[Fashion] Kate Spade "Eat Cake for Breakfast" Tote

Every once in a while, I indulge in a ridiculous splurge.  And by that, I mean that I break one of my shopping rules.

I have two cardinal rules of shopping.  They're meant to be considered in tandem with each other: if something I want doesn't follow one rule, I consider the other, which can compensate for the violation of the first.  In that sense, this purchase is fine because it violates only one of my rules.

My first rule is that the value of a piece can be measured in part by how often I know (or at least predict) that I will use it.  Thus, an expensive piece can be justified if I know that I love love love it and will use it either every day or for years to come.  The second rule considers the uniqueness and/or craftsmanship and materials that went into a piece.  I hate looking like everyone else, and, though I certainly go for my fair share of common mainstream labels, I love when someone stops me on the street or in the hallway to ask me where I got something.

To be fair, this Kate Spade bag has solicited a fair amount of compliments already, even from strangers.  But it's a canvas tote bag.  Every other canvas tote bag I own was free: a free gift along with some other purchase or a party/event favor.  Sure, with one or two notable exceptions, most of these tote bags are generic and plain, displaying the logo of whatever company/event distributed them.  But that's generally fine because people (or I, at least) don't really use canvas tote bags except to go to the store or the beach.

But this bag was just so adorably cheeky and me that I took the plunge.  I can frequently be found with freshly baked goods in my bag, so why not proclaim my baking/cooking addiction, loud and clear?

Do I love this tote like whoa?  Yes.  Will I be using this tote constantly?  Yes—in fact, I already brought it with me to the farmers' market last weekend and to work several days this week, and so, I guess, in that respect, the bag is a good investment.  But do I think any canvas tote bag could possibly be worth this amount of money?  Absolutely not.  Maybe time will prove me wrong, and this canvas will somehow, miraculously, be sturdier and better than any other canvas bag I own.

I guess I already have :)