Purrrrrr for Purple and say “hellooooooo Lover!”
Valentino Maison Studded Baullato bag. 
Amethyst leather pleated bag held together by gold studs. Ok, let’s feign bag connoisseurship and appreciate this bag for its details, the very “art” of it, and not because of its brand (which in reality, isn’t too known in the bag world… now if this were couture, it’d be a totally different ballgame), shall we? 🙂 *cough cough* Sometimes Mrs.T can be such a hypocrite… she’s a label whore really, and even if this bag doesn’t automatically “scream” Valentino, she is still loving it because it IS a Valentino— oh plus she has been loving this color, her flavor of the month *or months rather haha*. She doesn’t really own any Valentino bags simply because there are no obvious “identifying marks” that make a V bag a “Valentino” *again Mrs.T= logo a gogo addict!*. Ugh. Ok the truth? Mrs.T can’t afford Valentino. She is flat broke haha shhh…
Muwahahaha oh my Gawd, did my alter ego just type that out for all to see? *Shame shame!!!* Ok wait, seriously? I totally looooove the bag. I can see this bag among my purple family. Now if only someone would buy this and parade it in front of me so I can plead and beg for it to be handed over to me (or I could just pry it off someone’s hand/ arm haha). *Right. I’m sooo delusional* Price: US$2,495 at neimanmarcus.com
Here’s something quirky. It’s one of those love-me or hate-me bags. The Prada striped nappa leather tote. 
Do I like it? I can’t really decide, but it does remind me of a parachute. That said, it was rather coincidental that Prada’s microfiber bags are made from the same material as those of parachutes! Can some serious bag connoisseur please concur with me on that information I just so happened to type out? I could be very wrong (because frankly, I have too much garbage of an information in my head.. Hellloo info glut galore!). Priced at US$2,360 at neimanmarcus.com
My, my. Is it just me or have most premier designer bags made $2,000 their benchmark base price? Since when ?!?!
Oh and before I sign off, I would like to ask you, dear reader, to please help me out and pleeeeease *going down on my knees and begging you… ok, crawling already and still begging you.. hehe) participate in answering this question on my comments page. Promise, I won’t publish your answers if you don’t want me to, but here’s the question:
WHY do you (or would you) buy an expensive designer bag? Is it for status recognition (for your colleagues, peers, and social acceptance etc), is it because you appreciate the craftsmanship and attention to detail, or is it because you have some “loose” moolah and think designer bags are a good investment? Can you please expound on your choice of why, or at least go into specifics? It would really help me out. This is for an upcoming writing project that I am hoping to do 🙂
THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME 🙂 And I hope you can be as honest as you can 🙂 I won’t judge you, promise!! I mean, I’m admittedly the worst person there is: I buy designer bags because I am an ostentatious person. *Spit spit Mrs.T is a showoff! Spit!! Feeling rich but in reality poor hahahaha POoooooooooR! Shameless!* But then you hags already all know that! I’m terrible with finances and am always running away from creditors hahaha… Go ahead, call ’em and see if they’ve had any luck in pinning me down to pay for bills hahahahaha… tsk tsk tsk if DD were alive today, he’d have already kicked my fat bootie out of earth and into the farthest corners of the universe for shaming him! Muwahahaha *Sorry Dadddyyy 😀 Oh, please ask the Big Man up there to let me win the lottery some day :D*
x
Mrs.T
i feel prettier when carrying an H bag haha. i appreciate the exquisite craftmanship too
It is the same question I asked myself before I bought my very first designer bag. I thought of it as a reward for myself and since I have extra money to buy one, I looked at several bags and finally decided on an LV. It is an investment in a way given the craftmanship and style. Social acceptance? Not really. I only have several friends who are bag hags, and most dont understand our fascination with bags. But am glad my husband does;-)
I do enjoy reading your blogs,and really appreciate all the information you share.
status symbol. yesss!!! I made it. I have disposable income.
they make it in a style (functionality) that I cannot live without. LV neverfull(throwanything into it bag), musette (looks no hands), vavin..ay so cute.
no brains. have credit card debt.
FOR me i simply looove bags especially LV. Ok i admit I buy expensive and luxurious handbags to impress my friends especially my best friend who always compete with me..(I dont compete with her but i guess she wants that!! buttt i totally love her)Buying it makes me feel good, When i’m depressed..For me it serves as an outlet to loose all the negative feeling..(sick?)someone told me i’m a shopaholic and a bag addict who cares right? especially if you have moolah to spend.
First of all, Mrs. T, great choice of bag to feature – the Valentino, I mean. I test drove this bag in HK (in another color) and absolutely loved it! The leather was light, buttery and soft. And the studs were just so cool! This purple color is absolutely to die for 🙂
As for your query, my buying designer bags is just something I grew up with. Growing up, my mom always told my sister and I that we should spend on quality items. I remember my Dad always buying her a Gucci bag every trip abroad. And now that I earn on my own, it absolutely does not make sense to buy anything less than designer bags.
i must admit when I started collecting bags it was mostly for status recognition but it slowly developed into an addiction. you shy away from the logo-mania bags and eventually start to appreciate the craftmanship, the quality of the bag and of course the love that went into making it most especially for Hermes bags. i say as long as you don’t go bankrupt and you have some money saved, it’s all good to go all out on a great handbag.
I buy bags because they’re beautiful! I don’t have a lot but I make sure the bags I buy will last me a long time because I attach sentimental value to them
2 reasons: a. i appreciate the beauty, quality and craftsmanship. a bag has to “move” me aesthetically, has to be functional, and must have proven quality for me to be willing to pay the price. doing research is key to buying the appropriate bag b. it is an investment. if i only knew earlier on that a good designer bag, even a used (but well maintained) one can command a good price, I would have bought fewer but lasting bags like BV, Valextra and Hermes. besides, clothes can go out of style, get ruined in the washer, shoes can wear out over time more easily than bags — not to mention one may have to chuck all these in case of weight fluctuations/change in feet measurements during and after pregnancy. but the bag can be carried whatever one’s weight is, and can even be passed on as heirlooms.
Hi Mrs T!
I just love bags because they complete my outfit and makes me feel good… Getting noticed is super flattering of course but what matter most is how good I feel when I carry my bags!
MPR
Hi Mrs. T, Tina here. I buy expensive designer bags like 3 to 4times a year but I buy because I like it and I usually check online first if the reviews are good about the bag. It’s not for status recognition that I buy it because I don’t brag about it. Yes, it’s a good investment ‘coz I have a daughter and I know that she can use them when she’s old enough to do so. And as time passes, some bags are considered classic & iconic. I hope I was able to somehow help you out. Good luck. =)
I buy designer bags mainly to give myself a treat. Some would say I do it for the recognition/status symbol etc… Personally, I couldn’t care less what others will have to say about it. I work hard and I just want a treat. That’s it.
Sad to say Mrs T., I buy expensive bags for status recognition for my peers. Its self explanatory. Hahahah!
-v-
I have to admit I bought my first designer bag as more of a status symbol, but when I used it, I appreciated its quality and detail. And now, these are the reasons why I buy designer bags – for the design, quality and detail they have.
Ever since I was a teenager, bags have always been my thing. I could wear a simple outfit yet look fashionable because of my bag. I would save my allowance and buy bags all the time. As I got older and started earning my own money, I decided to stop buying trendy bags (since i usually stop using them after a few months) and start investing in quality bags that are timeless and guaranteed good quality. Designer bags don’t go out of style and I can’t to pass them down to my children when they get older.
It gives me more confidence and makes me feel important. When I go to an expensive store, the sales clerk always checks out the customer’s bag. If they see the customer carrying an expensive bag, they pay more attention to the customer. Sad but true.
i buy expensive bags to reward myself :p for a job well done..the quality and craftsmanship is perfect and well defined. its a classic…i can have my daughter use them when she grows up :p…i buy expensive bags and shoes and invest on them rather than buying expensive signature clothing :p i just love them! just love love love bags and shoes! xoxoxo! miss ya day!
My bags (just like my watches) are my investments. I only buy a Vuitton though. Its classic designs & superior craftsmanship (plus they never go on sale so it’s a prestige brand through and through!) surely make up for its murderous price. Plus, I can pass it on to the next generation (this is future-planning because I’m single and childless) without fear of it looking like a “lola bag” to my future offspring. hehe
I believe that fashion is an art, therefore each bag is a work of art as well. I appreciate the quality and the craftsmanship that goes into the creation of each piece. I love the style because it is an expression of a beautiful vision. When it comes to brand choice, of course there are some that are more well known than others, but that’s what sets apart those people that choose to buy just for the sake of following a trend against those who buy because they truly like the bag. For someone on a limited budget, I also choose bags that will last me a long time and will of course offer the most functionality. In other words, I love bags. HAHA! 🙂
I buy bags because they make me happy. I’m a sucker for LV, Hermes and Goyard. They just brighten my day when I carry them and when I have some bad days at work I look forward to buying whatever my latest obsession is. (I have to admit I do like it when people say how great my latest bag is!)
hi mrs t:
at first, brand recognition hehehhehe however, after buying my first LV, i realized that the craftmanship is miles away from the trendy run of the mill brands. however, since i don’t have a lot of cash to spare, i am not really a classified baghag.
i love your blog, your wit and self-deprecating humor are so endearing.
First and foremost, I appreciate the good quality (leather, craftsmanship, interesting details, etc.) behind a designer bag (not all bags though!) I usually consider the history/longevity of the brand, the designer behind it, in choosing bags.
Secondly, why spend on bags? personally, a bag will work even when you get fat, thin, ugly, pretty – unlike with clothes.
Shoes could do the same, but I’ve bunion so it’s EXTRA hard to find good shoes! With bags, it’s easier to find.. therefore, an easier pick-me-upper/ retail therapy.
hi mrs T, I would like to contribute to your new project: why i bought my first designer bag is because designer bags are a very good investment you can re-sell it, and also because of this article i read which inspired me to strive for quality first then price second, the article goes like this: is says that if you are planning to purchase an item divide it by the number of times you will be using the item and that would be the price of the item purchased – because of that article it changed the way I shop, I became a very particular and picky buyer, I look at every detail before I make the purchase , i re-think twice, thrice and even sleep on it before investing. I really make it a point that I am getting my money’s worth.
cgr!
it all started with a dream to own a designer bag, until i can finally afford to buy one. and when i finally bought one, i thought its the only one i need, i thought wrong. i need a big bag for shopping, a small bag for evenings, a medium bag for everyday use, a light bag, a sporty bag, a girly bag etc.. and it always has to be designer! dh says i don’t like anything cheap.. well not really i just happen to think designer brands (esp LV) are of excellent quality. so instead of tons of non-designer stuff that i give away once i tire of it, i opted for quality over quantity.
My husband bought me my first designer bag and he felt better over it more than I did. Then my galpals started noticing the bag so I asked for a second designer bag and third, until I was buying them myself. On that part, I guess it started with the delicious sensation of being noticed, the recognition that came with it. But 3 years after my bags still look great so I now also buy them because of the quality that goes with the price. I’ve sold some to finance new purchases too. Horribly hooked!
More power!
I bought my first LV from Mrs. T and it was more for curiosity of the feeling of having a logo bag. I wanted to show to the others. Now that I’ve graduated to Balenciaga and BV, it’s more for the craftsmanship, quality and the inner feeling of owning a luxurious brand discreetly.
Like many of your other readers, I bought my first designer bag as a subtle way to say “I’ve made it” (or more accurately, “I bled for it”;)) Once I started carrying around that bag, though, I started to appreciate the fine quality of the material and the craftsmanship that went into the bag…and I’ve been hooked ever since.
I’ve never looted a ‘designer’ bag…yet ever in my life.
A good Mango bag…Guess..Esprit. all because that was what a hit then in my high school days.
Till date, I don’t think a ‘working/OFW’ like me can’t afford to splurge on a $1000 bag since I don’t belong on that high paid/salary OFW.
But, maybe if I would to buy an expensive one, It would be on recognition of my hard work. Something that would elate your feelings, to push thru another day …coz’ then afterwhich I could say…’I’m an ATSAY with class! 🙂