Find your diamond
Find your jewelry
shape
carat
color
clarity

Does anyone else not "get" designer purses/handbags?

beaujolais

beaujolais

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 4, 2007
Messages
2,220
Just wondering (and probably from Dancing Fire's thread) -

Does anyone else not "get" designer purses/handbags?

Now, I'm not knocking them and am open to ideas - that is why I'm asking. But, I don't understand the appeal of designer purses at all. My few daily use purses are L.L. Bean and then I have a few dressy ones for occasions. This works great and doesn't cost a ton of money.

Honestly, I'd never want to own a Coach (sorry). The brand sort of creeps me, as does Tiffanys. (Sonoma is now hiding under the bed as I know Coach and all has a big following so I bet I just pissed some people off. Apologies.)

Of course, I'll spend money on jewelry but I do try to buy good values. I could care less about the brand of purse I carry & what people think about it, as long as it works well & looks decent. Now, I like good clothes and am not so much opposed to status brands if there is a better fit & quality that goes with it. But, I think that it is different for something you carry around (purses) which don't have to do much, which eliminates fit & drape & all those clothing issues.
 
I hear ya. Don't get it. At all.

I have a love-hate with purses. No matter how much money I do or don't spend, no matter how small or large, no matter my resolve to not carry too much, I DO carry too much, and EVERY purse ends up eating or hiding stuff from me, and cackling quietly at my frantic attempts to find stuff in the inky depths. Purse shopping is NOT fun for me. Something is wrong with ALL of them, even the ones I think are pretty.

And I don't get how anyone can purse swap on a regular basis. What a thrash. Whenever I do that, I end up forgetting the ONE thing I needed most - the RED lipstick, or my debit card or...you get the idea.

There is only one brand of purse I crave as something of an artwork - I've wanted one for years now - I really should just break down and buy the daggum thing. Every Christmas I get money from my FIL, and every time I spend it on something else - something lovely - but something else. Perhaps this year will see me finally pull the trigger.

Anything by these guys...
http://oberondesign.com/oberon-accessories-29/handbags.html
 
I buy my purses based on whether I like it or not....doesn't matter if it's a brand or not. That said, I refuse to buy a purse that has the designer's name/logo plastered all over it (ala' Michael Kors). I feel the same way about anything I purchase....I don't want to wear someone's logo on my chest, behind or anywhere else.....do your own advertizing!! :angryfire:

I don't get owning a designer bag simply for the sake of being able to say you own one.....if you truly love it and can't find something like it in a non-designer bag, then go for it....but having to have a Coach bag to say you have one? Nope....don't get it.
 
Hmmm, I didn't know Coach was considered a designer bag? I normally think of Birkin when I think of designer bags. I don't own a Birkin but I do own a Coach - at least an old one. I haven't shopped there since they started carrying more fabric purses.

I'm hard on purses and the leather in the old Coach purses is practically indestructible. It's saddle leather. I dont know about the new ones. I have really beaten up this purse and it still looks good and is in no danger of falling apart. (yes, i have totally destroyed purses before) My Coach wallet is even older; I don't think I'll ever give it up.
 
That is pretty, Ksinger. I like the paisley or wild rose one in black. I think you need to do it since it's been haunting you for awhile. "Something is wrong with ALL of them" Gotcha on that - you mean the right amount of compartments, type of handle, etc. I only want bags that zipper shut or else I'd tip them often, without knowing it and loose things (has happened too often/learned the hard way). No on ones that have just one snap at the top. L.L. Bean's usually have 99.9 of my requirements.

Totally agree, Yenny.

Amelia: "I didn't know Coach was considered a designer bag? " Somewhat, no? Or where I work the women are very into them - that is why I think that. I've heard Coach's hold up well and that is surely a great thing. I have had a few of my L.L. Bean bags for 15 yrs or so and no problems with them either, though.
 
there was a purse thread in another part of pricescope that went on for pages re designer bags.
i posted the same "i don't get it" there some years ago.
i will admit that the responses with pictures did help me to "understand" in a limited way.
i would never pay that kind of money for a handbag.
having said that i did pay $130 for this: http://www.mywalit.com/en/double-zip-mega-purse-w-shoulder-strap/ last year in mendocino. i thought it was overpriced but hubby thought it was "me"......and it is. mine is a bit more subdued than the newer color combos.
 
I don't buy a ton of purses and don't change them a lot - except for changing for a summer bag and then again for a winter one.

I have a few Coach leather purses and I enjoy the quality of their leather. They do tend to last for a long time but even that is not the main calling card for me. Eventually, any purse will wear out or wear down to the point that it doesn't look as nice. I can tell the difference in quality and I like the feel of them. I've had other purses that probably looked as nice but just don't have that same feel. I've also sold some of the bags as name brands do tend to hold their value a bit. There are other decidedly more expensive purses that I probably wouldn't spring for as they are just too cost prohibitive IMO. I certainly don't have to have the latest and greatest to come out on the market either. I buy what I like and when the need arises but have found that I don't mind putting some money into them for the pleasure that I get in using them.
 
sonomacounty|1350134067|3284402 said:
.
Amelia: "I didn't know Coach was considered a designer bag? " Somewhat, no? Or where I work the women are very into them - that is why I think that. I've heard Coach's hold up well and that is surely a great thing. I have had a few of my L.L. Bean bags for 15 yrs or so and no problems with them either, though.
Click to expand...

Now that you mention, Coach is very popular where I work too. I just didn't think of it as a designer brand because usually people around here aren't terribly interested in brands. I think Coach's main attraction here was that they'd refurbish your bag for free for life but I've heard they've stopped doing that so a lot of women including me will not be replacing our bags with Coach when they finally go.
 
Coach are made for the younger crowd.
 
Just think of them as arm candy; designer shoes as feet candy; designer clothes as body candy. I own 3 Balenciagas (damn you Mara ;)) ) a LV and a Chanel and I don't get it either. I also don't get why I own so much custom jewelry (damn you PS). In the last 5 yrs, the amount of money I've spent on diamonds & gems could literally erase poverty in my community (double damn you PS). I simply do not get it.
 
I think I hate you a little, Ksinger. I am not a purse girl at all - I have a couple I wear all the time and a small clutch for evening. That is all. I like plain leather, as little hardware as possible, nice leather, neutral colour (aka, as boring as it can get, but that is me). But those purses are gorgeous. I am in love with the Tree of Life design.
 
I don't get the "lust" for designer bags either. However, I do get extraordinarily frustrated when my bag starts becoming unstitched or the straps start cracking.

I have exactly two bags, one for spring/summer, one for fall/winter. They are the same bag, just different colors. They are neither too big, nor too small. I can carry by handles, on my shoulder, or even crossbody. Big enough to hold the essentials (I don't carry much. I pledge to myself after diaper bag phase), while not weighing much at all.

That being said, they are Brahmin. Is that designer? Just $200 each, and I've carried them for three years already. I don't plan on shopping for anymore soon.
 
I totally get wanting something made with exquisite materials, and put together with exquisite workmanship. It's not what I usually choose to spend my money on, but I get it. However, I don't think all of the high-end brands you find in Macy's and similar department stores necessarily fit that bill. Some have au courant designs but so-so materials and workmanship (and many of them weigh a ton!) - that I don't get.

I used to buy my purses from a small California manufacture (Roche Leathers) that specializes in well-organized bags that could be made to order in your choice of materials. Hmm... maybe I should check them out again...
 
I have a coach bag that I use for everyday use - my husband bought it for me. I'm NOT a designer brand kind of person at all, but his dad is a cobbler, so he believes that quality leather is worth the price and will last for a very long time. I also have a coach wallet, which was a gift for my birthday about 8 years ago - it's still in great shape and I love it.

Other than that, every bag I own is from Marshall's and was VERY inexpensive.
 
movie zombie|1350146104|3284532 said:
VRBeauty, that's just "down the road" from me: http://www.rocheleather.com/
Click to expand...

That's the them! They show mostly at better harvest fairs and such - I first saw them at the local museum's annual gift show. Their bags really are nice and well thought out.
 
Those are really nice purses! Never saw them before.

If someone has the money, it doesn't matter to me if they choose to spend it on a handbag or a car, but I never would for myself. "Designer" makes me think of the ones that go for thousands and women line up to get them, sometimes waiting a year. Not me. I use one till it dies or I get sick to death of it, then get another for a hundred bucks or less. I get paying a lot for beautiful leather, design, craftsmanship, if that's what turns you on -- but $11K, etc., is over the top. I'd be thinking of the fabulous gem I could buy for that!

--- Laurie
 
I think they're a waste of money. A lot of people don't even notice purses, and they're not a forever item like a piece of jewelry that can be passed down.

ETA: Coach to me isn't a high-end designer brand. I own one and they are pretty mainstream. When I think of high-end designer handbags, it's Hermes, Balenciaga, Prada, Celine, Gucci, Marc Jacobs, etc.
 
I have never owned a Coach bag and have no desire to. I love Stone Mountain and have been buying their handbags since I was around 20 years old (that is 36 years). I don't consider Stone Mountain a designer brand, but they have been around awhile and make some beautiful bags and that is the only reason I love them. They suite my lifestyle and offer the styles I am looking for in a handbag.

I also own a few Etienne Aigner bags that I bought nearly 30 years ago and they are indestructible as well. The Kathy vanZelland bag my daughter gave me 2 years ago fell apart rather quickly.
 
I'm another one who does not think of Coach as being a designer brand. To me, if you can buy it at a Macy's, it's not really "designer."

I'm a fashion oddball. I have no problem wearing old cargo pants with shredded hems and tees from Tarjay with flip flops, but as far as my bags and jewelry go, I'm an insufferable snob. I think a lot of this comes from having four dog children and two cats... I've accepted the fact that my clothes will take a beating and will be covered in pet hair, but as long as I'm carrying a nice bag and wearing my favorite jewelry, I'll feel presentable. Also, my bags last a long time, so I can rationalize the expense.

As far as brands go, my favorites used to be Balenciaga, Christian Dior, Proenza Schouler, and LV. LV has become as prevalent as Coach these days, but I love the minimal use of leather on the bags that I have. Lately, I have started feeling grossed out by leather, especially the soft, buttery leather on my Balenciaga bags. I'm a vegetarian who struggles with going full vegan, so carrying leather really does a number on my conscience. I rarely carry my leather bags lately. All I can think about is how I'm carrying around a slab of dead flesh from an animal that met a horrible, cruel death. I stored my Marc Jacobs Stella tote in its dustbag and discovered six months later that the leather was starting to rot. I've carried Stella McCartney vegan-friendly bags, but they're a little too fussy for everyday use.
 
I think it's all about what the people around you carry.

If you go to NYC, you'll see that most native NYer women carry a designer bag of some kind. Vuitton, Chanel, Hermes, etc. The price of the purse indicates your general income level and your peer group. It's not just NYC, it's a lot of major cities. I think it's because it's hard to carry around a $4 million penthouse. :bigsmile:

I have spent tons of money on lesser purses for many years, and I got sick of changing them when they wore out. I'm tough on purses, and I used to buy 3 or 4 per year. So I got an LV Noe, which is a bag design that has been around since the 1930's. To me it says "1940's safari across Africa, glamorous prop planes, Bogart just around the corner". I bought it used, and it looks pretty rough at this point. But it holds a ton of stuff: ipad, stuff I buy, fruit from the farmer's market, all kinds of stuff. I like that it only has one handle, that it swings over my shoulder, that it feels very comfortable, and it should last for years and years. It's an older model, so the brass is solid, not plated. If something needs to be fixed, I can send it back to LV. If I ever travel around the world, it will serve me well. I like being part of the tradition, the antique legacy, the days of steamer trunks. To me it's very glamorous.

If I want to shop at an upscale mall, or Saks or Neiman, I'll pull out the Chanel. The sales girls are SOOOOO much nicer to you when you carry a Chanel. It's pretty petty, but it's a useful tool in that way. I get tips about upcoming sales, they phone me when good stuff comes in or is reduced. You'd be surprised.

A purse collector is not very different than a diamond collector, or anything else. I see some pieces on PS that I just don't "get". But if it makes someone else happy, who am I to say?
 
Another one here who doesn't really consider Coach to be "designer," but Coach leather bags are all I carry. My FI at first didn't understand why I was so obsessed with Coach but, like me, he has come to see firsthand the quality and durability of their leather bags. My purse weighs somewhere in the neighborhood of 15-17 pounds 99% of the time, and the Coach bags I've been carrying for years hardly show any wear whatsoever. I'm also not a bag switcher-outer very often, only for special occasions and such, and yeah. They're still in as good of shape as they were the day I bought them.

For me, that's the most important. Any "cheaper" bags I've gotten either rip at the seams or start falling apart within months.
 
Thanks all, for your input & ideas.

"that's the most important. Any "cheaper" bags I've gotten either rip at the seams or start falling apart within months."

For all who say cheaper bags don't hold up, Again, LL Bean & Lands End last for Decades. They will also replace or refund if you find the product needs repair or doesn't hold up - forever.

Now, I don't know - so I'm asking. Do designer handbags hold value well, if one ever wants to sell?

"I see some pieces on PS that I just don't "get". But if it makes someone else happy, who am I to say?"

Absolutely. Totally agree. Even though I don't get the designer bag thing you couldn't be more right than that last sentence.

"A purse collector is not very different than a diamond collector, or anything else."

Respectfully disagree. Now, jmo, again - I see jewelry as more of art and gemstones & metals are truly gifts from nature. Designer bags . . . well, . . . no. Yeah, I know there is art in design & all. Oh, honestly, I see nothing pretty about a LV logo stamp overused in a pattern or see much pretty about most the designs of most of those bags. As for the Coach leather, I'm a long time horseman so we know leather a bit. It's nice enough, yes, but ? - oh, I still just don't "feel" the Coach appeal at all. As said, LL Bean & Lands End hold up for decades and they are guaranteed forever.

If my GOG ring had GOG stamped repeatedly along the outside of the band, it would not have been bought for sure.

To each his own, though, of course.

Again, apologies to anyone I've ruffled the feathers of.
 
sonomacounty|1350167302| said:
For all who say cheaper bags don't hold up, Again, LL Bean & Lands End last for Decades. They will also replace or refund if you find the product needs repair or doesn't hold up - forever.
Click to expand...

A lot of it is style too. I love LL Bean for hiking gear - it's so rugged - but it is rugged looking and I'm really petite and small framed. i don't care how I look on a hike when it's twenty below as long as the gear keeps me warm but I do care how I look carrying my purse every day. The Coach bags combine durability and sleekness which is better for me. My sister lives out of the LL Bean catalog but she's nearly six feet tall and big boned.

I have the Coach Citi and shoulder bags. The Citi is my workhorse. I could fit a truck in it but it still looks sleek. The shoulder bag is my going out bag. Not used as much but it does get overstuffed a bit and its held up well. It also looks good with my small figure. I'd say I've had these for 14 years and they're still going strong.

I think I paid $125 for the shoulder bag and $160 for the Citi bag so in total, I've spent about $20 a year for bags. Not that bad.
 
I have never gotten a purse, designer or otherwise.

I'm just not that kind of guy. :wacko:
 
I would not recognize a Hermes bag if I saw one. Designer bags mean nothing to me. My best friend LOVES coach but they all look the same to me. I guess you buy them for yourself because no one else really looks. Then again, I buy diamonds for myself. I don't give a hoot what anyone else thinks of my jewelry.
 
mrs jam|1350160224|3284664 said:
I'm another one who does not think of Coach as being a designer brand. To me, if you can buy it at a Macy's, it's not really "designer."

I'm a fashion oddball. I have no problem wearing old cargo pants with shredded hems and tees from Tarjay with flip flops, but as far as my bags and jewelry go, I'm an insufferable snob. I think a lot of this comes from having four dog children and two cats... I've accepted the fact that my clothes will take a beating and will be covered in pet hair, but as long as I'm carrying a nice bag and wearing my favorite jewelry, I'll feel presentable. Also, my bags last a long time, so I can rationalize the expense.

As far as brands go, my favorites used to be Balenciaga, Christian Dior, Proenza Schouler, and LV. LV has become as prevalent as Coach these days, but I love the minimal use of leather on the bags that I have. Lately, I have started feeling grossed out by leather, especially the soft, buttery leather on my Balenciaga bags. I'm a vegetarian who struggles with going full vegan, so carrying leather really does a number on my conscience. I rarely carry my leather bags lately. All I can think about is how I'm carrying around a slab of dead flesh from an animal that met a horrible, cruel death. I stored my Marc Jacobs Stella tote in its dustbag and discovered six months later that the leather was starting to rot. I've carried Stella McCartney vegan-friendly bags, but they're a little too fussy for everyday use.
Click to expand...
Ah yes, I agree with the bolded. I own nice bags because they make me feel pulled together. Though I stay away from LV or anything smothered in labels.

Also, I care that they last a long time. As far as durable LL Bean bags go, I find them to be unappealing. They aren't my style, and they all seem to be in that same stylistic vein.
 
soocool|1350154676|3284613 said:
I have never owned a Coach bag and have no desire to. I love Stone Mountain and have been buying their handbags since I was around 20 years old (that is 36 years). I don't consider Stone Mountain a designer brand, but they have been around awhile and make some beautiful bags and that is the only reason I love them. They suite my lifestyle and offer the styles I am looking for in a handbag.

I also own a few Etienne Aigner bags that I bought nearly 30 years ago and they are indestructible as well. The Kathy vanZelland bag my daughter gave me 2 years ago fell apart rather quickly.
Click to expand...

I have a Kathy Van Zeeland bag that gets a ton of compliments, but the stitching on the handles is already frayed and worn after about 18 months. :? That's the nice thing about only spending $50 on it though I suppose. I get sick of bags quickly so I change them often.
 
I like handbags and actually own quite a few (maybe 10 or so), swapping them around when I feel like it.
But I don't really get designer bags either. I do like a well-made leather bag, but it's fine if it is off Etsy or a department store.
I don't get paying thousands for one of those canvas LV bags. I'd rather spend the money on jewellery or a holiday.
 
I don't "do" purses or shoes. I don't know about them, I don't like them; they are an outrageous waste of money to me because I get no pleasure from them. I shop for shoes and purses when it becomes a necessity - when my previous one/pair has worn out! I tried to get a completely cheapo purse last year, but it pretty much fell to pieces on our holiday this year. I replaced with with a red Guess one because the last Guess purse I had lasted for YEARS. That means...no shopping for a long time! :wink2:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP
Jewelry Blog
PriceScope-Concierge-Ad
Find prime cuts.
Top