Advice to those just starting handbag collections...

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#151
I agree with much of the wise feedback here....buy only what you love and don't buy into hype...sometimes i'll check ebay prior to buying a bag because I know my taste changes so often that I want to make sure that I'll get a good price for re-sale....and I love my 24 hour rule which is if I see a bag and love it, I ask them to hold it for me and I think about it for 24 hours...if I still want it and feel the love, I buy it!
 
#152
Every bag can and probably will go out of fashion at some point. You probably won't carry that bag for 20 years, your daughter probably won't want it, and it probably won't even last long enough to give to her. If that's how you justify spending bigger bucks than you're comfortable with on a bag, rethink it. They are not heirloom pieces.
 
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#153
doreenjoy said:
1. Don't get caught up in the hype. Just because a bag is popular doesn't mean it's right for you to buy it.

2. There will always be another bag. Don't freak out if one passes you by or you can't afford it right now.

3. If your friends and family tell you they think you have a problem with buying too many bags/caring too much about your bags, they might be right.
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No. 3 can be relative. I started collecting this year. I bought four and am done. Before I would only have one at a time and carry it daily until it fell apart. My mom is of the mentality that no woman needs more than one bag and it should cost no more than $50. So ... when I bought mine, she went NUTS. I mean NUTS. She's still giving me hell about it.

I don't think five bags is bad at all. I spent about $1,600 total in cash for all four (including one Chanel and one LV). But according to her, those types of bags are for multimillionaires only, not for people like me. I won't need to buy any more bags for years, though. I expect decades, if ever. They're all classic, in excellent condition and will be used plenty depending on season.

Those family members who aren't into bags like my mom may freak out just because of that reason, not because you have a problem.
 
#155
vintagefinds said:
Every bag can and probably will go out of fashion at some point. You probably won't carry that bag for 20 years, your daughter probably won't want it, and it probably won't even last long enough to give to her. If that's how you justify spending bigger bucks than you're comfortable with on a bag, rethink it. They are not heirloom pieces.
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I don't care about being in fashion, I don't have a daughter and I probably won't live 20 more years anyway.
 
#156
calipursegal said:
Great thread! I agree that TPF makes you spend more. When I first got into LV I thought I'd get a speedy and NF and be done. I never considered charms or SLGs and now I have a little of everything. But I didn't lose my mind and my collection is only 10 items which only includes 4 full size bags.

My philosophy was not to have more full size premium designer bags than days of the week (7). So in theory I could wear a bag everyday and get good rotation. I don't include pochettes or contemporary brands (i.e. Coach, Dooney etc) in this limit. For me this has kept me from doing too much impulsive buying and I sell items to fund new purchases so my line-up changes which makes the 7 limit not so restrictive.
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I love your bag philosophy !
 
#157
missmoimoi said:
Don't start...collecting I mean.

Life was simpler and happier (YUP) when I just had 1 or 2 bags max. I didn't care and that was freedom. Now I still love my collection but it's impossible to USE them all. As I have whittled down my collection in the last 2 years, I am left with some GREAT bags that I hate to give up. YET, I still have too many to USE. It just wasn't necessary to OWN these gorgeous bags. Obtaining one doesn't mean anything...it's just a "thing"...sure, I've got good taste but whatever; the bags are just "things" and they've become a burden that needs sorting out.

If I could do it all over again, I'd stick with a good GF's advice: just buy 1 bag per year; carry it like crazy without a care in the world (i.e. let it get wrecked); then buy another great bag and throw out the old one. Unless your 1 bag is a pale colour, it could even go 2 years +
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Exactly what I am feeling right now. It's so painful trying to sell all those extra bags at a huge loss and wasted a lot of time. It's a huge burden.

If I could do it all over again I would just stick to a few practical Longchamp nylon totes and get on with my life.
 
#158
I am not entirely sure I belong here. :) (Okay, I probably don't. I admit, I only joined when I wanted to be able to ask questions instead of just reading!) I don't have a designer bag collection. But I have to agree heartily in a general sense with the emphasis on whether you're going to love and use it. Even something inexpensive is clutter and a waste of money if it doesn't serve the purpose you bought it for.
 
#160
Do not impulse buy. Be completely sure of your purchase - purchase your bag with no one else in mind except you. Don't try to keep up with the Jones who ever they are. Impulse buying will lead you to having a bunch of bags you bought for the sake of buying and I mean unless you got it like that it's a complete waste. When referring to my bags I may use the word collection but they really are not. I use every last one of my bags because that is what I bought them for. Do not purchase a bag you are afraid to use in fear of messing it up. I have heard that a lot here - that is a waste of money. Handbags are not model cars you uncover and show every now and then. Be very aware of the amount of money you are going spend on a bag and if you do not have all at once save until you do. Remember you can only wear so many bags - as someone said above seven bags is plenty one per day. I currently have eight big bags I use weekly. If I am looking to purchase another bag something has to go - holding onto bags because it was my first or someone gave it to me is crazy - if I am not using it it needs to go and be replace with something I will use. Remember as we age our taste changes so clothes, shoes, jewelry and bags will evolve. There is no way I can buy something in my twenties that I will likely wear when I am forty. Just make wise practical choices and some fun choices when buying bags.


Be Blessed MoNikki
 
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#161
thundercloud said:
as for the money piece, i won't tell you how to manage your own finances. i wouldn't recommend spending above your means, but that's just my opinion.
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Just this past month I have done a budget of what I feel I would be happy spending on a purse or bag. When you budget and something is £50-£60 more than you budgeted and you can afford it then think it over a couple of days. If you still like it then go for it. If it arrives and it's not right send it straight back. You should always be happy immediately with your purchase. If you have to work at it, it's really not right for you.

Something else I have read about is work out how long you will have to work for your purchase. Is it worth it?

I have found I don't like smooth leather as it scratches like crazy, so all my smooth leather bags have gone.

I like classic bags in neutral colours and a navy bag for summer.
 
#163
I don't know if anyone have contributed this before (this thread goes way back so...) but I remember Rebecca Bloomwood on that shopaholic movie asked herself "Do I need this?". I think we can very much relate to that. But we should HONESTLY know our answer, otherwise it defeats the question's purpose. Who are we lying to but ourselves, right?
 
#165
1. Do not start buying expensive bags until you discover your personal style.

This was my biggest mistake. I had a bohemian phase and bought expensive bags that suited that style. As i grew older my style became classic with clean lines. And i cringe when i look at my distressed hobos.

2. Go mid-priced for the colorful bags and spend more on neutrals.

3. Evaluate the colors you wear. Know your body shape and the shape of bags that work for you.

4. Some bags are beautiful. They may not be for you. Its okay to admire beautiful things without owning them. Dont go for lust at first sight.

5. It maybe tempting to carry the whole world with you in a large bag. Try not to, because its not healthy for your shoulders. How ever cute the bag maybe and how ever easy it may be to own and dump a lot of stuff. Some minimalism in this aspect saves shoulder pain and slouch as we age.

6. Think like a fashion editor. "IT" bags look very dated once the decade has passed. Hopefully you wear them a lot and sell them away once you get over the fad.

7. Try to not make a collection. Have usable bags. You dont have to hold on to the first designer bag you ever bought that makes you look like a cow girl. Sell them and let someone else enjoy the bag. Passing it down to daughters is working less and less these days. I dont want to carry anything my mom carried. And my niece once told me i fell for the ps1 it bag syndrome. And she thinks chanel quilting reminds her of grandma. They have a mind of their own and personality. Let them buy what they want when they want.

8. Quality over luxury. The art of maintenance.
 
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