I haven't made a handbag purchase in over two years. I don't plan on buying one until I can afford my dream bag...a white Goyard GM Saint Louis tote.

It may seem strange for someone who cuts out all the labels in her clothing to covet a bag with monograms. It may also seem strange to be willing to drop a significant amount of cash on a very plain bag.

But I want it.

Goyard is one of the most venerable French malleliers, older than Louis Vuitton, and has occupied the same address, 233 Rue de Honore, at the Place Vendome near the Ritz in Paris since forever. Even though the monogram pattern is original to the 1850s, it satisfies my strange sixties retro-glam obsession and the simple stlying of the Saint Louis tote, a revamp of the 1960s pattern, makes it both lightweight enough for everyday use and perfect for my wash-and-wear, scooter-friendly beach attire. I've always wanted a Goyard, but for years I couldn't decide on a color. The Saint Louis comes in ten powerful colors like burgundy, hunter, goldenrod, navy, and none of them ever made sense to me.

Goyard does not allow any of their bags to be sold online. And until recently, they weren't available on the West Coast. Now they have a boutique at Union Square in San Francisco and they are sold at Barney's and Neiman's in California. When they made the jump to California, they decided to add one color, exclusive to the state, to the palette...white. When I discovered the white bag with the light grey monogram, the final gear clicked into play and I fell in lust and have been on handbag hiatus until my 30th birthday when I can justify purchasing a luxury item.