HELP! Am I the only one has a strange feeling to a pre-owned bbag?

[the-chus]

Hi all. As you know I just got a 'new to me' rose twiggy 3 days ago. Now I have a problem and hope that you will help me out.

The problem is, I feel she dosn't belong to me and this feeling is growing day after day. Last night I was sitting by her side looking at her for a long time, till arround 2am. The color is lovely, the leather is TDF, I know none of my 09 Bbag could compare her for the leather - it has the softest and most creamy feeling I've ever felt, I can't help touching her when she's by my side.

But obviously she's not a brand new bag any more. Looking at the wears on her body I just have a strange feeling, - I don't mind the wears actually because when I'm wearing the bag they're not noticable at all - I don't know how to describe, it just like you are keeping somebody else's baby who you didn't gave birth to. And looking at my other bbags, I feel happy because I know that they're born for me, I'm the only owner of them.

Actually this is the first pre-owned bag I've had, and more accurately this is the first pre-owned item I've ever had, I never had a second-hand anything before and now I realize that the feeling that having a preowned item makes me uncomfortable. I talked to my DH and he said 'well now you've learn a lesson and known that you'd better only buy brand new goodies in the future.'

I feel really upset now. The love for bbag oldies has just been growing on me but it seems that it will end soon because it's almost impossible to find a brand new oldie? ush:

As for the rose twiggy I have no idea what I should do. She's a gem but I know I might put her into the dustbag and not be willing to use her from now on.

If you were me, would you just let her go, to somebody who will really love her? Or do you think I will overcome this strange feeling as it's only because this is my first time dealing with this situation?

Any advice is appreciated. I do need your help. TIA!

 

[tinydancer114]

I'm sorry I can't help (in terms of the pre-owned bag). As you may know, like you I'm quite new at buying Bal bags and I also think like you being on here has given me a coveting feeling for an oldie. I really want one now but I'm not sure how I would react to a pre-owned bag.

In terms of clothing though- I have a couple of vintage items I've bought and your bag situation reminds me of a particular skirt I bought many years ago. I had that same feeling you're describing whenever trying to plan an outfit which included her and I just ended up leaving her in my closet for over a year after I purchased her. Eventually I did take her out for a spin and now I always seem to wear it during warmer summer days. I think for me it just took time- I had her hung around my usual summer clothes in the closet and little by little I think I forgot in a way she belonged to someone else and just saw her as my skirt that was hanging up in my closet with everything else that's mine.

So I'd say store her out and proud next to your other Bbeauties and hopefully the day will come when you don't have those 'she wasn't yours first' feelings.

ps- the way you describe the leather compared to you new ones makes me soooo jealous!!

 

[the-chus]

Thank you very much tinydancer, what you said about your skirt is very helpful to me!

As for the leather, yes I must say before I got this oldie I'd been quite satisfied with my 09 bbag's leather, I thought they're thick & soft. But when the twiggy arrived it was just like, wow, all in a sudden the leather on my 09 bags turned stiff...

But I think with time & use the new bbag's leather will become more & more amazing. I enjoy the progress of breaking them in.

And it reminds me of a neighbor thread posted by Muggles, she kind of loves her pre-owned bbags more than her brand new Day because of the broken-in feels on the pre-owned ones. Sigh...I wish I were her to have the same feeling to my twiggy!

 

[Jerevka]

I totally understand how you feel!!!I was also tempted by an oldie and bought an amazing pre-owned 2005 Bbag! It was really a nice bag and it was in perfect condition, but I felt it belonged to smb ELSE and I couldnt love her like I loved my other bags that I bought new!
Finally, I had to sell her, cause she wasnt ME and now I dont buy used bags anymore, even though I'd love to own some older colours! I just KNOW I couldnt give them as much love as they deserve!

 

[south-of-france]

I often adopt pre-loved bags and give them hopefully a good new home. They become mine, however their condition is. I really like the broken-in look too.

If you can't see it as yours and use it, you probably better sell her then?

 

[Tokyo]

the-chus

HI, I have seen you wearing The beautiful Rose Twiggy pic the other day somewhere here and I think it is A beautiful Bag!
As to your feeling about pre-owned bag, I sometimes feel the same way even after the years of collecting quite a bit of pre-owned bags.
The most of the time,Because of the smells of the bags and sometime the feeling of the leather does not feel like belonging to me. And Sometime it is very odd that even the most coveted bags(used) do not attract me for no particuler reason after recieving them.so in my case, I keep it for few weeks or months then If I do not use it, or do not feel like to carry it,then let it go or keep it as one of BAL collection.
Hope you will find the best answer

 

[slinks]

Hmmm, you and I are opposite - most of what I buy is pre-owned!

Having said this... I only like pre-owned things that have been used a handful of times. If there's a stain left over from the previous owner, or a smell - I can't deal. I don't mind not having brand-new, but I want the item to have plenty of life left in it.

The process of buying Bals involves lots of trial and error, for most of us. You figured out that you can't deal with something that's used. This is very important to know for your future purchases! For this particular bag, I would say that if you KNOW you won't use it, sell it; these bags are too expensive to just keep around. Use the money to buy something you will actually carry and love.

Still, you don't have to give up on the oldies - sometimes older bags are available in mint condition - but they are usually very expensive.

 

[the-chus]

the-chus

The most of the time,Because of the smells of the bags and sometime the feeling of the leather does not feel like belonging to me.

OMG, I think this hits the point! The smell of the bag!

My rose twiggy actually doesn't have funky smell/strange odor at all, it just has a smell like it has been stored in the dustbag for a long time which I can totally understand. And it's very minor, I can only feel it when my nose is within 1 inch distance of the bag. But yes, the smell of it does make me feel so unfamiliar because nowhere in my house has the same smell like this. Maybe I'm just too smell-sensitive...

 

[roey]

I only buy pre-owned if the bag is in near mint condition. I'm a bit of a germophobe and the thought of using something someone else has owned and used creeps me out. I think about where the bag might have been, what it was exposed to (sneezes, children grabbing it with dirty hands, placed on dirty floors), etc. The two times I bought a used Chanel bag with wear and tear I had to sell them, even after cleaning them up with leather products. One of the Chanel totes had a storage odor as you describe but I simply could not tolerate it, slight as it was.

 

[Radissen]

I personally love pre-owned bags. I like that they have a history and that they've already been broken in. The first thing I do when i get my pre-owned gem is give it a thorough cleaning and then some moisturizer. After that the baby feels like it's mine.
I've bought some bags brand new but ended up selling them again because I couldn't get my self to use them.
Anyways it really sounds like you dont feel comfortable with the bag and my advice would probably be to sell it.

 

[sep]

I completely agree with roey! I also am a bit of a germophobe and honestly would only feel comfortable purchasing a pre-owned bag from someone I knew (like one of my tPF friends)... unless it were in a consignment store where I could inspect it for myself...

I used to be obsessed with vintage tooled leather bags but found that I couldn't get passed little pen marks and such even if they were on the inside and any kind of smell was a NO GO... so they inevitably ended up in the goodwill bag...

Buying vintage clothing however doesn't bother me because I can handwash things to my own satisfaction...

If it is going to bother you I would sell it as BBags are not cheap... save the money to purchase your next new BBag! The new Automne and Anthra are gorgeous and Maldives and Granny will be available soon!

Good luck with your decision!

 

[shopdoc]

I have the same problem. From the 3-preowned bags I bought, 1 I sold, 1 I sent for consignment, and the other one went to LMB to get cleaned up. The one I kept (04 lilac from my Friday pictures) is an amazing bag but even after all the cleaning and disinfecting, I still have a funny feeling towards the bag (remember how you asked me why I said I didn't like the bag?). I don't know why but every time I touch the bag I want to wash my hands or after I wear it I want to wash my clothes. Like the other day with the lilac, my baby touched the tassels and I washed her hands immediately.

So, I am trying really hard to stop myself from buying pre-owned bags. They are so many nice new bags out there and there will be more available over time.

PS. I wasn't gonna get anything in Framboise but changed my mind ever since I saw your rose twiggy.

 

[lovely64]

I don´t understand at all.....I love the worn in bbags, and the leather, look, super cool vibe they give out. I actually sold an -05 black city only used 3 times because I could´t force myself to like it....and it would take too long for me to get it broken in! Old bags are very expencive (well, most of them anyway because they are very rare) and I would not mind feeling the way you do as my bank account would thank me,LOL. Like Radissen said...I love that there is a history, and you can dream up all kinds of scenarios having taken place with the bag and its previous owner(s). I just adore the worn leather and everything about older bbags. Obviously I don´t like smells, stains, rips or such imperfections but other than that I only buy oldies. Except for my -05 teal work all of the bags in my current collection have been owned by someone else (gives them all a mysterious touch IMO). If you feel you cannot wear your lovely rose then sell it to someone who will treasure it, good luck!

eta: I think new bags look stiff and strange, no offence but I am totally hooked on the oldies

Kat

 

[beauxgoris]

Hmmm, you and I are opposite - most of what I buy is pre-owned!

Having said this... I only like pre-owned things that have been used a handful of times. If there's a stain left over from the previous owner, or a smell - I can't deal. I don't mind not having brand-new, but I want the item to have plenty of life left in it.

The process of buying Bals involves lots of trial and error, for most of us. You figured out that you can't deal with something that's used. This is very important to know for your future purchases! For this particular bag, I would say that if you KNOW you won't use it, sell it; these bags are too expensive to just keep around. Use the money to buy something you will actually carry and love.

Still, you don't have to give up on the oldies - sometimes older bags are available in mint condition - but they are usually very expensive.

^^I agree with all these points. I purchased four 2005 bags this year, all pre-owned and all in good to excellent condition. I'm thrilled with all of them. I also like new, but as long as it's not damaged pre-owned is just fine with me, especially if it's not a bag that's too old or rare = then you can sometimes get things less than brand new retail, which is always nice!

 

[crazyaboutbags]

I don´t understand at all.....I love the worn in bbags, and the leather, look, super cool vibe they give out. I actually sold an -05 black city only used 3 times because I could´t force myself to like it....and it would take too long for me to get it broken in! Old bags are very expencive (well, most of them anyway because they are very rare) and I would not mind feeling the way you do as my bank account would thank me,LOL. Like Radissen said...I love that there is a history, and you can dream up all kinds of scenarios having taken place with the bag and its previous owner(s). I just adore the worn leather and everything about older bbags. Obviously I don´t like smells, stains, rips or such imperfections but other than that I only buy oldies. Except for my -05 teal work all of the bags in my current collection have been owned by someone else (gives them all a mysterious touch IMO). If you feel you cannot wear your lovely rose then sell it to someone who will treasure it, good luck!

eta: I think new bags look stiff and strange, no offence but I am totally hooked on the oldies

Kat

True Story!! I was the one buying Lovely64 (K*) super gorgeous 05 Black City..... well, when I first saw that bag, I instantly felt in love, it was so mint and beautiful, thanks Kat, I'll always be grateful for letting me adopt your baby, I love her and she's still MINT!!!

The-chus, give her a try, the more you love her, the more you wear it, the more she will be yours and will be part of your life.