Designer Bags I Regret Purchasing

I personally have a severe obsession with bags. What brings me joy is not necessarily "purses" but the category of "bags" in general. As a kid, I owned multiple backpacks, rotating them everyday. When I travel, I always feel compelled to buy new suitcases. I enthusiastically collect my shopping bags. Of course, this means I adore handbags--whether they be cheap or expensive. However, not all of my endeavors have been successful. At times, I make bold purchases, only to regret them later.

1. I got this small Fendi purse at a duty free shop in Korea. I believe it was around 6~700USD. It was so cute and unique that it stood out from the rest. However, after owning it for about 5 years, I have only actually used this bag on a couple of occasions.

DESCRIPTION:

• Triangular shaped
• Beige/tan color with white embellished pattern and white stitching
• long, singular handle suitable for wearing on the shoulder, can be adjusted shorter
• flips open to reveal beige inside with small pocket
• magnetic button encloses the purse

THE CONS:

• This purse has a small opening, although the inside is pretty spacious for a small purse--the opening is too small to even fit wider wallets.
• The Fendi Logo, the handle, and other designs are white and raised. For this reason, it is extremely easy to get dirtied, and extremely difficult to erase any marks made on them. (they especially collect color on the edges of the designs, say, from your hands)
• The shape is a hassle to maintain. Because this bag is made of fabric, the bottom of the bag loses its flat shape easily, and is unattractive when it is uneven
• Storing this bag is also annoying. You really need to stuff it to keep it from losing its shape, and additionally want to cover it to keep it from getting dirty. You also need to be cautious of the handle getting squished or wrinkled.

CONCLUSION: This purse, though cute, serves little to no practical purposes and requires a lot of work to maintain

2. This Beverly Clutch purse was actually given to me as a present from my mom. It was the first Louis Vuitton bag I owned, and the most expensive bag to add to my collection at that time. However, I don't know if it lives up to its price tag (though I don't know how much she paid, the website says $825), but because it is a gift from my mom, it holds special meaning to me.

DESCRIPTION:

• small purse that can be doubled as a clutch
• regular monogram LV logo, with gold emblem press lock that clicks the bag closed
• detachable handle, long enough to wear on shoulder
• small pocket on the inside
• velvet/tan interior, leather exterior, brass hardware

THE CONS:

• I find this purse is also hard to maintain the shape of, especially when storing. It is easy for it to get lost in your pile of bags and get squished, ruining its shape.
• Though most clutches are small, I find this one can hardly fit my basics--wallet, keys, and phone
• If it contains something thick, it will be impossible to shut closed
• Few occasions where I can actually use this bag (especially hard to match since I usually go for black shoes at formal events and I want to match my bag and shoes)

CONCLUSION: This is still a nice, elegant clutch. If you are a person who often attends formal events and dinner parties, i would recommend this purse. However, if (like me) you are a person who only uses clutches for nights out at clubs or less formal events, I would suggest getting a more convenient clutch (you don't want to have to worry about losing it or dirtying it when you are out partying).

 3. This is my most recent regret. This was pretty reasonably priced for a Gucci purse (I believe I paid about 7~800USD at the time I purchased, cant recall specifically), which is the exact reason I got it. It is available in multiple colors and looks really cute at the store, something that can serve dual purpose for casual outfits, as well as formal. However, the lesson to be learned is that you really get what you pay for.

DESCRIPTION:

• Fabric exterior with Gucci Logo, leather handle and trimming
• Soft fabric interior, fairly spacious, with inside pocket
• Double handle, pretty short
• Gucci logo charm attached to side
• small flap to close
• wrinkle? ruffled? design

THE CONS:

• looks cheap / low quality
• the bag is still for the most part open when it is "closed" as the flap that keeps it closed is very small. If you were to turn it upside down everything would still fall out, and people can still peek in
• the charm looks cheap as well

CONCLUSION: The one positive characteristic of this bag is that it is low maintenance. Aside from that, it does not live up to the standards of a Gucci bag, and really just does not seem high quality.

4. This Juicy Couture bag was also given to me by my mom along with a matching small pocket keychain. I think it is very fruity and girly, suitable for younger bag-lovers.

DESCRIPTION:

• spacious bag, with large opening, and plenty of room inside
• Cute interior lining (with same color scheme and print)
• silver hardware
• many pockets, inside and out
• green, round (single) handle, long enough to wear over shoulder
• soft, velvet exterior, with stitching
• rounded shape on top, rectangular on bottom
• zips closed

THE CONS:

• Easy to get wet or dirty, as the velvet seem to attract particles (not good for those with pets)
• Round handle begins to hurt when worn on shoulder for extended period of time
• Round shape is hard to maintain as it can be easily squished by your arm (when worn) and does not stand properly (when stored)
• Hard to coordinate with outifts (when you are wearing bold colors, you dont want to overdo it with a bold bag, yet, when you are wearing more neutral colors the bag looks too out of place)

CONCLUSION: Although it is a cute bag, it is not very practical (in terms of usage and maintenance).

5. I didn't even bother to pick out a specific item for this, but whenever I purchase COACH bags, I always seem to regret it. I mostly buy them (like most) because they are usually on the affordable end of department store bags. Coach changes their designs often, which means your handbag will only last you one season. Since I'm not one to bow to trends, I don't mind carrying items that may be "out of fashion," so this does not bother me. What does bother me is that Coach bags are not as durable as other designer brands, you will begain to notice wearing and tearing of your handbag much sooner than with other bags. They also seem to look of less quality, and not as pretty when brought home compared to when you view them at the store. I always tell myself I will not buy another Coach bag after regretting a recent purchase, but seem to repeat this process whenever I see a cute bag at the store and give into the temptation (much like you say you will never drink again after a horrible hangover, but find yourself with another drink in your hand shortly after). I would recommend saving up the money you spend on multiple bags from this brand, and getting ONE from another, that will last you significantly longer, and be of much higher quality.