Is there really such a thing as an UN-inspired bag?

[ShimmaPuff]

Thank you for your kind words chloehandbags. We are all writers here.
I hope you will write more about your mother and grandmother. I think we have a lot in common in those areas, so of course I have a particular interest to learn more, but I think the gifts those ladies gave you, and their stories, would be not only fun to learn about for its own sake, but could be a real inspiration and help to the writers of many of the words I see here, especially by very young girls, in their quest for that magical potion of tolerance for others and unshakable confidence in ones own self.

we may tend to "connect" ourselves to the work of our favorite designers.

djgirl you have knocked it out of the ballpark. There truly is a sort of devotion, even an identification, that develops sometimes, in some ways no different from the way we feel about any favorite artist, except that the designers work adorns our bodies, we carry it on our arms and shoulders, wear it on our feet.

And thus we see some consumers who long to acquire, and delight in possession of the latest and greatest to emerge from a particular house because that is THEIR designer! And are oblivious to another point you make - if the design is being imitated everywhere from other famous name design houses to the aspiring young designer paying their dues working for the Wal-Mart house brand - that is because the design is a GOOD one (or at least one that has immense popular appeal) and if other people are imitating it, they are not stealing from the designer, they are paying her homage, and that is a Good Thing (TM). You don't see any car companies imitating DeLoreans!

The more I think about it, the more I think the bubble skirt is a revival. Wasn't it called the balloon skirt before? And what decade was it? Or did I just have a bad dream...?

 

[chloehandbags]

LOL...case in point...your fabulous "McQueen" bag!
Not many knockoffs of that puppy popping up in Target!

Not yet, at least!

Seriously, though, those are all great points, and I think that goes back to "objective"...in other words "one man's inspired is another man's replica". I think it all depends on how well we know the designer. (though, of course, I think we all agree that a "replica" in the copied/misrepresented/scam/illegal sense of the word, is never the best option for a bag) We will all have differing opinions on where to draw the line, and I think it is interesting to hear/compare the differing opinions of TPF.

ITA.

I think by 'inspired' most people on tPF mean a replica, minus the logo; but I could be very wrong...

Really, I agree that 'replica' would be a less misleading term to use for these non-logoed copies and would leave the word 'inspired' for bags that have been inspired by another bag's design, but do not mimic, or replicate, every detail.


In which case:


FAKE = Counterfeit (made to deceive).

REPLICA = Non-logoed copy.

INSPIRED = Inspired by another bag design, but not a copy.

 

[djgirl1976]

Thanks, Shimma, sometimes it is tough to communicate what I think because I tend to have VERY abstract thoughts...LOL

The more I think about it, the more I think the bubble skirt is a revival. Wasn't it called the balloon skirt before? And what decade was it? Or did I just have a bad dream...?

I think I called it a bubble skirt, or I would not have known how to refer to it, now, but I could be wrong. If I remember correctly, I had one of these in the mid 80s, anywhere from 84-87, I think. I seem to recall that and footless tights and some really big hair and giant neon jewelry all being part of my Cyndi Lauper "inspired" days. Come to think of it, that leads into a whole different discussion on how often the desire to imitate a "person" or "personality" leads to the "inspired" pieces that are sold in stores.
Think Jackie O, Paris Hilton, even Michael Jackson, with his glove and funky leather jackets, back in his better days!LOL

 

[djgirl1976]

I think by 'inspired' most people on tPF mean a replica, minus the logo; but I could be very wrong...

Really, I agree that 'replica' would be a less misleading term to use for these non-logoed copies and would leave the word 'inspired' for bags that have been inspired by another bag's design, but do not mimic, or replicate, every detail.

In which case:

FAKE = Counterfeit (made to deceive).

REPLICA = Non-logoed copy.

INSPIRED = Inspired by another bag design, but not a copy.

I tend to agree with your definition of these terms, though I know that not everyone does(not for the sake of arguement, just in their own objective opinion of the word!LOL). I also think it is true that what we may call a "replica" may be many other TPFrs "inspired"...

 

[chloehandbags]

Thank you for your kind words chloehandbags. We are all writers here.
I hope you will write more about your mother and grandmother. I think we have a lot in common in those areas, so of course I have a particular interest to learn more, but I think the gifts those ladies gave you, and their stories, would be not only fun to learn about for its own sake, but could be a real inspiration and help to the writers of many of the words I see here, especially by very young girls, in their quest for that magical potion of tolerance for others and unshakable confidence in ones own self.

Thank you, ShimmaPuff, you're too kind. :shame:

I'm not sure that it is possible to have unshakable confidence in one's own self; but I certainly think dressing to please oneself and not worrying too much about what other people think/wear, is a very good thing.

The more I think about it, the more I think the bubble skirt is a revival. Wasn't it called the balloon skirt before? And what decade was it? Or did I just have a bad dream...?

In the UK, it was called the 'puffball' and it was an all too real trend in the '80s.

 

[ShimmaPuff]

Yes unshakable self-confidence is a bad choice of words. Certainly we all face challenges and question whether we will be able to do this or that, and if we don't, we should make a point of seeking them out.

Maybe self-esteem is a better term, what I mean is an unshakable belief in yourself, love for yourself, even though your self-confidence may be shaken, even if you attempt something and fail, whatever that something is that enables you to either try again, or acknowledge that it's not your thing, feel OK about that, even if disappointed, and go try something else, whether the challenge involved a career move, an athletic endeavor, or capri pants.

 

[chloehandbags]

^ ITA.

 

[djgirl1976]

and go try something else, whether the challenge involved a career move, an athletic endeavor, or capri pants.

Yes, and might I add, in addition to the search I had for the clutch bag before it was back in all the stores as a more CASUAL choice, I was in a blues band 8 or 9 years ago. At the time, I had to search high and low for cigarette pants to wear for the gigs. I knew exactly what look I was going for(sort of sexy and 60s inspired) but it was a PITA to find them, because they were not revived by the masses. When I finally found something that worked, though it wasn't the "stlye" at the time, I think no one questioned it(a. because I was in a band, and b. because it was a "sleek" and classic style that just happened to not look like what was "in"). Sure enough, just a few years later, they were EVERYWHERE. I have to wonder what very interesting person was out there searching high and low for a bubble skirt a few years ago. That must have been a tough one!!!LOL(even for a vintage locating pro!)