Starting a personal handbag collection from scratch and need advice (Overwhelmed)

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klarak90

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Oct 19, 2022
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#1
So I am 32 years of age and the only handbags I own is a large Longchamp Le Pliage tote and a cheap mini black crossbody bag (yes, really :( )

I am trying to "plan" my handbag collection and I am so overwhelmed by the style choices of handbags available today. Most of my planned collection will not be designer bags. I will be purchasing directly from online, quality Italian handcrafted in Italy handbags (i.e. Pierotucci, Buti Pelleteria, Tusting in England). My only designer piece will likely be the Chanel WOC.

In regard to a collection, is it more effective to have a collection determined by occasion? (Work, special, evening, day) Or the style? (clutch, crossbody, top handle, shoulder) but more complicating, the colours!? And what colour for each style? I know that for summer it's best to have a lighter colour handbag, rather than black. My concern is I dont really want to double on a similiar style in black for winter. It just seems to be a waste.

Any suggestions? Any help would be so appreciated.
 
#2
I’m not convinced pre-planning is the way to go. My handbag collection works for me only because I’ve filtered out all the things I bought that didn’t work. I carry colours and styles I never thought I would and got bored with things that should have been perfect. And bags that were perfect 10 years ago when I still carried lots of stuff to work aren’t needed now. Tastes and needs (and wants) are always changing. And it doesn’t matter.
My advice would be just buy the bag that appeals to you now, and don’t overthink or stress about it too much. And never buy something else in place of the bag you really want.
 
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#3
Pessie said:
I’m not convinced pre-planning is the way to go. My handbag collection works for me only because I’ve filtered out all the things I bought that didn’t work. I carry colours and styles I never thought I would and got bored with things that should have been perfect. And bags that were perfect 10 years ago when I still carried lots of stuff to work aren’t needed now. Tastes and needs (and wants) are always changing. And it doesn’t matter.
My advice would be just buy the bag that appeals to you now, and don’t overthink or stress about it too much. And never buy something else in place of the bag you really want.
Click to expand...
^this! Couldn’t have said it better
 
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#4
I always think it's better to buy one bag at a time. In no time you will have a great collection anyway.

I like you're thinking about great quality Italian and British brands, not necessarily designer :tup:

If you're going to get a Chanel anything, it's a mix of caution but ready to pounce. I'd do tons of research and only buy when ready, at the same time, act fast when you find the perfect bag; you will have a lot of competition (new or preloved).
 
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#5
First off, take a step back. Relax.
You don't have to know everything right now. You don't have to make all the decisions right now.
We're talking about bags, that should be fun and exciting, not stressing you out!:happydance:

My advice would be to think of these things before you start purchasing:

- Do you want to buy different bags for different occasions and functions or get by with f.e. 5 bags in total and possibly compromise?

- What your preferred way of buying is - new vs. preloved. Are you wanting to save your money and wait for a sale?

- Your true budget and what do you want to do with your money - amount of bags and what are you taking as a direction, f.e. lower end designs from high end designers, top designs from high end designers, stay with contemporary or mix these. Where are you wanting to splurge and where to save?

- What is your environment like? Do you need bags to be able to tolerate excessive rain, scorching heat etc? What materials will work best? Do you have to worry about the safety of you or your bag in the places you move in and how does that effect your needs?

- Find out what you like! Flap/open/zipper/button, fabric/canvas/leather, hand carry/crossbody/shoulder carry, small/medium/large etc etc.
If there is a style you haven't tried out yet, you can borrow or rent one, buy a cheaper version or go for a preloved item and try out the style.

- Don't compromise and buy bags that are nearly but not completely working for you.
Do you like logos or plenty of hardware or do you prefer something lighter or less visibly branded? If you don't like a heavy bag, purchasing one will most likely result in the bag staying in its dustbag and you wishing you'd saved your money. Same goes for logos etc.

- If you really love a bag and you either have the means to buy it right now or to save up for it, do not buy the cheaper option. You will most likely be missing the bag you actually wanted.

- Double only the styles you actually love-love and use consistently.

And the most important; buy bags for the life you live, not the life you want.
If your life is full of dinners and parties, you can stock up on clutches. If you need a clutch a few times a year, get one that's easy to combine with all your outfits. If you need to carry a big tote in your everyday life, invest in one or a few great ones and limit the amount of smaller bags you won't be carrying as often. And don't limit your use of bags according to season as lighter colored bags will work well with darker autumn&winter clothes!

Just enjoy the process.
 
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#6
I think everyone here has made mistakes while building their collection, so take that into consideration and don’t blame yourself when this will happen.
You will have to try different styles, sizes, colors and leathers (or other materials) to understand what works for you, but don’t rush on buying bags and only buy what you really like, otherwise it will sit unused and it is a waste of money.
Also keep in mind that your needs will evolve, so your collection will change and evolve.
If you’re keen on preloved you can find some good deals on designer bags too.
Look at the different brands and don’t set only on certain designers, be curious to search also different ones.
 
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#7
I agree with the others to not rush things or get too much ahead of oneself. Enjoy the process. I started buying purses twenty years ago, but jewelry more recently. I rushed jewelry buying and bought a lot of pieces I thought would fill out the collection only to replace them with items I love I found later. It was overwhelming and wasn't enjoyable compared to buying handbags, where I'd find a bag I loved and purchase it. With handbags, there's still some misses, but not at the volume I had with jewelry.

When it comes to selecting a bag, I tend to be aesthetics and size focused when zeroing in on a bag. I'll compare it to other similar bags to make sure it's the one I like most, then compare it to what I have in my collection to make sure I love it as much. If both check off, I look at the leathers and colors available to determine the version I like the best and potentially offers some variance from what I have.
 
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#9
Others have shared very good general advice, but I want to chime in because I’m very much like you in terms of starting point. People consistently say to shop for your lifestyle and what works for you, so because I gravitate toward basic totes and backpack styles, I upgraded to the leather version of Le Pliage (tote and backpack). These aren’t going to be my only bags, but I know I’ll love and use them. And I feel free to take my time to figure out what else I like now that I have a couple classy workhorse options.
 
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#10
#11
klarak90 said:
So I am 32 years of age and the only handbags I own is a large Longchamp Le Pliage tote and a cheap mini black crossbody bag (yes, really :sad: )

I am trying to "plan" my handbag collection and I am so overwhelmed by the style choices of handbags available today. Most of my planned collection will not be designer bags. I will be purchasing directly from online, quality Italian handcrafted in Italy handbags (i.e. Pierotucci, Buti Pelleteria, Tusting in England). My only designer piece will likely be the Chanel WOC.

In regard to a collection, is it more effective to have a collection determined by occasion? (Work, special, evening, day) Or the style? (clutch, crossbody, top handle, shoulder) but more complicating, the colours!? And what colour for each style? I know that for summer it's best to have a lighter colour handbag, rather than black. My concern is I dont really want to double on a similiar style in black for winter. It just seems to be a waste.

Any suggestions? Any help would be so appreciated.
Click to expand...

I'd start with deciding what you NEED first. You have a tote and a crossbody... which do you use more?
Could you use a clutch, or maybe a versatile clutch with chain or wallet on chain for evenings out?
 
#12
klarak90 said:
am trying to "plan" my handbag collection and I am so overwhelmed by the style choices of handbags available today.
Click to expand...
Take it slowly; try on everything even if you think it’s not for you; and, most of all have fun :smile:

NOTE: I find that it helps to take full length pics of everything you try on bc
you realize new things that can help refine your search
 
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#13
klarak90 said:
So I am 32 years of age and the only handbags I own is a large Longchamp Le Pliage tote and a cheap mini black crossbody bag (yes, really :sad: )
Click to expand...

I love how you said this part all sad like it was a real tragedy:P. There is nothing wrong with that. I’m 44 and never had more than a couple at a time my whole life until recently. Having a collection of handbags is not necessary for a good life. You’ve been doing okay all this time with just a couple, right? You do not need to run out and create an instant big collection of bags.

Actually, what made you view what you currently have as lacking? Maybe that’s a good place to start. Was it that you were finding that what you already have didn’t fit a situation you were frequently finding yourself in? If so, maybe you can address that by choosing a bag best suited for that situation. Or were you finding that the color of the crossbody frequently didn’t look good with some of your clothes? If so, address the color gap. If you just wanted to try something different, that’s okay too. But my humble opinion is that you don’t need to buy bags just for the sake of buying them, or because you feel you have to because it’s somehow wrong to be 32 with only 2 bags. It’s not.
 
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#14
I agree with everyone else. Let it grow organically. Buy bags, try them out, return them if they don't work for you. Take your time with your research. I started out buying bags for their design but also for practicality, and now I can expand a little and buy bags that are still practical but maybe more for special occasions or fun colors or I love their look. You don't have to do it all at once and you don't have to have a large collection by tomorrow. You don't have to know everything at once, and you don't have to spend all your time looking at handbags until you have all the answers.

This is not a competition and everyone should be able to freely curate and love every piece in their collection. There's nothing you have to have, no brands you have to have or styles. As long as it makes you happy and it's usable that's all that matters.
 
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