I’ve been thinking about the obsession with the IT bag. The bag that feels like it is suddenly everywhere, the “Must-Have” Bag. The one everyone seems to own. Just a reminder: social media is not real life. Neither are algorithms. Not everyone has a Birkin or a Chanel Maxi. And if those are your bags, fine. If that is your style, you love it, you wear it, I’m with you. The Margaux still remains my all-around Mom Bag. I also think the Chanel Maxi Flap looks so cool and effortless especially on so many influencers. But the idea that there is a bag I am supposed to have has never been particularly compelling to me, especially when these bags are getting to or at 5 figures.

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I think my style direction became clear when I bought my vintage 70s YSL bag and earlier this year, my Tom Ford-era YSL Mombasa. Together they really capture where my style has been going.

I think what I’m looking for is 70s through a 90s lens but for today. The Mombasa technically dates to 2002, but it captures that Tom Ford interpretation of 70s sensuality and ease that I’m drawn to. It’s really that intersection of the two eras that I keep coming back to.

If you remember the 90s, you’ll remember the obsession with the 70s. I was a preteen when I got my first pair of flares and I felt like the coolest kid in school. That’s what I’m craving again, less heavy layering and weight, even though I appreciate so much of what’s happening in fashion right now. I just don’t think everything I admire is necessarily what I want to wear.

So where am I going? This is where my birthday wishlist, which may very well become a Christmas wishlist comes in.

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There was a period in the late 2010s when fashion was completely obsessed with the 70s in a maximal way. But that isn’t really the 70s I’m interested in now. I’m thinking about the 70s the way I remember encountering it as a kid in the 90s.

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I’ve been thinking about cars a lot lately. Maybe I’ve been watching too many car videos, but the more I look at them the more I realize how much cars and handbags have in common. Both can represent freedom, mobility and desire, even though one is a huge machine built around speed and engineering and the other is something you carry with you.

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There are certain fashion houses that you never really stop loving.

You might go through phases with them. You might stop paying attention for a few years. You might find yourself more interested in one creative director than another, or suddenly realize that the prices have climbed to a point where the bags no longer feel as compelling as they once did (and then they secretly do a price decrease).

But then, somehow, you find your way back.

For me, that house is YSL.

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One of the unexpected pleasures of the past year has been watching luxury fashion go through this new era.

With so many creative directors changing houses, almost every major brand feels like it is in the middle of a reset. Collections feel less like seasonal updates and more like opening chapters. New ideas are taking shape, new products are appearing, and familiar houses are trying to rediscover who they want to be.

Having followed luxury fashion for years, as a consumer and also as a content creator, I’ve found this period fascinating. But alongside that fascination has come something more personal: it’s made me reflect on how my relationship with fashion has evolved, and amid all these creative shifts, I initially began to feel strangely unhoused.

Yet I’ve started to notice there may be one brand that is peaking my interest. It doesn’t dominate headlines, it’s not Chanel, Dior, Celine, Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Loewe, Fendi, Balenciaga, Givenchy, Valentino, McQueen, Chloe, Lanvin, Tom Ford, Versace, etc. but collection after collection this brand keeps drawing me back with this new designer leading this house. It’s become the show I’m most curious to see, not in search of the next “It” bag, but for the direction of the designer’s vision.

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Image: Chloe, Hermes, Celine, Mugler, Khaite, Lanvin, Jil Sander, Tom Ford, The Row, AWAKE Mode

Interestingly, this season the most hyped debuts and sophomore collections did not make my top 10. I’ll get into why later, but despite the industry noise, there were still some truly incredible moments on the runway that deserve recognition.

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I recently did a video on Carolyn Besstte-Kennedy CBK-coded modern bags: the sleek, shoulder-hugging silhouettes for today. But here, I want to go deeper into the original 90s Prada bags you can find preloved for a fraction of current retail. Often with better materials, sharper design integrity and more cultural weight.

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There are moments in fashion that feel electrically charged, when designers weren’t optimizing for algorithms, virality, or resale charts, but for ideas. You can feel it in the cut of a jacket, the strangeness of a bag, the confidence of an accessory.

The pieces in this edit come from those moments. Late-2000s pop irreverence to the Tom Ford’s razor-sharp sensuality at YSL. These aren’t trend pieces, they’re objects that carry the creative energy of the era they were born in.

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So let’s be honest from the start: this is a wishlist, not a shopping list. I don’t expect to acquire everything here. If anything, the value for me is in naming desire, not fulfilling it.

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This is not a trend report. This is not a shopping guide. And this is definitely not a list of the best bags you should buy.

This is simply a reflection on the bags I actually used in 2025. The ones I reached for instinctively, the ones that fit into my real life, and in some cases, the ones that got a little beat up along the way.

This list has shifted from last year, and I can already tell it will change again in 2026. I’m ranking these from least-used of the most-used to the bag that truly became part of my daily or weekly routine.

10. The Phoebe Philo Drive Bag

This is one of the last bags I picked up this year, and I can already tell it’s going to have a huge presence in 2026. Right now, it’s honestly the only bag I want to wear.

I’ve worn it casually, to family gatherings, to holiday parties. It somehow works in all of those settings. There’s something so compelling about the opening of this bag. It sounds strange, but I love how it looks when it’s open. It reminds me of a clamshell, with these architectural lines that feel very intentional.

It feels like a modernized lady bag and every time I use it, I think: why didn’t I get this sooner?

9. Chanel Seasonal Elegance Bag

I don’t wear my Chanel bags nearly as often as I used to, but this one continues to draw me in. It’s a seasonal style and probably one of my favorites in my Chanel collection.

When I wear it, it feels like a nod to an older version of my style, but re-contextualized within my current wardrobe. I’ve mostly been wearing it in a pochette-style way, and anytime I’m in a “Chanel mood,” this is the bag I reach for.

Side note: Chanel resale is not particularly strong right now, which means you can find beautiful seasonal flaps for a fraction of their original price. This bag is a perfect example of that.

8. Jil Sander Goji Pillow Clutch

I picked this up in the summer, and it quickly became my go-to for low-effort outings. If I just needed my essentials and maybe a book, this was the bag.

The kiss-lock closure is something I’m endlessly drawn to, and the pillow-like shape makes it incredibly comfortable to carry. It feels relaxed, easy, and intuitive.

7. Celine 16 Bag

This is one of the most-used bags in my entire collection, not just in 2025, but of all time.

If I want to feel a little more dressed up, or just slightly more formal, this is the bag I reach for. The additional strap makes it incredibly functional for city days, and it’s surprisingly unfussy to get into.

There’s something deeply pleasing about the experience of using this bag. The curves, the way your hand follows the exterior to the interior, the ritual of opening the lock. It’s tactile, elegant, and very satisfying.

6. Celine Luggage Tote

This bag got a lot of use this year. Anytime I needed something bigger, this was my workhorse.

It also sustained some very real damage, courtesy of a fellow airplane passenger. But this is the bag I’m least precious about. If there’s one bag in my collection that leans Jane Birkin / MK energy, it’s this one.

When I’m carrying more, traveling, or juggling life, I don’t want to baby a bag. This one can take it.

5. Hermès JPG Shoulder Birkin

I’ve talked about this bag many times, but it deserves its place here. I don’t use it as a day bag. It’s heavy, east-west, and more likely to bump into things.

For me, this is an overnighter or weekender bag. It’s perfect for visiting family, holidays, or short trips where I just need my essentials.

I probably use it at least once a month, and when I do, it works exactly as intended: point A to point B.

4. Celine Eyelet Pouch

One of my favorite bags, full stop.

The shape, the slouch, the drape, the kiss-lock closure, the side pockets, the versatility of wearing it as a pouch or with a strap, it all just works.

I’ve worn this bag to hockey games, public transit, to comedy shows, to dinner. It transitions effortlessly from day to night, and I never get tired of using it.

3. The Row 11 Nylon Backpack

This might not be a traditional “handbag,” but it earns its spot here.

This is my go-to bag when I’m out with my child on soccer fields, judo class, swimming lessons. It’s lightweight, nylon, carefree, and very much aligned with my style.

There’s a phase of life where things get a little messier and more active, and this bag supports that reality perfectly.

2. The Row Margaux

Unsurprising to anyone who’s followed me for a while.

I wear this constantly. While I prefer it carried by the top handle, the additional strap is a game changer, especially when I need full use of my hands.

The leather has developed a beautiful patina over time. This bag has been with me from when my child was two to now nearly five. It’s a true workhorse.

1. The Row 90s Bag

This will come as no surprise.

This is the bag I transfer between bags. It holds my phone, keys, card pouch, lipstick, sunglasses & compact. It’s the ultimate grab-and-go piece.

When you have larger bags in rotation, having a small, simple bag like this makes life easier. It’s easily the most worn bag in my collection and one I can’t imagine not having

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End of December always feels like a natural pause. A moment to take stock of what came in, what stayed, and what shaped my taste over the past year. This isn’t about excess or haul culture, but about the few things I chose deliberately and the ideas that lingered alongside them. Consider this a small edit of December additions and the inspirations that have been informing how I think about style, objects, and intention as the year comes to a close.

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French Silver as Design History:

Puiforcat: Modernist silver at its most intellectual. Famous for Art Deco and UAM-era designs by Jean Puiforcat. Now owned by Hermès.

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Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy
Beller’s biography humanizes Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, presenting her as intelligent, stylish, and poised under intense public scrutiny. It situates her within the 1990s cultural moment of fashion celebrity and paparazzi culture. The book celebrates her as a fully realized person whose influence on style and media perception endures.

In Praise of Shadows
Tanizaki’s essay is a poetic meditation on Japanese aesthetics, valuing shadow, subtlety, and imperfection over Western brightness and gloss. It explores architecture, craft, and daily life, showing how perception and atmosphere shape experience. The work celebrates nuanced sensory engagement and cultural difference without hierarchy.

Charlotte Perriand: The Modern Life
This retrospective celebrates Perriand as a pioneering modernist who designed for lived experience rather than abstract systems. She integrated furniture, interiors, and architecture into a total “art of living,” often overshadowed by Le Corbusier’s name. The book emphasizes her adaptability, comfort, and human-centred design, correcting historical misattributions of her furniture innovations.

Meret Oppenheim: My Exhibition
First conceived by Meret Oppenheim in 1975 as an exhibition, this book documents that project and, more importantly, preserves Oppenheim’s own intellectual framing of her work, rather than a posthumous or curatorial reinterpretation. It presents her as complex, contradictory, and intellectually rigorous, insisting she be read on her own terms.

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The Row Sally. Just released and I have a feeling this is going to be one of the most in demand bags from the Row for 2026.

Chanel Lip Liner. I love that this is dual‑sided, with a built‑in brush for extra precision. It feels very old‑school Chanel beauty. Considered, controlled, and meant to be used properly.

Lalique Decorative Bowl. Something about the organic radial leaves feels both decorative and architectural. The kind of object that elevates a surface instantly.

Nuxe Oil. A convenient, truly multi‑purpose oil for the cold months. Hair, skin, cuticles. It’s one of those products that earns its place by being useful rather than performative.

Khaite Bag. This bag feels like an Eileen Gray interior translated today. Strong lines, restraint, and a sense of permanence.

Khaite Empire Earrings. I love the asymmetry of these. Expressive in a subtle way.

Chanel Eyelash Curler. I never understood the appeal of high‑end eyelash curlers until I bought this one. I can’t be bothered with mascara most days, but this gives that lifted, awake look instantly. It just works.

Mid-Century French Decanter. For when you have a multitude of liquids in your life. Water, oil, vinegar. Practical and beautiful. The kind of object that improves daily rituals.

Celine Boots. I love this silhouette. The buckle adds just a touch of western but keeping it still ultra sleek.

Bixby Console. An unlikely table entrance. Architectural, slightly unexpected, and exactly the kind of piece that changes how a room is used rather than just how it looks.

Chanel Eyeliner Pod. One of the rare Chanel beauty products that actually goes a long way gram‑wise. Minimal packaging, serious payoff, and very much aligned with a less‑but‑better beauty philosophy.

Bomber Jacket. It’s all about proportion here. The kind of jacket you reach for without thinking.

Phoebe Philo. Pure attitude. They bring a sense of unmistakably Phoebe.

Hermes Ring. An heirloom-worthy piece of Hermes history.

Chanel Le Lion. This was the first fragrance I truly fell in love with because I realized how fragrances can in their own way tell a story.

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1. The Banff Bag

I’m calling this my Banff bag because it’s unbranded. Born out of that familiar travel impulse where the scenery feels transformative and suddenly you convince yourself you’re someone who wears anything vaguely “Western.”

Spoiler: I am not that person.

I bought it because I felt like I needed a souvenir from the moment. But the bigger reminder was this: I don’t need to buy something just because I’m away from home and feeling romantic.

Still, I’m glad I tried the trend pre-loved for $38 CAD instead of committing to some higher ticketed dupe with faux fur. Don’t they say it’s better to have loved and lost than never loved at all? This bag is my proof.

2. The Row 11 Backpack

My “soccer mom” bag in the most grounding way possible. Unlike the Banff bag, this one was purpose first. I have decided my bags from The Row are my Mom-Specific occasion bags and some of my most used. Each fills a very specific, non-negotiable role in my life. When a bag earns its place through utility but looks chic, it stays.

90s: Daily Catchall

Margaux: Everyday

Sofia: Semi-formal occasions. ie parent-teacher interview, end-of-class presentations, family dinners

11 Backpack: “Soccer Mom” Bag & Outdoor Activities Bag

3. Jil Sander Backpack

A lesson disguised as a purchase.
This was a fail. I always opted for my 11 Backpack. So it’s going.

What I’ve learned: with mom bags, there’s no rotation. It’s one-and-done. You either do the job perfectly or you’re out.

4. The Goji

This one entered my orbit thanks to Lela Sophia — YouTuber, Substack voice, and genuinely one of the most authentic emerging jewelry designers to know.

I had tried to make another shearling Goji work but this is the one.

5. Céline Tie Knot Bag

One of my softest spots.
I could see myself owning another one because it hits that perfect balance of being under the radar but unmistakably Old Céline. It has that Phoebe-era energy: sculptural and purposeful.

6–7. Céline Luggage Tote

A bag that defined 2025 and is going to stay with me through 2026.
Part of that is thanks to Michael Rider, who reminded me how enduring this style is and just needed to be brought back.

8. Hermès Vinyl Kelly

This is the year I finally admitted it: I am not a basket or raffia bag girl. I love the fantasy. Jane Birkin in the South of France, the perfect woven market tote, but the reality never feels right on me. Maybe because Canadian summers are so short.

The Vinyl Kelly, became my summer stand-in. Still unsure if it’s a forever piece, but it was especially fun to hunt one of these down. I also have to thank my series on Handbag History. Check out my 1996 Video.

9. OLD Céline Roll-Up Trio Clutch

A Paris pre-loved moment.
One of those finds that feels like it belongs specifically to the trip it came from. I had wanted a trio as well as a JS Roll Up Bag. This was the perfect combination.

10. The Drive Bag

This is the one.
That signature bag.

Closing Thoughts

This year reminded me that my style isn’t singular. It’s made up of many sides, many moods, and many versions of myself coexisting at once. And unsurprisingly 2025 ended up being a very Phoebe Philo and Old Céline year. But it was also a year of letting go. A year where I learned to release the pieces that no longer served me, even if they once did. I made space literally and stylistically. In my next post, I’ll share exactly what I decluttered from my closet… and why.

1. The Phoebe Philo Sale

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Every year I’ve loved putting together gift guides on my YouTube channel, but this year I wanted to shift my personal focus to Substack. While my channel stays centered on general handbags and fashion, here I want to explore a wider range of thoughtful, stylish, and sometimes different topics. And this week will be a gift guide ranging from $15-$600ish.…

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I don’t know if I have it in me to commit to this on a weekly basis, or even monthly, but I’m going to try. Consider this the start of The MR Edit or the Mary’s Room Edit: a space where I go through recent favs or fixations. Think of it as an ode to old-school YouTube Monthly Favorites. A mix of what I’m into right now or what’s living on my mental wishlist. And importantly, most of these are pieces you can find second-hand. I don’t want this to become a place for overconsumption. Just a reflection of my personal style universe in the moment. So here’s what’s been on my mind recently.

1. A Longer Tuxedo Coat

I’ve been reaching for my Old Céline by Phoebe Philo tuxedo coat, one of my favorite outerwear pieces ever.

Of course I think YSL Le Smoking Jacket, but something about a coat, a longer silhouette that suits my current style. Unsurprisingly, Ashley Olsen seems to share the obsession recently wearing the Erdene coat to the CFDAs (also spotted on Jennifer Lawrence, Elle Fanning and Ariana Grande). It sold out before I even had the chance to contemplate it. Honestly, my Old Céline one feels definitive for me.

Timeless, sharp, unfussy and everything I want in a coat.

2. The Charlotte Perriand Silver Ball Necklace

I’ve been scouring the second-hand market for something like Charlotte Perriand’s silver ball necklace. For me this is the perfect alternative to pearls.

Pearls are beautiful, but unless they’re irregular or organic, they can veer too prim for me. I need them worn against something modern for traditional pearls to work. The Silver Ball necklace, though, that’s design philosophy as jewelry. It’s so elemental.

Tiffany makes a version for a small fortune, but this is not something I want to buy new. I want to find something second-hand.

3. “Men’s” Fragrance for Women

I’m fully committed to wearing men’s fragrances. From Tom Ford or Hermès’ traditionally “masculine” scent profiles.

Today I wore Cologne Française, which is feels icy in the cold weather and sharply fizzy. It was technically designed to be masculine-feminine collection from Celine, but I love leaning into the more traditionally masculine side of it.

4. An Un-Done, Imperfect Bow

I know for some time the hyperfeminine bows have been trending. I had that era already in the late aughts.

I’m talking about an Old Céline SS-FW 2010 kind of bow: flowing, dramatic, slightly imperfect, the kind you can be untied. I’ve been fantasizing about getting one of those dresses. I like to buy one special dress every year, and this might be the one if I can find it in my size.

I talked about the popularity of bows on bags recently, but something about the recent bows feel too perfect and flat. I like a gestural or even untied bow.

5. Hedi Slimane Coats & Jackets… But for Her

Of course Hedi has his legions of menswear guys that follow wherever he goes. But as a woman, in an unlikley way (and maybe to the opposition of the Philo-philes) I love his fashion, but especially his jackets and coats, as a woman.

They are light but full of ornate sartorial details. They never feel weighed down or literal. Most “men’s” coats look and feel like men’s coats on me but somehow the Hedi-coats are the balance I am looking for. And I keep thinking about those photos of Shalom Harlow in Dior Homme in the 2000s.

I also adore his womenswear jackets.

6. Re-Styling Bags

This is minor, but impactful. I’ve been wanting an East-West top-handle bag for ages. I love the new Celine Pochette Triomphe bag.

But instead of buying something new, I took one of my Chanel flaps and tied the strap internally. Voilà: a totally different silhouette. Not the same, of course, but sometimes styling tricks give you the feeling you’re craving.

It’s a reminder that we often already own the solution. I do still love the Celine one though.

7. Gold Animal Hardware Accents

After doing my full Michael Rider New Celine review, I kept thinking about that boatneck sweater with the gold Triomphe turtle buttons and the elephant charm.

The hardware feels like the perfect balance of whimsy and chic. Certain bag charms are not my vibe, but a gold charm? Absolutely. Hermès does this perfectly with their Cadenas.

As a mom, anything that delights my four-year-old gets bonus points.

8. NUXE Oil

I finally picked this up (embarrassingly late to the party) and I get it now. It took me a trip to French Pharmacy to get onboard. A multipurpose, effortless, softening, lightly scented (would prefer non-scented but it’s fine), completely unfussy.

One of those “throw it in the basket and never regret it” products.

9. Fashion & Interiors Book

A book that I picked up in Paris at the Alaia Bookstore.

10. Skinny Pants / Leggings

I know. Controversial. Or maybe it’s no longer controversial.

In the colder months, a skinny pant or legging is my preference. Today I even put on these, a fashion faux pas to some, but they felt right with the outfit. I tried wide pants first. No. A flare? Maybe. But I wanted the skinnies today.

Sade proves they’re eternal, so I’m following her lead.