Why women buy *gulp* expensive bags… Self reflection :)

What is it that compels hags to do the unthinkable and dunk in half (or in my case, all *boohoo brokebaghag!!*) of our savings into a bag– a designer one at that?

I would’ve gladly forked over my bags to you if there was only ONE solid answer, but hey, even psychologists would be left scratching their heads with wonder, methinks. I’m no psychologist, but I have a few theories as to why such is so. *Here goes the smartass Mrs.T :D*

1. Bags are the cheaper investment alternative (compared to jewelry). Forget buying a pair of solid 1 carat diamond studs. Anything smaller than 1 carat and they will hardly be seen from your delicate earlobes *and hey I’m not being jaded here by having said that either*. Besides, 1 carat each studs have better resale value than say, .95 ct studs– and that .05 carat difference in price is quite much too! Oh need I say if the diamonds are of good quality– i.e. GIA certified, and colorless (say, G color) it’ll set you back by at least US $8,000? *Shock* I mean, wouldn’t you rather be toting the newest Marc Jacobs quilted bowler bag from Bergdorf Goodman for US$ 895? That’s like 11% of the price of those diamond studs! Bags are “cheaper!” Plus, the chances that your friends will see you toting that new Marc Jacobs is bigger than them noticing your mini sparklers *muwahaha Showoff! :D*. And you don’t really have to break your children’s and future grandchildren’s piggybanks to pay for it (put it this way, compare the investment amount of a bag to those 1 carat diamonds). I didn’t say bags are cheap, let me reiterate that they’re just “cheaper” and that word is relative :D. Enough said.

2. We bag hags, are conquerors by nature. We want something we can’t easily have. Why do you think we have sleepless nights when we can’t get the bag we want? Moreover, when we already get the bag we want, why don’t we ever get satisfied with it (and yeah, we end up not using that bag as much, and before you know it, the whole cycle repeats itself– we want a new bag… oftentimes a more expensive one) ? Like I said, we are conquerors. It’s the satisfaction of being able to sleep at night, knowing the bag is already in our possession (conquered!), then moving up the bag ladder after having conquered that “it” bag. There’s always gonna be something better and we’ll always want it– because we want what we don’t have yet. Forget history when it mentioned the men as conquerors. WE baghags are THE true conquerors! *Beat that, Alexander the Great!*

3. We buy the designer bag that everyone has. Do you notice that? *Ding ding, Bags are the new Status Symbol!!* Case in point, the LV Speedy. How many millions of women have that bag? Why do we want to be part of that statistic and want that same bag that other women have? Because it is the most easily recognized designer bag (and sadly the most copied one at that– just goes to show that people want to take that shortcut to claiming those 3 words– “I have arrived.”). The real deal, is considered a status symbol. That we can afford an expensive bag. And yes, that “We have arrived.” Face it, we all want to be the social royalty among our peers. It’s true, no matter how much some hags want to deny it 🙂 *me being one of them.. hello pretentious baghag!* (P.S. Are we not label whores? *hehe well I am! And Proud!*)

Ok enough self reflection. Bottom line, the fact remains that we are incorrigible bag hags and that as long as we are not drowning in a sea of debt, we will continue to buy bags. So, be wise and economical baghags. One bag in, one bag out. Meaning, let one of your older bags go (sell it) when you get a new one– like I do! It’s the best way to go, hags. And besides, that’s the best excuse you can possibly give yourself– “I bought a new bag, but I am selling some of my old bags to pay for my new bag” Sigh… Excuses, excuses 🙂

Soooo… let me end by featuring one more bag to think of 🙂

Marc Jacobs Bleeker Satchel. This satchel comes in camel and black and if I’m not mistaken, also in rich plum (which would look sooo gorgeous). The bag is nice and roomy and has the signature MJ pushlock enclosure. A nice respite from the popular MJ stam (less hardware = lighter!) Priced at US$1,095 at Bergdorf Goodman. Niiiice!

P.S. If you are bored with my blog already *gulp I hope you aren’t!*, do visit my FLICKR — under the name TRESORMAKATI. I put up my fave photos there 🙂 No bags, but many travel/ food pics!

xo