Coach (purse) fans...

[cellentani]

I got my first Coach bag in 1993 - back when they had the classic leather stuff. I hate that now the prices have tripled for a garish, mostly fabric bag. The all-leather ones seem to be really heavy, so I haven''t bought any in years. I''ve been buying stuff at Marshalls and TJM, but I''m looking to get something a little nicer that I can carry all the time, maybe a LV. My DH hates the logo all over the bag, and the fact that you pay $$$ for vinyl, lol.

 

[Iowa Lizzy]

This is the bag. It''s not as "structured" as a leather Coach, but I love it. It works dressed up or with jeans. I like Kate Spade for a "firmer" (if that makes sense) leather bag. Though I don''t own a Kate Spade bag, it''s on my list.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Date: 6/30/2009 9:34:38 PM
Author: Travel Goddess
This is the bag. It''s not as ''structured'' as a leather Coach, but I love it. It works dressed up or with jeans. I like Kate Spade for a ''firmer'' (if that makes sense) leather bag. Though I don''t own a Kate Spade bag, it''s on my list.

Lovely bag, by the way. It reminds me of grape bubble-yum.

 

[princessplease]

I completely agree with you. I have not bought a bag at the Coach store since last March. I buy all of my bags at the outlet, which used to be their very traditional signature styles, however, when I went last weekend, it was the same kind of stuff as was in the stores. No offense to anyone who likes them, but I do not like their rounded ''C''s (as I call them) bags. I also haven''t been impressed with D&B as of late, either,

 

[cellentani]

Date: 6/30/2009 9:34:38 PM
Author: Travel Goddess
This is the bag. It''s not as ''structured'' as a leather Coach, but I love it. It works dressed up or with jeans. I like Kate Spade for a ''firmer'' (if that makes sense) leather bag. Though I don''t own a Kate Spade bag, it''s on my list.

Very nice bag, TG - I like it a lot. The shape and center pleat reminds me of Coach''s Madison satchel. Do you have it in that sort of eggplant color?

 

[VRBeauty]

Just two weeks or so ago I got my first "modern era" Coach bag -- a (old) signature fabric hobo with leather trim and this wonderful, wide, belting leather strap that converts from shoulder to cross-body length. I used to carry leather Coach City Bags back in the day -- as in back in the day when you could register your bag so it would be returned to you if it was ever recovered!. I like this bag because it's lighter than a similar sized leather bag would be, and that plus the wide leather strap makes it very comfortable to carry. I got it at the outlet, of course.

So when I was in Macy's last weekend I thought I'd check out the newer Coach purses, and I gotta say... I'm not liking the new san serif logo fabric at all.

I've only had this bag for two weeks, and already I'm loyal to the old design and dissin' the new one!

 

[Iowa Lizzy]

Date: 6/30/2009 10:05:32 PM
Author: cellentani

Date: 6/30/2009 9:34:38 PM

Author: Travel Goddess

This is the bag. It''s not as ''structured'' as a leather Coach, but I love it. It works dressed up or with jeans. I like Kate Spade for a ''firmer'' (if that makes sense) leather bag. Though I don''t own a Kate Spade bag, it''s on my list.

Very nice bag, TG - I like it a lot. The shape and center pleat reminds me of Coach''s Madison satchel. Do you have it in that sort of eggplant color?

Thank you! Yep, I have it in eggplant. They have in a gorgeous cream color too.

 

[OUpearlgirl]

My senior year of high school and freshman year of college (in ''05) Coach was pretty big. Most girls had either 1 or 2 bags.

I feel too old to be carrying their stuff and I''m 22.. Their new "Poppy" collection is just atrocious.

I remember growing up my mom would save up to buy a Coach bag. They were always made from the best leather and they were SOOOO beautiful. You just can''t find that from them anymore.

Someday the fad will die out and hopefully their quality will once again improve.

 

[asscherisme]

Date: 6/30/2009 6:30:21 PM
Author: loriken214

Date: 6/30/2009 5:26:20 PM
Author: snlee
I''m not loving their new stuff either. Guess they are marketing themselves towards the younger crowd.

DITTO! YUK!

Lori

I use to love Coach. Now, not so much! It makes me feel old that I don''t like it because its too trendy. I also hate straps that put the purse squarely in my armpit.

 

[Elmorton]

Yeah, I''ve been thinking the same thing about the new line. I''m a pretty loyal Coach-carrier, and honestly, there have already been one or two seasons since college where I''ve gone "BLECCCHHHH!" but usually they turn it around and go back to classics again. But to be honest, I think almost every mid-range designer does that. Those scribble-multi Dooneys were kinda ugly IMO, but now Dooney seems to have returned to the classic pebbled hobo and I love those. I think it''s just cyclical.

 

[pennquaker09]

I think a lot of people think of Coach bags as status symbols now. I guess you could put LV in that category also. Personally, I hate logos, but I can deal with the monogram canvas or the Dooney & Burke stuff, but I just can''t stand to see those Coach bags with the Cs plastered everywhere. Most of that stems from, as many of you have mentioned, little girls carrying them. It started when MTV was showing that Super 16 crap.

 

[asscherisme]

Date: 7/1/2009 12:28:18 AM
Author: Elmorton
Yeah, I''ve been thinking the same thing about the new line. I''m a pretty loyal Coach-carrier, and honestly, there have already been one or two seasons since college where I''ve gone ''BLECCCHHHH!'' but usually they turn it around and go back to classics again. But to be honest, I think almost every mid-range designer does that. Those scribble-multi Dooneys were kinda ugly IMO, but now Dooney seems to have returned to the classic pebbled hobo and I love those. I think it''s just cyclical.

I bought my first Dooney bag last year after I thought the Coaches were blech. I buy one new purse a year and like it to be classic and timeless. When I did not like the Coaches I started looking around. I also can''t believe how pricey the Coaches have gotten. The one purse a year is my splurge and to me that was a few hundred. But the prices on the Coaches are not ridiculous!!

 

[atroop711]

I usually don''t buy COACH BAGS but this past April I saw one at an fundraiser that I really liked. It had a MARC JACOBS feel to it. I bought it for only $210 ( it sold for $ 795)!!! It was the COACH LINDSAY MINERAL bag. I use it for a diaper bag, every day bag, ect. It''s so nice and big.


I still love my Marc Jacobs and Isabella Fiore bags a tad better

 

[monarch64]

Date: 7/1/2009 12:41:45 AM
Author: pennquaker09
I think a lot of people think of Coach bags as status symbols now. I guess you could put LV in that category also. Personally, I hate logos, but I can deal with the monogram canvas or the Dooney & Burke stuff, but I just can''t stand to see those Coach bags with the Cs plastered everywhere. Most of that stems from, as many of you have mentioned, little girls carrying them. It started when MTV was showing that Super 16 crap.

Omg, totally agree. I''m over the C''s. Some of their leather bags are nice, but I''m sick to death of the ubiquitous Cs.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 6/30/2009 9:34:38 PM
Author: Travel Goddess
This is the bag. It''s not as ''structured'' as a leather Coach, but I love it. It works dressed up or with jeans. I like Kate Spade for a ''firmer'' (if that makes sense) leather bag. Though I don''t own a Kate Spade bag, it''s on my list.

Love your MbMJ. I have a Luxy Faridah in chalk and absolutely love it.

 

[tlh]

I got the madison shoulder bag in black leather. IT TOOK ME FOREVER to find a bag I liked, as I''m not really diggin the new styles either.

 

[nycbkgirl]

http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=393323&CategoryID=45406

i just bought this one and i love it...but i love all blingy things..it shines in the light like no other...i havent purchased such an expensive bag in a loong time but im glad i did...i just hope it doesnt get dirty bc its light...

i also went into the coach outlet this weekend and i was like a kid in a candy store...no bag was over 200 and i bought a few things

...but

i have to agree nothing is made like it was used to!

 

[redfaerythinker]

I love coach... but I HATE the new stuff. I''m only 22 and it''s just so kid-ish looking. Garish and cheap, ya know? I have a few bags, mostly leather, that I love! But I think I might move on over to Kate Spade. All the fun, none of the tacky.

 

[Dreamgirl]

HUGE Coach lover. And I happen to agree. Their handbags are looking very VERY young as of late. Which is sad because I love the classic styles and I want them all back.

 

[Elmorton]

So, I was reading on Facebook, and Coach was advertising an anime cartoon as the "face" of Poppy - and that's when it hit me. I just read this book called Deluxe: How Luxury Lost its Luster, and one of the main points in the book is that luxury brands no longer make their product for a European/American audience. Rather, they've tapped into China, Japan, and India as the next huge market. With this in mind, I went to the Poppy website and played around. If you read some of the phrases used, you do start to see this stereotype of a more "harajuku girl" emerge. On a final page that I clicked, it said something along the lines of "You are POPPY! In your mind, your age is no greater than your shoe size!"

So...for those of us who don't like the bright color, "young" line - I think this is the explanation - these bags are being designed for shopper who has different tastes than mainstream, middle class American women...And, I have a feeling that we're going to see that Coach isn't the last company to take on that model as the American market becomes more moderately driven.

ETA: Love the new Maggie bags.

 

[stephinextremis]

Date: 7/1/2009 12:05:24 PM
Author: nycbkgirl
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=393323&CategoryID=45406


i just bought this one and i love it...but i love all blingy things..it shines in the light like no other...i havent purchased such an expensive bag in a loong time but im glad i did...i just hope it doesnt get dirty bc its light...


i also went into the coach outlet this weekend and i was like a kid in a candy store...no bag was over 200 and i bought a few things

...but


i have to agree nothing is made like it was used to!

YES! I have the Madison small hobo from this winter made in the same silvery metallic leather, and I love it It was my wedding purse. Careful, though, because it''s really easy to scuff and stain that leather...

Stephanie

 

[marcy]

I was in a Coach store yesterday and they had more fabric purses with the "c" on them than leather. I didn''t see anything I couldn''t live with out.

 

[nycbkgirl]

Date: 7/4/2009 12:13:48 AM
Author: stephinextremis

Date: 7/1/2009 12:05:24 PM
Author: nycbkgirl
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=393323&CategoryID=45406


i just bought this one and i love it...but i love all blingy things..it shines in the light like no other...i havent purchased such an expensive bag in a loong time but im glad i did...i just hope it doesnt get dirty bc its light...


i also went into the coach outlet this weekend and i was like a kid in a candy store...no bag was over 200 and i bought a few things

...but


i have to agree nothing is made like it was used to!

YES! I have the Madison small hobo from this winter made in the same silvery metallic leather, and I love it It was my wedding purse. Careful, though, because it''s really easy to scuff and stain that leather...

Stephanie

yeh i was worried about taking care of it...cleaning, scratching etc but the way it shines in the light just made me --->

 

[vespergirl]

I totally agree - I was a die-hard Coach carrier for almost 10 years, but then I switched to Kate Spade last year, where I found better materials and more classic styling. I also like some of the Dooney bags, but I also find that many of their collections are "young." I have gotten a couple of B. Makowsky and Tignanello bags lately - not as "prestige," but I really love the bags. I''ve just about given up on Coach too.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 6/30/2009 7:14:04 PM
Author: Italiahaircolor

Date: 6/30/2009 6:47:07 PM

Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl

I agree. I love Coach''s classic stuff - my favorite bag of all time is the leather Carly, because it''s roomy, lovely white leather, and classic. But I don''t spend that much money on bags that are really ''in season'' for a few months, so I''ve been a bit disappointed at what''s being offered at Coach lately too.


Oh get this, so a girl I know (from a VERY privileged family), made a comment the other day, along the lines of ''Not to sound snobby...I really like this bag, but it''s COACH.''

(uhh...she''s seen ME carrying Coach, btw.....)

Coach used to be more elite than it is now. But still, that was exceptionally rude. However, I think that people who are used to buying really pricey bags look at Coach the same way as someone who is used to carrying Coach looks at a Target brand bag...while it might be a nice purse, it''s out of their traditional comfort zone. Does that mean they should look down on it? No.


I love my Carly bag too. I have it in this awesome red with big thick brass hardware. It''s a great purse, so I can feel you on that. I think, though, that when you buy a ''black'' or ''brown'' bag in leather, it''s timeless. But that''s what''s missing from Coach now, the timelessness. They are so ''now'' that you really do have to commit to buying often to stay current, hot pink might be cool in this moment--but next summer? Who knows. I mean, can you evenfind an attractive, modern black leather purse on Coach? Sometimes I feel like the ''classics'' are outdated, like they are some of the same styles my mom bought from Coach 15 years ago for herself...seriously.

So tonight I was at a party with the same girl (it was hosted by a co-worker of ours). We''re talking about purses, because she really wants to get one of the classic Chanel quilted bags. Her boyfriend mentioned something about, "oh is that the one you don''t like because it''s so common it''s not cool?" And she said no. I asked her, out of morbid curiosity, which bag she was talking about. She said it was the LV Speedy bags - everyone has them, and it''s just sooooo common.

(sidenote: I got one as a graduation gift,

) The things that come out of her mouth.....

 

[joelly]

Date: 6/30/2009 6:47:07 PM
Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl
I agree. I love Coach''s classic stuff - my favorite bag of all time is the leather Carly, because it''s roomy, lovely white leather, and classic. But I don''t spend that much money on bags that are really ''in season'' for a few months, so I''ve been a bit disappointed at what''s being offered at Coach lately too.

Oh get this, so a girl I know (from a VERY privileged family), made a comment the other day, along the lines of ''Not to sound snobby...I really like this bag, but it''s COACH.''

(uhh...she''s seen ME carrying Coach, btw.....)

I am not from a privileged family but that would be my comment as well. I don''t like to spend $$$ on something that looks cheap.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 7/5/2009 4:29:30 PM
Author: joelly

Date: 6/30/2009 6:47:07 PM

Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl

I agree. I love Coach''s classic stuff - my favorite bag of all time is the leather Carly, because it''s roomy, lovely white leather, and classic. But I don''t spend that much money on bags that are really ''in season'' for a few months, so I''ve been a bit disappointed at what''s being offered at Coach lately too.


Oh get this, so a girl I know (from a VERY privileged family), made a comment the other day, along the lines of ''Not to sound snobby...I really like this bag, but it''s COACH.''

(uhh...she''s seen ME carrying Coach, btw.....)

I am not from a privileged family but that would be my comment as well. I don''t like to spend $$$ on something that looks cheap.

I don''t think her issue was that the bag looked cheap - I think her problem was that she actually LIKED the bag, but what was holding her back was the brand. In my mind, not the same thing. Although I''m wondering if you meant to respond to the other story I shared, about the LV? Although to a certain degree nowadays, there are knockoffs everywhere - including of newer LV bags, etc. If I bought purses based on how few of them I see around (real or fake) the city, then, well, I''d have a lot fewer purses

(of course, that might be a GOOD thing!)