Obtaining a Michael Kors Santorini Tote

It’s super trendy this summer.  It’s large enough to tote all my essentials.  It’s fashion forward enough to go from the beach to the city streets.  What is it?  It’s the MICHAEL Michael Kors Santorini tote!

My MICHAEL Michael Kors Santorini Tote

Indulge me for a minute while I tell the tale of how a straw bag came into my life.  Yes, a straw bag.

The story begins with a Michael Kors ad on page 93 of the April issue of Lucky magazine.  A standout straw bag in the backdrop of this ad ignited my desire for the MICHAEL Michael Kors Santorini tote.  There was something special about the natural woven texture, the leather handles, and the golden hardware.  But, $298 for a straw bag?

Do I need a new bag?  Can you even wear a straw bag when you’re not on the beach?  Would I get much mileage out of this bag?  Unsatisfied with my answers to these questions, I tried to forget the Santorini tote.

A month later, what arrives?  The Nordstrom half-yearly sale ads featuring the Santorini tote! Was this a sign?

Santorini bag in Nordstrom ad.

Still priced too high, I tried to forget the tote again.  But, when I saw a photo of Courtney Cox on the set of Cougar Town  carrying the Santorini tote, I was further convinced that this bag had to join my collection.

Courtney Cox holding a Santorini tote. Photo from Celebrity Fashion

Seeing the bag in multiple contexts helped me solidify my interest in it and imagine possibilities for how I would wear it with different outfits.   By the time I discovered the bag in Marshalls, it was already quite familiar to me.  Of course, as usual, I took my customary maven rituals of thinking through the varying possibilities before making the final purchase.

Santorini totes in my local Marshalls