I know the world is full of beautiful and alluring accessories. But I am hands down a "bag" person. It is the first thing I notice in every single WIW. It is only after I have examined the bag from every conceivable angle that I remember that there are other aspects of the outfit. Then I back out and review the outfit in relation to the bag.

I can't help myself. I can't leave a retail store without going through their purse section and touching every single purse. I lovingly open them. I lovingly close them. I am intimately familiar with every purse that Nordstroms and Belks sell.

So it is no wonder that Katerina's bag collection knocked me on my heels. I had most of January to contemplate her bag collection in terms of its astonishing beauty. Since I have handled so many bags over the years, I could actually "feel" the leather of her bags when I was looking at the WIWs.

In an effort to remember that I have to live my real life and not my imaginary life, I reflected on each of Katerina's bags in terms of my lifestyle (i.e., suitability for my work place, coordination with my wardrobe, and perceived weight).

It was hard for me to admit that her bag collection was my ideal collection for my former work place. Her bag collection is what I would have chosen for myself a decade ago.

But time marches on. I changed jobs. The change in job resulted in a major shift in work place culture. Where once I might have dressed like Katerina (without the flair, of course), I now dress casually.

Leather totes replaced my gorgeous leather briefcases and large satchels.

It made sense. After all, totes are very utilitarian. They fit the work culture better. It was all good.

Then one day, those same leather totes just felt so heavy. My shoulder actually hurt. But give up leather!? Absolutely not. That would never happen. Never in a million years.

I experimented with nylon. Eww...

I came to like the nylon. But hanging a tote off my shoulder for a full day (even nylon) still inflicted pain. I experimented with a nylon backpack "for travel only."

I came to adore the backpack. Lightweight. Weight distributed across both shoulders. That was nice. It doesn't ft a computer or files, but I have managed those items in other ways.

Reviewing all of Katerina's WIWs reminded me of how much has changed over the course of a single decade. If someone told me I would be buying nylon backpacks, I would have laughed. I am still not sure what I think about this transition, but it is what it is.

So to Katerina. I enjoyed the walk down memory lane. I am glad I am at a place in my style journey that I can appreciate your bags for their beauty and not feel the need to own them.

I will still be driving to Nordstroms soon to touch every single one of their purses. I will likely leave them there though.

Thank you for participating in the Challenge. It was a treat for me.