Purse Help! Under 150-200 dollars!

[cammy85]

Long story. Or skip to the bottom for the meat of the post.

Ok, so I have a confession. I buy inexpensive purses. Like Kohl''s purses for 40 dollars before the 30% off coupon is applied. They ALWAYS, without fail, break, fall apart, or start to peel within 6-12 month of purchase. So then I go buy another one to replace it. I''m sick of it. My last purse I''ve had less than 6 months, and the strap fell off the purse! My DH laughs because I buy so many purses, but I just get frustrated because I never buy more because I''m sick of the style or anything, I have to buy more because the ones I have are no longer functional. Buying 4 purses over the period of two years, even at 30 dollars a pop is almost 150 dollars right there when sales tax is included. It takes me forever to find a purse I love enough to buy, even at 30 dollars, and it''s so frustrating to spend all that time, love a purse, and have it fall apart after a few months. And no, I''m not rough on them. They aren''t packed to the brim and I use them for what I''d call normal wear and tear. They''re just cheaply made. I''m not huge into switching purses for daily use, so this is a purse that would get used every single day.

For the brunt of the post...

I''m now looking at spending 150-200 dollars on a purse I can use every day. One I want to keep for a long time. I''m thinking of looking in Marshalls/TJ Maxx for starters, but am really curious what brand names are good in the long run and really, if there are brand names I should avoid. I just don''t even know where to start. I just know how PO''ed I get when my cheap handbags break, and I really want to invest in something I can love for a long time, not just until it breaks.

My list of wants:
Preferably leather (but will consider other materials if I can be convinced they''ll wear well)
Can be an offbeat color (doesn''t have to be black or brown or white, but can be)
No rediculous prints
Moderate size - bigger than a clutch, smaller than a hobo bag.
Under 150 preferably, but will look at under 200 too.
I''m in the US, so a US retailer is a plus.


I do like this purse, and am considering it, but it''s a good idea of the size I''m looking at:
http://www.zappos.com/b-makowsky-chicago-top-zip-basil

TIA!

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

LOL! There''s nothing to be ashamed of! Handbags are investments. They''re used every day and are really beaten up. In my opinion a primary bag should be good quality and then you can get little less expensive trendier bags to fill in when you go out etc. I''m a coach devotee, I think their basic leather handbags are great quality, not too expensive and they last a LONG time. If you go to the outlet you can definitely find a nice one within your price range. TJ Maxx and Marshall''s sometimes get Coach as well, but they go quickly. Other good brands I''ve found there are Michael Kors, Taginello Dooney and Burke, and Maxx New York. In my experience brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Liz Claiborne and Nine West use synthetic materials, but I''m sure there are exceptions out there.

Good luck!

 

[cammy85]

HH - first off, I wanted to just say congratulations! Haven''t gotten to say that yet! Secondly, thanks for the advice. I am figuring i''ll start at TJ Maxx and Marshalls just because the nearest good outlet is about 45 minutes away. But they have Coach, Kate Spade, Michael Kors, D&B, Burberry, Fossil, etc. So, if all else fails, I can try there. But we have three of either TJ Maxx/Marshalls stores nearby, so I''ll try my luck there first. I''m not expecting magic on my first trip, but I have no idea if they are even the kind of store that carries the more upscale brands. I''ve heard it can somewhat depend on the demographic of the community the TJ Maxx/Marshalls is located in. If I get lucky, great, if not, always next time. I figure I''m going to have to take my time. I''m so anal about purses. I''d love a coach purse, so I''m glad to know that most people seem to have good experiences with them.

 

[E B]

Here''s a style from Kate Spade in a few nice colors:

Kate Spade Park Slope Brennan

I also agree with HH about visiting a Coach outlet. I saw SEVERAL bags for under $200 the last time I visited.

 

[cammy85]

CUTE! I really like the pop of color. The outlet store that''s a bit of a drive from me does have a Kate Spade outlet store as well. Maybe I''ll check there too!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Do you have a Macy''s nearby you? They always have purses on sale and with coupons, you can get a great deal on many styles. Their designer ones such as Coach do not go on sale, but regular brands like Fossil always do. I''m NOT a purse girl at all. I''m one of those who walk around in designer jeans and a $75 Fossil handbag (same one used daily). I just have my basic requirements: it''s black, has room for my wallet & a bottle of water, and is leather. Coach has many cute styles, but I won''t pay their high prices for cloth bags. An outlet mall is a good option *if* you decide to get a coach. I''m contemplating going to their outlet because after two years, my fossil is boring me (it STILL has held up well, though

). . .but again, I wouldn''t spend more than $200 on one of their purses.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I am pretty much OBSESSED with B. Makowsky's purses. I just bought my latest (pics in my B. Makowsky's thread) for $120 (or was it $110?). I think it retailed around $350ish. The leather is AMAZING and I am getting a ton of compliments.

ETA: BTW I am certain I saw that same style at my local Marshall's for around $120.

ETA 2: Do you have a coach outlet around you? Pretty much all of their bags are under $200 and they always have a 20% off coupon.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Also I think Banana Republic has really cute bags and nice leather as well. They seem to go on sale all the time too.

 

[cammy85]

MC - We do have Macy's, and Nordstroms. So I think I may check those out. I have 2 leather fossil wallets - and I LOVE those. I got them on sale, but the leather is so great on them. They are wearing really well - especially having the one for going on 6 years now. I agree I probably wouldn't pay the premium for a coach fabric purse, I've been burned by fabric in the past discoloring, staining and ripping (granted on my cheaper purses) but I do have a bias that if I am going to spend the money, it's going to be on a leather bag.

Tacori - B. Makowsky's purses. I have been hearing (or, reading I guess haha) that name a lot on this forum recently, and after doing some searching, I really seem to like some of their styles - and that they can be found at marshalls. I think I may check out Marshalls this weekend just to see what they have in stock. We do have a Coach outlet sortof closeby - 45 minutes away, but may definitely be worth a look. Where do you get the 20% coupons? Do you have to sign up for it? I'll have to take a look at Banana Republic as well. I haven't been in there lately because their clothing hasn't appealed to me recently (and their prices have seemed to increase!) but never thought to look at their handbags!

ETA - GOOGLE! Haha, I found one 20% off coupon good through this monday, so I may try to drive to the outlet this weekend. But my question is still valid - is there a way to sign up for the coupons to be automatically delivered? Or is it just by chance?

 

[vespergirl]

Yes!!! Get the B. Makowsky! Before I even read your post I was going to recommend their bags to you. I just got the Atlantis Shopper in the same color (Basil) and I love it! It''s my second B. Makowsky purse, and the first one lasted two years, and I STILL get compliments on it. The quality is as good as Coach for half the price. You will love that bag.

 

[cammy85]

Vesper - thanks for the honest and glowing review of B. Makowsky! Before PS I''d never heard of it, but I am seriously considering it now because of the Makowsky love I''m seeing. When you say it lasted two years - did the bag give out or did you just get tired of it?

 

[vespergirl]

Date: 1/14/2010 4:23:54 PM
Author: cammy85
Vesper - thanks for the honest and glowing review of B. Makowsky! Before PS I''d never heard of it, but I am seriously considering it now because of the Makowsky love I''m seeing. When you say it lasted two years - did the bag give out or did you just get tired of it?

It''s still in pretty good shape, but I just got tired of it (I usually switch bags about every 6 months or so, but I carried that one non-stop for over a year and a half). Of course it was showing some signs of wear, but that''s more because of how careless I am with it, and the fact that my purse doubles as a diaper bag

 

[vespergirl]

I also wanted to mention that if you like the B. Makowsky bags, you should check out QVC.com and eBags.com before you order from Zappos. They are much less expensive on those other two sites (and they also have great return policies) so you could save quite a bit if you order from one of them instead. I saved $80 on my new bag when I ordered it from eBags instead of Zappos.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

I''m loving this thread I need a new purse too, so I''m just piggy backing

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I actually think B. Makowsky bags are better quality than coach. Their glove leather is SOOOO soft. I also LOVE all the metal work. I am all about the details. I have NEVER seen them cheaper than at Marshall''s/TJ Maxx. The better the neighborhood, the better the selection IMHO. `The last time I went I probably saw 50 in all different styles and colors. I went out to lunch and two friends ran to get one. One said they found a purple one marked down to $80. The downside is you can''t be too picky on color/style or you have to be patient.

I got on coach''s mailing list when I bought something at their outlet. The times I go b/c I have a coupon they were handing them out at the door. They had lots of styles and colors $129-$169 before coupon. They have some cute stuff too. I got a really cute small leather wallet for $29.

 

[cammy85]

Vesper - thanks for the input. I''m actually headed to marshalls and tj maxx tonight, I hope they have some good stuff there And thanks for the tip about QVC and Ebags. I have never thought about QVC and never heard about Ebags. Why it pays to do your research, and to have such helpful people reading/responding!

Vesper and Tacori - I was looking at a purse forum that was mentioned around here at some point or another, and there was some mention of color transfer, discoloration and/or straps fraying pretty early in the handbag''s life - I take you haven''t seent this with your B. Makowsky?



So far it seems like I''m leaning towards at least looking at these brands:
Dooney and Bourke
Coach (would consider a fabric bag from coach - their leather choices don''t seem that immense...)
B. Makowski
Tignanello
Michael Kors (there''s an outlet store with all the other places)
Fossil


Any outliers or ones I should probably reconsider, or any brands I''m missing that you think would be good to think about?

 

[vespergirl]

Date: 1/15/2010 4:11:59 PM
Author: cammy85
Vesper - thanks for the input. I''m actually headed to marshalls and tj maxx tonight, I hope they have some good stuff there And thanks for the tip about QVC and Ebags. I have never thought about QVC and never heard about Ebags. Why it pays to do your research, and to have such helpful people reading/responding!

Vesper and Tacori - I was looking at a purse forum that was mentioned around here at some point or another, and there was some mention of color transfer, discoloration and/or straps fraying pretty early in the handbag''s life - I take you haven''t seent this with your B. Makowsky?



So far it seems like I''m leaning towards at least looking at these brands:
Dooney and Bourke
Coach (would consider a fabric bag from coach - their leather choices don''t seem that immense...)
B. Makowski
Tignanello
Michael Kors (there''s an outlet store with all the other places)
Fossil


Any outliers or ones I should probably reconsider, or any brands I''m missing that you think would be good to think about?

I agree with Tacori that you can definitely find the best prices on B. Makowsky at either TJ Maxx or Marshalls. That''s where I first discovered the brand, and got my first bag ($250 marked down to $99!) However, the "Chicago" collection is new I think, so they may not have them there yet. Still, any time that I walk into my local TJ Maxx, I can find at least a dozen B.Mak bags that I LOVE. So, if you''re not set on that one style or color, definitely look around at those stores, because you can get one for a great deal.

I haven''t had any of the issues with color transfer, discoloration or straps fraying.

As far as the other brands that you mention above, I also own bags from Dooney & Bourke, Coach, Tignanello, and Michael Kors, and I love all of them - I think that they all make excellent quality bags. I have never owned any Fossil bags, but I have seen them, and they seem very nice. I think that you will get good quality out of any of those brands.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I have had my black one since May/June (can''t exactly remember) and see no wear at all. No color transfer. No issues. I have only had my new one for a few weeks so vote is still out. All I know is I have NEVER gotten this many compliments on a purse before. When I was looking for a new bag last spring I had major problems finding top zippers. With a toddler I really need a zipper on my bags and for some reason lots of designers only use a magnetic snap. Remember to check out Banana Republic. I love my purse from there. It was under $100 and a really pretty tan leather with silver hardware. Personally I no longer like fabric bags. It is personal taste. I have quite a few coach ones but I have never been all that into wearing company logos. I buy all leather now. I know people really like Lucky brand purses too. Might want to check them out.

 

[karee888]

you should check out bonanzle.com. there are a ton of coach bags on there. and others as well. kind of like ebay, but with nicer people and far less resellers.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

thanks for the bonanzle tip! There's some great stuff there...

 

[Gypsy]

I have two nice bags (and am scoping out my third). One is a Dooney and the other a Brahmin. I''m not a fan of floppy bags for myself, though I love them on others, so the Mackowsky''s don''t work for me. But the Brahmin I have rocks (so does my Dooney... it looks like new and it''s 3 years old). They are pretty reasonable, and you can get real ones on ebay pretty reliably because they aren''t well known enough to have been copied a ton. Nordstroms also carries them.

If you have a Nordstrom rack, I highly recommend visiting. Ours gets in shipments of Coach and Dooney and a bunch of brands and the deals are unbeatable (except by Marshalls).

 

[radiantquest]

I am looking for a new purse too. What are the reviews on Kenneth Cole? I found one that I really like on sale and I wonder if it is worth it. I do not want to be disappointed.

Usually I end up with LC. I have had the nine west and fossil too. I would love a really high end bag, but my husband would divorce me if I spent $300 on a purse when we are saving for a house.

As far as the ones I have had I really have not had any problems with them. My last LC bag was brown leather and at the top of the handles the color was fading or something, but that was after 2 years of costant carrying since it did not have a shoulder strap and in the summer my hand would sweat on it. That is the only complaint that I have had with any of the above brands.

 

[cammy85]

So I figured I''d check back in with an update.

I checked Marshalls and TJ Maxx, and was actually surprised at the selection of B. Makowsky, KVZ, Michael Kors and one lone Coach purse they had. But I agree with Gypsy that I think I like more structure in my bag. So the next day I went to the outlet stores. Coach was apparently having a huge sale, meaning the store was jam-packed with people that had purses up to their shoulders on both arms (and sometimes the arms of their husbands!). To be honest, that was a little intimidating, I''m used to a much less frantic pace of shopping, especially for a purse. I did, however, learn from example and made my way around the store several times, while picking up any purse I''d even consider purchasing (so no one could snatch it up from me!) I at one point was holding onto 5 I think, just so I could step off to the side and relatively out of the way to really give them some thought. I ended up getting two bags (though one is my birthday present from DH, so I can''t use it yet!) and they were a fantastic deal. The one bag was the last one of that style/color in the store, and I had to wait for someone else to put it down my 4th time circulating the store before I could grab it up. The other one was I think the very first purse I picked up once I entered the store. Honestly, I thought I''d be a little disappointed that I ''caved'' to the Coach bandwagon that is the midwest, but I really do love these bags. Sturdy, functional, and the one isn''t the traditional brown or black jacquard (sp) fabric you see, so I feel like I''m at least a little unique in that respect. I really didn''t want to have the same exact purse as everyone else on the street.

I also stopped in the Dooney Bourke outlet, Michael Kors, Kate Spade and Vera Bradley. I have to say, there was very little that interested me at DB, MK or VB. Kate Spade had some cute things (and not all as outlandashly colorful or trendy as on her website) but the price point was still higher than I would have liked.

At the end of the day, I was still a little frazzled from the "Coach Sale" experience, and am so happy these bags are going to last me a long time, because I don''t think I could do that again anytime soon. But I really do see the value in my purchases, and am so THRILLED with what I got. That night I removed 5 purses from my collection that I never used but kept ''just in case'' and put them in a giveaway pile because I plan on using my new purses for a good, long time.

 

[vespergirl]

RadiantQuest - I own a matching Kenneth Cole bag and wallet, and they are both excellent quality. I highly recommend them.

Cammy - I am so glad that you found some purses that you love! Coach has a big following for a reason - beautiful, well-made bags. Please post pics if you can!

 

[pinkstars]

Do you have any pictures? I''m glad you were able to find something!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

cammy you are right about the coach outlet. If you MIGHT want to buy it, grab it. Post a picture of the new bags! So exciting!!!

 

[cammy85]

Ok, so I can only find one picture online of the purses, so I have to look around for my other one. But this is the Gallery Tote with Teal Leather Trim. I like that it''s sort of traditional, but has the pop of color. And I love me some teal!

 

[cammy85]

Ok, so here are the purses (at least pictures I could find off ebay for them). The silver one was really difficult to find pictures of! That''s the one I''m using right now, at least until I get the other for my birthday hehe

Hope you like the pictures!

 

[marcy]

I am a Fossil and Stone Mountain fan. You can get Fossil on sale at Macy''s and Dillard''s. I have found some Stone Mountain bags at TJ Maxx. Every purse and wallet I own now is one of those brands.

 

[pinkstars]

I love that teal tote!!! It''s lovely! The silver signature pattern is super cute too!!