Tired of luxury

[papertiger]

I'm slightly different in that I love the things I have already. I have crossed-off most bags on my wishlist and I'm not disappointed at all. In the past few years quality has gone down and prices are stupidly high. That's why new luxuries have lost a bit of there 'must have' lustre but I think that's really positive.

There's a pressure from stores to keep buying and though I'm loyal to companies who have treated me well through the years, aftercare and provide good service, I'm not going to buy anything new just for the sake of pleasing someone else's business.

I think there are a lot of us around actually. That's why leather goods companies have had to entice us with straps and charms. Most people have enough bags.

 

[Fimpagebag]

I'm slightly different in that I love the things I have already. I have crossed-off most bags on my wishlist and I'm not disappointed at all. In the past few years quality has gone down and prices are stupidly high. That's why new luxuries have lost a bit of there 'must have' lustre but I think that's really positive.

There's a pressure from stores to keep buying and though I'm loyal to companies who have treated me well through the years, aftercare and provide good service, I'm not going to buy anything new just for the sake of pleasing someone else's business.

I think there are a lot of us around actually. That's why leather goods companies have had to entice us with straps and charms. Most people have enough bags.

I'm happily among that number, Papertiger. There hasn't been a bag I've seen lately that can compare to the bags I have now. It's a good feeling.

 

[Emily1830]

I often think about this too. Am I shopping for me or Some different idealized version of me that really may not ever be me! There are a number of insta accounts I follow and the ladies post such amazing outfits and bags and shoes etc. However I often think - is that actually how these people live? (Well some like upcloseandstylish and bycamelia may actually live like this - [emoji38]) And do I like these things actually for me? For example, I love the look of the lady dior. But when it boils down to it can I really see myself carrying this bag? Is this really me? I'm most comfortable in jeans and a tee shirt. I have always hated wearing skirts and dresses. (Most likely because my mother made me wear dresses to church every Sunday.) Would I feel comfortable wearing a lady dior which is really a very lady like bag? Probably not. lol. And do I then want to go spend 3-4K on a lady dior to realize then that oh actually this isn't me? No. I have gone through enough lux handbags and slgs to know what I do and don't like. And it really stinks when you spend your hard earned money thinking you'll like something and you wind up not!

I hear you but can I just say that I love love love my Lady Dior? I just got the My Lady Dior and it has a crossbody strap and a flap opening so it's not so hard to get in and out of. I am a busy working mom and yes, I don't need a Lady Dior at the playground but sometimes I will wear it if I want to because it makes me smile to look at it.

But it's all a matter of what feels comfortable to you. I love the Kelly but I can't pay 10k for a bag.

 

[Annabel Lee]

I go through phases.

I'm a person who prefers keeping a larger rotation of bags, so I have many many options to cover just about any situation I would be in. However, I obviously can't match everything I own, so it can be hard to resist when I notice a bag or style that would fill one of my admittedly teensy-tiny closet gaps. I still have a few premium designer bags on my list that I plan to get at some point or another.

However, I've been rotating in more of my non-designer bags as the weather has turned rainy here, and it is making me realize I have enough.

I've actually purchased two non-designer bags in the past couple of months, and neither one was something I'd usually want (one was to match a bridesmaid dress and one was to replace a too-small travel bag).

Maybe it's because I didn't love either bag, but they pushed me over in the edge in feeling my closet is overfull, and I'm just generally turned off of shopping right now.

 

[kate2828]

I hear you but can I just say that I love love love my Lady Dior? I just got the My Lady Dior and it has a crossbody strap and a flap opening so it's not so hard to get in and out of. I am a busy working mom and yes, I don't need a Lady Dior at the playground but sometimes I will wear it if I want to because it makes me smile to look at it.

But it's all a matter of what feels comfortable to you. I love the Kelly but I can't pay 10k for a bag.

I hadn't thought about the fact that it has a crossbody strap. And please know I was not knocking on the bag but what you said has made me rethink this bag! [emoji4] Yes the Kelly is beautiful and I'm with you on that one!

 

[kate2828]

Those were major purchases, and the fact that they didn't work out for you must have made you question yourself. Chanel flaps and the Cartier Love are on many people's wish-list. I do think you could easily sell your Jumbo and downsize to a M/L and similar with your Cartier. Perhaps, you were right all along and need to go down a more personal and unique route. Personally, I think it's fine to question the value of these things, specifically or generally. Fashion is above all else supposed to be fun and an expression of one's own style and personality.

Yes I do think some of my tiredness has to do with items that didn't work out but it isn't just that. Agree I may need to go down a more unique route. I did wind up buying the full love bangle and do love it! However, as I had thought, it is kind of an annoyance being on 24-7 lol. I have tried the s/m Chanel and while the fit is great I need it to go crossbody too which doesn't work for this bag. However, I have recently discovered the coco handle and I'm very interested in trying it because it has a crossbody strap! And I absolutely agree that fashion is supposed to be fun above all else. I do like the vast majority of what I have but tbf, if I lost it all tomorrow and it was fully replaceable with insurance, I really don't know that I'd go back out and buy all of these things again!

 

[Fimpagebag]

I hear you but can I just say that I love love love my Lady Dior? I just got the My Lady Dior and it has a crossbody strap and a flap opening so it's not so hard to get in and out of. I am a busy working mom and yes, I don't need a Lady Dior at the playground but sometimes I will wear it if I want to because it makes me smile to look at it.

But it's all a matter of what feels comfortable to you. I love the Kelly but I can't pay 10k for a bag.

Your Lady Dior sounds like the perfect bag or you. A good test for any bag is how it makes you feel when you carry it. If it makes you stand a little taller, hold your chin a fraction higher, and smile when you catch a glimpse of your reflection in a shop window, then it's the bag for you.

 

[Fimpagebag]

I hear you but can I just say that I love love love my Lady Dior? I just got the My Lady Dior and it has a crossbody strap and a flap opening so it's not so hard to get in and out of. I am a busy working mom and yes, I don't need a Lady Dior at the playground but sometimes I will wear it if I want to because it makes me smile to look at it.

But it's all a matter of what feels comfortable to you. I love the Kelly but I can't pay 10k for a bag.[/QUOT

Duplicate post. My apologies!

 

[Summerfriend]

This discussion is so refreshing. I think there's something a little unhealthy about a culture in which we're always fixated on More! and New! Enjoying what we have - and slowly giving those things time to become part of our lives in an authentic way - is much more stylish than constantly moving from one outlandishly expensive thing to the next. There was a time in my life when I thought that if I had one LV bag, I'd use it for everything and never need another bag for the rest of my life. Obviously, my perspective has changed (as I now have 6 LVs, not to mention my Bals or Chanel or . . . ) BUT! My point is that I'm most happy and genuinely stylish when I'm building a look around things that I already have and love. Anyone with enough resources can run out and buy a bunch of designer accessories, but that's no replacement for really knowing what you like, what suits your life, and what kind of aesthetic you want to put out there. And when you're really secure in those things, you can admire new releases (or even allegedly "must-have" classics) without feeling like YOU have to have it. Want the truth? A Kelly or a Chanel jumbo would make NO sense with my life or my wardrobe. So why am I meant to covet these things? It's easy to get carried away, especially on the internet, where our brains are already seeking novelty and firing dopamine just from all the overwhelming input of images and information. Discussions like these help us remember - and remind each other - who we really are.

 

[kate2828]

This discussion is so refreshing. I think there's something a little unhealthy about a culture in which we're always fixated on More! and New! Enjoying what we have - and slowly giving those things time to become part of our lives in an authentic way - is much more stylish than constantly moving from one outlandishly expensive thing to the next. There was a time in my life when I thought that if I had one LV bag, I'd use it for everything and never need another bag for the rest of my life. Obviously, my perspective has changed (as I now have 6 LVs, not to mention my Bals or Chanel or . . . ) BUT! My point is that I'm most happy and genuinely stylish when I'm building a look around things that I already have and love. Anyone with enough resources can run out and buy a bunch of designer accessories, but that's no replacement for really knowing what you like, what suits your life, and what kind of aesthetic you want to put out there. And when you're really secure in those things, you can admire new releases (or even allegedly "must-have" classics) without feeling like YOU have to have it. Want the truth? A Kelly or a Chanel jumbo would make NO sense with my life or my wardrobe. So why am I meant to covet these things? It's easy to get carried away, especially on the internet, where our brains are already seeking novelty and firing dopamine just from all the overwhelming input of images and information. Discussions like these help us remember - and remind each other - who we really are.

Beautifully and wisely said[emoji175].

 

[SomethingGoodCanWork]

[...] If it makes you stand a little taller, hold your chin a fraction higher, and smile when you catch a glimpse of your reflection in a shop window, then it's the bag for you.] [...]

 

[Emily1830]

Your Lady Dior sounds like the perfect bag or you. A good test for any bag is how it makes you feel when you carry it. If it makes you stand a little taller, hold your chin a fraction higher, and smile when you catch a glimpse of your reflection in a shop window, then it's the bag for you.

Thank you!! Don't get me wrong, I also love my medium LD, but the My Lady Dior is a whole new level of [emoji7][emoji173]️ with the crossbody strap and flap opening. You're right about it making you smile--that's how I feel about it!

Now that I'm about to enter my 40s, I am editing more and more and learning to do without so much excess. It feels great. I still have lots of shoes and bags but I downsized quite a bit and it feels better being able to see/use/enjoy your stuff. I sold my Chanel WOC to get the LD and even though I felt a little sad letting it go, I know that it was the right choice as I never wore it anymore (well, maybe once a year but not enough to justify having it). Since we moved last year I also gave away/donated/sold about a third of my clothes and it also feels great not having such a stuffed wardrobe where you could barely see what you owned.

As for items on my wishlist, they are getting smaller and smaller. I have three bags left on that list and a few jewelry items. Then I will hopefully slow down on my shopping.

 

[Emily1830]

I hadn't thought about the fact that it has a crossbody strap. And please know I was not knocking on the bag but what you said has made me rethink this bag! [emoji4] Yes the Kelly is beautiful and I'm with you on that one!

Yeah, no worries, I didn't take offense [emoji4]. I know that bag isn't for everyone but Dior has done a great job lately of making versions of it that are more user friendly. (There's also a grained calf version.) I posted lots of pics of my new bag on Instagram (same name: @nycmamaofone) if you want to check it out.

Thanks for starting this thread! It's helpful to also be encouraged to slow down and enjoy, rather than shop and shop.

 

[serenityneow]

Am I tired of luxury? Yes and no. Yes, in that there's a whole lot of ugly, tasteless, impractical, low quality, or all of the above out there at very high prices. But no in that there's also beautiful, tasteful, practical and very high quality to be found. Particularly for those of us who have been looking for a while, I think it often it takes a little digging. As an example, nothing that Fendi is currently offering appeals to me, but one of my favorite recent finds is my Fendi selleria Anna bucket bag in Rosso, a gorgeous deep red, with silver hardware. It's lux, but casual, and I feel comfortable carrying it to work, book club, brunch and beyond. I never would have found it if I'd just been looking at blogs and designer websites as it's not a new style, but on the plus side it can be found at a very good price now.

There seems to be a disconnect between the over-the-top extravagance I'm seeing from a lot of designers (ahem, Gucci) and the casual, versatile style that seems to really predominate right now, or that I, at least, favor. I'm not going to walk around with a guitar strap as a purse strap, for example. This just strikes me as stupid. It may just be a low point in design, but I still think there are beautiful, special things to be found.

 

[tenKrat]

I'm slightly different in that I love the things I have already. I have crossed-off most bags on my wishlist and I'm not disappointed at all. In the past few years quality has gone down and prices are stupidly high. That's why new luxuries have lost a bit of there 'must have' lustre but I think that's really positive.

I think there are a lot of us around actually. That's why leather goods companies have had to entice us with straps and charms. Most people have enough bags.

I'm happily among that number, Papertiger. There hasn't been a bag I've seen lately that can compare to the bags I have now. It's a good feeling.

Me, too! I recently reached that point of satisfaction with my bag collection, too. Sure, I still see a bag now and then that appeals to me. But, I feel no need to pursue it.