Happy Monday–I hope all of you had a wonderful weekend and a great start to the new week. Today’s look is all about the 70s, in an outfit comprised of suede, fringe, high-waist flares, and most importantly, the beautiful ‘new’ bag I found while shopping over the weekend. I almost didn’t notice this piece tucked away with some other clutches as I was browsing in a new vintage boutique we found in Rome, but when I pulled it off the shelf and tried it on at the mirror, I fell in love with the unique shape, easily-adjustable button-snap strap, and tri-fold inner pockets–all of which you cannot find in Louis Vuitton’s current line-up. The store owner told me it was a style from the 1970s, and although it is now over 40 years old, it is still in excellent condition, with hardly any scratches in the leather considering its age. Over time the vachetta leather on Louis Vuitton monogram bags will develop patina, which is the darkening that occurs over time from oxidation, sunlight exposure, oils on your skin, and dirt. In fact, the honeyed color from patina is so coveted, I have even seen YouTube videos on how to age your LV bags faster by ‘tanning’ them! I attached a photo of the two monogram bags I own so you can see how the leather develops over the years: this is a comparison between just over two years versus forty years. Obviously, you can tell by looking at the deep brown of the vintage bag that it takes many years to get that dark (and believe it or not, my newer tote has changed significantly in the few years I’ve had it!)
After I took the bag home and began researching online to see if I could find the same particular style, I discovered a very similar bag from the early 80s, but it still wasn’t the exactly what I had purchased. To be honest, I started to become a little concerned, so we decided to take it by the Louis Vuitton store to see if the staff could pinpoint the model. When we got to the store, two sales ladies looked my bag over and agreed the leather was excellent and it had all the manufacturing signs of a true LV, but although it had the brand stamped inside and a proof mark on the lock closure, unfortunately it did not have a date code, since they didn’t begin putting those in bags until the 80s. The lock closure also threw everyone off–neither of them had seen that particular one before–so of course I was starting to worry even more that maybe my bag wasn’t authentic. Fortunately, Louis Vuitton keeps a super-secret digital catalog of all the styles produced (you can’t find this information online), so one of the ladies started researching on a store computer, and after digging a little deeper in the archives, she found my bag–whew! It turns out that this particular style is called the ‘Passy’ and was only made from 1974 until 1988, when the model was discontinued. In my experience, when shopping for a vintage designer bag it’s important to know the proofs or characteristics that make it authentic, as well as the current value; however, sometimes in order not to miss the opportunity for a purchase, you have to take a leap of faith (and a swipe of your credit card), or shop at a store with knowledgeable sellers, as was the case here.
- Top (Zara–sold out; other fringe options here and here)
- Sunglasses (Chanel)
- Denim (7FAM)
- Wedges (super old; similar here and here)
- Bag (Louis Vuitton)
Linking with More Pieces of Me, On the Daily Express & Still Being Molly
