Its still a bag!,my first designer bag was a COACH leather black demi from the outlets in Orlando,and I still wear her to this day (shes 5 years old now).
I live close to a wonderful Coach outlet, and they often carry items from the retail stores. Sometimes a bag has been returned and they've already taken it off their show floor, so off to the outlet it goes!
I found a beautiful khaki patchwork tote 10002 there last year, and just yesterday (uh, yeah, I was just looking) they had the hampton signature stripe carryall in crimson and in khaki/saddle, and those bags sold out online in about a month.
Don't fret about the outlet--it just means you can get more bag for the buck!
Oh me too! I'm actually rather proud when I get a $100 pair of shoes or boots for under $20. Until yesterday, all of my Coach purchases were from outlets, and some of them weren't that much less than retail. I still look forward to what treasures I will find at the outlet...perhaps a wallet? I may buy a bag at boutique in the next month or two, just because I am love and I don't want to wait 6 months to see if it will go to an outlet.
So long as it's authentic and I like it, that's all that matters!! Coach is Coach whether it comes from a flagship store, a regular boutique, outlet, or department store.
LOL if you feel weird carrying a Coach for half price then go and return the bargain!! It doesn't have 'OUTLET' written all over it does it? No I didn't think so, so what's the problem? LOL
Actually, I'm the opposite...I feel bad paying full price in the regular store! I have to really like it to be willing to pay full price and not wait to hope that it will turn up at the outlet...however, I've been lucky, everything I've ever purchased at full price has never gone to the outlet.