1) Furla Metropolis Mini Crossbody - $405 CAD
I have been encountering this mini bag all over social media though it doesn't seem to be a very well known brand.  This bag has been compared to the Chanel Square Mini Bag due to their similar dimensions and flap, however, in my opinion, other than those two factors, I find the Furla bag to be fairly different from the Chanel bag.  The leather, clasp, chain, and colours all differ between the two, thus making the Furla bag unique on its own and not simply a "'dupe" of the Chanel.

There's many things about this bag that I absolutely love.  I find the size and style to be quite classic yet chic and can be dressed up or down for either day or night time wear.  I also love how this bag comes in so many colours and prints, and how it uses a beautiful light gold hardware.

Note: Canadians cannot purchase from Furla's online store, will need to go through Saks, Nordstrom etc.

Purchase and read more on the Furla Metropolis Mini Bag HERE

2) Michael Kors Selma Crossbody (Medium) - $278 CAD
I don't have the Medium Selma, but I do have the Mini one and let me tell you, it's a workhorse.  I have had it for almost 5 years now and have worn it continuously, non-stop and it is still in almost perfect condition, thanks significantly to the Saffiano leather and its structured style.  The leather is so easy to clean and quite thick, so it holds up very well.  The structured style ensures that the bag never loses its shape.  The overall style of the bag is very classic and minimalist, which makes the bag easy to pair with any outfit and for any occasion, even a decade from today.  The strap is also adjustable but only by a couple of inches, however, you can  remove the straps and clip in your own if you prefer. 

My Mini Selma can comfortably fit my iPhone 6, bulky keys, a small wallet, a coin purse, earphones, a couple lipsticks, and with room to spare.  Click HERE to read my full review of the Mini Selma Crossbody bag.

Purchase and read more on the Michael Kors Selma Crossbody HERE

3) Rebecca Minkoff Love Crossbody (Medium) - $405 CAD
This is a beautiful bag that resembles the popular, but oh so pricey, Chanel Boy Bag (which is over $6,000 CAD for the medium!). I recently purchased this bag and I find that it's very well made, of great quality, comes in a variety of colours and fabrics, and can fit quite a lot of things.  I can easily fit an iPad Mini, iPhone 6, a card holder, a longer wallet, my bulky keys, and a catchall, with some room to spare.  The chain is a bit heavy but it is sturdy and well made, and there is a magnetic pocket at the back of the bag which is super convenient for items that you use often.

The only thing is that I would recommend avoiding the "nubuck" leather as it can be difficult to clean, especially if you get a lighter coloured bag like I did.  The "nubuck" leather however, feels luxurious and looks amazing but if you're like me and you're not someone who likes to baby their bags, I would avoid going for the nubuck leather in a light colour.  But if you don't mind taking the extra steps to really take care of your bag, then go for it!

Purchase the Rebecca Minkoff Love Crossbody and find more styles HERE

4) Coach Parker -$425 CAD
Is anyone else loving the direction that Coach is taking these days?  Their new products are unique but wearable and they kind of have a retro/vintage flair, which makes them stand out from other contemporary designers.  Coach has also brought back their "signature monogram" but in a sophisticated manner which I actually think looks pretty nice, as opposed to how the print was used in the 2000s.  The Coach Parker is one of the bags that has adorned the "signature monogram" very tastefully, however, you can also find it in a variety of other colours without the monogram: from lilac, to colour blocks, to black with studs, to tea rose embellishments.  I personally also love the tea rose clasp that comes with some of the Parkers - I find it so feminine and unique.  If you don't like the tea rose clasp, fear not, the clasp on most other Parkers are a simple "C" turnlock.

This bag is also a convertible bag, similar to Rebecca Minkoff's Love Crossbody and Tory Burch's Fleming (see below) where you can change the length of the shoulder strap from a shoulder bag to a longer crossbody.

Purchase the Coach Parker Bag and find more styles HERE

5) Tory Burch Fleming Convertible (Small) - $630 CAD

This bag also takes its inspiration from another famous Chanel bag - the Classic Flap.  Although you can see the similarities between the two, I find that the Tory Burch Fleming bag has a number of features that differentiates itself from the Chanel, for example, the tassel, the leather's print and texture, the shape of the flap itself etc.  I don't have this bag, but having seen it in real life, it is beautiful and the leather is smooth and of good quality.  The great thing about this bag is that it is "convertible" so that the length of the strap can be changed into a shoulder bag or a longer cross body.

Purchase the Tory Burch Fleming Bag HERE

Leave a comment below on which bag is your favourite or if you know of any other bags that are stylish but affordable!

I have been searching high and low for an opaque baby pink that is elegant and classy, and not too bubblegum pop which I think I've finally found with Essie's Minimalistic.

Two coats of Essie Minimalistic nail polish

Colour

Essie's Minimalistic is a beautiful, creamy baby pink that isn't too bright but also not too pale.  I find that it's just on the cusp of venturing into Baby Spice territory if it were a bit more bright or a bit more red/purple, but the polish manages to reel itself back and maintain a professional yet still girly and cute colour.

Opaqueness 

The first coat, like many of Essie's pinks, is rather sheer and streaky, however, on the second coat, it becomes 90% opaque with some areas still showing the nail due to streakiness.  I would recommend three coats if you want complete opaqueness.

Two coats of Essie Minimalistic nail polish

Formula and Finish

I had a bit of trouble with the formula unfortunately - or perhaps it's just my application technique.  The first coat goes on nicely, and the second coat can be hit or miss.  I found that the second coat can glide on to the nail easily - no streaks, no goopiness, and perfectly even or it can be a streaky mess with the polish drying too quickly and going on too thick to fix.  This is definitely a polish where a larger brush would help fix some of these issues.

Two coats of Essie Minimalistic nail polish

Additionally, I had a big problem with air bubbles with this polish - this is the first nail polish from any brand where I've encountered such a big problem with air bubbles.  After drying, the majority of my nails had dozens of minuscule bumps embedded under the polish which drove me crazy.  I redid my nails a couple times to try and get rid of the air bubbles and found that it was important to not shake the bottle, even a tiny bit, before applying.  If you did, you should let the polish sit for at least 10 minutes after shaking.  The one or two nails that dried smoothly had a nice finish but I found could be tad bit more shiny/glossy, but that's mostly just me nitpicking.  However, once I applied a top coat, the bumps went away and became nice, smooth and shiny.

Two coats of Essie's Minimalistic nail polish

Summary

Overall, I absolutely adore the colour - I like it a lot more than Essie's Fiji and it is a good change from when I want to get away from sheer pinks but still want something that can work in a professional environment.  However, the formula and finish for this polish requires a bit of work to get the polish on smoothly, consistently, and opaque.  Since I do like the colour so much, and the air bubbles issue goes away with a top coat, I would likely continue to use this polish and perhaps even repurchase.

Pants purchased from Dynamite Clothing, find similar styles Here and Here | Cami Tank Top, find similar styles Here and Here

I love wearing light, flowy clothing especially during the summer.  However, flowy clothes may sometimes lack form.  A great way to deal with this is to add a belt or to tuck in your shirt, that way, it cinches around your waste, creating an hourglass shape.

• Pants from Dynamite Clothing, similar styles Here and Here
• Cami Tank Top, similar styles Here and Here

Michael Kors Selma Mini Crossbody Bag with a Laduree Keychain as a bag charm

The bag comes with gold hardware which are good quality - despite years of daily use, the hardware hasn't faded at all and is still a beautiful bright gold.  The zipper still works perfectly and smoothly; however, once in a while (though very rarely), the clips that attach the bag to its strap sometimes opens by itself or rather easily, but this is a very minor complaint. 

I paired the bag with an adorable Laduree Keychain that features three mini macarons, a small golden Eiffel Tower, a mini puff ball, and a bow.  The gold hardware and colour scheme ofthe keychain fits nicely with that of the bag. 

The bag easily fits an LV coin purse, large set of keys, a couple lip products, and my phone (not shown)

The strap is adjustable, and based on my height (5'5), I am able to wear the bag at as low as just above my knees or as high just past my butt (the shortest and longest settings aren't really too far a part).  I usually wear my bag at it's longest setting.  The bag can surprisingly fit a lot of stuff.  I can fit my LV coin purse, another small coin purse, iPhone 6s, a set of keys, several lip products, and still have some room.  There is also small cardholder pockets inside the bag itself but I rarely use them.

Here is the bag, worn on it's longest strap setting.

Overall, I feel like this is a great, versatile bag.  I wear this to work, to do errands, to parties, for date nights etc.  It's easy to dress up or down since the style is very classic.  The bag is also very light and as mentioned, can hold a surprisingly large amount of items for its size.  Also, since it's a zipper closure, it's very easy to quickly grab something from your bag or to put it away.

Here's the bag in action!  This is the bag in it's shortest strap setting

I would definitely recommend this bag if you're looking for a simple, sturdy, long lasting crossbody bag that can easily go with any outfit and for any occasion!

You can purchase the Selma Mini Crossbody HERE, and the Laduree Keychain HERE