LV and image

[Kimm992]

:blink: OMG.
Some people really have ZERO tact.
I've had people tell me I'm "sick" too. Usually "well meaning" friends.
As I said though, to come from THAT kind of mentality, it's COMPLETELY BEYOND THEIR COMPREHENSION the whole "expensive bag" mentality, so I shrug it off.

I think "TACT" is the key word here.

Whether or not any of us truly care what other people think of us or our love of designer bags I think that out of respect for certain people it is important to have some TACT....what I mean is....to go visit relatives who you know are struggling with money and bring your Louis Vuitton bag with you for example would be very tactless....it's easy enough to show some TRUE CLASS by leaving it at home in an innapropriate situation.

That doesn't mean you're letting others tell you what to buy and it doesn't mean you have low self esteem....it means you care about how other people might feel and you're not too self involved to get it.

No offence meant to anyone here.....just my thoughts!!

 

[sratsey]

I think "TACT" is the key word here.

Whether or not any of us truly care what other people think of us or our love of designer bags I think that out of respect for certain people it is important to have some TACT....what I mean is....to go visit relatives who you know are struggling with money and bring your Louis Vuitton bag with you for example would be very tactless....it's easy enough to show some TRUE CLASS by leaving it at home in an innapropriate situation.

That doesn't mean you're letting others tell you what to buy and it doesn't mean you have low self esteem....it means you care about how other people might feel and you're not too self involved to get it.

No offence meant to anyone here.....just my thoughts!!

That makes sense to me.

I agree with all of that.
But there's also a difference between letting people "rain" on your parade-like my "well meaning" friends.
EVERY time I go out with these women, they look at my bag and say AND HOW MUCH did THAT one cost?

Meanwhile, I am not, in any way, carrying my bags to be "showy"
I just have a true love for these bags. It is something that some women get (like everyone here) and others don't.

But it is absolutely lacking in sensitivity on THEIR part to make me feel guilty about how my money is spent.

Also, though every situation is different, I have friends and/or relatives who have had money struggles for YEARS. These issues though, arise because they live above their means. They spend money on other things, maybe not bags, but things they can't afford and then they moan about how broke they are.

Now in situations like THAT, there's no way I'm going to change my bag so that they can feel better about being broke.

 

[pixiechic]

Wow - great question, and great responses!

I just got my first LV about a month ago, on a trip where I was meeting my fiance's parents for the first time. They are not poor, but are very frugal/sensible with money, so I was a little shy about it when my fiance told them I wanted to go shopping at LV. My future MIL wanted to come along, but wasn't able to at the last minute, and I was secretly a little relieved - I thought, the fewer people hanging around when I make this purchase, the better.

The whole experience felt a little clandestine - I've been known to buy Coach before, but not something this expensive. While I was buying the bag, my teenage son did make a comment (he did a quick foreign currency conversion in his head, smart boy), but my fiance reminded him that I work hard, and I save for what I want. (Have I mentioned how much I love this man? He doesn't think I'm obsessed, any more than he's obsessed with technology or camping stuff.)

When we returned, future FIL asked what I'd bought, and I showed them the bag. They both admired it and we went out to dinner, and all was well. I was relieved that they didn't judge me (unless they did it secretly). Since then, I've proudly carried my Damier through the airport, and to work, the grocery store, the mall, Home Depot, etc. It does make me feel sophisticated and smart.

One more note: I selected a Damier bag instead of Mono partly because it's less recognizable / ostentatious (I also like the way it looks). I feel like I could safely carry it on the subway, or in front of my friends who are financially struggling. I'm not sure I'd be as comfortable with Mono, but that may change over time.

 

[pixiechic]

...and one more thing...

I cant tell you how many people (male and female) have told me how it is "sick" to spend that much on a bag. I also get the joy of hearing "why is he (my husband) still with you?" and "what exactly do you do for him?". And of course the joy of seeing the disgusted look on peoples faces when they see me with one of my new bags. At my previous job women would literally come over to my desk and pick up my purse saying "so how much did this cost?". I learned to start saying "I dont know". I was starting to become like a novelty item (aka circus act).

I can't tell you how appalling I find this. How can people be so rude? I would never think of asking how much a bag (or shoes, or clothes, or jewelry) cost, unless it was a very close friend whom I knew wouldn't be offended. Talk about no tact! Grrrrr. Just kick 'em in the knee, and walk away knowing that you have better taste than they do.

 

[twiggers]

I honestly couldn't care less what people think....I'll carry my speedy to the grocery store wearing a pair of sweats and looking like hell frozen over...I'm sure people think it's fake, but I don't care.
I have family ask how much...I tell them and they roll their eyes (my Mom is the worst...since she is very frugal minded and has no clue in the world how I am her offspring!).
I mean isn't it like a car....people drive something like a Benz...is it because of status? Or because it's a beautiful car (benz is just the first thing that came to my mind!) and manufactured well? Are they not going to drive their car because they're worried what someone thinks?
This is all just my humble opinion

 

[pseub]

I was raised in an era and a culture where it was considered extremely rude to ask someone what something cost or how much they made. I still get very uncomfortable when someone asks me how much something cost, and I never ask anyone else about the cost of their possessions.

 

[jane]

I was raised in an era and a culture where it was considered extremely rude to ask someone what something cost or how much they made. I still get very uncomfortable when someone asks me how much something cost, and I never ask anyone else about the cost of their possessions.

Precisely. Handbags, status, whatever aside, this is just very, very bad manners. And if anyone ever asked me such a thing I would let them know just what I thought of such behavior.

The flipside of this coin is people who make a point of telling you how much their expensive items cost -- a friend of a friend does this all the time and it is very tiresome and sad.

 

[ameka]

One more note: I selected a Damier bag instead of Mono partly because it's less recognizable / ostentatious (I also like the way it looks). I feel like I could safely carry it on the subway, or in front of my friends who are financially struggling. I'm not sure I'd be as comfortable with Mono, but that may change over time.

I also have a Damier and like the fact that it is less logo or recognizable by non-handbag people. I remember going out to dinner with some friends and they were making a big deal about someone with a LV wallet whereas my Marc Jacobs bag sat by unnoticed and uncommented on. Maybe that's part of the subconscious reason why i don't like monogram pieces - because I don't want to be noticed due to brand, but rather style.

 

[edsbgrl]

I really don't think too much about what others think about my bag. There are some who will only carry high end bags and some that refuse to for whatever reasons. I will carry what looks good with what I'm wearing high or low end.

People probably do think my LV's are fake when I just run to the grocery store with a track suit on and the bag I'm carrying literally cost more than what I'm wearing x4! Oh well

 

[estile]

It is really interesting reading your responses. Thanks for being open and honest. LV girls rock. (Oh and guys too)

 

[pink_dolphin]

I'm assuming everyone thinks it's fake so I really don't look at it as a status thing. It's a fact that only a little over 1% of LV is real so naturally, everyone who knows nothing about the real bags will think it's fake.

 

[luv4lv]

I am actually paranoid to carry my expensive lv because i think i will get robbed, i kinda wish i didnt buy it

 

[Traci]

I wear my bags for me, not for anyone else. I love LV bags and have always wanted them. The only people who have ever commented on my bags are people who themselves were carrying LV. So I took it as they were commenting more on the bag than on ME carrying it. My family thinks I'm nuts, so do my friends. My hubbby tries to get it, but doesn't really. I don't care what people think of my bag, I just try to worry about what I like and thats it.

 

[MissL]

Last year I did work experience and when I bought my LV Speedy to work, one of the guys came up to me and said "you know they make really good fakes now & it's very cheap" and I snapped back at him and said "Mine's real...not fake". I think it was the fact that I was like the lowest ranked in the company yet I carried LV (no one in my company carried any designer bags).

I suppose I was traumatised by that experience and so I like epi more than monogram canvas these days because it's subtle. I tend to shy away from the MC, mini monogram and vernis lines because of that...but I wouldn't mind owning accessories, just not bags.

 

[bluekit]

I know it is silly to care unduely about what others think of you but I am interested in knowing your thoughts on how you are perceived carrying a LV bag.

I had real issues with this. It's such an obvious status symbol and in some company I feel ostentatious and tasteless. I would never carry a LV bag to my boyfriend's parents home for instance.

What do you think people think and does it bother you?

Interesting reading and interesting thread! It wasn't until recently that I bought my one and only monogram (anything!) bag. Initially, I was a bit self-conscious wearing it even though I really like it. It took me a few days to get used to using it. Now, I'm just happy that it goes well with my outfits!

I do think you have a legitimate concern here, barring any self-esteem issues (which honestly, I don't think is of any relevance here, and I'm sure that wasn't the point of your thread). I will admit that I am not a saint and do care, to a certain extent, how people perceive me.

Let's face it, we live in a visual world. We are visual people. People do pass judgments on what they see, whether you like it or not. Some people perceive others wearing a Vuitton bag as "acting like the sh*t." Others carry a vuitton bag and do act like they are "the sh*t." (trust me, I've seen both). I don't want to be perceive as the latter.

But then again, if a person judges me based on my purse, and my purse alone, maybe I shouldn't care, right?

Just my 0.02.