What started your bag addiction

TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others

#331
I love reading this thread!

Mine started in junior high. There are a few memories that stick out to me that influenced my liking of designer bags: going with my mom and grandma to pick out a coach bag for my mom, my bffs mom always carrying Louis and talking about prada nylon bags


My mom wasn't huge into high end designers so I picked up a lot of the lingo from my friends mom. For Christmas in junior high my BFF and I were given our first coach bags from our mothers. High school was all coach for me. once I started college I navigated into brands like longchamp, Burberry, Marc by Marc Jacobs, and Louis.. Post college I have dipped into bv, bal and hermes.
 
#332
Mine started with the humble japanese emooks. Their bags are unique, affordable and sometimes from high end premium designers, but of course not real leather, just canvas and synthetic leather. Then I began to question this quantity over quality and began to look at real leather made with good quality and craftsmanship. This is also how come I do not see my bags as status symbols, but really good stuff.
 
#333
I was 15 when I bought my first bag from Ralph Lauren for school. I can remember at that time almost everyone had this bag. I had to save my pocket money and I think after several months I bought it. 60 eur and sooo expensive for me but I was soooooooo happy and proud of myself. It was really something special to me! My first branded bag.
I still have it in my cabinet :greengrin:
 
#334
This forum. I started reading it a year and a half ago when I was looking for reviews of a Dooney &Bourke bag I was thinking of buying on sale. At the time, I thought I should have 1 decent bag. I've since discovered that 1 decent bag is not nearly enough. I have fallen down the rabbit hole. I now *love* handbags.
 
#335
mine started freshman year of college when my dad got me a $120 (or so) Guess denim and snake skin bag at the mall! I loved that bag with all my heart. He started this addiction!! :graucho:
 
#336
I was watching a movie on television and the lady on it had a pretty hobo bag, and I started a frantic search online to find it. It turned out to be a Coach Ali Hobo, and it was my first :giggles: That was probably 5 or 6 years ago. It went from there to all different designers. I found this forum a few years ago, and it has been so much fun!!
 
#338
I love this thread!

So, I was NEVER a bag person. Most of my bags were from Forever 21 or Target, carried for months at a time. I thought anything over $40 was a splurge.

And I can't quite put my finger on what changed. Maybe it was reading fashion blogs and seeing all of their nice bags? But I decided I needed to buy myself a grown-up bag before 30, so I saved up a little and purchased a Coach Mini Tanner in cognac. Then I was hooked! After discovering Purse Blog & Forum during some research on my next bag purchase, it just elevated the love and obsession. Now I'm into the premier designers too and saving for my first Balenciaga!
 
#339
Drunk Shopper said:
I love this thread!

So, I was NEVER a bag person. Most of my bags were from Forever 21 or Target, carried for months at a time. I thought anything over $40 was a splurge.

And I can't quite put my finger on what changed. Maybe it was reading fashion blogs and seeing all of their nice bags? But I decided I needed to buy myself a grown-up bag before 30, so I saved up a little and purchased a Coach Mini Tanner in cognac. Then I was hooked! After discovering Purse Blog & Forum during some research on my next bag purchase, it just elevated the love and obsession. Now I'm into the premier designers too and saving for my first Balenciaga!
Click to expand...


Bals are divine, but do yourself a favor and buy a pre-loved 2007 or earlier, the leather was divine then! It's ok now, but nothing beats the early bags, and I just started buying in 2012!


Sent from my iPad using PurseForum mobile app looking for Bal 2007 Paprika ( Rouille ) City or Part a Time w/GGH, please PM me!'a
 
#340
Mine started when I bought my first Alexander Wang bag. It was the first bag (at its' price point) I had bought myself and since I have been obsessed with handbags! I think the sentimental value of it is what got me so excited about the bag, I still love it like its brand new to me.
 
#341
Your timing for this topic is perfect for me, I have been thinking about this a lot, as a feel I have become too obsessed and may be happier if I can clear my head from bags. My bag obsession is very hypocritical and I think that why it causes me anxiety. I ironically became obsessed with high end bags while looking for a vegan friendly designer bag. I was too shallow to use a cheap no name bag, and the lower priced brands didn't have anything. So I found stella McCartney but could not justify the price. Before that the most I spent on a bag was around 400. When I discovered her I searched and learned all about handbag history and feel in love with other brands like Louis Vuitton and Chanel. I purchased a Stella bag on sale, not the one I wanted, it didn't work and if feel apart. I had learned through research that lv was very durable so went with it despite the leather trim and then shortly after feel in love with the chase of Chanel bags. I am slowly waking up from a three year fog realizing this obsession is unhealthy and not even what I wanted. I am very seriously thinking of selling my Chanel bags and buying the original stella bag I wanted. Then I think, Chanel transcends everything, I should keep it. However, I know it's more the history I love as opposed to the actual bags. I just feel nervous to let go of the bags because I have three girls and Chanel prices will only get worse. However, I think the only way to cure my obsession is to go full circle. So to round that up, my handbag obsession started with me being hypocritical to my own beliefs.
 
#342
SHHMOM said:
Your timing for this topic is perfect for me, I have been thinking about this a lot, as a feel I have become too obsessed and may be happier if I can clear my head from bags. My bag obsession is very hypocritical and I think that why it causes me anxiety. I ironically became obsessed with high end bags while looking for a vegan friendly designer bag. I was too shallow to use a cheap no name bag, and the lower priced brands didn't have anything. So I found stella McCartney but could not justify the price. Before that the most I spent on a bag was around 400. When I discovered her I searched and learned all about handbag history and feel in love with other brands like Louis Vuitton and Chanel. I purchased a Stella bag on sale, not the one I wanted, it didn't work and if feel apart. I had learned through research that lv was very durable so went with it despite the leather trim and then shortly after feel in love with the chase of Chanel bags. I am slowly waking up from a three year fog realizing this obsession is unhealthy and not even what I wanted. I am very seriously thinking of selling my Chanel bags and buying the original stella bag I wanted. Then I think, Chanel transcends everything, I should keep it. However, I know it's more the history I love as opposed to the actual bags. I just feel nervous to let go of the bags because I have three girls and Chanel prices will only get worse. However, I think the only way to cure my obsession is to go full circle. So to round that up, my handbag obsession started with me being hypocritical to my own beliefs.
Click to expand...

I hear your torment & thank you for sharing so openly.
Good lessons in your words, good growth.
Hugs.
 
#344
My obessions started in highschool. I adored my school bag. It was magneta pink and I must have carried everything but the kitchen sink in that bag. lol. But I loved it.

I never really had a purse in highschool and college. I think I just carried my wallet and keys. But as soon as college was over and I had my first "real" job, I then progressed to Dooney and Burke, then to Paloma Picasso (pretty but didnt' last long). And my bf at the time bought me a gorgeous perfect black Coach bag. I usually only had one bag at a time. So when one "died", I bought another.

I did have a gorgeous Ralph Lauren bucket bag but my first dog accidentally destroyed it. I forgot I left a bag of treats in there and so when I took a nap, guess what happened.

My first "expensive" bag was purchased when I turned 30. I bought myself an LV bag and matching wallet that I used religiously. I later sold both a couple of years later due to an unfortunate mishap in the tropics (humidity and french leather do not mix).

I did dabble and bought a few under the radar bags but they never lasted. Something about the design or workmanship got to me so they were quickly sold on ebay soon after my initial purchase.

Then there was the longchamp le pliage. A godsend for rainy days. I have 2 and have used them faithfully for the past 15 years.

I did venture into the elusive world of Hermes. Long story short, it was fun while it lasted. But after witnessing the growing narcissism in today's world and unbelievable cattiness amongst the uppercrust, I am now turned off. I don't want to be part of that anymore. There’s this undercurrent of bullying and meanness that didn't exist 10 years ago. Also the leathers are thinner and lesser quality, prices thru the roof, market overly saturated and some of the consumers are just beyond.

Oh yes, I also did buy myself a divorce bag. LOl cuz hey when you go through that, you need to treat yourself somehow. I love that bag to pieces and no it's not hermes. LOL I spotted it while I was jogging by a neighborhood noname boutique.

I think I will always love bags. Can't explain why. But I don't think I will buy anymore bags. I've had my fun and the world is just very different now vs when I started to be a consumer 19 years ago. I'm content admiring everyone else's purchases but I have zero desire to have anymore. LOL I guess I'll buy when I have no bag to use.
 
Last edited:
#345
My mother started my handbag addiction. She was always buying them to match different outfits, and I wanted some as well. My first "designer" handbag, I think, was an Esprit. It was bright orange, and I adored it. I've even looked for one on eBay and only found a blue. Then Liz Claiborne. I finally bought my first Dooney in college. Haven't looked back.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top