The One that Almost Got Away

Like any bag lover, or in fact any collector of anything whatsoever, will tell you, there are certain things you spot that make your heart beat faster and that you instantly fall in love with and would like to add to your collection immediately, but for some reason you decide to sleep over it. In my case, I had spotted *this* bag (or rather its identical twin) at LV in Dublin on a business trip in April. I was not aware of this particular limited edition cruise collection and immediately knew I wanted it. Badly. I was a bit indecisive since there were 2 other prints of the same collection that were pretty cool as well, but essentially, I was not sure I could justify getting another "Neverfull" style tote (retailing at almost 3 times the price of the one I had at home). Also, I was hoping to be able to find it in the LV flagship store in Vienna, conveniently/dangerously located within spitting distance of my office. Not so, though. Turned out they did not have anything from the limited edition range with the exception of an unexciting cosmetic pouch. Bummer. Summer sale came and went and even though I did not have any particular bags on my wishlist, I ended up buying *caugh* 5+ more items, including my beloved Proenza Shouler bucket bag. It would be a lie to say I had sleepless nights over this bag and could not get it out of my mind. I had not forgotten it, however.
When I was in Dublin again in September and idly strolling through the Brown Thomas department store (the only place to get LV in Dublin) again, I could not believe my eyes when MY bag, the one who almost got away, was still sitting there, obviously having my name in capital letters in fluo writing visible to me only. As I was in the company of a friend and it was only a few minutes before the store closed, I slept over it again and returned the following evening to whip out my credit card. At that time, I was not sure if I would still be gainfully employed in October, but thought "Eff it, I'm worth it and it might be a good consolation prize/mood-lifter if nothing else". In fact, it ended up becoming my "lucky bag" since that same week, a silver lining appeared on the horizon and I am now happier than ever. Well, this might just me trying to justify spending in excess of 1000 EUR on an accessory, so let's just say I am very happy with my purchase ;-)