Expensive hanbags-please explain

[PlainJane]

Coach isn't that expensive if you shop at the outlets. The leather bags I see at the Coach outlets are actually about the same price as any nice leather bag I would pick up at Macy's. Their accessories are also reasonably priced next to other brands like Fossil, except their wallets, their wallet are outrageously priced.

I do own some Coach, but I could never bring myself to buy something from Burberry or LV, for the most part I think their stuff is ugly, and I could buy 10 Coach bags easily for the price of one LV bag.

 

[mickeysgal]

The definition of "expensive" depends on how much money you have.

Some people can afford a $200 bag as easily as others can afford a $20 bag. They have more money.

A person who can't afford a purse at all would call a $20 bag expensive.

It's all relative.

Absolutely.

Personally I wouldn't think about spending that many dollars on a purse, but there are definitely some things that I have dropped money on that I don't blink an eye at that may make other's heads spin. It's all relative to your income, lifestyle, and personal preferences.

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

I have to say, I don't get it either. Both my nieces (teens) have Coach bags, and I mean plural.

Both my girls, 11 & 9 have little tiny Coach bags and I mean plural. We were in the outlet when my oldest was 3 and DH bought her a tiny leather bag, kind of like a cosmetic bag and she still has it.

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

Absolutely.

Personally I wouldn't think about spending that many dollars on a purse, but there are definitely some things that I have dropped money on that I don't blink an eye at that may make other's head spin. It's all relative to your income, lifestyle, and personal preferences.

ITA, some people go out/order out for lunch every day while I'm bringing stuff from home to eat. It just depends on what you value and what you like. I would rather eat lunch from home and do something else with that $7 a day.

 

[suzanna1066@comcast.]

I buy Coach leather bags----but I don't get the handbag obsession. I buy a Coach bag every five years or so. They one I have now I have been carrying for four years and I still think of it as new. That is how I justify the cost.

My mother on the other hand has a handbag addiction--cheap, expensive, it does not matter. It drives me crazy. She has more purses on hand than I will have in my lifetime.

 

[tonilea]

I always said I didn't want a purse more valuable than its contents. Now that I carry/have more cash, I still don't have any desire for an expensive purse.

Mark me amongst those who just don't get it.

 

[Julia M]

Well, it's like anything else.

People wonder **why** someone else spends so much money on handbags/shoes/clothes/makeup/eating out/expensive hotels/
organic foods/big TV's and other electronics/etc.

And to add to the equation, "expensive" isn't a dollar amount, it's relative to your circumstances.

With those two factors, it's easy to see how pretty much everything people do can be judged as "expensive"

I don't care too much about how people spend their money, until it impacts ME. And sadly, that's what we're seeing alot of now

Julia

 

[phorsenuf]

Well, it's like anything else.

People wonder **why** someone else spends so much money on handbags/shoes/clothes/makeup/eating out/expensive hotels/
organic foods/big TV's and other electronics/etc.

And to add to the equation, "expensive" isn't a dollar amount, it's relative to your circumstances.

With those two factors, it's easy to see how pretty much everything people do can be judged as "expensive"

I don't care too much about how people spend their money, until it impacts ME. And sadly, that's what we're seeing alot of now

Julia

I never said it impacted me, I was just curious is all. People are free to spend money however they want. I'm just curious what makes them worth the money is all.

 

[eliza61]

I was camping and a teen put her bag on the bottom of the slide. A kid came down and kicked it. She was so mad and told the boy how expensive it was. I was like, well maybe you shouldn't put it on a dirty slide. weird. I, too, don't get spending a paycheck on a bag I will get sick of in a month.

But that's just it, it's all relative. for you it's your paycheck, for me it's wouldn;t even cover 2 days salary. So it's normal for me to spend that type of money on a hand bag.

I never said it impacted me, I was just curious is all. People are free to spend money however they want. I'm just curious what makes them worth the money is all.

Worth is subjective.
If I buy a $25.00 purse at TJMaxxs and I think it's ugly and never use it. or if it falls apart after 2 months (which has happen to me) How is that worth any thing? That's like people buying stuff on sale that they never need and then saying "Look at how much money I saved"

The value in some thing is not in the $$$. If the item gives you pleasure and you get some thing out of it, than it is worth a lot.

What's funny is I brought my sons some short sleeve polo shirts at Kohl's this summer because they were so cheap. After 1 washing they shrunk and the color was horrible. After I took them back, I went to Macys and got them some real nice polos, sure they were almost 3X's the amount the Kohls ones were but they look great after 3 months worth of washing. No color fading, no shrinkage.

I guarantee you my coaches and Louie's will last a heck of a lot longer than anything coming out of Walmart and look a heck of a lot nicer too.
Don't equate "worth" with how much some thing cost.
Some of the best things in life are free and some times you really do get what you pay for. Both sayings are true.

 

[Ember]

What makes them worth the money? Well, they make me happy. Not the "look what I have" they happy. But the "I saved up and bought myself something luxurious and felt I was worth it" happy. (Although I actually have no problem with the "look at me" happy either. Whatever floats your boat.)

So long as debt is not inured, and you can afford what you buy, I would never presume to judge how someone spends their discretionary funds. I would never buy an expensive car (I drive a used Echo!), a big screen tv, tickets to a playoff sports game, video games, or Jessica Simpson's chewed gum. Yet these things are all important to people.

My Dior handbag is beautiful and makes me feel special when I wear it. It was something long saved up for, and then I took all that money and bought something just for me, for no other reason than I liked it. It serves no practical purpose what so ever. It's unadulterated luxury at it's finest!

I don't "get" big screen tv's or expensive cars anymore then you do my beautiful handbag. But that's okay. What good is money if it can't make you smile now and then.

 

[freckles and boo]

And to add to the equation, "expensive" isn't a dollar amount, it's relative to your circumstances.

My sister-in-law is a spoiled brat who refuses to contribute to the household by working outside the home even though the children are all in school the entire day. My brother works two jobs and they barely keep their heads above water. They have been bailed out a number of times by various family members as they approached the brink of homelessness. They owe me money so I have no qualms judging her "need" for a Coach bag, and I don't care that it was "only" $200 and might "last forever". I know that most who have a Coach bag aren't in her situation, but as a result of her bizarre "need" for it I have a very bad taste in my mouth about such things. It isn't a need. It is absolutely a luxury item and for me, my money is better spent in my kids' 529s. That will pay much better dividends in the long run.

 

[Ember]

My sister-in-law is a spoiled brat who refuses to contribute to the household by working outside the home even though the children are all in school the entire day. My brother works two jobs and they barely keep their heads above water. They have been bailed out a number of times by various family members as they approached the brink of homelessness. They owe me money so I have no qualms judging her "need" for a Coach bag, and I don't care that it was "only" $200 and might "last forever". I know that most who have a Coach bag aren't in her situation, but as a result of her bizarre "need" for it I have a very bad taste in my mouth about such things. It isn't a need. It is absolutely a luxury item and for me, my money is better spent in my kids' 529s. That will pay much better dividends in the long run.

So you own nothing that you didn't absolutely need and rather only a want? You don't need cable tv. You don't need new clothes. To many people these are also luxury items, but I bet to you they aren't.

You're right, though, in that your SIL is obviously spending money she doesn't have. And when that affects your family it's easy to see how you could come to resent both her and the things she's spending on.

I don't quibble with your idea of people "needing" a designer handbag. But I dislike the implication that I'm foolish for having one. I bet there are many things you own that I would never consider buying, but I wouldn't feel superior to you for not having spent my money on "that."

 

[eliza61]

It isn't a need. It is absolutely a luxury item and for me, my money is better spent in my kids' 529s. That will pay much better dividends in the long run.

No one saying it's a need. Disneyworld isn't a "need" either but lots of folks go there regularly? What's the different? They are alot of women who, believe it or not, take care of their kids future, save for retirement and manage an expensive habit all at the same time.

 

[MinnieMe87]

I buy them because I like them. In my experience, the Coach bags I have bought are better quality then other brands. I like being able to splurge on myself every 6 months or so when I've saved up enough money to get a new one. I wait for the sales though, and don't ever pay regular price. I take care of mine though and if I know I'm going someplace where it will get dirty, I use an old beat up hobo bag I have that I don't mind getting dirty.

 

[eliza61]

I don't quibble with your idea of people "needing" a designer handbag. But I dislike the implication that I'm foolish for having one. I bet there are many things you own that I would never consider buying, but I wouldn't feel superior to you for not having spent my money on "that."

Whew,
Thanks Ember. For a minute I thought I was the only one who thought that sound like my kids were panhandling in front of the gas station to feed my coach bag addiction.

I'm trying to save up for some LV luggage, that would probably send folks into cardiac arrest.

 

[Mahnahmahnah]

Hey I'm a Coach Girl, and a Marc Jacobs girl (if Century21 has one I love), and a Juicy girl sometimes(outlet). I also have a special edition purse from when my DH went to Italy and I was preg and I hated him for going.

When my DH and I first got married he asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I told him a Coach bag. My old BF's sister had one and I always admired it. Not to mention it was old as dirt and still looked good.

That's when the addiction began.

Some people spend a lot of money collecting Disney stuff, some people collect movie memoriabilia, and some people just spend money on nuthin' and have nuthin' to show for it. How about you all who have tons of jewlery? I don't. Order from QVC much? See what I mean?

I have proceeded to ask for a Coach/ or whatever else floats my boat every year for Christmas and B-days. He always wants to buy jewlery but I won't wear it. My purse IS my jewlery.

So I collect purses. I love my purses. My DD is going to have a great *ahem* vintage purse collection.

Yes, I have a major purse addiction.

 

[momx2]

I also really like expensive purses and wallets. I like Coach, but love LV and Gucci. I usually only get one every few years. They last forever. I used my last Gucci wallet for about 10 years. My DM bought me a new LV this year to match my LV purse I got 2 years ago, that I still carry. They usually don't go out of style, unless you buy a very trendy one. I don't know why I like them so much. I don't buy designer clothes that much or any other real expensive stuff. I just like them!

 

[Ember]

I'm trying to save up for some LV luggage, that would probably send folks into cardiac arrest.

Be careful not to fly with it! I have a friend who works for Air Canada and LV luggage gets stolen so often it's scary!!

 

[freckles and boo]

So you own nothing that you didn't absolutely need and rather only a want? You don't need cable tv. You don't need new clothes. To many people these are also luxury items, but I bet to you they aren't.

You're right, though, in that your SIL is obviously spending money she doesn't have. And when that affects your family it's easy to see how you could come to resent both her and the things she's spending on.

I don't quibble with your idea of people "needing" a designer handbag. But I dislike the implication that I'm foolish for having one. I bet there are many things you own that I would never consider buying, but I wouldn't feel superior to you for not having spent my money on "that."

Hey, if you can afford it more power to you. I don't think that makes you a bad person. I just don't see the inherent value in these things. I don't feel superior because I made a different choice. I do find the cult of fashion bizarre, though.

 

[rcraw45425]

LV is classic. I have the small Speedy that is, I kid you not, 15 years old and other tahn the light leather handles and trim darkening from age it looks like new. There is a Coach Hobo in the back of my closet that's over 20 years old and I would still be carrying it if it wasn't for the fact that it was from the era when they didn't line their leather, so I would have little leather crumbles in my wallet, etc. The leather still looks great too. I have two newer COach bags in the signature fabric that still look brand new, and my new (current) fave is my giraffe print Dooney bag. I took the time a few weeks ago to look closely at the knock off version of this bag (in yellow, no less) and the quality was pitiful. It will fall apart in less than a year whereas my "real" one will still look good and if it doesn't I can send it back to them and they will make it good. I've learned that you get what you pay for. Too many items today are simply throw away.