Why COACH? Please share your story!

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

#16
I'd seen Coach bags everywhere and always assumed they were super expensive. Well, when I transferred to a college that had more older adults going back to school, there was a woman in one of my classes with a Coach bag. I always stared at it with lust and envy. I discovered there was a Coach store in my local mall. Out of curiosity, I went to the Coach website expecting the basic bags with the C pattern to be 800+, and discovered one that was absolutely perfect for me at only $200. I kept breaking my purses within a week or so of owning them and after totaling up the amount I'd spent on cheap purses over the past month or two that didn't last me long, I'd spent $145... I was displeased. On one of the nights I was at community college instead of university to get a transfer credit, during a break, I drove out to the mall (coincidentally very close by the school), went into my local Coach store for the first time, and bought my first Coach bag. I still have it and it's held up through everything. :) I instantly became addicted. The newest addition to my collection is my vintage Coach bag, circa 1990s if I'm not mistaken. It was one of my pre-Valentine's day gifts from my amazing boyfriend.
 
#17
I love this thread! Such a cute idea! My journey too began with a hamptons bag.... A patchwork tote! In 2007, when I graduated high school, my dad took me to the nearest FP boutique, which at the time seemed like it was sooooo far away.... And let me pick out a bag! That was it, it was love at first site! At that time, they had a little orange slice chain pouch hanging from the bag in the boutique, and I HAD to have it! They were sold out but the nicest SA found one for me in jax & had it shipped to our house. My dad (and I) were so impressed with her kindness & amazing customer service. I was a broke college kid after that & couldn't afford a lot. My ex boyfriend took me to the newer outlets when they opened & did spoil me a lot. Then, I came here. And learned about all the different lines, bags etc. And as I grew up, I fell in love with the classic looking gorgeous coach legacy etc lines. I still have some siggy, but it was never really my thing. It reminded me of the bratty (and I don't mean this offensively to anyone at all) girls in my high school who carried their coach & foach, and proudly talked down to everyone else. I too was middle class, and my parents could've never afforded me to have style like that growing up. Although, in college, my father also spoiled me with an outlet trip here or there. It was always "our thing". When I took a year off and worked full time, I became a litttttle obsessed :) and here I am in grad school, patiently waiting to graduate and be able to afford the dream bags I want! ;)
 
#18
It was 1989, I was 12, and the turnlock drew me in like an antique brass harlot!

My step sister, who is a year older than me, got a basic black flap bag with the turnlock closure (as a B-day gift from her bio dad). It was the first time I'd ever seen Coach, and didn't know anything about the name, brand, etc., but it was love at first sight and I was beyond jealous. I've been obsessed with purses and coin purses since I was little bitty, so really this shouldn't have been any surprise. Her birthday is December 9, and I ended up getting my first Coach that Christmas. It was the black Court bag. I carried that bag straight through 7th, 8th, and 9th grade. It was still in perfect condition. I ended up selling it when I was around 26, and I'm totally KICKING myself now for that.
 
#19
I was a middle class kid attending an upper class Catholic school in the preppy heyday of the early eighties. Among the Bermuda bags and monogrammed LL Bean totes, Coach was what I coveted most. I seem to recall getting a small navy turnlock shoulder bag for Christmas or something one year, but that was a serious indulgence from my parents.

In college, all the sorority girls carried Coach. I dressed well, but couldn't even begin to keep up with them in the handbag department. In my late twenties, I managed Nine West boutiques in the Chicago area for a time. I continued to carry mostly Nine West via TJ Maxx, Marshall's, and HSN throughout my thirties.

Last March, my boyfriend and I were on vacation in Blowing Rock, NC. There is a tiny outlet strip mall there with a Coach store. I was flush with cash by this time, the past came flooding back, and I guess I thought, "Goshdarnit, it's my turn." I knew nothing from FP/MMF going in, so I was just looking for whatever might catch my eye. I browsed my way around and on a bottom shelf in the clearance section was a powder pink leather Ashley. That shimmery, girly satchel would not be denied, and I'd say she remains in my top three. I also bought a very practical sig stitch black patent hobo. I was thrilled with the "savings" of those outlet prices and, little did I know, hooked big-time.

I have since joined here, cleared ebay out of fobs, shopped/window-shopped the FOS every week, and regularly visited the boutique or website with PCS and fb coupons. At work, they think my Coach obsession is crazy, but I am child-free and there are worse vices, right?
 
#20
I've always loved leather bags and when I had birthday money or Christmas money I would go to Nordstrom's to buy bags because they had some wonderful bags that weren't too expensive. I had friends who bought Coach but I had kids at home and Coach was too expensive for me back then. But when I had more money to spend on myself I began to buy Coach bags along with a few other designer brands.
Coach is my favorite though because they have so many lovely styles coming out all the time, plus a nice variety of leather treatments. I'm always drawn to the Coach counter in department stores even though there can be several other designer brands there too.
 
#21
I was first drawn to Coach in the 1980s. Back then, it was a status symbol carry the brand. But I loved the classic lines and turnlock closures--just never knew that they originated with Bonnie Cashin. (Found that out later). I couldn't afford one--was just starting. A few years later I was given a vintage coach in need of rehab and I was hooked. I collected vintage Coach for years, but in 2002 I received my first new Coach of my very own--A Rambler's Legacy in black and brass. I did wear other brands, but always found myself coming back to Coach.
 
#22
I had always had a love for purses, but absolutely no interest in Coach until it was "the thing to have" among my sorority sisters. Everyone and I mean everyone had a coach bag and a signature wristlet. I coveted their bags, but knew I couldn't afford one so I saved up my money and proudly bought a black signature wristlet. I couldn't believe I had spent $50 on something so little, but I carried that thing everywhere and was so proud of it! Later that year for my birthday, my dear parents bought me a signature hamptons hobo I've never looked back. I've even hooked my mother on Coach now too!

Over the years, my mother showed me the beauty and durability of leather and to this day, I've never bought another signature purse. I still have the purse and wristlet that started it all and although they aren't used anymore, I don't think I'll ever get rid of them.
 
#23
BuckyBabe said:
I had always had a love for purses, but absolutely no interest in Coach until it was "the thing to have" among my sorority sisters. Everyone and I mean everyone had a coach bag and a signature wristlet. I coveted their bags, but knew I couldn't afford one so I saved up my money and proudly bought a black signature wristlet. I couldn't believe I had spent $50 on something so little, but I carried that thing everywhere and was so proud of it! Later that year for my birthday, my dear parents bought me a signature hamptons hobo I've never looked back. I've even hooked my mother on Coach now too!

Over the years, my mother showed me the beauty and durability of leather and to this day, I've never bought another signature purse. I still have the purse and wristlet that started it all and although they aren't used anymore, I don't think I'll ever get rid of them.
Click to expand...

Don't get rid of them! One of my regrets - and a reason I keep filling the void with other bags - is I got rid of my Janice's Legacy from early 2000s. Was on my shelf not getting used. Well then two seasons later Coach rolls out all these reissued Legacy bags. I wish I had it just to look at it.
 
#24
GoStanford said:
Don't get rid of them! One of my regrets - and a reason I keep filling the void with other bags - is I got rid of my Janice's Legacy from early 2000s. Was on my shelf not getting used. Well then two seasons later Coach rolls out all these reissued Legacy bags. I wish I had it just to look at it.
Click to expand...

Oh don't worry! I'm never going to part with them! They are a great reminder of what started it all and how happy I was to just have one bag. I need to remind myself of that every once in a while so that I don't go overboard with my purchases. I wish you had your bag back!
 
#25
BuckyBabe said:
Oh don't worry! I'm never going to part with them! They are a great reminder of what started it all and how happy I was to just have one bag. I need to remind myself of that every once in a while so that I don't go overboard with my purchases. I wish you had your bag back!
Click to expand...

I wish I could even remember what my first Coach purses looked like. I used to buy a new one every year and give the old one to Goodwill. Every time I see a vintage one, I wonder if I used to own one like it.
 
#26
My first year of teaching I didn't find a job until the middle of the year. Well my first day another teacher was telling me about the class I was taking over. She made a comment about how I would love them and how generous they were. She holds up this little brown item (I don't remember if it was a wristlet or small pouch handbag) and was like they even bought me Coach! Well I looked into it but decided that i was going to buy a new flat panel TV instead since mine had finally died after almost 20 years.

Fast forward to like November of the following year, and something reignited my interest. So I started looking, but I was a little overwhelmed at the prices. I went to a flea market and bought a fake satchel and wallet. It made me happy and I liked it, but I always knew it was a fake. Well in December I had a day off before Christmas and was doing shopping with my mom and we wound up in Macy's. Well I look at the bag in this tiny counter and a Soho flap hobo catch my eye. And since I opened a Macy's card I got a percent off, but I just remember thinking to myself, How did I just spend $200 on a little handbag?!?!? I didn't let myself use it until Christmas Eve and that was my Christmas present to myself. It's been all about coach ever since and that foach was donated to somewhere.
 
#27
I always loved purses and used to buy a new one every few months...but, having grown up with not much money, I could never bring myself to spend more than about $50 on a purse. All my bags came from places like Aldo and within a few months the fake leather stuff would be scratching away and the bag would look like garbage. I had no idea about Coach, just kept seeing all these teenagers with bags with Cs all over them. It was my boss who bought me my first Coach purse at an outlet while on a trip in the States. It was a small purple plaid flap with the signature C's in black (i have no idea what style it is). I started using it a lot and noticed that even after a couple of months it still looked new and that's when I realized maybe putting out the extra cash would be worth it. I went to the FP store in my city and picked up a Madison signature swingpack in khaki (anything more was out of my price range at the time). I told myself I would never buy another bag after spending that much on one (hahaha). I've been a little addicted ever since.
 
#28
It's funny because someone asked me this today, "Why Coach? Why ONLY Coach?"

I told her it's because I like the styles, colors and the quality of the leather. Plus I love the way Coach stands behind their bags, and I feel they are a great value. Also I love bargain hunting and department store sales and the outlet provide plenty of opportunities for that! ;)

Also, I have received nothing but excellent customer service from Coach, and I'm the type of shopper that sticks with a brand if I really like it.

My Story:

It really all started at the after Christmas outlet sale in 2011. I found a MFF Carly buried underneath some bags and fell in love, she was my first Coach. I don't care for monogram anything but the coloring on this Carly made the C's less noticeable and I loved the style! They asked for my email address, I gave it to them and thought nothing else of it. (I was NOT a bag girl at this point)

Fast forward to my starting a new job in early June and receiving my first FOS sale invitation in July and the bug bit. I needed professional bags to carry my ipad to work and had nothing. I bought a black Kristin hobo online and LOVED her. She turned me into a "leather only" girl and for the first time I was curious enough to check out the outlet on my own, where I snagged a parchment Kristin hobo. An SA there took me under her wing and between her and the TPF I began to learn about Coach and the differences between MFF and FP.

Now I'm at a point where I am buying different colored leather bags that I really like and could see myself wearing for years to come. I'm on a buying spree of sorts as I find bags that fit the bill but my hope is to someday be satisfied and just enjoy my collection for what it is. We'll see :p

I recently became a fob lover too but that is a whole other "addiction"!
 
Last edited:
#29
butterflywings5 said:
My first year of teaching I didn't find a job until the middle of the year. Well my first day another teacher was telling me about the class I was taking over. She made a comment about how I would love them and how generous they were. She holds up this little brown item (I don't remember if it was a wristlet or small pouch handbag) and was like they even bought me Coach!
Click to expand...

Ok, I have to ask ... did you get anything of Coach from the parents of that class?

I've been giving daughter's teachers wristlets and wallets for years (even if they're not her teacher anymore ..... ie., this past Christmas, I gave her current 4th grade teacher, her former 3rd grade teacher, and even her former 2nd grade teacher, similar large wristlets). Her current 4th grade teacher will get a black leather zip around wallet at the end of this semester (it's already sitting in my closet).

And I swear, I'm going to give daughter's 3rd grade teacher (teacher from last year) a bag by the time daughter leaves this school. I just can't resist. She was a new teacher last year when she had daughter's class, she was just starting out, soooooo sweet, so good with the kids, *still* such a sweetie who always says "hi" when I'm there picking up daughter at the end of each day, and she's just so, well, *cute*. (Am I allowed to say that?) She squealed when we gave her a wallet, squealed again when we gave her the wristlet ...... I just *have* to see her reaction if we give her a bag. It sounds goofy, but I just can't resist. :laugh:

So I was just curious, did any of your classes "come through"? Were you/the other teachers pleased in general when things like that showed up in your in-boxes?
.
 
#30
momtok said:
Ok, I have to ask ... did you get anything of Coach from the parents of that class?
.
Click to expand...

I didn't get anything from that class. The teacher who got that had them for 2 years, but I wasn't really expecting anything since I was taking over later in the year.

However, the kids I have this year are fabulous and their parents are wonderful; we've really been having a great year all around. So this one girl's mom whose older son that first year organized a collection and they bought me a ridiculously generous gift card. I was floored when the girl gave it to me. They keep asking when I'm going to spend it, but I'm saving it for something truly amazing since it will be the bag they "bought" me and that I will let them know.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top