The Basics
Age: 24
Gender Identity: Female
Location: NYC
Occupation: Junior Architect
Industry: Architecture
Salary: $52,000.00
Household Income: $52,000.00
The Bags
Are you a PurseForum member? No
How lots of bags do you own? 4
What bags are in your collection?
Céline Luggage Phantom in Jade (Phoebe Philo summer 2016 Collection)
Victoria Beckham Bar Bag in Black (very underrated bag!)
Victoria Beckham half Moon in Sage
Danse Lente Phoebe Bis in Beige/Marshmallow
I love my sleek geometries and clean lines!
How much is your collection worth? full Retail price ~$7,500 (actually paid $3,750)
What is your a lot of expensive bag? My Céline Luggage Phantom, which I purchased second-hand.
What are the most crucial brands or pieces in your collection? all of them at this point considering that 4 is a relatively easy number of bags to cycle around, although the VB ones are the most versatile and functional in my collection.
What age did you get your first designer bag, and what was it? 24–the Danse Lente bag.
Is there a certain bag you are seeking to purchase next? The Céline classic Box, as it is the epitome of my personal style (sleek and geometric, yet minimal details), as well as the Bottega Venetia tiny BV Classic, the Céline clasp Bag, and the Max Mara Whitney bag.
Can you see a pattern here? (Also, all Céline bags need to be produced during the Phoebe Philo era!)
Respect the ‘é’!
Any particular bag that holds a special sentimental value? It’s too early to tell as I’ve just started getting into designer bags (or at least being able to afford them), but I mean the first (the Danse Lente) may always hold a special place in my heart.
Do you feel like your bags change people’s perceptions of you or how you’re treated? Perhaps.
Those who know, will know, but a lot of of my pals don’t really pay attention to labels, per se. It is obvious for sure when something’s of a better quality, or design, but I haven’t really observed a substantial change in treatment or attitude? regardless of the bag I’m carrying I always try to be very out together, considering that I have a strong sense of personal style anyhow.
The Shopping
How typically do you get new bags? So far this year I’ve purchased 4, but they have all been either heavily discounted or second hand (so generally also heavily discounted). I would not get so lots of considering the starting entry salary I have if they were not on sale.
Which stores do you frequent the most? mostly online. I tend to stay away from in-store shopping, considering that sales associates freak me out. I am very decisive, and normally know within moments of setting my eyes on a bag, even online, whether or not I’d want it, so I don’t need consultants or help in deciding.
Do you ever get second-hand bags? Where do you get used? Yes! especially considering that regrettably, I did not know about the absolute goddess that Phoebe Philo is until she stepped down from Céline, and considering that I am adamant about having that accent over the ‘é’ on any Céline bag I buy, those of course have to be second hand.
But aside from that, there are lots of terrific finds to be found, especially considering that I have this very particular favorite color: a pale, light sage color that I would get anything and everything in. If it’s a color that is not classic like black or beige, I find that they tend to end up on resale sites a lot more typically (like my Céline luggage and VB half moon—I gotten the half moon at just $460 (it is the real thing), and the full retail was close to $1,900 I believe). I saw that VB bag back in college, when getting a bag like that was just a dream, so I just sighed and moved on. Now, 5 years later, it ended up on The RealReal, and I couldn’t believe it. Sometimes, waiting it out is the best thing you can do.
Do you sell old bags to pay for new purchases? I have not and don’t think I ever will, because my policy is that if I don’t absolutely love it, and am not sure that it fits my routine, opts for my outfits, and is proper for the events and places I’ll be at, I do not buy. Period. I take pride in being able to frequently cycle through my bags so they’re not collecting dust in my closet.
Do you ever feel societal pressure to purchase a lot more bags? No. I get these bags because I love them. They are like wearable sculptures to me, and I like checking out them.
Do you consider your bag purchases investments? I think it’s only an investment if it’s a piece like a Birkin that you plan on reselling. because bags wear over time—it doesn’t matter how well you frequently wipe or clean them. I consider them trusty pieces that’ll last a long time, but I don’t think of it as a return on my money. I think of it as money well spent.
Who influences your getting decisions? Me, myself, and I. Again, I am a very decisive person, and have a very particular taste, so I believe I’m relatively immune to marketing. I follow fashion, but normally it’s me seeking to see if anything fits the bill of my particular style, not browsing to see what’s currently ‘in’ or recommended.
Are sales associate relationships instrumental to your shopping? Nope. I do not need an SA to help me shop.
Why do you take pleasure in shopping, beyond just acquiring something new? As an architect, it’s getting something that another designer has created. It’s a work of art, a sculpture, and the craftsmanship that goes into a stunning object. The fact that it’s an object that carries my things is a bonus. I love checking out the sculptural elements and details of the bags and opening and closing them. They are so beautiful.
Have you ever felt like you received inferior service at a store or boutique due to your appearance, ethnicity or gender? If I have, I don’t notice it because 1. If I am for some reason in-store and not online, I avoid talking to salespeople anyways, and 2. I am rarely I -store.
The Money
Who pays for your bags? Me, myself, and I.
Do you set aside a budget for your bag purchases? Not really.
Usually I get when and if I come across something I like. then I search every website, both retail and second-hand, to see all the getting options. then I wait about a month to let it simmer in my mind to see if it’s memorable enough to warrant and look again, and if so, in what color/size. Taking into consideration how much I‘be recently spent and how much I need to spend in the future, I decide on whether to get it. often I put it off for even later if I do decide to save up for it. a lot of likely I wait for it to go on sale. The thing with bags is that once the actual designer site stops carrying the exact color and size, it’s very easy to find on other sites, unlike clothing, so waiting is normally very very worthwhile. I wanted my Danse Lente bag in the Marshmallow color very badly, but at full retail price, I couldn’t justify paying $500 for it. Eventually, it sold out on lots of retail sites, until on day on Instagram, it popped up in my feed (also technology, nowadays all your browsing routines are tracked—you needn’t be terrified of not being able to find something). The bag ended up being on sale for $298, so at that point I knew it was fate, so I snatched it up. As aforementioned, that bag was my first designer (albeit not big name designer).
The Taboo Topics
Have you ever purchased a counterfeit because you couldn’t afford a designer item?
No. Never. For lots of reasons:
1. The whole point of getting designer is that YOU know it’s designer, and that’s part of the happiness and thrill of the bag. a lot of people don’t get expensive bags because of societal pressure, so if you’re not seeking to impress anyone, what’s the point of the fake? You yourself know it’s not real.
2. I have never owned designer bags until recently, and considering that then, I have absolutely observed a difference in quality and craftsmanship. luxury bags are expensive because of the materials and skills required to assemble it. ultimately this indicates that a low-cost bag will start to warp and break down much, much faster than a real designer one. It’s not worth the money to spend money on a fake, when you could just use it to spend money on a better-quality non-designer item.
3. fake designer goods are made in illegal factories that 99% are going to have risky working conditions, grossly underpaid laborers, and questionably safe materials in the manufacturing of the bag.
4. It is tacky to get fake designer. Period.
Do you ever hide purchases from your significant other? I don’t have a significant other; I am in a relationship with my profession—architecture.
All jokes aside, if I did, I don’t think I would. It’s my own money, and I am spending it responsibly. There is nothing to hide.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve done to afford a bag? nothing crazy.
Do you think your shopping is ever a problem? have you ever felt like you were struggling with a shopping addiction? Although it is not a problem currently, I hope my recent foray into bags won’t turn into a problem in the future. often I feel like shopping is an addiction for me, at least online window shopping, because I love browsing sites and coming across a stunning item and checking out it. I do it to procrastinate, and it may often cause purchases that I haven’t given time to think through. but I am getting much better at reigning myself in when it pertains to shopping, especially before I got into bags. Of course, I am also patient. I could not have gotten the bags I have at the price I got them for if I were not patient.
The rest Of It
Any other expensive hobbies or passions? often shoes, but recently bags have replaced that as the most recent main interest.
Anything else you would like to include? lots of people say to be mindful of how much you spend, which is pretty obvious, but the driving aspects behind reigning in spending is figuring out your personal style and needs—this helps you decide what bags you simply like, and what bags you would actually use. often it’s a bag that you see anywhere and you’ll be convinced that you have to have it, when in reality it’s not functional for you or what you genuinely like. When you shop, using filters are also valuable in narrowing down which bags you must be checking out for your needs and tastes. and finally, be patient! Bags are just bags at the end of the day. better to miss out on it than to drive yourself into debt. If you can’t afford it, wait. and wait. good things come to all who do.
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