85% MY HANDBAGS ARE DOONEY...but I just did something strange

G.Allyn

O.G.
Dec 12, 2013
518
217
I am loyal to the Dooney brand. The quality and styles have kept me happy as a handbag customer.

I have bored many of you with me closet clear out stories. It is my small Marie Kondo approach in one area of my life. Anyway, I sold two NWT crossbody bags by other designers. One was a chestnut and I have so many shades of brown from neutral to T-moro.

I found a bag I never carried from five years ago. I unwrapped the bag and the color and style was much better than I remembered. My mind was made up and I put it in the sale. Both bags sold right away.

Here's the kicker. I sold the bag for $52.00, and I ordered the newer version of the bag this morning (on sale)--- for $165.00. I'm hopeless!
 
I am loyal to the Dooney brand. The quality and styles have kept me happy as a handbag customer.

I have bored many of you with me closet clear out stories. It is my small Marie Kondo approach in one area of my life. Anyway, I sold two NWT crossbody bags by other designers. One was a chestnut and I have so many shades of brown from neutral to T-moro.

I found a bag I never carried from five years ago. I unwrapped the bag and the color and style was much better than I remembered. My mind was made up and I put it in the sale. Both bags sold right away.

Here's the kicker. I sold the bag for $52.00, and I ordered the newer version of the bag this morning (on sale)--- for $165.00. I'm hopeless!
That's one of the reasons I tend to keep my bags. I know I have far too many.
But my needs change over time or just my cravings. When I see some handbag on
YT or in a store or on a website that makes me want to buy it..... I try to remind myself
I probably have something in the same color and style.... it's just buried. I'm tired of
buying a new bag and finding I have the same style in an almost exact color.
Do I really need every shade of every color of the rainbow in every style?
Yes, wine, bordeaux, burgundy are all a little different..... but does it matter?
Do I need all 3 colors in the zip zip satchel plus an assortment of other styles
and textures?
 
I am trying to do the Marie Kondo organizing in the order: want to shopping -> organize the wardrobe -> really tired of organizing-> now too tired of shopping. However, sometimes, it does not work....
 
That's one of the reasons I tend to keep my bags. I know I have far too many.
But my needs change over time or just my cravings. When I see some handbag on
YT or in a store or on a website that makes me want to buy it..... I try to remind myself
I probably have something in the same color and style.... it's just buried. I'm tired of
buying a new bag and finding I have the same style in an almost exact color.
Do I really need every shade of every color of the rainbow in every style?
Yes, wine, bordeaux, burgundy are all a little different..... but does it matter?
Do I need all 3 colors in the zip zip satchel plus an assortment of other styles
and textures?
I've brought this up before, but some colors are tricky. I think you are correct to keep favorites if you have the space.
 
I am trying to do the Marie Kondo organizing in the order: want to shopping -> organize the wardrobe -> really tired of organizing-> now too tired of shopping. However, sometimes, it does not work....
I thought it would be easy to stop shopping. I don't buy very often, but I haven't stopped completely.

I'm kind of glad I purchased so many D&B bags a few years ago. I can't believe the higher prices the last couple of years. I buy primarily from the Alto line and they were all on sale. I think $320.00 is the most I paid and I think some are getting pretty pricey around $700.00.

That's out of my budget!
 
I thought it would be easy to stop shopping. I don't buy very often, but I haven't stopped completely.

I'm kind of glad I purchased so many D&B bags a few years ago. I can't believe the higher prices the last couple of years. I buy primarily from the Alto line and they were all on sale. I think $320.00 is the most I paid and I think some are getting pretty pricey around $700.00.

That's out of my budget!
That's what I tell myself. My collection is now worth so much more than I paid for it....
not in terms of what I could get if I tried to sell it.... but what it would cost if I had
to buy the bags now. But still.... I know I bought too many handbags.
 
That's what I tell myself. My collection is now worth so much more than I paid for it....
not in terms of what I could get if I tried to sell it.... but what it would cost if I had
to buy the bags now. But still.... I know I bought too many handbags.
Asking price on the secondary market is not the same as the selling price, but I see many pre-owned/used handbags with a list price that is higher than I paid new.

I gave my neighbor a forest green and brown tote (N-S) if I remember correctly and she says it's the nicest bag she has ever owned. I think it shows even a 'newbie' Dooney owner notices the quality.
 
Asking price on the secondary market is not the same as the selling price, but I see many pre-owned/used handbags with a list price that is higher than I paid new.

I gave my neighbor a forest green and brown tote (N-S) if I remember correctly and she says it's the nicest bag she has ever owned. I think it shows even a 'newbie' Dooney owner notices the quality.
A lot of people who don't own Dooney associate the line with coated canvas and
teenage prints. They don't realize there is so much more to Dooney and many of the
collections are very high quality leather, design, and construction.
 
I am loyal to the Dooney brand. The quality and styles have kept me happy as a handbag customer.

I have bored many of you with me closet clear out stories. It is my small Marie Kondo approach in one area of my life. Anyway, I sold two NWT crossbody bags by other designers. One was a chestnut and I have so many shades of brown from neutral to T-moro.

I found a bag I never carried from five years ago. I unwrapped the bag and the color and style was much better than I remembered. My mind was made up and I put it in the sale. Both bags sold right away.

Here's the kicker. I sold the bag for $52.00, and I ordered the newer version of the bag this morning (on sale)--- for $165.00. I'm hopeless!
I like Dooney bags too, and I only have 3with one older one up for sale and 2 on the way. I am curious if anyone else finds that the dimensions on the website don't really match the dimensions once you get the bag in real life. I'm curious about the two I have coming because the website says one thing, but when I watch QVC videos, they have two other dimensions. So confused.
 
In the past, Dooney made a point of posting dimensions on their website and
there were sketches that showed the methodology Dooney used to consistently measure
handbags..... length across the base, etc.
Other companies measure differently. Some measure the length at the widest point...
wherever that is, others measure length across the top of the bag.
This difference in methodology can make a huge difference.

Also if the bag is not structured, even if the measurements are taken at the
same point, they can be different. Take the Logo Lock hobo.... if you flatten it on a
table you can measure the length from side seam to side seam. It will appear much
longer than if the bag length is measured across the base.

And to add to the confusion, measurement listed on any site are often
not terribly accurate.
For a time QVC used different measurement 'standards' than Dooney.
Then for a while they seemed to adopt the Dooney way of measuring
at least for Dooney handbags. Now, I have no idea how QVC measures
the handbags. The on air measurements given (not very often)
are so hurried an off-hand, I'm not sure they even relate to the handbags
being shown.

All handbag measurements are important, including the depth, which is often
omitted.

After collecting handbags, we each get a size picture in our minds, base on the bags
we own. So I know the measurements of a Dooney zip zip, for example, and think
I can judge other bags against it to see if they will work for me. But.... that often
doesn't work if I am trying to evaluate a Coach or Brahmin handbags because those
companies use a different methodology for measuring. I'm thinking length across the
bottom, and they are listing length at the widest point, which may be the top where
the space isn't really usable for stuff.

The shape and design of a handbag also influence what the measurements mean and
how much usable space is in the handbag.

And our eyes get 'trained' by seeing the handbag trends. When everyone is carrying small handbags, a normal size bag looks large. We loose our ability to
accurately judge what we are seeing.

Hope your new handbags work for you and the size is right for your needs.
 
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I like Dooney bags too, and I only have 3with one older one up for sale and 2 on the way. I am curious if anyone else finds that the dimensions on the website don't really match the dimensions once you get the bag in real life. I'm curious about the two I have coming because the website says one thing, but when I watch QVC videos, they have two other dimensions. So confused.
Congrats on getting two new D&B bags. Feel free to "show and tell" if you wish to share when the they arrive.
 
A lot of people who don't own Dooney associate the line with coated canvas and
teenage prints. They don't realize there is so much more to Dooney and many of the
collections are very high quality leather, design, and construction.
I’m not only the president, I’m also a client… I had no idea how fabulous dooney and Bourke bags were, until that Florentine satchel graced my YouTube feed. I was utterly awed at how beautiful the bag was, the details of it, how beautifully saturated the colors were. It really made me pay attention to dooney and Bourke. Mind you I was a coach girl since 1988, first real leather purse I had. Dooney is on my radar now tho. I’m just starting my collection, I have 2 and my highly anticipated Florentine satchel will be here tomorrow, says USPS… I can wait to hug her and rub her and sniff her and pet her and call her George… LOL
 
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I’m not only the president, I’m also a client… I had no idea how fabulous dooney and Bourke bags were, until that Florentine satchel graced my YouTube feed. I was utterly awed at how beautiful the bag was, the details of it, how beautifully saturated the colors were. It really made me pay attention to dooney and Bourke. Mind you I was a coach girl since 1988, first real leather purse I had. Dooney is on my radar now tho. I’m just starting my collection, I have 2 and my highly anticipated Florentine satchel will be here tomorrow, says USPS… I can wait to hug her and rub her and sniff her and pet her and call her George… LOL
Welcome to the Dooney side. I own a lot (really, a lot) of Dooney leather handbags,
a few non leather Dooneys too, and some Coach, Micheal Kors, and other contemporary
fashion brands. I think, price for price, the Dooney quality far exceeds the other brands in terms of leather and construction. Style is a personal thing, and I also generally prefer
Dooney styles, although obviously there are some styles in the other brands that I like also. but if you compare list price to list price, the Dooneys are superior, in my opinion.

With any brand there are ranges of product to address different market price points.
And the quality within the brand will differ too. If you compare a canvas handbag from one brand to the top leather quality from another brand... well, that's not a like for like
or fair contest. But comparing the top or mid range quality, like for like between brands,
will give you a more accurate assessment. For me, Dooney always wins.... the leather
and craftsmanship are better, in my experience.

The more you know (learn) about leather, the more striking the comparisons between brands can be. But, very few brands tell their customers the facts about the leather.
With lots of brands its marketing speak.... either generic terminology or generalizations
that don't really convey the important specifications about the leather or the dying process. With a little hunting, the info for the Dooney Florentine and Alto lines
is available and it's clear why these are the top tiers of the brand. Also the quality of some brands has changed over time.... Coach used to be known for its top qualilty leather
and construction. Collectors say it's not the same know. Maybe that's why the vintage
Coach bags are so sought after. My personal experience with Coach has not impressed me, with only a few exceptions.

And since most of these brands can be found on sale, it makes buying the bags we prefer
even more cost effective. And for those brave enough to buy preloved (I'm not one).... there are often treasures to be found.
 
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Yeah I get what u mean. Vintage coach leather VS new coach totally different animals. ive bought my mom a new coach chaise crossbody and I was NOT impressed. I bought myself a coach Kay crossbody, because it was really cute ( special occasion use) but I really can’t see it lasting for years with regular use opposed to the vintage train case ( same shape full grain leather back in the day)

A lot of the vintage Dooneys and coach still look good today. I have purchased many vintage preloved coach that are in very good condition at a fraction of what these new bags cost. See my example coach dinky tote, rare and hard to find. Was in new condition when I bought it off eBay a few years ago. Now I don’t see them come up for sale often. I had just pulled it from storage and took these pics for authentication in the coach forum.

I have yet to purchase a pre loved dooney… I’m looking but I haven’t found a preloved that has called my name… that Buckley has caught my eye And I saw it in Bordeaux. I would really like a dooney in that color. The hunt continues

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Yeah I get what u mean. Vintage coach leather VS new coach totally different animals. ive bought my mom a new coach chaise crossbody and I was NOT impressed. I bought myself a coach Kay crossbody, because it was really cute ( special occasion use) but I really can’t see it lasting for years with regular use opposed to the vintage train case ( same shape full grain leather back in the day)

A lot of the vintage Dooneys and coach still look good today. I have purchased many vintage preloved coach that are in very good condition at a fraction of what these new bags cost. See my example coach dinky tote, rare and hard to find. Was in new condition when I bought it off eBay a few years ago. Now I don’t see them come up for sale often. I had just pulled it from storage and took these pics for authentication in the coach forum.

I have yet to purchase a pre loved dooney… I’m looking but I haven’t found a preloved that has called my name… that Buckley has caught my eye And I saw it in Bordeaux. I would really like a dooney in that color. The hunt continues

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It's a worthwhile hunt to find the quality handbags.

And when I find a brand/collection that meets my quality standards, I find it
it risky to branch out. All too often the info given by the other brand
is misleading to me.... it's not specific enough to be inaccurate but I get the
impression the leather is not really what they say.
I was watching a handbag brand on a shopping channel recently (not Dooney)
and they talked about their leather being full grain. It was only after listening
for a while that I heard that it was only the top of the
full grain, they cut off the inside layers to lighten the leather. True, it lightens the
leather, but the result is not full grain leather by classical standards. Maybe it's
top grain leather. Still good, but not as durable and not the same as full grain leather.

We won't talk about the fact that genuine leather doesn't have to be 100% leather
by legal standards and can often be a man made leather and chemical combo...
I think of it as baloney leather...bits and pieces mixed together and extruded into
sheets of leather looking fabric.