Good Taste or Spoiled?

[Onederland]

Originally Posted by LadyLouboutin08

I'm 19yrs old, and have designer handbags...when I see other girls carrying them it doesn't bother me. Why would someone care? The money didn't come out of your pocket so why does it matter that a teenager has a designer bag? *I'm not directing my post at anyone in this thread, I'm just stating my opinion on the subject :)*

[isabellam]

Originally Posted by Leeleerae

It really bothers me. I grew up in NYC and when I was 16 my school bags were a Kate Spade messenger bag and a prada bag. My "evening" bags were a gucci, and a small louis vuitton. I had many prada and LV wallets, etc. I also wore only jimmy choos, manolo blahniks or clergerie shoes. At that age, I didn't realize the value of the items and I treated them like I would a $10 piece of junk. If I asked for it, I got it. I judged those whose parent couldn't buy them things that my parents could because I didn't know any better. Now that I am older and have to work to earn those possessions, I don't take them for granted, I treat them well and I don't think less of anyone who can't buy those them. I think about the things I ruined that would be awesome to use today, and it bothers me that I was such an idiot. What bothers me more is the sense of entitlement I had towards owning those things. From my experiences, teens that carry high end bags don't really have to work hard for them. They think its important to have those name labels and their parents are happy to pay for it. It's a shame because value is placed on owning labeled items without work. I don't like seeing teens that have such a sense of entitlement because it makes like harder for them in the future when they have to start being responsible for themselves. I think for kids that have actually worked hard to earn their bag, then that is a different story. There is no way to know, but I know for sure that when I have kids, they will have to earn things that are "prized" possessions.

Thanks for sharing from the teen's point of view.

[mcbaglovin]

Originally Posted by jealousguy86

What is your immediate reaction when you see a young girl/teenager (maybe around 16-18 y/o) with an expensive (and real) designer bag?

my first reaction is... why the heck are these girls' moms starting them so young? but these are 8-10 year old girls with coach pouches. i don't see many 16-18 year olds with bags other than coach or dooney around here. Even then, I don't think anything.

when i was looking for a coach wristlet for my friends bday, my 10 year old expressed how much she wanted some Coach foldover/magazine bag. i just laughed and said yea right. and when i was selling my older bags, she begged me not to sell one Coach messenger bag cause she wanted to save that for herself. I did save it but I won't let her wear it until she's a teen. If she wants to carry a purse (for her DS and games and etc) she can carry her Hello Kitty bag.

[Bay]

Honestly, my first thought would be spoiled, but I have no right to judge and I also have no clue if they got the purse or worked their ass for it. So a little bit off both.

[dierregi]

I suppose we're all entitled to have our own opinion on most matters So I really don't agree with those who say "What do you care, it's not your money?" Obviously it is not - does it need to be mentioned? - but somebody asked a question, so people are free to answer whatever they want.

Personally, as a teenager I also wanted to own designers purses (at the time Dior and LV were the "must have") but my parents could not afford them, and I decided to spend my holidays travelling and enjoying myself rather than slaving through some stupid summer job to earn the money to buy a bag.

I have no regrets whatsoever. Now I can afford to buy designers bags and I don't even like Dior and LV. It feels good to walk around their shops and to know that there is nothing I want to buy, but I could if I wanted to.

My point is that greed is very much a part of human nature, but it is so much better when you can keep it under control because you know exactly what you want - which is not necessarily what your neighbour or your classmates have. And yes, I am pretty sure I wanted an LV only because one of the most popular girls in my class had one (and despite the fact I did not own any designer bag, I managed to enjoy my teenage years without any major trauma

[papertiger]

I had some amazing bags given to me as hand me downs at 13/14.

I was much more into clothes and music

I didn't appreciate them then, and didn't even seem the point of 'posh' bags.

However, I luckily just wrapped them up well and put them away.

Now I get it. I (unfortunately for my finances) totally get IT now

Not all teens are into posh clothes at all. They have there own other interests.

If teens like them and want to spend their $£$£ on them why not?

Although having said that I do see some designer houses putting a 'youthful spin' on their accessories and

pushing them through young celebrity 'endorsements' and

I feel a bit more ambivalent to that whole peer pressure thing.


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I saw a teen with a beautiful large LV -Takashi Murakami years ago on the tube (subway)

The bag had just come out (even I knew that)

By her manner I would say she thought she looked like a queen

- and you know what she did.

Utterly beautiful - in a casually worn rabbit jacket and her brand new designer bag. More fabulous than any celebrity I have seen then or since.

It was probably around then that I opened my cupboards and really looked at the lovely bags I'd been given. I saw them in a completely new light.

We mustn't be age discriminant.

[ampeefyed]

it all depends on her appearance & demeanor. if she looks all snooty with a "look at my ___ bag" face, SPOILED. but if she comes across as a nice person, i'll give due admiration to anyone who is willing to work hard & save up for a nice bag.

[fashionista86]

I had a nice little collection of LVs and Chanels when I was in high school but in order to buy those, I saved up my own money or put a few birthday/holiday gifts together in order to get them.

I think I was exposed to nice things when I was young, which allowed me to appreciate the nicer things now as an adult.

[armcandy15]

i guess ppl like what they like...as it is..i hate being judged for liking designer bags and for being able to afford them..i do not need to justify my value set and character just because ppl think that designer bags are for the snooty and uppity..

i strike a deal w my friends..we dont diss each other for what we have or do not have.. :)

[stephc005]

i never really care what anybody wears/buys/carries because it isn't mine and has no affect on me. i carry my bags, but a designer label does not/should not automatically make me spoiled or snobby. unfortunately, that is what people think right away though. i don't even care if someone worked for it, saved for it, or paid for it. it's between them and their parents (if that's who spent the money). i have no right to tell them what to spend their money on.

it's unfortunate that some people (especially teens) think if it's designer, it is stylish. i'd rather get a compliment on my cute bag rather than have someone gawking at the label/logo.

[mockinglee]

I don't think it's fair to make a snap judgment about someone just because of a) their purse and b) their perceived age. I mean, I know we all do it, but it's not quite fair.

You never know why someone carries the purse they do. Maybe it was a gift, maybe she saved all summer (and why not applaud a teen who can be responsible enough to work hard to save for what she wants instead of a handout?), maybe she was just borrowing her mom's purse for the afternoon, maybe it's a knockoff that she got for $20 and has no idea what it is....

Also, how can you be sure of how young someone is by looking at her? I've gotten snotty comments from people assuming the same, snide remarks about mommy buying me things (when I'm shopping with my mom), not realizing that I'm 30 and not a teenager. You just never know.

[mirdc]

I think it depends on the situation.

My 7 yr old has a dooney. She really has no idea what it is, but she wanted a purse like mine (and I didn't pay anywhere near full price for it). When she is a teenager, I'll let her have free reign in my closet - she can use almost any of my purses as long as she doesn't wreck them. If there is some bag that she really wants and it was reasonable ie. under $250 in todays value - I'd get it for her for a birthday or xmas.

I do have colleagues who have 16 year olds who have thousands of dollars worth of purses and clothes and don't give a rats sphincter about any of it. They are just spoiled brats who don't know the meaning of a dollar. I don't think any teenager needs a $3k purse. If you are out and in the workforce and want to spend your money on that - great. But I don't think parents should indulge kids to this degree.

[MiuMiow]

Around where I live you see many a young person with a genuine designer item but the great shame is they all seem to be carrying the same one. You'd almost think they're all timesharing in the one bag. There are about four LV and four Gucci models which seem to be all the rage. They don't cost a fortune and they do give you the name.
In those cases I usually miss the individuality. A few of these girls make it look good but most just seem to be one of the herd.

The very rare occasions where I see one with a D&G I'm just happy they have a mind of their own, even if I don't care too much for D&G.

[labelmom5]

Dont hate on the little girls with money!

[Louiebabeee]

when I see threads like this it kindov makes me mad. Yes there are teen's who are very spoiled and dont treat their things nice, but hey if their parents want to give them those things, well its their money. But not every teen with expensive things is a spoiled brat who doesnt appreciate it. It should'nt bother anyone to see a 15/16/17 year old with a designer bag, if it does then they are just jealous for some reason. I got tons of crap in highscool for having dooney and coach bags, even from teachers about how i am so spoiled to have gotten a coach bag for christmas( coach and dooney are considered reallllly expensive here). I liked the bag, and my mom asked if I'd like the bag for christmas/birthday. The only reason girls at my school made comments was becuse they were jealous..I even heard them say it...and I can't think of any reason but that that an adult would make comments too.