I’ve realized that I’m not really someone who cares about designer items as in, I feel like there are plenty of things that can look just as good and have just as good of quality for a lesser price. However, I do feel like bags can be an exception (or maybe they are just my exception 😉 ). There’s something about a designer bag that just elevates your outfit instantly and can make you go from looking less than put together to like you’re actually trying. In my opinion, they are an ultimate statement piece that you can continue to wear every day vs. other clothing items that you wear once and then they sit in your closet for months. So, with all of that said, I thought I’d share what I consider before investing in a designer bag. I also just want to say, this is by no means to say that you need a designer bag or anything for that matter! I just thought I would share my personal experience in case you’re thinking of investing in one yourself 🙂

-Overall cost. I know a designer bag is going to be an investment but there is a certain threshold that I’m not going to spend over. I feel like $2500 is my cut off and honestly that sounds so ridiculous to say (write). I mean, who needs a $2500 bag?! But to be fair, none of us really need anything and it’s one of the items that I like to “reward” myself with when I reach a goal, have a birthday, etc. And I know that I genuinely appreciate it and use it. Okay, anyway, I’m going to stop attempting to justify this LOL. Point is, I’m not going to spend 5K on a designer bag so there are certain bags and/or designers that are just off limits. So bottom line is, one of the things you want to consider is a price point because designer bags can vary greatly.  As a side note, one of my first designer bags (the LV in the main photo) was from Tradesy and that website and other similar ones (theRealReal, stockX, fashionphile, etc) are a great place to look for gently used designer bags!

-How much will I actually use it on a weekly/monthly basis. This is a big one! One of the reasons I feel comfortable investing in a bag is because it’s something that I can wear on a reoccurring basis vs. a shirt that gets worn once and then sits in my closet for a month or six LOL. Like, I would never spend $400 on a shirt, much less $2K lol. So one of the things I look at is it’s versatility and what outfits does it go with? I usually dress pretty casual so the bags that I purchase need to be wearable with my everyday wardrobe for the most part. For example, I was looking at this bag from Gucci but after I really thought about it, “tried it on” in the store, etc. I just felt like it was too formal compared to how I normally dress. I felt like maybe I would use it a couple times a year but it wasn’t something that I would be wearing weekly, or even monthly so I decided not to get it. All the bags I currently own are versatile and still “casual” enough that I can wear them with my casual, everyday outfits while they are still nice enough to elevate an everyday look.

-Do I have something (too) similar? When you find a bag that you love it can be hard to not gravitate towards something else similar, or the same design but in a different color. After all, you love it for a reason! But for me personally, I like to try and find different styles or if it’s a similar style, the bag needs to have enough differentiating factors so the bags feel distinctly different. For example, I first invested in this crossbody Gucci bag (below) because I love the sporty look it has with the cross body and thicker strap. I feel like it’s the perfect bag to go with an athleisure look. So recently, when I saw this one from LV (below), I knew I would use it a ton because the overall style was similar to my Gucci one. However, aside from it being a crossbody with a thicker strap, the bags look totally different.

-Is it realistic? Okay so this kind of ties into the how much will I actually use it point, but in addition to that, I always think of how much I can fit in it pending on when I would use it. So for example, if you’re getting a bag for traveling you probably want to make sure it’s large enough to fit your laptop plus other items you’d be taking with you. Or in my case, I was looking at buying the Gucci belt bag, and when I got to the store, I couldn’t even fit my phone it in when it had it’s phone case on it (shocking, I know). So as much as I loved that belt bag, I was like this is not practical if I have to take my phone case off every time I use it. And that was just the phone –what about all my other items like keys, credit card, ID, etc. If you can’t see the bag in person, definitely get the measurements online and compare them to a bag you already have. You can always return it, but just something to think about ahead of time before purchasing!

-What is the resale value? Adding this one after one of you messaged me this the other day and I think this is a great point! You may not necessarily purchase a bag with the intention of selling it later but it can be good to look up certain designers/specific bags and see what they are re-selling for. For example, even though I am not in a position to necessarily buy a Chanel, that is a brand that doesn’t lose it’s value and will appreciate in price. So just another thing to potentially consider!

And one more thing! I think brands like Coach can be a great place to start for your first purchase. Their price point is a little more approachable but they have some gorgeous bags! Below is one of my favorite ones from them and full price it was around $500 but was eventually marked down to almost 50% off. Let me know if y’all have any questions! Hope this helps! xx