What are healthy/positive attitudes and thoughts people have about handbags?

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#46
1. A bag that looks good on others, does not necessarily look good on myself (& vice-versa).
2. There are sooo many different bags out there - if I miss out on 1, I will surely find another to love just as much.
3. Bag (buying) should never take priority over the people important to me in my life.
4. A bag is a companion, but in order to make it my companion, I need to wear it often (even if they are delicate/expensive).
5. A bag won't improve my life drastically all of a sudden.
6. There are so many combinations between different brands, colours, shapes, sizes etc. There is no way I can acquire every single combination, so no need to try ("Oh I don't have a small pink bag in shiny leather yet!")
7. It is nice to fill gaps in your 'collection', but in the end, only I see them together as a 'collection': day-to-day, I can only wear 1 bag at a time and it doesn't matter if I don't have a bag in every color of the rainbow.
8. Price and sales should not be the most important factor. If they are - go to a lower tier of bags/brands.
9. Do not buy a bag to 'replace' another bag I want/love, just because this one is more attainable. I will still want the other one.
10. Enjoy my bags now, instead of saving them for the future/a special occasion.
11. Some damage/scratches on the bags is inevitable, and shows that it has been my life companion.
12. No need to compare my collection to others. They have a different life, different taste and curate their collection with different values/criteria.
13. If this bag were to lose all its 'status' overnight, would I still love to carry it?
14. I do not 'hurry' to buy bags and expand my collection. For example; if I really want a light taupe bag, I do not buy a bag that is 'alright', just because it's that color. Wait until I find a bag I absolutely love.
15. Pretty bags are lovely, but I will love even more the bags that complement me and make me look pretty.
 
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#50
As I’m seeing myself off to Ban Island after my most recent purchase, I definitely need to work on myself (really my self-care) because recent events in my community (Buffalo) and across the US have really left me in a rough spot emotionally as a woman of color and a mom to a young boy. I’ve been really immersing myself on this website as an escape and obsessing over curating my collection when I know I don’t actually need “just one more bag”, but the thrill of shopping around and buying another takes my mind off of reality for a while. So I think collecting can absolutely be a fun hobby but I realize that this can be a slippery slope if I don’t acknowledge how I’ve been using it for the past few weeks is not sustainable. So to sum up my healthy thought, I am acknowledging that retail therapy is no substitute for proper self-care and attention to my mental health.
 
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#51
JVSXOXO said:
As I’m seeing myself off to Ban Island after my most recent purchase, I definitely need to work on myself (really my self-care) because recent events in my community (Buffalo) and across the US have really left me in a rough spot emotionally as a woman of color and a mom to a young boy. I’ve been really immersing myself on this website as an escape and obsessing over curating my collection when I know I don’t actually need “just one more bag”, but the thrill of shopping around and buying another takes my mind off of reality for a while. So I think collecting can absolutely be a fun hobby but I realize that this can be a slippery slope if I don’t acknowledge how I’ve been using it for the past few weeks is not sustainable. So to sum up my healthy thought, I am acknowledging that retail therapy is no substitute for proper self-care and attention to my mental health.
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Thank you for sharing! The self care aspect should be more of a priority than buying another expensive “thing.” When I get tempted to buy another luxury item I try to remember that I already have enough and that I get more joy out of taking care of myself and being in the best possible shape at my age than from having something new and pretty in my closet.
 
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#53
It's a good reminder that having purse peace and not adding new pieces to your wardrobe or collection is much, much better for the environment. It's not just the costs of shipping, or labor, making the items, but also the consumption of animals and animal products. Spending less saves money and saves the environment.
 
#54


A good reminder to value the items we have, and if you're just buying it for reasons outside for appreciation of the item itself, it might be good to reflect on what your reasons are to get the item, and if these are good reasons.
 
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#55
JVSXOXO said:
As I’m seeing myself off to Ban Island after my most recent purchase, I definitely need to work on myself (really my self-care) because recent events in my community (Buffalo) and across the US have really left me in a rough spot emotionally as a woman of color and a mom to a young boy. I’ve been really immersing myself on this website as an escape and obsessing over curating my collection when I know I don’t actually need “just one more bag”, but the thrill of shopping around and buying another takes my mind off of reality for a while. So I think collecting can absolutely be a fun hobby but I realize that this can be a slippery slope if I don’t acknowledge how I’ve been using it for the past few weeks is not sustainable. So to sum up my healthy thought, I am acknowledging that retail therapy is no substitute for proper self-care and attention to my mental health.
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I can't imagine the mental stress and burdens you are going through at the moment (and the last few years too) and it's very painful to look at the situation overall. Oftentimes the people most in need of distractions and retail therapy are also the people who aren't the most well-off or have lots of other financial responsibilities, but where is the relief? When I see rich people blaming everyone else for being less financially savvy or spending money on frivolous things it really annoys me because it takes so many complicated systemic problems and makes it all an individual's problem.

Please take care of your self-care, take care of yourself, and your family! And please don't beat yourself up for turning to retail therapy to take your mind off things. Sometimes we all need a little distraction or a little pick me up!
 
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#56
I realize purse peace is making sure your first priority is always focusing on your own collection and appreciating your own bags. If I'm always looking for the next thing and chasing that handbag buyer's high, I would never achieve it.
 
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#57
This is my first post. I wanted to say that there has been a couple of times in my life where I have had to pick up and leave everything behind and had to start over. Purses and possessions are things that are meant to be enjoyed. I have owned some luxury pieces and contemporary pieces and I honestly enjoy my contemporary pieces more because I use them daily. I was always too afraid to damage my luxury pieces and in the end I had to leave it behind anyways. I also wanted to add that everyone says that I am like my grandmother. She was always fashionable but at the same time she raised a bunch of boys on a ranch by herself. She was the only female rancher that was fashionable arguing with a group of male ranchers about cattle and ranch business in her area. They say I act just like her and I have nieces and cousins who say that they want to be just like me. I don't have kids but I think owning purses has given me a path to be role model in a positive way.
 
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#58
poleneinblack said:
I can't imagine the mental stress and burdens you are going through at the moment (and the last few years too) and it's very painful to look at the situation overall. Oftentimes the people most in need of distractions and retail therapy are also the people who aren't the most well-off or have lots of other financial responsibilities, but where is the relief? When I see rich people blaming everyone else for being less financially savvy or spending money on frivolous things it really annoys me because it takes so many complicated systemic problems and makes it all an individual's problem.

Please take care of your self-care, take care of yourself, and your family! And please don't beat yourself up for turning to retail therapy to take your mind off things. Sometimes we all need a little distraction or a little pick me up!
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Yes, I think you’ve hit the nail on the head with many of these points - sometimes a little frivolity is good for the soul. That’s not to say that one should go into debt in the name of retail therapy, but I think it’s healthy to treat yourself every now and then. And I appreciate your kindness - thank you! I am doing a better job of coping and focusing on the good things in my life. Some days are easier than others though.
 
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#59
Allthingsheart said:
This is my first post. I wanted to say that there has been a couple of times in my life where I have had to pick up and leave everything behind and had to start over. Purses and possessions are things that are meant to be enjoyed. I have owned some luxury pieces and contemporary pieces and I honestly enjoy my contemporary pieces more because I use them daily. I was always too afraid to damage my luxury pieces and in the end I had to leave it behind anyways. I also wanted to add that everyone says that I am like my grandmother. She was always fashionable but at the same time she raised a bunch of boys on a ranch by herself. She was the only female rancher that was fashionable arguing with a group of male ranchers about cattle and ranch business in her area. They say I act just like her and I have nieces and cousins who say that they want to be just like me. I don't have kids but I think owning purses has given me a path to be role model in a positive way.
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Welcome! This is a great first post! :drinks:
 
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#60
My father loves watches and I think his ideas go well with handbags too
Sometimes you just love a bag or a purse so much that you have to have it and you wear it no matter what you happen to be wearing that day
Sometimes you know a bag or purse would go so well with an outfit that you have to have it just for that special sometimes 'look'
And sometimes you like keeping a bag around the house, even if you won't carry it, just because you love the design or you're proud to own it
 
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