipped, dented, marked up, they left us with their trash, etc. PSA: If you’re in the Orange County area and looking for movers, email me and I’ll point you in the right direction. For about three days I’ve been brewing my Yelp review that is to come for this company… my only form of justice. Justice shall be served!!!

Our second night in our new place I sobbed for two hours, like a child. It felt like I couldn’t breath, I was claustrophobic, stressed and overwhelmed. Two weeks ago everything was cozy and great, and now it felt like everything was upside down.

The pets have had a little bit of trouble adjusting (this happened when we moved from Mississippi also), and we don’t have a washer & dryer yet so there’s laundry and pet accidents just hanging out in our apartment. My car barely fits in the garage spot we’re paying extra to have access to – thank God I have an old car because I will for sure be scratching it up, #Godbless #notfromhere.

I could list 20 more inconveniences and challenges that have risen in the past week. Things I didn’t even realize would be obstacles have become obstacles. Nothing is easy and everything costs $$$, even when it comes to throwing away your trash. As in like, hundreds of dollars… for getting rid of your moving trash.

BUT in order to try to keep my chin up during times like this, I remember this:

“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Nothing worth having comes easy, and the best experiences and moments usually happen outside of your comfort zone. In my life I’ve found this to be so true.

Christian and I went to dinner on our last night together in Orange County. Just a little neighborhood spot and a typical weekend go-to for us. We were reflecting on the past five years and how slow and fast they’ve gone by.

I’m definitely not who I was when we first moved to California in 2013. Five years is the longest either of us has lived in one town since high school. We’ve had many good times along with many sad times. We created our first home together. I found a job I loved in a global retail industry and then moved onto taking CBL full-time, which was something I hadn’t even known was possible when I started blogging 100 years ago. Christian became a specialized head and neck surgeon and decided to do another year of training (we definitely did not plan on that when we moved here).

We also experienced loss and sadness, but these times offered opportunity for growth and life lessons.

I was so intimidated to move somewhere as big as Orange County. A few years later, I felt comfortable and confident in my new job, local industry, relationships, church, etc. It wasn’t easy uprooting our lives and moving across the country, but it led to some of the most exciting and FUN opportunities of my life thus far.

Just when I started really feeling like OC was home… we had to pack it up and start all over. It hasn’t been easy, and I didn’t expect it to be. But in order to achieve big things, you have to have the courage to step outside your comfort zone. You could stay in a bubble and feel safe, nothing bad can happen. Or you can choose to live a life filled with adventures and challenges, learning more about yourself and what you can handle and achieve in your life.

Even though I have been pretty blue the past week… I know that things will turn around and I’ll look back on this experience with nostalgia and pride because it will symbolize the courage we had to have to try. I’m not sure what I’ll learn from this experience just yet, but I know it’s there.

And that’s worth something.

I’d love to hear how you guys feel about stepping outside of your comfort zone or any quotes you love on this topic. So many of you have sent the most thoughtful and helpful emails and direct messages about transitioning to NorCal or moving/packing for your spouse. Shoutout the military wives who are the real heroes and have REALLY helped me keep things in perspective!

Thanks so much for reading and sharing – you guys truly are the best. Love you, mean it – XO –

PS – I wrote this post at my desk in front of a bay window, looking out at the city. I couldn’t help but wonder… is this a Carrie Bradshaw moment?

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Friday’s Five

– summer surboard dreamin’ –

dress | sandals | bag | photo by Kathy DeNinno

– and a gondola filled with roses… hello dreamy –

– putting together a pet resume a few weeks ago (and this is for real) to go along with our pitch to find a home in SF… of course Lula is welcome everywhere, it’s Bailey that required the hard sell #Godbless –

– some seriously fabulous earrings I can’t wait to wear –

– the most chic black cat flats that you know this cat lady will be wearing all over SF –

Happy Friday babes! As of today… we are San Francisco residents. This transition has been a long time coming, but seeing as we literally found our apartment less than two weeks ago, it’s been a whirlwind at the same time. I still have a few more OC moments to share with you guys – including a fun little video I’m working on! But I’m also excited to explore and start sharing some of this new city.

Our movers are unloading our things this morning, and I plan to live that grungy workout clothes 24/7 life all weekend to get as much unpacked as possible. I can’t live amongst boxes any longer!! Thankfully unpacking should be a lot easier because I tried to clean everything well beforehand to make the process go by faster. As a creature of habit, I’m so ready to be back in a more consistent routine. Therefore I’m highly motivated to power through and get it done!

I’ve gotten some messages from y’all about moving/packing tips. The bad news is… I have no tips. We both despise moving (maybe because this is the 11th home and 5th city I’ve lived in since high school?), and I just hoard boxes, buy a ton of bubble wrap and tape and get to town. I try to clean things before I pack them (polishing silver, dusting, etc.), so the unpacking process is smoother. If I had great tips I would share but sadly, they’re just the basic roll-up-your-sleeves-and-put-your-yoga-pants-on kind of strategy. Not exciting!

What do you guys have going on this weekend? It’s almost the 4th of July, holy cow! Who has plans? We have a rooftop in our new place that we’ll probably lay out a blanket and watch the fireworks… but if you have any fun holiday SF recs I’d love to hear! Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –

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Summer Picnic Vibes

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This time of year I’m always in the mood for a picnic. Maybe it’s an after church Sunday adventure, day date or special occasion, but there’s nothing better than a blanket, picnic basket, glass of wine and some grass (or sand!). The. Best.

I’ve had this hat for years and it’s a staple. The perfect sized brim! I have a similar round straw bag, and it’s one I reach for often because it holds so much. I got a picnic basket as a wedding gift from my besties mom. and it’s still one of my favorite gifts. This dress has picnic dreams written all over it, and these shades are on my birthday wish list (I’ve been wearing the dupes for over a year).

Are you guys picnic people? Do you have picnic tips? I usually go for things that don’t involve lots of utensils – sandwiches, finger foods, wine in a can, chips. Keep it simple. I’d love to hear a favorite picnic memory! Mine is probably beach picnics in Newport Beach with Christian.

Thanks so much for reading and sharing! XO –

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Ribbed Midi Dress

If you’re thinking… have I seen ribbed midi dress before?

You might be right. I styled it in black here, but then I ended up buying a second one I loved it so much. I think this coral is beyond perfect with a summer tan, and I wanted to show how you could wear this midi in a more casual way. Paired with sneakers, this look is perfect for weekend hanging, while this one is more dressed up for the office or date night.

At this point, it only comes in one more color (navy), so clearly I should just go ahead and get it. I mean, let’s just be honest with ourselves, and by ourselves, I mean me.

What’s also great is that this particular style is 100% exclusive to Bloomingdale’s! I always love checking out AQUA and their exclusive selections for the change to snag styles you can’t get anywhere else.

photos by Christian Barnes

dress (comes in 3 colors! runs TTS), also love this one and this one | similar sneakers here, here and here | denim jacket, also love this one for fall | love this bag, this one and this one | similar sunglasses

Thank you so much for reading! And if you haven’t checked out some of the adorable weekend dresses that are 100% exclusive to Bloomingdale’s, you definitely want to take a peek!

For some more inspiration on how to style sneakers with dresses, be sure to check out this post too.

Thanks so much for reading – XO –

brought to you by Bloomingdale’s

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VIDEO | OC Home Tour

video by Vincent Elejorde

You guys… I’ve resisted videos for so many years now… BUT I wanted to share a quick run through of our townhouse before we move next week! I probably should have cleaned it a little better but you know what, this is an authentic peek into the townhouse we’ve lived in for the past four years. You can also check this out at my YouTube channel!

This has been such a great home to us, and I’m happy to have this token as a memory of our time spent in Old Towne Orange! If you would like to see some more CBL videos, please share in the comments some video topics you might like to see. That would be such a big help to me!

Thanks so much for watching and sharing! Bare with me… it’s my first video, #Godbless. XO –

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Wednesday Wish List

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My summer wish list is here, and who’s surprised that it involves gold bow heels, a striped swimsuit and bright red midi dress? No one.

I am really into these olive green sneakers, and these are my favorite Hermes Oran dupes. I have a little diamond x ring like this and love wearing it on my middle finger, and this lariat necklace is the kind that looks great with everything – even a classic tee!

There are some big summer sales around the corner. I need to start thinking of some items I might want to snag for a discount! For a while I wanted to splurge on these sunglasses, but I found these dupes for next to nothing so they’re keeping me company for now.

Have you snagged any summer scores lately? Gimme the dish, girl! Thanks so much for reading – XO –

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VIDEO | Easy Makeup Tutorial

Last month I worked on a quick and easy “everyday makeup” video for Southern Living (hoot hoot! My first job out of college!). You can also see it here!

Please don’t be as alarmed as I am of the thumbnail for this video… just play it. I promise it gets better! For those of you who ask about my everyday makeup or go-to products, this is a quick guide to my tried and true. Also, it’s using only 10 products! I’m linking all the products I used below.

Let me know what you think – and more videos coming! Thanks so much for watching – XO –

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How I Organize My Jewelry

Recently I shared some videos on insta-story while I was cleaning this tray of baubles, and I got so many messages and emails from you guys with questions about organizing jewelry. SO, I wanted to share my little system up close and personal on the blog!

I bought this tray many years ago (from Target, I believe?), and I have small jewelry dishes I’ve been given or collected over time in it. I use the dishes to hold my stud earrings, rings, hoop earrings, bangles, etc.. The drawers in my nightstands serve as additional jewelry storage. I keep pretty small boxes and have placed them within the drawers to act as dividers between the madness.

And of course I have so many tassel earrings that they’re overflowing from their tray!

I also keep brooches in a glass box, and I have necklaces simply hanging from nails I nailed in the wall in my closet (not pictured… because my closet is like a black cave).