why do we splurge on bags that will go out of style?

[neptis]

This has been discussed over and over in the forum, as you can imagine.

Basically, the resolution is: Handbags are NOT something to "invest" in. Talk to your financial advisor and invest your money wisely, and talk to your best friend about handbags and buy what you like.

Why in the world would you part with your bags now (the bags you say you 'really love') because they may not be as valuable in four years? Are you truly buying bags with the idea that you might recoup their cost? Oh, dear.

I would never assume bags as an investment. It's just super sad that you yourself will be considered outdated for wearing them since they are 10 years old and it's easy to track when the bag in question was in stores. It's just that even all major bag collectors prefer to go only for lv, chanel and occasionally for obvious reasons - hermes. But that is a smart move
Besides, i love my roady and now i see so may roady's being sold for so little compared to what they were a few years back and people don't seem to want them any longer

 

[SweetDaisy05]

I have my own style. I envision how I want to dress and find accessories that complement the style I'm going for. I love the classy retro look. Wearing discontinued purses don't faze me. I'm not trying to keep up with the latest because it gets expensive. I believe we should buy bags for ourselves and not to just impress others. I buy expensive purses for the design and luxury detailing. Buying brands that have a higher resale value is good if a person wants to constantly sell to buy new handbags. I think buying simple handbags will keep us looking in style. I admire bags for their design and not how current they are. I think many people do too.

 

[chicinthecity777]

Hmm.
Guess I buy what I want to use. For me. Now.
And avoid buying around imaginary resale customers. Or believing that stockpiled handbags equal financial security.

There's a saying about never being irreplaceable, as long as one is exactly the same as everyone else.
If my bags aren't current trend, meh. If they are, meh.
I like them. Use them regularly for years. They hold lots of tissues & lip balm, without being annoying.
Perfect. For my style.

Suppose the real questions are, "Why are you buying handbags?" & "For whom are you buying handbags?"
Good luck.

This!

 

[Evia]

How do you know people aren't thinking "dammit I wish I'd bought that bag when it was available"?!

For the most part I try not to worry about what other people are thinking, truth is they're probably not thinking what you think they are, so don't waste time second guessing. Buy what you love and enjoy it

 

[missie1]

thank you! exactly. im not a lv person myself and chanel flaps are out of my reach and not exactly my style but it feels nerve-wracking a bit that the bag you like will be considered unwanted and not current one day whereas lv, chanel and bottega bags remain current always. so what's the point of buying other brands since you will be forced to sell them one day not because you consider them an investment no just because you will look weird rocking them

I agree....I hate the feeling that my bag looks outdated...one reason I never buy Gucci... I think you should look at ur collection with practical eye and determine which bags u feel may become dated and u want to rid itself of... Then send to the major consignments online to see what they are willing to buy them from u for. Also make a list of ur classics that u will need to replace and go from there. 1 out 1 in from your list

 

[indiaink]

... It's just super sad that you yourself will be considered outdated for wearing them since they are 10 years old and it's easy to track when the bag in question was in stores. ...

I... I can hardly respond coherently to this thought. I am already so outdated in today's youth-oriented world (as it was and ever shall be) that to have somebody look at my handbag and think of me outdated is just silly (and then spend time tracking when it was made? The mind boggles). I don't know what world you live in, my dear, but if your acquaintances have those kinds of extremely shallow values, I am truly sorry for you.

 

[SakuraSakura]

I... I can hardly respond coherently to this thought. I am already so outdated in today's youth-oriented world (as it was and ever shall be) that to have somebody look at my handbag and think of me outdated is just silly (and then spend time tracking when it was made? The mind boggles). I don't know what world you live in, my dear, but if your acquaintances have those kinds of extremely shallow values, I am truly sorry for you.

I don't think anyone has thought of a handbag like this unless they are throughly
shallow. I'll keep to being my outdated self then!

 

[mary79]

I don't worry at all about looking "outdated", carrying a older bag, as long as I love it...

One person's "outdated" is another person's "unique style" that is not concerned with trends and keeping up

 

[catsinthebag]

but sadly enough they will cost so little so soon and itll be a problem to recoup any money. and im afraid i won't feel okish wearing them hmmm

I think you need to really drill down the problem. Is it the style of your current bags or what they'll be worth in 4 years?

If having a family and buying a house is relatively new territory for you, you may be having a bit of an identity crisis. I don't say this in judgement, just that big life changes can cause us to redefine who we are and then, what we wear/how we present ourselves to the world.

I think your current bags are pretty classic. At the very least, they are understated and therefore not trendy. I doubt anyone will be looking at you wearing them and thinking how horribly out of date you are (and if they are, they really need to examine their own priorities!).

If the bags just don't feel like "you" anymore, and you no longer want to carry them, then sell and buy something that is a better fit. But if you are worried about finances, hang on to what you have -- they are lovely bags -- and start a rainy day fund for a new bag to buy "someday." But worrying about what will be in style in 4 years is a waste of time, imho. There are lots of trendy Chanels out there that will look dated in 4 years. Plus, who knows what your bag needs will be in that time?

If you want to be totally safe, save up for one of the ultimate classics (Hermes Birkin or Kelly, Chanel classic flap, Gucci hobo, Louis Vuitton Speedy, etc.) But be sure the style works for you. Those bags don't always recoup full value either depending on the condition of the bag and the saturation of the market.

At the end of the day, I guess my advice would be to keep what you have and really look at what works for you. If you're in transition in your life, don't make any big (expensive) or irreversible (selling a discontinued bag that you won't be able to get back) handbag decisions until you are through the transition and in a more stable place. HTH.

 

[ccbaggirl89]

thank you! exactly. im not a lv person myself and chanel flaps are out of my reach and not exactly my style but it feels nerve-wracking a bit that the bag you like will be considered unwanted and not current one day whereas lv, chanel and bottega bags remain current always. so what's the point of buying other brands since you will be forced to sell them one day not because you consider them an investment no just because you will look weird rocking them

there are tons of chanel, lv and other luxury brand bags that are dated a few years after production. take their new rainbow/iridescent line.. that isn't a classic and won't be selling for more in a few years. even with chanel/lv you have to choose your pieces very wisely b/c most people will not be able to resell for a profit or even get back what they paid. in every luxury brand there are only a handful of bags that are really worth anything afterwards (like the m/l classic flap in black, or the lv alma). don't make the mistake of thinking that all bags from a high-end brand equate to resale value of any sort. bags are not investments in terms of financial appreciation; they are investments in quality leather and finishes. if you are worried about bags being trendy or losing their 'look' in a few years then start to buy your pieces with more thought. stick to basic and boring neutrals and don't go for bright colors or patterns, or fringe, and tassels and other bling or stuff that detracts from a bag and dates it. shop better now and you'll never have to sell a bag b/c it'll always look stylish.

 

[llaga22]

I agree....I hate the feeling that my bag looks outdated...one reason I never buy Gucci... I think you should look at ur collection with practical eye and determine which bags u feel may become dated and u want to rid itself of... Then send to the major consignments online to see what they are willing to buy them from u for. Also make a list of ur classics that u will need to replace and go from there. 1 out 1 in from your list

I actually love Gucci exactly for the opposite. It's classic and timeless.

 

[tickedoffchick]

hey dear fellow purse lovers !!
Ive been thinking for a great while and this's really weighing on me... Is it that savvy in the long run to invest into bags that are being sold only for a limited amount of time meaning itll be easy to date them and they are likely to be dated in severeal years' time. Say, I currently hold YSL Cabas Chyc, YSL Roady in white, Tod's Shade to name but a few. I love them to bits but what with having a family and buying a home i don't think ill be willing to splurge on a designer high-end piece and Ill stick with these bags. So ive been thinking that maybe it is wiser to invest only into bottega veneta and chanel bags since they are constantly there. What are you thoughts? hm
i really love my bags and don't want to part with them but not sure ill be able to sell them in 4 years(((

You will be amazed at how your focus can change when you start a family. Having said that, if you have bags you love, hold on to them. None of those bags are going to have the same type of resale value that a Chanel or Hermes has anyway, so why worry about it? (Plus imagine yourself pushing a stroller with the Cabas hanging off the handle -- you'll be posh mom compared to all the others at the playground with big nylon diaper bags, haha!)

 

[bakeacookie]

Are you simply buying to resell in X amount of time? If so, keep in mind that yes, you could recoup some value in the iconic bags of certain brands, but it's all about condition, age, style/color, and market interest, but completely far from an investment, and never expect all of the money you spent to purchase the bag. Also judging from what people say on pre-owned, they never want to pay anything near retail on a pre-owned bag, and why should they? A pre-owned bag is an entry-level/gateway method to a coveted brand, and they aren't looking to pay boutique prices, meaning you' may not get what you paid for initially.

It's more wise to spend your money on items you will use frequently and be happy to carry. That would be a better use of your money than thinking you'd get a percentage of it back just because it's a classic.

Personally, I wish I bought some of the limited editions, which yes, can be dated as people can trace the season they came from, but they become unique in a sea of classics everyone has. There are things I've bought that have become discontinued, and their replacements are nowhere near as beautiful, well made, and functional, IMO.

 

[papertiger]

I would never assume bags as an investment. It's just super sad that you yourself will be considered outdated for wearing them since they are 10 years old and it's easy to track when the bag in question was in stores. It's just that even all major bag collectors prefer to go only for lv, chanel and occasionally for obvious reasons - hermes. But that is a smart move
Besides, i love my roady and now i see so may roady's being sold for so little compared to what they were a few years back and people don't seem to want them any longer

You sound young, I just say that because you're reasoning comes from the POV of today's market. History tells a very different story. When I was a teenager my mother gave me most her Chanel bags because at that time (1990s) they looked dated. Hermes was dying a death in the 1970s because everyone was going casual. I've bought Chanel of my own too, and Hermes, and BV, but only bags that work for me not particularly ones that do well 'in the market'. They're just bags, would anyone expect to recoup any money on coats they bought, or new furniture?

Fashion is like stocks and shares except he share market is easier to predict. Buy what you love and use, why would you buy Chanel if you don't really Chanel? Any minute we could have a Birkin crash, not sure everyone who loves their Birkin would care

 

[FunBagz]

You sound young, I just say that because you're reasoning comes from the POV of today's market. History tells a very different story. When I was a teenager my mother gave me most her Chanel bags because at that time (1990s) they looked dated. Hermes was dying a death in the 1970s because everyone was going casual. I've bought Chanel of my own too, and Hermes, and BV, but only bags that work for me not particularly ones that do well 'in the market'. They're just bags, would anyone expect to recoup any money on coats they bought, or new furniture?

Fashion is like stocks and shares except he share market is easier to predict. Buy what you love and use, why would you buy Chanel if you don't really Chanel? Any minute we could have a Birkin crash, not sure everyone who loves their Birkin would care

+1

Purchasing bags as "investments" = financial suicide. Fashion is fickle.