Can you REALLY afford LV - or are you fakin'?

[twinkle.tink]

This was an intresting thread, and I enjoyed the responses,

But, I find it ironic that in end, like so much in life it boils down to how comfortable you are with yourself.

Some people buy fake, because it is all they can afford...and some of them will always be self concious...some will style it with pride even though it's fake, with a hubristic confidence in themselves and the bag.

Some people buy real but still worry about what others think, they might feel like people look at them and judge them, 'oh, they can't afford LV...must be a fake'. Sadly, I think people don't enjoy their bags as much as they should...always worrying about what others think.

I think the majority of this board, falls into this catagory; those who buy real, are very aware there are fakes out there, but style their bags with pride, confident in the fact that their bag is real and they love it...they don't feel the need to 'dress up' for their bag or behave in a certain manner because of their bags. They enjoy their bags and don't really care what others think.

Then you have the extremes, the Hiltons are a good example, they are so rich, self confident and haughty they buy real and fake...not just fake but obvious fakes...and style them with pride and self assurance...when called on the fakes, the breezily reply, 'I know, I don't care, I thougt it was cute, so I bought it'.

 

[Nola]

If you really had the money some celebrities do and had so much of a hype going on around you, I don´t think studying the style names/sizes/colors would be the first thing on your mind. That´s why I would imagine people with substantial amounts of money don´t know what they are carrying, they just pick out what they like.

 

[Lola24]

Then you have the extremes, the Hiltons are a good example, they are so rich, self confident and haughty they buy real and fake...not just fake but obvious fakes...and style them with pride and self assurance...when called on the fakes, the breezily reply, 'I know, I don't care, I thougt it was cute, so I bought it'.[/QUOTE]

That's funny you say this, because it sometimes seems like people who have money like that care less about the value of the items they are wearing/using at any given time than those who do not have that wealth....But in some ways to me it seems like they just don't cherish anything they have because they don't really have to work hard to get it.....if that makes any sense....

 

[manolo maven]

I don't think the kind of handbag a woman carries speaks to how much money or class she has. Logos have been around for quite some time; remember, the LV trunks that first brandished the logo were EXCLUSIVELY owned by the very wealthiest members of society.

As for being able to afford it, LV lovers come in all income brackets. Some people can go into the boutique and drop ten grand without blinking; others will save up for a banger bargain on ebay. Both can "afford" their passion, however they choose to fulfill it, and neither is better than the other.

Now, as for people who are $40,000, $50,000 in debt buying up everything they see, well, I think that's just stupid. And they're not that uncommon, either.

 

[knn]

I can afford LV but feel guilty after purchasing it. I don't buy more than two LVs a year.

I can't bring myself to buy fake LV just because.

 

[knn]

Re: Fake bags- never bought one myself ( cheap hubby bought one for me though), but if others wanna buy fake LVs, am not gonna judge them...to each his own right? If I see other women carry LV, I don't judge their bags, in fact I don't notice at all...I really like LV just for the bag itself and I love the smell of NEW LV, gives me a natural high.

I bought my first LV without knowing what LV was except that I saw a girl with a petit noe and I GOTTA HAVE It too. The next day I bought one and another and another....... So its not about the brand or showing off for me.

 

[Sarsi]

If you really had the money some celebrities do and had so much of a hype going on around you, I don´t think studying the style names/sizes/colors would be the first thing on your mind. That´s why I would imagine people with substantial amounts of money don´t know what they are carrying, they just pick out what they like.

I guess so too...
I have a friend who came from old money...
she loves LV but have no idea what the names of her bags are...
I talked to her a few weeks ago and told me she got a new LV,
asked her which one she got and she's like...
uh... oh... it has a lock and really pretty.

 

[LVpug]

and there you have it. with style and grace. ITA
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Thank you

 

[Kimm992]

I don't think the kind of handbag a woman carries speaks to how much money or class she has. Logos have been around for quite some time; remember, the LV trunks that first brandished the logo were EXCLUSIVELY owned by the very wealthiest members of society.

As for being able to afford it, LV lovers come in all income brackets. Some people can go into the boutique and drop ten grand without blinking; others will save up for a banger bargain on ebay. Both can "afford" their passion, however they choose to fulfill it, and neither is better than the other.

Now, as for people who are $40,000, $50,000 in debt buying up everything they see, well, I think that's just stupid. And they're not that uncommon, either.

Well said. I completely agree!!

 

[*jazzybelle*]

I think you mean Nouveau riche, otherwise Nuevo Riche would be just about all rich Hispanics, like Selma Hayek,

OMG! I just choked on my Sprite!!!

 

[LV Rawks]

It's a very good question, but I don't know that it applies here since we are all bag geeks! Or, for the most part.

Bag geeks

 

[Purseloco]

Class is just a matter of opinion! I buy what I like, and I can afford what I want.

 

[cili_padi]

If I subscribe to my dad's reasoning, no I can't. He is so frugal, that's why he's got $$$!

But I think I can afford a little bit of LV.

 

[BagLadie]

I agree with LVpug - I love the mono canvas bags too and only because I like the way they look...not because they scream LV. I am not extremely wealthy or extremely poor - I have kids and have way better things to spend my money on but it's a hobby (like someone else here said) and my husband knows this and lets me indulge every now and then. I know my LV stuff - it's because I LOVE bags! I am just a bag geek like the rest of you!

I do think that veryyyyy wealthy people/ celebrities have so much money that they just go and buy a bag regardless of price and they could careless what the name of the style is....unless they are bag geeks like us. Personally....I think someone like Jessica Simpson is a bag geek at heart - she seems to LOVE her bags like we do.

I live in a small rural suburb in Massachusetts and sometimes I feel odd carrying around my LV bags. But I LOVE them - I am not trying to make a statement or be showy - I just love good quality and nice handbags and it's "my thing". Most of my friends know this and they don't quite understand it but whatever.

I love this forum because I am usually made to feel like I am crazy for the amount of money I spend on handbags - here I feel like you are all like me!

 

[Nyria]

I am Faking like a ho who needs to pay the rent!!!

I can't really afford LV but I still love it. My only 2 pieces are very used (I mean loved) from Ebay.
Although I won't wear clothes that have a brand name sprawled across the front I do like the fact that LV says LV.

Honestly (and I think a lot of people feel this way but won't admit it) - I wouldn't spend oodles on an LV bag that had NO logo or name on it.

And I think the only way that someone could buy Louis Vuitton and not know or care is if they had TONS of money. How else could you go in a store and NOT notice that the bag you are buying is $1000? Most people would say hmmm - feed my family for a month, pay the mortgage or buy a new purse.
I'm not saying there is anything wrong with this - everything is relative so when you have lost of money an LV bag isn't much - get what I am saying??