Nice handbag rec | Imamother

emma07

Sat, Nov 14 2020, 10:08 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Thank you for all the links and recommendations. I am amazed at the range of prices. BH I can well afford a more expensive bag but do not like to spend ostentatiously . I would be mortified to use a $1000 bag. I find it gaudy and unrefined and needy of others approval... to those that do, do what floats your boat but for me I would like to keep things conservative ( the same way I x display my silver or drive a new model car each year...)
To each her own 😉

[quote]just because someone likes mores expensive thing doesn’t makes them unrefined.. I am sorry but you are not a better person by not want to wear them.. I myself don’t care much for the cheaper bag brands does that makes me a show of person ?? I both shop at Zara and h&m and and at high and store .. you are showing I am hollier then you attitude.. I personally can’t stand people like that!

Fox

Sat, Nov 14 2020, 7:28 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Dial down the judgment a little. I know a ton about luxury handbags and have at least one handbag worth $1K.

But I would never pay more than $250 for a shaitel. I do have sterling flatware, but who displays that? And my car? The less said, the better.

It's not intrinsically wrong to spend a lot of money on something you love. There are a few requirements, though:

First of all, anything you're spending a lot on should have value. I expect my handbags to last for 30 years or more of near-daily use. I also expect them to retain their value in the event that I want to resell them. So I don't just buy any old $1K handbag. I'm very careful.

Secondly, you have to obviously stay within your budget. However, part of the reason I can budget $1K for a handbag is because I spend less on shaitels, cars, etc. I've been married for 35 years, and we've taken one trip that could be considered a vacation -- for 2 days.

Finally, a luxury possession has to fit in somewhat with your lifestyle. For example, my socio-economic status is such that a $1K handbag isn't crazy, but a $25K Hermes Birkin would be ostentatious (actually, everyone would just assume it's fake).
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In short, a budget of $100-$200 for a good handbag is perfectly reasonable. But that doesn't mean a higher or lower budget is inappropriate. Nor does it mean that people who spend more are somehow morally deficient and those who spend less are cheapskates. For some people, a luxury handbag is a big deal. For others, a human hair shaitel is a big deal. Yet others prefer to put their money in a vacation every year.

As long as these priorities don't reach the point where you can't be happy without them or where everything must be "the best," then you should enjoy whatever is most important to you.

amother

Rose

Sat, Nov 14 2020, 7:38 pm

Fox wrote:

Fox, I wanted to mention that you would be the perfect person to make a suggestion but I thought from the other thread that you were busy with your husband and wouldn’t have a head for this. Now I’m remembering that you once wrote about a time you were in the hospital and a new handbag made you so happy and was the perfect gift!
Anyway, I am happy you piped in but can you please at least offer a suggestion?? Please?

Fox

Sat, Nov 14 2020, 8:45 pm

amother [ Rose ] wrote:

Because of Covid, my husband can't have any visitors, so I'm just cooling my heels at home!

However, this is why I should probably be confined to Politics threads. Let me loose in other categories and the opinions will never end!

A funny story: I'm active on another chat where the owner is known as a big LV aficianado. Within weeks of arriving, I had established my bona fides regarding handbags, and now all handbag questions are referred to me. Like it's my job or something. Someone will @ the owner about a bag and the response will be "Ask Fox. She answers my handbag questions."

I have a great fear that at a 120, my levaya will be packed with people recalling my handbag advice and the shiva house will turn into a handbag show.
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Okay, now for my usual handbag lecture. Those who have taken this course before are excused.

The trifecta of luxury handbags is composed of Hermes, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton. These are (or can be) investment bags. They are painstakingly made and are designed to hold up for decades. I got my first Louis Vuitton bag in 1981 and wore it almost every day until 2008.

Yes, they're pricey. I collect LV bags only for a bunch of reasons, but I buy them only on the secondary market through resellers I trust. I like nice, rich ladies to warm them up for me.

Even used, none of these bags are in the $200 range.

So here are my thoughts on popular brands/designers, both good and bad:

Coach bags are always good. I'm not a fan of the giant "C" canvas (I also don't wear the LV monogram bags), but their leather bags are excellent and classic. If you want to be exceptionally clever, buy a Coach classic bag on eBay and have it restored at a leather shop or a Coach outlet. People will think you inherited it.

Kate Spade does nice classic bags. Be sure to get leather (as opposed to canvas or other materials).

Zac Posen bags are highly underrated, IMHO. I love the ones with the hinge closures. They're not too fussy and have a clean, classic look that will never go out of style.

Rebecca Minkoff bags are also a nice, solid, classic bags. For some reason, handbag mavens don't like them, but I think many of them are lovely.

Michael Kors: RUN -- do not walk -- away from these bags. Kors has nothing to do with them; they're produced in the same Chinese factories where Target bags are produced. In fact, Target probably has better designers.

Staud has some nice things -- a little more trendy, but not so much as to make them one-season bags.

Brahmin Handbags are a brand that I'm really loving. An Imamother first got me interested in them, and I've been checking them out regularly ever since. Lots of great classic designs and high-quality craftsmanship.

Mansur Gavriel is in this price range on the secondary market. This brand is highly regarded in handbag circles and is extremely high-quality. It's the kind of brand that will impress people who really know handbags without knocking everybody else in the face.
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Hope this helps the OP as well as all the handbag lurkers!

allthingsblue

Sat, Nov 14 2020, 8:49 pm

Fox wrote:

Was the Brahmin imamother me? Wink

I am loving my Brahmin bag. It looks and feels so luxurious. I have a bold, unique color but they also have classic looks.

cnc

Sat, Nov 14 2020, 8:52 pm

Fox wrote:

I’ve take your course before but I’ll repeat it any time it’s offered.

emma07

Sat, Nov 14 2020, 8:57 pm

I own many high end designer bags... and although I agree it’s a investment to make for Chanel and Hermès etc... I don’t think Louis Vuitton is so muck as a investment anymore

Fox wrote:

[quote]

Fox

Sat, Nov 14 2020, 9:05 pm

emma07 wrote:

I own many high end designer bags... and although I agree it’s a investment to make for Chanel and Hermès etc... I don’t think Louis Vuitton is so much as a investment anymore

My experience is that it depends a lot on the bag. I avoid the LV monogram bags -- too many fakes out there. I only collect the Epi finish.

I like Chanel bags in theory, but they require a lot of tender loving care -- even the caviar finish, which is supposed to be a bit more sturdy.

Of course, Hermes is considered the gold standard these days, but even if I had the money, I can't see having a Birkin or a Kelly. Undoing all those straps in line at the grocery store? Not so practical.

What are your recommendations these days, either aesthetically or as investments?

Fox

Sat, Nov 14 2020, 9:10 pm

I'll just reiterate that I highly recommend buying bags on the secondary market. I usually use The Real Real, though there are other reputable sites, as well. I don't recommend eBay or Poshmark unless you're able to authenticate your bag indpendently before purchase.

I've have excellent experiences buying used bags. There are a lot of people who are wealthy enough to buy the latest thing but not quite wealthy enough -- or just don't have the space -- to keep stuff they don't use regularly. So it's quite possible to maximize your budget and get a pricier handbag than you'd otherwise be able to afford.

One of my bags was purchased a few years ago for about $500 -- the secondary market price now hovers around $950. My father commented, "Maybe I should get out of the stock market and just buy handbags."

amother

Ecru

Sun, Nov 15 2020, 1:13 am

Fox wrote:

I just purchased a Mansur Gavriel bucket bag! I’m new to the brand. I absolutely love it.