Should your age determine your handbag style?

Mousy

Mousy

Member
May 30, 2015
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#1
I viewed a few threads where people have made comments about selling certain styles in their collection when the wearer reached a certain age, because the style looked too young.

I have also seen comments stating women of a certain age shouldn't carry certain styles of nanos or backpacks, because they are meant for people in their 20's.

Another (assuming) young woman said she doesn't wear Hermes and Chanel because they are for old people- I guess what some call "timeless".

Are certain styles for certain ages? If so, what age of wearer/ handbag combination just doesn't look right to you?
 
#2
I think that used to be a common feeling, but I think it has changed quite a bit over the past few years. One reason is that the pricing of all designer handbags has increased dramatically and the designers have looked back to classic styling with their current bags to justify their price. So, essentially, all that is old is new again and the younger women are getting used to these styles and don't feel that they are wearing grandma's bag as much as they used to. People are also looking for sustainability i.e. something that will grow with them in time. The vintage market is hotter than ever.

If the posts on the Hermes thread are any example, it would seem that the demographic has gone steadily downward in age than upwards.
 
#3
I think the bag should compliment your personal style, like if you dress slick and youthful or Hollywood glamour. Of course there are people who enjoy a fun, eclectic wardrobe. At the end of the day it's really down to what you're comfortable with, love, and enjoy. In short: no, age shouldn't restrict your expression of style and taste.
 
#4
I think that allowing any external "norm" or perception to dictate what you want to wear, or do, whether you are fourteen or eighty-four, is unhealthy. If you have personal style and you love what you carry you will make it your own.

I used to think that Kellys were "grandma" bags - now I think a K is one of the most youthful bags out there, as it's so easy to wear and it's part of a classic, trend-free movement away from "it bags". To me a Kelly is saying "no" to getting a new "hot" bag every six months.

Christiane Northrup says a lovely thing about getting older - that it's not the same thing as aging. Getting older is just moving through time. Aging is wearing down and degeneration.

Just moving through time shouldn't dictate who we are or what we wear, think, believe, do. :love:
 
#5
I also think it depends on your personal style as well.

I'm in my 20s, I own various designer brands items now, but I must say my taste for handbags have changed so much over the past few years. To me one rules never changed is, I determine which bag to use according to what outfit I'm wearing that day, what I have on my schedule and where I'm going [emoji5]️ Be and look appropriate to what occasion you are attending.

For example, days when I'm out with my Shiba Inus, I would probably go with a Longchamp backpack for its lightness and so that I can be handsfree [emoji191] Going to an evening event, I would maybe go with one of my Chanel M/L flaps or a clutch. A chillaxing brunch I would call for my Chanel WOC [emoji169] As for my Birkin, I just find any excuse to bring that beauty out [emoji23]

I think what makes you most comfortable matters [emoji5]️ I never cared how others think of me, I work hard to treat myself. Also, not everyone will/can like everyone, someone will always have something to say. The only person I need to 'please' is myself [emoji41] If it makes me happy, that's all it matters [emoji123]
 
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#7
Hmmm, what do you think of dress sense rather than age? I have seen beautifully aged women with fantastic figure and dress sense, any bags will go well with them. However, just a few days ago on weekends, i went to hermes and saw this lady talking loudly and kind of rude intercepted me and my SA conversation. She was looking for a lindy and asked lots of questions saying how her sister and her bought many hermes bags and wanted a few lindys in different colours and lamenting how sad is it that there isn't any stock. No offense to my next statement. She looked and dressed like a fishmonger (no joke) carrying a longchamp(nothing wrong with the longchamp here). She is quite plump, not wearing any makeup. I don't mean to judge how another person dresses, but can't help but to feel that a hermes bags will be totally ruined with her kind of dressing as well as how she carries herself. I have seen very simple dressed women with just a T shirt and shorts carry herself very well with a birkin, but not that kind of sloppiness. I am not sure if you guys know what m saying. I am definitely for cheap outfits with expensive handbags, but not sloppy, crude, erm totally indifferent to one image or mannerism. A good branded bag can bring out the beauty of your cheap outfits, but not the case when the outfit and mannerism totally ruin your beautiful bag. If u can't keep up the image, don't ruin the bag.
 
#8
bagloverismeme said:
Hmmm, what do you think of dress sense rather than age? I have seen beautifully aged women with fantastic figure and dress sense, any bags will go well with them. However, just a few days ago on weekends, i went to hermes and saw this lady talking loudly and kind of rude intercepted me and my SA conversation. She was looking for a lindy and asked lots of questions saying how her sister and her bought many hermes bags and wanted a few lindys in different colours and lamenting how sad is it that there isn't any stock. No offense to my next statement. She looked and dressed like a fishmonger (no joke) carrying a longchamp(nothing wrong with the longchamp here). She is quite plump, not wearing any makeup. I don't mean to judge how another person dresses, but can't help but to feel that a hermes bags will be totally ruined with her kind of dressing as well as how she carries herself. I have seen very simple dressed women with just a T shirt and shorts carry herself very well with a birkin, but not that kind of sloppiness. I am not sure if you guys know what m saying. I am definitely for cheap outfits with expensive handbags, but not sloppy, crude, erm totally indifferent to one image or mannerism. A good branded bag can bring out the beauty of your cheap outfits, but not the case when the outfit and mannerism totally ruin your beautiful bag. If u can't keep up the image, don't ruin the bag.
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I think it's more of the fact that she has bad manners and not well taught by her family [emoji23] Dress sense is something that can potentially be 'fixed/educated' but etiquette that sort of thing cannot be changed.

I totally get what you mean, I live in Hong Kong and nowadays it's filled with tourists or even some locals are like that (Not all tourist are like that). Even well dressed people can be an absolute shocker. Just because they dress well doesn't mean that are well mannered, with common courtesy or gesture for others [emoji36]

My experience once when when I was in Chanel that I was sitting in the 'privater' lounge area with my bestie and we were viewing a few bags whilst chatting with out SAs, these 2 middle age woman (dressed fairly normal, but you could told they are tourist from mainland, nothing wrong with that), they just happened to wondered to in front of us and grabbed one of the bags we were looking at.

Nowadays some people act like just because they are somewhat wealthy, they can treat others like however they want. Impolite, uneducated like, rude.. I can keep counting [emoji87][emoji85]
 
#9
Christiane Northrup says a lovely thing about getting older - that it's not the same thing as aging. Getting older is just moving through time. Aging is wearing down and degeneration.

Great quote QuelleFromage!

I'm probably going brighter in some things like bags that aren't close to my face. Covering the basics thoroughly, everything has to fit correctly and be well maintained.

Also willing to try anything except lots of bare skin.
 
#10
QuelleFromage said:
I think that allowing any external "norm" or perception to dictate what you want to wear, or do, whether you are fourteen or eighty-four, is unhealthy. If you have personal style and you love what you carry you will make it your own.

I used to think that Kellys were "grandma" bags - now I think a K is one of the most youthful bags out there, as it's so easy to wear and it's part of a classic, trend-free movement away from "it bags". To me a Kelly is saying "no" to getting a new "hot" bag every six months.

Christiane Northrup says a lovely thing about getting older - that it's not the same thing as aging. Getting older is just moving through time. Aging is wearing down and degeneration.

Just moving through time shouldn't dictate who we are or what we wear, think, believe, do. :love:
Click to expand...



+1 . You have stated this so well! Totally agree. Age is just a number. Wear what fits your own personal style.
 
#11
QuelleFromage ~ I agree. I am not in the "younger" group and think "age" is just bunch numbers reflecting how I appreciate my life experience... Not how I dress myself.

OP ~ In terms of bag style, I would say as long as I carry myself properly and be truthful to my own style. As I am aging I can still enjoy all the fun. Of course there are few styles that I would not like for myself not really because of my age just I don't find them attractive to my taste.


QuelleFromage said:
I think that allowing any external "norm" or perception to dictate what you want to wear, or do, whether you are fourteen or eighty-four, is unhealthy. If you have personal style and you love what you carry you will make it your own.

I used to think that Kellys were "grandma" bags - now I think a K is one of the most youthful bags out there, as it's so easy to wear and it's part of a classic, trend-free movement away from "it bags". To me a Kelly is saying "no" to getting a new "hot" bag every six months.

Christiane Northrup says a lovely thing about getting older - that it's not the same thing as aging. Getting older is just moving through time. Aging is wearing down and degeneration.

Just moving through time shouldn't dictate who we are or what we wear, think, believe, do. :love:
Click to expand...
 
#12
bagloverismeme said:
She is quite plump, not wearing any makeup. I don't mean to judge how another person dresses, but can't help but to feel that a hermes bags will be totally ruined with her kind of dressing as well as how she carries herself. I have seen very simple dressed women with just a T shirt and shorts carry herself very well with a birkin, but not that kind of sloppiness. I am not sure if you guys know what m saying. I am definitely for cheap outfits with expensive handbags, but not sloppy, crude, erm totally indifferent to one image or mannerism. A good branded bag can bring out the beauty of your cheap outfits, but not the case when the outfit and mannerism totally ruin your beautiful bag. If u can't keep up the image, don't ruin the bag.
Click to expand...

Oh boy, I sure hope you're not suggesting that us "plump" girls ruin the look of a Hermes bag! I'm plus size (and not an avid makeup wearer at that -- gasp!) and I'd like to think that I rock my Birkins! International Women's Day was just yesterday, let's empower each other instead of putting each other down.
 
#13
gracekelly said:
I think that used to be a common feeling, but I think it has changed quite a bit over the past few years. One reason is that the pricing of all designer handbags has increased dramatically and the designers have looked back to classic styling with their current bags to justify their price. So, essentially, all that is old is new again and the younger women are getting used to these styles and don't feel that they are wearing grandma's bag as much as they used to. People are also looking for sustainability i.e. something that will grow with them in time. The vintage market is hotter than ever.

If the posts on the Hermes thread are any example, it would seem that the demographic has gone steadily downward in age than upwards.
Click to expand...

this exactly what i think just to compliment a perfect post like this one, my grandmother wears small bags chanel 2.55s and an Hermes ring bag she has worn theese bags for ever and has argued that her generation shes 84 did not need to carry a lap top or a days supply of survival itmes for the office or commute. and oddly these days many women are down sizing.. even carrying a purse and work bag (i do this) so its really so subjective ..... and again to me all is best said in the post above !!!
 
#14
gracekelly said:
I think that used to be a common feeling, but I think it has changed quite a bit over the past few years. One reason is that the pricing of all designer handbags has increased dramatically and the designers have looked back to classic styling with their current bags to justify their price. So, essentially, all that is old is new again and the younger women are getting used to these styles and don't feel that they are wearing grandma's bag as much as they used to. People are also looking for sustainability i.e. something that will grow with them in time. The vintage market is hotter than ever.

If the posts on the Hermes thread are any example, it would seem that the demographic has gone steadily downward in age than upwards.
Click to expand...

:tup:

Spot-on reading of recent trends and relevant repercussions

I believe this is also why a lot of the traditional handbags are 'updated' in colours that would have been unthinkable 20 and more years ago.
 
#15
papertiger said:
:tup:

Spot-on reading of recent trends and relevant repercussions

I believe this is also why a lot of the traditional handbags are 'updated' in colours that would have been unthinkable 20 and more years ago.
Click to expand...

Thank you birkel and papertiger:smile:

papertiger, I think you really hit on something with the updated colors. They are also adding some trendier hardware as well. The latest thing seems to be using a bag strap that is of a color that you would not expect. I rather like this trend and it does take a traditional Kelly and make it a bit fresh looking. Many are currently resisting this idea and when Hermes came out with the Amazone multicolor strap, the majority of tPFERs were not thrilled with it. I loved it and had the minority position:smile: I believe that this is part of this trend and we know that Fendi has embraced this as well. Some of the Fendi straps have been showing up on the thread as well as those made by other companies. i say YAY to this! It shows less rigidity with the wearing of a classic brand and bag.
 
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