"It has to be designer"

[Mariapia]

I think we're in the same boat. Altho i havent been thinking/saying 'it has to be designer', i still haven't bought a non-designer bag since 1.5years ago when i got married. Since then ive been given chloe, bally, lancel, LV, balenciaga & been eyeing my next designer brand bag.

Oh ive tried buying for a nondesigner just so i wont abuse a designer bag for everyday use, like going into Zara or Mango, but i cant seem to persuade myself when ive touch them.

Maybe i just got spoiled since all of these were gifts from hubby & not my own money. If its my own money, then i might buy lower brand bags.

Still a brand snob.

But if u can afford it, go for it!

Nobody is perfect, Iris![emoji6]

 

[Younglove]

I am only into designer bags because they are made really well and hold up. I hate the look of cheap hardware and cheap lining in a bag and pleather I absolutely hate pleather lol so I gravitate towards contemporary designer brands and premier but would never spend more than $200 on a bag so def not buying premier just love the look and feel but I'm only that way with bags I will wear anything clothes and shoes wise as long as it's cute, fits and is cheap, I like it! Idk why I'm so weird with bags! Lol

 

[lenarmc]

I prefer designer be it luxury-Gucci, Fendi, Prada-second tier designers like Dooney and MICHAEL Michael Kors or contemporary like Alexander Wang.

I just can't ever forsee myself buying, for instance, Guess or anything from Zara or H&M no matter how cute. It's just not my thing anymore.

I am now only purchasing luxury designer sunglasses. I just haven't made that transition to handbags.

Yet.

 

[Annabel Lee]

It doesn't have to be designer, but it has to be great quality. Rather than taking time to research an unknown brand or risk it not holding up as well as anticipated, it's an easy shortcut to just buy a luxury designer bag and be totally assured of its quality.

That doesn't always work, either, of course, but once you have a brand you like and trust, it's easy to just keep buying from them.

This is limited to purses for me. I don't buy Target anymore, but for the most part, clothes and shoes can come from anywhere so long as they are flattering and wear well.

Amended to add that I also buy a lot of non-designer vintage evening bags from the 1940s and '50s. I just love some of the creativity and unusual styles.

 

[Annabel Lee]

I do know what you mean, though!

A few years ago, I bought a gorgeous leather bag in Florence, and for a long time, it was the nicest bag in my closet. I took it out yesterday for the first time in awhile, and it suddenly seems very shoddy next to my luxury bags. It has a lot of sentimental value to me, though, and I'll keep carrying it for that reason.

 

[Siouxa]

It doesn't have to be designer, but it has to be great quality.

I agree with this 100%.

Most of my bags aren't made by well-known designers, but most of them are full-grain, vegetable-dyed leather and made by hand. I bought a bag recently that had great organization and looked nice from a distance, but I returned it after I realized I couldn't get over the difference in quality, even in small details like the stitching, zippers and hardware.

 

[serenityneow]

For clothing and shoes, it's mostly about the fit/tailoring, material, and quality. I'm loyal to a handful of brands, including Theory, Joie, and Stuart Weitzman. I'm afraid my J.Crew/Banana/Nanette Lepore days are behind me, but I think that's for the best, as the quality has declined and the fit isn't so hot either. Occasionally I'll splurge on a clothing item (recent example is a Missoni dress), but I hardly ever pay full price or anything close to it. Thank goodness for eBay, outlets, online discount sites etc.

But bags are different. I actually bought two deeply discounted Cole Haan bags recently that I intended to use when I need something I don't want to worry about, but I HATE carrying them. I think pre-loved luxury works best for me in that circumstance. I have a pre-loved YSL Lover bag in navy patent that I got for a steal and is fabulous in rain and snow. It wasn't that much more than the Cole Haans, but it is so much better in terms of quality, style, and uniqueness. There are amazing deals to be had on older luxury styles that aren't uber-popular right now. It is fun hunting for me .

 

[Amazona]

For me, it's mostly about what will get me the best price x quality x resale value. If I see something that's obviously great quality and the.price is decent, then why not?
As an earlier poster mentioned, I, too, have become more stingy when it comes to non-designer items. A gorgeous no label bag? Sure, I want it, but will wait until it's on sale.
On the other hand, my price awareness means I'm a more savvy shopper by the day; I know a good deal when I see one and know where to look for things. I have a few friends that share my hobby and a few that are scared of walking into a department store let alone a boutique (I usually go to boutiques to check out something I'm about to get preloved). I am very happy to accompany my friends to a Desigual stand or help them with their bag needs, I just don't feel that same rush that I do at the presence of true great designer treasures.

There's a catch to this, though. I just realised that within 5 yrs (that's to say, after I got my 1st Mully bag) I've gotten from PU and Nike bags to contemporary to medium high and now I just bought a Dior purse and Chloe wallet. You get hooked on the beauty and the quality. I'm really scared of the day I wake up thinking: I need a Chanel in my life! O.M.G.

 

[HesitantShopper]

No, because designer doesn't always mean better quality that is a misconception. I have bags not designer that could go toe to toe with some of the lux brands, they just don't have all the fanfare that the designer label brings.

I want value for my money, i don't delude myself you pay more for a brand but there better be more than just the name there and with some? nope, unless little elves in Ireland hand sewed it.. they are way over charging.

 

[remainsilly]

Bwahahahahaha!
Does it have to be designer? No.
Do I buy designer stuff? Yes.
"Designer" is a charming term to describe fashion/brand houses. Not quality, usability, or even attractiveness of items.
It's a huge, subjective whirligig o' insanity.

Unfortunately, am insane. Helps me navigate better than being sensible.
So, find certain designers' handbags both more attractive & durable than others. And buy them.
Buying designer bags saves me from homicide-level rage. It is a kindness I do the world.

However, designer clothes? Very sparing. Am a 1-person clothing hit squad. No fabric is safe.
And shoes better be comfortable--cannot walk in high heels, despite years of wobbly-chicken-on-stilts hopefulness.

And no one, NO ONE is prying from my face a.o. pilot sunglasses. No popular designer lens cuts uv haze as well. Or resists saltwater so completely.
Which is what I care about, not brand logo tags floating near my temple.

Oddly, more people comment on my sunglasses than designer bags.
Though, have been several comments about the wobbly-chicken high heels attempts through years.

Hope helps.

 

[lovingmybags]

Absolutely not-just happened with bags. However, if I see anything of good quality and style, I'll buy it, regardless the brand. I used to wear purses from premier labels, but recently saw things I liked with Coach, so am very happy with that. With clothes, I usually do my shopping at J Crew, Madewell, Ralph Lauren, etc.

 

[amrx87]

I want value for my money

I second this statement! For me, value translates into cost per wear. How much am I really paying for an item if I'm using it for years? I stay away from trendy items, and spend my savings on high end goods that will stand up to the test of time and still be relevant and looking good in 15 years.

I started out with jewelry, and branched into bags, and now that's starting to transfer into clothing as well.

 

[skimilk]

Nope, not me. All purses I own are high-end brands, as are my sunglasses- those I insist, but nothing else. I really love cheap, cute wallets. My current wallet is something I bought on streets of Seoul, a coin wallet that looks like a watermelon slice. The one before that was a Hello Kitty coin wallet from Tokidoki. I have wallets from Chanel and Ferragamo, but I prefer to use cheapo ones. I feel like I look too matchy-matchy if I have a high-end brand purse *and* a wallet. Clothing I almost never buy designer because I tend to ruin them. Same thing with shoes- I walk everywhere, and only shoes I insist on paying a decent amount of money for are Frye motorcycle boots. They are THE best and last absolutely forever when taken care of properly.

 

[Sparkletastic]

For me, it's mostly about what will get me the best price x quality x resale value.

Yes! This!

The most important thing to me is a combo of the style and quality. Unfortunately, though, it's hard to find the styles + quality I want unless I buy designer.

Then the next consideration is resale value. I don't keep any bags that I don't actively wear and love. So bags get sold. But, I have enough bags that even kept in the rotation, a bag may only get 10 - 20 wears before I sell it.

If it's a non designer bag, it may not be worth anything at that point. Certain designer bags hold a greater percentage of their value. So since I "flip" bags I try to buy luxury bags on sale or like new pre-owned, enjoy them and then when something else catches my fancy, sell for a good portion (or even the same amount or more!) of what I paid.

While I prefer "true" designer brands, I will buy a select few contemporary brands like a Dooney if I love it and it's good quality. But I have to stumble across them. I'm not ever actively looking for a contemporary designer's bag and I don't shop for handbags where they are stocked. And my friends are feast or famine with their bag selections. Half buy high end designer and the other half buy $20 value bags. So, I don't see people carrying the middle range of contemporary bags. So, by default, they usually don't hit my radar to be considered until someone unveils a to die for contemporary designer bag on TPF. Then I have to pounce and am THRILLED I got a great bag at a steal.

But, I have to admit. I am brand conscious enough to rule out some brands. I don't ever want to wear Coach because its over saturated. I try to avoid Michael Kors because he's over saturated and derivative (though some of those knock offs are cute!) And, I wouldn't ever wear entry level end brands like Calvin Klein, Big Buddah, Liz Claiborne, Anne Klein, etc.. I wouldn't care what they looked like or if they were free. Silly? Maybe.

The way I look at it is anything I carry beyond a brown paper sack is vanity. So why not indulge myself and get the very best bag that is the intersection of love and comfortably affordable? If that is Chanel, Prada or Gucci for several thousand dollars, why not! It makes me happy!

 

[ladysarah]

Actually- I think it's great to be picky and super selective about purchases. Rather than simply looking if an item is 'designer' though, it's good to go deeper and check how it was made, where, the ethics of the compsny, did they use slave or child labour? Is it environmentally friendly? Those sort of standards are often a better indication of quality in any case.