Bag Insults - Ever Had One?

[CoachCruiser]

"I think you have a real problem."

"I think your 'hobby' is really bordering on addiction."

These are both comments I've gotten from 2 family members in the last 24 hours. It irritates me, and I wonder if it bothers me because it may be true. But here's the thing: I'm now selling bags to pay for new ones. And here are a few more facts:

-My rent is always on time, if not mailed early.
-My bills are always on time, if not mailed early.
-The above 2 are always priorities for me.
-I own one freaking pair of jeans and 4 pairs of shoes. My clothes (all loved) are mostly from Old Navy, some from Macy's (on sale).
-I'm married but do not have children and don't plan to have them. I'm also the one making more money in the marriage.
-I pay for the bulk of any vacations with my husband.
-I'm a teacher and I work my TAIL OFF at my job to the point of obsession. I put 1000% into my students and my work. I show up at 5 a.m. and sometimes leave at 4 p.m. Then I'm still not done: I do work on weekends, vacations, participate in workshops over the summer, and plan during the summer. My job does not "end" at 2:15.

If I sound annoyed, I am. I need to vent - I'm sorry. I thought this would be the correct place to do so. Maybe it IS an addiction more than a hobby. But....SO WHAT?! I really enjoy fashion, reading history books and biographies on designers, following up on bag trends, etc. It's my only "thing." I don't go to spas, I've had about 4 manicures in my lifetime at the age of 37, and I go to Supercuts to get my hair highlighted every 6 months (or even longer), when I used to spend hundreds at pricier salons.

Wtf, man/woman?!!!! What are people's problems? Do I need to laminate the list above on a piece of paper and pass out these informational cards to people when they give me crap?! I try to joke with coworkers, even my husband, saying "It's my thing, let it go" (quoting Miranda from SATC)....but sometimes it really gets to me.

 

[anasa]

Boo, sorry you've had to deal with comments like these! Tbh if it really gets on your nerves, I would say something equally snarky like "well, I can afford it". Rude, I know, but hey - they started it! Seriously unless these people are paying for your bags, there's no reason why it should matter to them.

Love the bag in your profile pic, btw! Such a fun color.

"I think you have a real problem."

"I think your 'hobby' is really bordering on addiction."

These are both comments I've gotten from 2 family members in the last 24 hours. It irritates me, and I wonder if it bothers me because it may be true. But here's the thing: I'm now selling bags to pay for new ones. And here are a few more facts:

-My rent is always on time, if not mailed early.
-My bills are always on time, if not mailed early.
-The above 2 are always priorities for me.
-I own one freaking pair of jeans and 4 pairs of shoes. My clothes (all loved) are mostly from Old Navy, some from Macy's (on sale).
-I'm married but do not have children and don't plan to have them. I'm also the one making more money in the marriage.
-I pay for the bulk of any vacations with my husband.
-I'm a teacher and I work my TAIL OFF at my job to the point of obsession. I put 1000% into my students and my work. I show up at 5 a.m. and sometimes leave at 4 p.m. Then I'm still not done: I do work on weekends, vacations, participate in workshops over the summer, and plan during the summer. My job does not "end" at 2:15.

If I sound annoyed, I am. I need to vent - I'm sorry. I thought this would be the correct place to do so. Maybe it IS an addiction more than a hobby. But....SO WHAT?! I really enjoy fashion, reading history books and biographies on designers, following up on bag trends, etc. It's my only "thing." I don't go to spas, I've had about 4 manicures in my lifetime at the age of 37, and I go to Supercuts to get my hair highlighted every 6 months (or even longer), when I used to spend hundreds at pricier salons.

Wtf, man/woman?!!!! What are people's problems? Do I need to laminate the list above on a piece of paper and pass out these informational cards to people when they give me crap?! I try to joke with coworkers, even my husband, saying "It's my thing, let it go" (quoting Miranda from SATC)....but sometimes it really gets to me.

 

[CoachCruiser]

Boo, sorry you've had to deal with comments like these! Tbh if it really gets on your nerves, I would say something equally snarky like "well, I can afford it". Rude, I know, but hey - they started it! Seriously unless these people are paying for your bags, there's no reason why it should matter to them.

Love the bag in your profile pic, btw! Such a fun color.

Thank you for your support. It's really getting me irritated this a.m., for some reason, and I had to let it out.

And thanks for the compliment on my Dior Panarea tote! Can't seem to move out of it. I love that company. Incredible craftsmanship and their customer service is fantastic.

 

[Esquared72]

"I think you have a real problem."

"I think your 'hobby' is really bordering on addiction."

These are both comments I've gotten from 2 family members in the last 24 hours. It irritates me, and I wonder if it bothers me because it may be true. But here's the thing: I'm now selling bags to pay for new ones. And here are a few more facts:

-My rent is always on time, if not mailed early.
-My bills are always on time, if not mailed early.
-The above 2 are always priorities for me.
-I own one freaking pair of jeans and 4 pairs of shoes. My clothes (all loved) are mostly from Old Navy, some from Macy's (on sale).
-I'm married but do not have children and don't plan to have them. I'm also the one making more money in the marriage.
-I pay for the bulk of any vacations with my husband.
-I'm a teacher and I work my TAIL OFF at my job to the point of obsession. I put 1000% into my students and my work. I show up at 5 a.m. and sometimes leave at 4 p.m. Then I'm still not done: I do work on weekends, vacations, participate in workshops over the summer, and plan during the summer. My job does not "end" at 2:15.

If I sound annoyed, I am. I need to vent - I'm sorry. I thought this would be the correct place to do so. Maybe it IS an addiction more than a hobby. But....SO WHAT?! I really enjoy fashion, reading history books and biographies on designers, following up on bag trends, etc. It's my only "thing." I don't go to spas, I've had about 4 manicures in my lifetime at the age of 37, and I go to Supercuts to get my hair highlighted every 6 months (or even longer), when I used to spend hundreds at pricier salons.

Wtf, man/woman?!!!! What are people's problems? Do I need to laminate the list above on a piece of paper and pass out these informational cards to people when they give me crap?! I try to joke with coworkers, even my husband, saying "It's my thing, let it go" (quoting Miranda from SATC)....but sometimes it really gets to me.

Amen! I work in corporate training (kinda like teaching, lol), and if you change the age from 37 to 41, I could have written this entire post myself. I got your back, sister.

 

[CoachCruiser]

Amen! I work in corporate training (kinda like teaching, lol), and if you change the age from 37 to 41, I could have written this entire post myself. I got your back, sister.

THANK YOU, WOMAN!!!!!! Amen, Amen!!!

 

[Jesssh]

"I think you have a real problem."

"I think your 'hobby' is really bordering on addiction."

These are both comments I've gotten from 2 family members in the last 24 hours. It irritates me, and I wonder if it bothers me because it may be true. But here's the thing: I'm now selling bags to pay for new ones. And here are a few more facts:

-My rent is always on time, if not mailed early.
-My bills are always on time, if not mailed early.
-The above 2 are always priorities for me.
-I own one freaking pair of jeans and 4 pairs of shoes. My clothes (all loved) are mostly from Old Navy, some from Macy's (on sale).
-I'm married but do not have children and don't plan to have them. I'm also the one making more money in the marriage.
-I pay for the bulk of any vacations with my husband.
-I'm a teacher and I work my TAIL OFF at my job to the point of obsession. I put 1000% into my students and my work. I show up at 5 a.m. and sometimes leave at 4 p.m. Then I'm still not done: I do work on weekends, vacations, participate in workshops over the summer, and plan during the summer. My job does not "end" at 2:15.

If I sound annoyed, I am. I need to vent - I'm sorry. I thought this would be the correct place to do so. Maybe it IS an addiction more than a hobby. But....SO WHAT?! I really enjoy fashion, reading history books and biographies on designers, following up on bag trends, etc. It's my only "thing." I don't go to spas, I've had about 4 manicures in my lifetime at the age of 37, and I go to Supercuts to get my hair highlighted every 6 months (or even longer), when I used to spend hundreds at pricier salons.

Wtf, man/woman?!!!! What are people's problems? Do I need to laminate the list above on a piece of paper and pass out these informational cards to people when they give me crap?! I try to joke with coworkers, even my husband, saying "It's my thing, let it go" (quoting Miranda from SATC)....but sometimes it really gets to me.

"Do not get defensive." You don't have to explain anything to them.

I have to tell myself those words every time I feel like getting defensive (which isn't often), and now it's a habit to distract and let stuff go. If you have an addiction, then examine it. Otherwise, enjoy your hobby. I personally think a lot of things can be addicting (or obsessions) for a while, then they are satisfied and go away. Today I am obsessed with my new coffeemaker, but I'm sure it will become just another thing in my daily routine.

You could laugh and say "that's not true" and change the subject. I have a look (I don't get insults much, but I have a look for them) - I get wide-eyed and smile a little and my head goes forward, like I'm shocked and amused at the comment. I remember my Dad used to respond to that. You can always puff out your chest, shoulders back and make yourself as tall as possible - that seems to help sometimes and could make people back off.

It could be the "summers off" illusion that's bugging you now. Maybe you need a technique to put those comments away. Or just say, "yeah, it's awesome" and smile.

"Do not get defensive." Great mantra. Works for me. If people can't get a rise out of you, they won't be so entertained by commenting on your choices.

Hope you are feeling better.

 

[Maice]

"I think you have a real problem."

"I think your 'hobby' is really bordering on addiction."

These are both comments I've gotten from 2 family members in the last 24 hours. It irritates me, and I wonder if it bothers me because it may be true. But here's the thing: I'm now selling bags to pay for new ones. And here are a few more facts:

-My rent is always on time, if not mailed early.
-My bills are always on time, if not mailed early.
-The above 2 are always priorities for me.
-I own one freaking pair of jeans and 4 pairs of shoes. My clothes (all loved) are mostly from Old Navy, some from Macy's (on sale).
-I'm married but do not have children and don't plan to have them. I'm also the one making more money in the marriage.
-I pay for the bulk of any vacations with my husband.
-I'm a teacher and I work my TAIL OFF at my job to the point of obsession. I put 1000% into my students and my work. I show up at 5 a.m. and sometimes leave at 4 p.m. Then I'm still not done: I do work on weekends, vacations, participate in workshops over the summer, and plan during the summer. My job does not "end" at 2:15.

If I sound annoyed, I am. I need to vent - I'm sorry. I thought this would be the correct place to do so. Maybe it IS an addiction more than a hobby. But....SO WHAT?! I really enjoy fashion, reading history books and biographies on designers, following up on bag trends, etc. It's my only "thing." I don't go to spas, I've had about 4 manicures in my lifetime at the age of 37, and I go to Supercuts to get my hair highlighted every 6 months (or even longer), when I used to spend hundreds at pricier salons.

Wtf, man/woman?!!!! What are people's problems? Do I need to laminate the list above on a piece of paper and pass out these informational cards to people when they give me crap?! I try to joke with coworkers, even my husband, saying "It's my thing, let it go" (quoting Miranda from SATC)....but sometimes it really gets to me.

I'm sorry that you have to deal with this. I am fortunate that I don't have to deal with what you do... but know that we're here for you I'm a firm believer that it's none of their business.


Here's a hug for you, CoachCruiser

 

[a.rose_m]

wanting to get a prada saffiano small

few weeks ago i showed a uni 'friend' pictures of the bag- she asked what brand- prada. she said to go for it, very polite she was.
for some reason a week later she asked how it was going, i said i'm still saving as its pricey.
then she started to judge after i wouldn't tell her the price (none of her business)
and asked 'how many bags can you buy for my $12,000 car' after a long time of pressuring i said '6'
and she like flipped a switch, went up to my other friends making me look like a fool discussing how expensive this bag i wanted. basically they all judged
the friend had said 'i thought it was $250'.... she clearly knows nothing about prada.

nicest comment so far from my best friend on the discussion of the bag was 'when you get it can i please touch it'

 

[Maice]

wanting to get a prada saffiano small

few weeks ago i showed a uni 'friend' pictures of the bag- she asked what brand- prada. she said to go for it, very polite she was.
for some reason a week later she asked how it was going, i said i'm still saving as its pricey.
then she started to judge after i wouldn't tell her the price (none of her business)
and asked 'how many bags can you buy for my $12,000 car' after a long time of pressuring i said '6'
and she like flipped a switch, went up to my other friends making me look like a fool discussing how expensive this bag i wanted. basically they all judged
the friend had said 'i thought it was $250'.... she clearly knows nothing about prada.

nicest comment so far from my best friend on the discussion of the bag was 'when you get it can i please touch it'

That uni "friend" clearly needs a more expensive car... That way when she asks you how many bags you can buy for her car, the answer will be 20. Just kidding, of course... but it goes back to it being none of their business, as long as you can afford it.

 

[snoflinga]

I've had people make mild snarky comments about if I bought another purse again, or call me a hoarder. And I'm a Coach girl, which is super affordable! This happened when I was concentrating on collecting yarn too. It used to hurt my feelings to be judged by people, but now I'm so over people and their unwanted opinions about how I spend my hard earned money. My general rule now is "Unless I'm spending your money, I don't give a hoot about your opinion on how I spend it". Repeat that to yourself as a mantra. I don't talk trash about what other people buy, or what they wear, or how they look, so anyone who does that to me is obviously a loser. Eyes on your own paper is a good rule for life.

 

[CoachCruiser]

"Do not get defensive." You don't have to explain anything to them.

I have to tell myself those words every time I feel like getting defensive (which isn't often), and now it's a habit to distract and let stuff go. If you have an addiction, then examine it. Otherwise, enjoy your hobby. I personally think a lot of things can be addicting (or obsessions) for a while, then they are satisfied and go away. Today I am obsessed with my new coffeemaker, but I'm sure it will become just another thing in my daily routine.

You could laugh and say "that's not true" and change the subject. I have a look (I don't get insults much, but I have a look for them) - I get wide-eyed and smile a little and my head goes forward, like I'm shocked and amused at the comment. I remember my Dad used to respond to that. You can always puff out your chest, shoulders back and make yourself as tall as possible - that seems to help sometimes and could make people back off.

It could be the "summers off" illusion that's bugging you now. Maybe you need a technique to put those comments away. Or just say, "yeah, it's awesome" and smile.

"Do not get defensive." Great mantra. Works for me. If people can't get a rise out of you, they won't be so entertained by commenting on your choices.

Hope you are feeling better.

Thank you! I like the jokey/sarcastic, "yeah, it's awesome!" comeback.

 

[CoachCruiser]

I'm sorry that you have to deal with this. I am fortunate that I don't have to deal with what you do... but know that we're here for you I'm a firm believer that it's none of their business.


Here's a hug for you, CoachCruiser

Thank you, babe. I appreciate it.

 

[Hirisa]

I don't buy luxury brand bags, but I live in a financially conservative area where spending money on bags is kind of side-eyed.

My bags (only 4, mind you) are all by MZ Wallace, so in the 300- 400 dollar range. This is regarded as the height of extravagance by my peers and colleagues. If I bother to engage them in any debate surrounding how I choose to spend my own money, I start by looking at their phones (usually iPhones or something comparable) and asking how much they spent. Typically it's somewhere in the 250 to 500 dollar range. I then point out how quickly technology depreciates in today's market, and I can substantiate my argument with facts taken from reputable sources. Yesterday's 400 dollar phone is today's barely-worth-50 dollars-in-trade-in-value piece of plastic. Meanwhile, my bags maintain a consistent value, and don't need to be traded in every year to stay relevant and useful. I sold a three year old bag of mine on ebay recently for nearly what I payed for it.

Those are just facts- people rarely examine how much money they spend on things like iPhones or gaming consoles. If they did, they'd hopefully realize how little my bags cost over the long term. I spend 400 dollars or so on a bag that I will carry for at least 3-5 years, while they spent 250-500 dollars (plus monthly fees) on something that will generally be worth 1/4 of what they paid for it within 8 months. The wastefulness is not mine.

 

[bagchicky]

I've never been insulted about the bag I'm carrying when I'm out somewhere, but man my mom sure did raise hell when I bought my (only) Chanel and LV a few months back. She even brought it up again several days ago by saying, "I still can't get over you buying those purses. Those bags are for multimillionaires ONLY, not you. You're poor, you had no business buying those bags."

First of all, this is the first time in my nearly 47 years I've ever owned more than one bag at a time. Secondly, both bags were purchased from Malleries for $1,200 total in like-new condition. For Chanel and LV, that's a STEAL. Oh, and I paid cash for them without anything else suffering. She thinks women should only own one purse that costs no more than $50 -- unless they're multimillionaires -- so I broke two of her 'rules.'

What a mean comment
I'm so glad you had a little splurge and decided to treat yourself. These bags are investments and will bring you so much pleasure when your using them. I agree, you did get them at a steal! Enjoy and congrats

 

[slowlikehoney]

So true. People are so weird about bags for some reason. I can't quite figure out why...

I don't spend a lot on my bags either. Most are vintage Coach or just nice leather no name bags, but I still occasionally get the side-eye from people too, just because they wouldn't spend that kind of money (anything more than $50) on "just a handbag."