Sponsored by Zappos!

If you’ve been a longtime reader of Chelsea Bird (aka Tea Talk), you might remember that I’ve always been into vintage — with clothes, accessories and home decor being my niche. When I was traveling with my folks during the summers between college semesters, I would check out each and every thrift and vintage shop in every town we went — just hoping I would find a few gems to bring home as a souvenir of the summer. And do you know what was my most sought after item? Vintage bags — Dooney & Bourke bags to be exact! I loved the classic designs, warm leathers and cross body styles, and felt SO stoked when I found a bag that ticked all of these boxes in a row. Nowadays, scoring these beautiful bags is a bit easier now that Dooney & Bourke sells their classic styles online — and I’m super excited to be partnering up with Zappos today to share more about this beauty of a bag that I recently picked up from the D&B classics line!

The idea of a having a classic style was/has always been important to me as I came into my own over the years, which is why I think I leaned so hard into those vintage threads and home decor pieces I was always on the hunt for. I’d like to think that today my style is a mix between the classic looks I sought out and the “beat to her own drum,” show-going kid I always was. Let me know if you feel the same way about yourself! And if you feel like taking a peek down memory lane, head back down in my archives to see the revolution of my style over the years — different and still the same, 8+ years later!

During my teens and into my early twenties, I was VERY into large bags — I wanted a bag that could hold everything and the kitchen sink (well, you know what I mean). I’d like to think this was in large thanks to my student days, but truthfully — I liked to carry just about everything with me at all times — notebooks, makeup, sweaters. etc. Lately, though, mini-sized bags have been my go-to and this Florentine Classic Mini Hattie Drawstring has been getting the most wear in my growing collection. It’s the perfect size to carry all of my must-haves, and has that vintage charm that is sure to bring a bit of warmth and style to any outfit.

Aside from my obsession with miniature bags, I’ve also being loving the bucket bag trend — classic, but also a bit quirky with the leather, drawstring closure. The style of this purse also reminds me a lot of one of my favorite Dooney & Bourke finds — a tiny, leather cross body that couldn’t hold much more than my keys and my phone, but had the perfect patina and cost me less than five dollars at vintage shop in Burley, Idaho! I still have that bag, and every time I see it I feel reminded of those summers I spent finding vintage goods and my own style along the way.

Now it’s your turn to share — are you into big purses or do you always reach for those smaller styles? Zappos currently has some darling Dooney & Bourke styles in stock, so be sure to head on over to their section to check out their full, classic collection! I hope ya’ll have a lovely rest of your week — I can’t believe the new year is almost here, and I’ll be back soon!

-Chelsea xo