Feedback from those who have at some point done a complete 180 with their bag collection.

[Pkac]

I’d love to hear from anyone who was going in one particular direction with their bag collection and then for whatever reason pivoted - maybe an epiphany regarding an overall style change, for example.
Did you act on it and sell off a large amount of bags in order to replace with those more aligned to your new tastes? Or did you sit on it and end up being grateful that you didn’t act rashly?
Did you jump from coveting bright colours to neutrals, or from recognisable brands to way more ‘under the radar’ brands or vice versa?
I’d just love to hear some stories or feedback because I’ve been building my collection for the last 7 years and I’m currently feeling drawn to a different style and vibe and not yet sure how much to act on that. To date I’ve sold next to no bags and don’t know how I’d handle regrets down the track!

 

[880]

I have done many bag style pivots. My advice is do not rehome bags too quickly bc seller’s regret is very real. It can also cost much more to buy the same bag back. If you have the space and budget, try to keep your favorites. I am 54 and taste continues to change, evolve, circle back, etc.
have fun!

 

[Pkac]

I have done many bag style pivots. My advice is do not rehome bags too quickly bc seller’s regret is very real. It can also cost much more to buy the same bag back. If you have the space and budget, try to keep your favorites. I am 54 and taste continues to change, evolve, circle back, etc.
have fun!

Yes, particularly with the crazy price rises over the last couple of years, seller’s regret would REALLY hurt. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Purseloco]

I almost passed out from pivoting so much!

 

[Love Of My Life]

Regrets are likely to happen no matter how you edit your bags
If you have dressier bags but don't use them often enough, perhaps
sell to fund a new purchase
I have a particular style bag , the Kelly that comes out of the closet & goes back into
the closet throughout the year. I would not give up any of my Kellys in spite of not wearing
them the way I used to.
Since the pandemic, many of us have just used a wallet or pouch for daily errands & left
our day bags at home.
I wanted something fresh & care free so I purchased a Polene bag Niumero Neuf in the
large size in Chalk & Taupe. The leather is luscious, the bag is exceptionally functional, stylish
& is fitting in to my bag wardrobe.
Be objective when you are viewing your collection. Pick what you could not part with put on the side
& then look at it in a day or so. Does it still sing? Do some online pricing & that might give you some
clarity before you part with any of your bags, JMO

 

[leechiyong]

I'm not sure if I've done a 180, but I've gone through phases: premier designer > contemporary designer > under-the-radar artisans > now back to primarily premier designer, but anything goes while slowing down phase. It's also a phase of sitting on a handful of bags I know I should cull but haven't had the motivation to yet.

I try to be methodical clearing stuff out and really figuring out what the bag means to me and what its uses are. I look at the bags in my collection and determine if there are any that I love more than others at that point. Anything similar gets reviewed for my feelings towards it (do I love it as much as X or Y bag) and if it offers similar or different functionality (does this have a specific purpose only this bag fulfills?). If I don't love it and it doesn't fulfill a need, it gets put in a box and ignored for awhile (months/years). If I go back to get it, it gets kept. If I don't, it gets sold or donated.

This slows me from adding to my collection too quickly. I might like a new style, outgrow my old style, etc., but I don't want to have cull too much from the next phase when that inevitably passes. My rule is I can't have more bags in my collection than my age. This allows for slow growth, but doesn't limit me the way a one in, one out approach would.

 

[A bottle of Red]

I'm not sure if I've done a 180, but I've gone through phases: premier designer > contemporary designer > under-the-radar artisans > now back to primarily premier designer, but anything goes while slowing down phase. It's also a phase of sitting on a handful of bags I know I should cull but haven't had the motivation to yet.

I try to be methodical clearing stuff out and really figuring out what the bag means to me and what its uses are. I look at the bags in my collection and determine if there are any that I love more than others at that point. Anything similar gets reviewed for my feelings towards it (do I love it as much as X or Y bag) and if it offers similar or different functionality (does this have a specific purpose only this bag fulfills?). If I don't love it and it doesn't fulfill a need, it gets put in a box and ignored for awhile (months/years). If I go back to get it, it gets kept. If I don't, it gets sold or donated.

This slows me from adding to my collection too quickly. I might like a new style, outgrow my old style, etc., but I don't want to have cull too much from the next phase when that inevitably passes. My rule is I can't have more bags in my collection than my age. This allows for slow growth, but doesn't limit me the way a one in, one out approach would.

Ooh if I adopt that method I can add so many more bags
Just kidding.
I agree not to be too hasty, put away a few bags that aren’t your style anymore and see if you miss them and want them or not.
Alternatively, take your least used bags and try to really use them for a bit and see if you start to enjoy them again.
Maybe buy 1 piece of your new style and really use it to see if you like it as much as you envisioned.

 

[880]

This slows me from adding to my collection too quickly. I

100% with @leechiyong and @A bottle of Red . I call these placeholder bags They do keep me from shopping indiscriminately

 

[platinum_babie]

I think I first started buying bags in my late teens-early 20s just when i liked how they looked and i accumulated many inexpensive bags. They range from Aldo, Nine-west,Big Buddha, old navy, Pac-Sun, street markets, etc. They're fun and suited for all kinds of style based on changing trends and needs. Mid-20s i started having more money and wanted more leather bags and pivoted towards contemporary designers (mostly MBMJ & Coach).

At this point, I realized a few things:
1. I have way too many bags and need to cull - leading me to have to throw-away or give away almost all of the cheaper bags
2. Some of the cheaper bags start to fall apart after while no matter how much i love them - leading me to wonder if i should just stick with leather and good quality
3. You can resell bags for a good price if they are designer, but high street bags and market bags will end up thrown away - leading me to trying hard not to buy anymore cheaper bags for both environmental and economic reasons.
4. I love the hunt of resell bags!

Not soon after, I started getting into luxury bags, first buying them new, and now mostly buying them from the resell market.
Especially for bags that are trendy, i try to sell them before they are not as trendy, as soon as i realize i am likely not going to get value out of it. For example, I was looking for bum bags given the trend for the last few years and bought the Coach x Selena Gomez Belt bag. I am now reselling the coach leather belt bag for more than i paid for because i realized that i wont be carrying it often and would like to sell it before it falls out of trend.

I still cannot get away from buying cheaper bags once in a while though, despite a decent good quality bag collection in my closet...but what i like about buying and reselling bags is that i really get to try different bags without feeling guilty.

 

[BlueCherry]

I started with contemporary and this worked well for years until I joined TPF. I then moved onto an Italian atelier whose styles I loved. But his partner moved on and his own brand is too bland for me now.

I started with Fendi and Céline. I bought so many bags from Céline with the occasional YSL and Dior in between. Bought Chanel, hated the bags so sold them but love the slgs.

Then Phoebe Philo left Céline and I stopped buying. I’ve been waiting for her new line and in the meantime I’ve been slowly selling many of my bags.

I’ll keep my Fendi peekaboos and my Céline cabas totes plus the classic bag. Undecided on some of the others so I don’t list them. I usually list two at a time and when they sell list two more. I am however taking a hit but they’re used items so I can live with that. I love the feeling that comes with UPS taking a bag away forever, so no regrets.

I like understated brands and have been eyeing the Valextra Iside for a long time.

 

[athousandmhiles24]

I did a lot of closet cleaning in the past weeks including some of my bags. All clothes and bags I no longer use went into other homes. I just took them out and put outside. contemporary bags I sold for 60% off. Lux ones for 30% off since I used them less than 10 times. I will continue to buy bags I love though.