Chasing the dragon... (COACH related)

lovecoachmore

Member
Aug 21, 2008
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A term used by heroin addicts, yet I find that it applies to me!!!
I went to the outlet at Aurora, IL. yesterday. I got into the store about 1 hour prior to close, and started looking around. I was INSTANTLY angry with Coach, but angrier with myself!!!

I'm chasing the dragon with COACH, and I've got to stop!!! They use the term to describe chasing your first HIGH, and it's EXACTLY WHAT I'M DOING!!! I'm chasing that 1st high of the excitment of purchasing my 1st Coach bag, and the pride of ownership that goes along with it.

I looked around the 50% OFF redlined area, it made me sick to see an editorial Zoe shoved in with other random bags, treated like an old shoe. A table of Madison pieces folding in on themselves for lack of stuffing and/or CARE by the employee's. A brand NEW spectator Sabrina that looked like it had been sitting underneath a pile of dirty clothes at Goodwill. It was the equivalent of a COACH overdose, and NOT in the good way!!!

I bought a bag, because that's what addicts do right?! It's OK, I purchased it because that was my plan. I came home feeling empty and sick. A loooong car ride, followed by a HUGE disapointment in the store's care of their merchandise and MYSELF for traveling all that way JUST like Coach know's we will for the 20% OFF coupon. They marked up the LARGE ZOE's to offset the discount. I know it for a FACT. Mine was $229 w/ 30% OFF when I bought it a week ago, now they are $259 w/ 30% OFF.

So, I'm not posting a reveal, because I have no excitment. I'm not going to chase the dragon anymore, let ALONE try and keep up with the Jones'!!!

You may not see me around as much. I think I need to detox if you KWIM?!

I hope I can get back to a HAPPY PLACE with Coach. I used to love trips to the outlet...but yesterday and all the coupons, it's all just done me in for awhile.

I'll check in now and then to see what everyone else is buying, I won't join the banned mates thread, because I don't think I need a ban. The overdose was enough!!!
 
I understand what you mean-I need Coach Rehab. I was up to 23 bags, decided to downsize, sold 5 on E-Bay, then just bought 3 new Coach bags this week at the outlet and back up to 21 Coach bags.

My twin brother says he is going to get me on that TV show "Intervention" because I am a "Purseaholic". But I figure, I have a good job, I pay all my bills, I don't have kids, and I use my own money to buy Coach (not the Hubby's), and pay cash and do not use credit cards for my purchases. Yes, if I sold all the purses I could take a nice trip to the Carribean, but the bags make me happy for now. ;)

I've just got to learn to be happy with what I have and not keep "Chasing that High" of getting a great new bag and the outlet price. It is a high when you get a bag that was $548 at the Boutique for $139 at the outlet. I too have had some outlet trips where you have a bad experience (pushy SA's, bags scattered around the store without care, people clawing for merchandise); but my faith is restored when I find a perfect bag that I truly love and would never part with.
 
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Awww. Sorry to hear you're not feeling your perky Coach self... I was going to tease you about "and how would YOU know the phrase 'chasing the dragon,'" but when I saw your post seemed a little more serious, it got me to thinking...

...I think you'll regain your love of Coach. Maybe you just need some time and space to appreciate the bags that you have. Sometimes I know I can fly off the handle a little and buy so many bags I'm almost numb to owning them... I mean, I'm really really REALLY happy to have them, but when I was an undergrad I would purchase one Coach a year and felt really lucky I could even do that (aka, back in the days when I was a student).... and when I'd get that one bag, I would study it for HOURS and just appreciate it. I would take in everything about it-- the perfectly cut curves, the precise stitch-work, the decadent leather... and it lit me up from the inside for HOURS on end.

Now, sometimes, I think I don't take enough time to sit back and enjoy what I have. Just today I was really looking at my pink patent ergo satchel (bought for a steal about a month and a half ago, though the same weekend bought about four other bags/clutches)... and realized there are so many things to love about this bag.
;)
And I think it would also help to take some time away from the outlets. It IS depressing to see beautiful bags treated badly, but I bet any moment some really lucky girl is going to walk into the outlet you visited and she is going to be SOOO OVERJOYED to find that spectator sabrina, or the editorial zoe... I mean, I bet those bags are going to make somebody's day really soon (in fact, if I walked into your outlet, I would snap up that spectator sabrina immediately. But that's neither here nor there... ) ;)
 
Wow, Don't take this too personal as I would say this to anyone including myself. Buying something to feel that "excitement" makes me think there is other things that are making you feel empty and you are compensating this by buying material things. To me, buying should be a privilege not a therapy.

Seems like you need to "quit and go to rehab". Good for you for realizing what you doing is not okay.
 
I'm sorry that trip was disappointing. I feel like there was an on/off switch in my brain about Coach that was on but it got switched off. I just do not want bags much anymore. When I think of buying bags to put in my closet, it makes me uncomfortable and even a bit angry at myself to continue doing that. Coach was an addiction for me and probably still is if it resurfaces, but I'm going to take advantage of this down time to get rid of some of my bags to make them manageable in my closet then learn to love what I've got. I did join the banned thread, I'm not sure if it helped or not because before I did that, the switch in my brain was already "off".
I hope that dragon doesn't rear his ugly head at me any more. I guess it takes different experiences to reach this point, maybe your outlet bad experience is doing it for you, for me it was the realization that bags weren't making me happy and taking up my closet space that I needed for my folded clothes.
 
I hear. Im the same way. I bought that Gold Ikat yesterday,but havent even taken it out of the bag yet. I just bought a diff Coach off the Bay earlier today. I am lick an addict too.

On another note, when i was there, i didnt see any spectator Sabrina at all. GEEZ. Figures.
 
I know the term "chasing the dragon" because I'm a recovered opiate addict (aka:Painkillers) and the medicine I take is the same used to treat heroin addition!!!

^^^I've never even seen heroin IRL!!!! <----which is most likely a GOOD THING because some painkiller addicts move onto heroin because it's cheaper!!! SICK HUH?!
 
I'm sorry to hear about your experience and i know you'll learn from this over indulgence (or chasing the dragon as you call it). I think it's really good for some people to hear about other people's experience, such as yours, because this experience of yours can certainly happen to anyone. Maybe or probably many of us are overbuying and trying to fill that similar void and this story could help give a reality check for those that are in a close to similar situation as you. My heart goes out to you and thanks for sharing your story. I hope you feel better about Coach soon and don't ever end up chasing the dragon anymore. Remember, it's fun and nice to have possessions but the fun stops when they start possessing you.
 
Good advice aquablueness. I think taking a break is a good idea. There are a lot of other fun subforums on the purse forum. The television one, relationships, exercise...etc
Divert your attention to something else for awhile, good luck!
 
They marked up the LARGE ZOE's to offset the discount. I know it for a FACT. Mine was $229 w/ 30% OFF when I bought it a week ago, now they are $259 w/ 30% OFF.


This shouldn't be a surprise. All retailers do that with the pricing and on a regular basis when they have sales. They mark the merchandise back up some to offset the sale. It's just part of life and retail shopping.
 
wow that was sad to read definetly step back take time for yourself. seems like alot more is really going on here a trip to a store shouldn't be a downer.. just want to send hugs your way :O)
 
I know what you mean in a way. I get a great bag from Ebay, Bonanzle ore the Outlet and I thing wow amazing a am satisfied but the guilt comes in after I do it because I know I hav enough bags and due to should not buy more. I do not want more.. I will not give it back and that also makes me feel bag. But a few days go back and I want something else...