Help! I Need To Find A Bag For My Sweetie!

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purrs

Member
Nov 30, 2007
7
0
#1
Hi!

I'm sooo happy I found this site! I want to buy my sweetie a new purse, but I don't know where to start. I haven't been much of a bag girl myself, so I usually just get any old decent looking shoulder bag for the stuff I carry around, but she's more fashiony than me, so I want to get something that fits her style.
:love:
I'm looking for an everyday type of bag, maybe medium size, definitely not those big clunky ones I see a lot of girls with these days. The problem is I don't know how to tell what's a good bag, what's good leather, that kind of thing. She's in her late forties and sort of conservative, but definitely feminine, if that helps. Where do I start? I guess tried and true stuff like Coach and Dooney must be good, right? Or is it all hype and marketing? Are there less-known bags I should look at? Help! Oh, and I'd like to keep it to around $250 -- is that realistic for a good quality bag if I find a sale? I can spend more if I have to, but I want to spend money on quality, not just some hot name.
:love:

Thank you sooo much for any advice you can give me!
:heart:
purrs
 
#2
Somebody locked my question about "fakes", so I can't respond there. I'm NOT talking about ILLEGAL stuff, LIKE I SAID very clearly, maybe I should say "knockoffs", like the "crocs" you see everywhere now, that obviously aren't illegal, cause they're sold in reputable stores. But they obviously are designed to look like them.

The thing is, I'm new to this whole quality/stylish bag thing, so I'm just trying to figure out how to tell actual quality, because a lot of the bag industry seems to be about "names" and "prestige". I just want to spend money wisely and not get caught up in prestige names that are actually mediocre quality, like Movado watches and stuff like that.

Sorry to start a kerfuffle on my first day -- I tried to be pretty clear what I meant!

Purrs
:heart:
 
#3
For your price range, Coach is a good bet. Quality is good, the leather is nice and the bags seem to hold up well. Also, Hayden-Harnett is having an online sample sale next week- there is a post about that- the sale should take bags into your price range. I just got one of their bags and I love it. You can find all sorts of posts and pictures about HH if you search.

What about going to a Saks outlet or Neiman Marcus last call center if you have one near you? There are usually quite a few bags in that range and you can check them out in person.
 
#4
Thank you!

Can you or anyone else tell me if I need to look out for anything in particular if I want to avoid a bad quality leather, or is it mostly just personal preference? I've seen some fashiony-looking bags that have sort of a shiny texture that looks sort of cheap to my untrained eye, but they're big names and expensive, so maybe I'm wrong. When I know more about what to look for, I'll be willing to spend more -- I'm not cheap, just careful with my money!
:love:

Thanks again,

Purrs
:heart:
 
#5
It depends on the leather there are many different types of leather out there. Patent, treated, pebbled, cowhide etc. You just want to looks for something that feels nice to the touch. You can try some TANO bags (maybe not in the bright colors since she's a little conservative). How about this one?

http://www.thatsourbag.com/browse.cfm/4,2314.htm


Also check out Zappos they have lots of bag and you can narrow it by price, color, etc.

Good luck and let know us what you find!
 
#6
Coach, Tano, Cole Haan, Tiganello, Maxx New York, Rafe, Hype might have what you're looking for. Zappos is an excellent suggestion for a place to look, since you can sort/narrow down your choices by feature. Try Bluefly.com as well. If you find any you like, post pics and I'm sure the other gals here can make suggestions of similar bags!
 
#7
You are so thoughtful!

I think elizat's recommendation to look at some sale bags in person is great. It doesn't necessarily need to be a big name to have good quality, and leather preferences differ form person to person, so look and feel in person to see what you are drawn to. Look for even, tight stitching in a good quality bag, and feel lots of different leathers to see which brands and/ or styles you think would be "worth it". Alos check out the lining and the pockets - will her cell phone or maybe keys fit in them? Does she like dividers or lots of pockets inside for organization?

You can get great quality bags well within your price range if you look - Nieman's last Call, Saks Off 5th, and Nordstrom Rack would be good places to start. :yes:

Good luck finding the perfect gift!
 
#8
Thanks, everyone for all the helpful advice so far!
:love:
greenpixie, I'm pretty sure I saw the bag in your picture when I was in Macy's the other day! Dooney & Burke, I think? I really, really liked the overall shape and the leather, but I didn't know if the hardware on the strap might have been a little too much for her.

BagsRmyLife, that Tano is cute... I'm not quite sure it's "her", but maybe... thanks!

:flowers:

And mockinglee, thanks a bunch! I remember looking for shoes at zappo a while ago, but it never occurred to me to look there for the bag. Great suggestion!

:tup:

You guys have been very helpful! Have an awesome weekend!

purrs
:heart:
 
#9
Thanks for the Zappo's recommendation -- I ended up this one and I'm really excited! It's not quite what I had in mind originally, because it's kind of a casual weekend shoulder bag (I don't think it's dressy enough to go with her office outfits), and it's a little more than I thought I would spend, but I love it because it's different, and I think she will too! Maybe I'll keep looking for something for the office. Thanks, everyone!

1396-475638-4.jpg


purrs
:heart:
 
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