Keeping It Real-ish
I’ll admit. I can be a bit of a tight wad. Especially when it comes to fashion. Until I purchased a wedding gown, I had never paid $100 for anything in my closet (including purses and shoes). Don’t get me wrong. I do like fashion. Cute jeans with the ability to lift and tighten rear excess baggage are a staple in my wardrobe. And I love wearing flowing skirts and dresses that elongate my legs. But if I have to take out a second mortgage to buy them, then no thanks.
However, there is one minor glitch in my stingy DNA- Purses.
Vintage. Designer. Small ones. Big ones. Purses of all kinds! That’s right, the 1 accessory that pretty much carries no ability in making me look thinner. Perhaps that explains why I love them so much. I could be sporting hideous–been-washed-to-death jogging pants with a T-shirt, but hey, at least my purse rocks. Somehow rationality mutates when handbags fall into my line of sight…but to a degree.
Will I spend a fair amount of money on a beautiful, good quality purse?
Yes.
Will I fork over a car down payment for a Gucci, Louis Vuitton, or Chanel bag?
Um…
*closes eyes tightly*…
not yet No.
I don’t know why, but I just can’t do it. I cannot bring myself to spending a new computer worth of money on a purse that will likely have juice or fruit snacks permanently embedded into its fine Italian leather.
*sigh*
However, over the years, rather than just sucking it up and spending money on 1-2 purses that I love, I’ve bought a few cheaper ones. Okay, many. So yes, I do own a ba-jillion purses. One may even say I own more purses than I do shoes, and shirts, and pants, and socks…combined.
I kid.
Sort of.
Anyhow, last week I happened to drag my poor family to a flea market…all the way in New Hampshire (not close). I was expecting the usual knick-knacks, used toys and books. But as we turned into the gravel parking lot, swarms of women were a blur. A flurry of estrogen and…designer-inspired handbags.
Jackpot.
Just enough crack for my cocaine fix. I’m talking about an endless sea of Fucci, Foach, Fouis Vuitton and Chanel-ly. Can you hear my giddy shrieks and cries over there?
Okay, before you roll your eyes completely into the back of your head, tell me what would you do. Would you just save up and fork over the dough and buy the real thing? Or is faux real good enough for you?
p.s. I cannot find a photo of the handbag I love anywhere except on their Flash website. Click here to peek (no pricing shown to protect those with a heart condition).
I’m also a purse-whore. I don’t have lots of purses, just 1 or 2 nice coach purses.
I don’t like the fake ones AT ALL – except the completely illegal ones that you can’t tell are fake. The ones where you have to be invited to the “purse parties.” I’ve never actually been popular enough to be invited. But, I know someone that was, and she has great faux designer purses.
Hecticmom Undone’s last blog post..No on Prop 8
October 7th, 2008 at 1:20 am
oh my dear I am with you – I don’t like spending over 20.00 on some jeans – but I am addicted to shoes
yes shoes – no I don’t buy expensive shoes either, but I have plenty for every occasion
I love buying shoes
stay with the faux purses for now and keep the variety coming
October 7th, 2008 at 1:27 am
OMG, I’m ROFL over “Fucci” and “Foach”.
I’ll confess too. I don’t spend that much on clothes OR bags. It just doesn’t interest me. I’m not a shoe ho, purse ho, none of that.
I guess I’m just a cheap ho. heh!
dysfunctional mom’s last blog post..This Just In:
October 7th, 2008 at 4:59 am
Cute purse! I think a knock off is great! No one can ever really tell!
wright’s last blog post..Help! I’m Bookless!
October 7th, 2008 at 5:11 am
I can relate to this a bit…
Will I spend more than $8 on a tshirt?
Rarely.
Will I empty the accounts for a gadget?
ABSOLUTELY.
Jay @ Halftime Lessons’s last blog post..She’s little, but she’s a GOLD mine…
October 7th, 2008 at 6:50 am
At least you get to carry one or more of yours around during a day. annie gets a jones for LUGGAGE. Don’t. Even. Ask.
lceel’s last blog post..Tuesday Tale – Annie
October 7th, 2008 at 7:55 am
I have done both. I went through a phase of buying tons of the knockoffs when we would go to Hong Kong. I would go nuts! Then that got old (esp when they never held up well) and I started buying the real thing. Hard to go back to the cheap stuff after you’ve had the real thing, but now that purses are easily going for over $1000 now I’m thinking cheap is not so bad!
October 7th, 2008 at 7:56 am
I go for the real ones (squirming). I do have “real” bags but I buy them second hand like for 1/64 of the price =)
louann’s last blog post..Monkey See, Monkey Do. But What If The Other Monkey Is Missing?
October 7th, 2008 at 8:06 am
I also can’t bring myself to spend the dough on a pricey purse,but that could just be because I am still waffling in diaper bag land, and nothing worth anything is safe here!
brittany’s last blog post..Hot pants.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Hecticmom Undone- Ah, so glad to hear I’m not the only purse fiend! The bags at this flea market were about as close to the designers I’ve seen. I’m guessing they’re like the purse party ones. But I’m just guessing. I’ve never been popular enough to get a VIP invite either
Elle- LOL! You and I should go shopping. $20 for jeans is exactly my price range
Dysfunctional mom- That is definitely a good thing. I have issues. I’ve always been a purse ho, but I’ve also run in and out of ho phases in the other categories, too.
Wright- You certainly can’t beat the price either.
Jay @ halftime lessons- LOL! DITTO.
lceel- Dude. No need to explain. I’ve been through the luggage phase. I have a few in my mammoth bag/luggage collection
Busymama Kellie- Oh I bet Hong Kong is brimming with the finest of the faux
I’d go nuts, too. But I hear you on the lack of quality. Sometimes you really do get what you pay for with the knock offs.
Louann- That’s a great idea for picking up real designer ones cheaper.
Brittany- Yup, I’m familiar with that bag land. I just wandered out of there a few months ago. Guess it explains my enhanced bag fiending.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:11 am
Hilarious! I feel the same way about clothes, never had spent more than probably $50 on clothing until my wedding dress. And I did my wedding dress shopping off the sale rack! I am also a purse addict! Have a closet full! But always buy cheap ones from Wal-Mart.
Kmommy @ The Poopie Patrol’s last blog post..Things Heard Around the House
October 7th, 2008 at 10:11 am
I love the purse! you knew I would! I say splurge you deserve it! If you add up all the purses you bought in the past it would equal to the beautiful Chanel purse.
October 7th, 2008 at 10:20 am
As much as I hate to admit it because I really want to be thrify… I need the real stuff and I need it now!
Before kids, I was addicted to shopping and could just drop money without batting my eye. I worked hard for my money, right?! Plus, growning up, I was spoiled rotten. It was too hard to let go of not getting what I wanted. How materialistic am I?! Now since being Mama, I have a hard time making purchases. I still want the nice stuff, but I can’t spend the money with peace of mind. I guess I am now trying to save and get a few nice pieces of clothing or accessories every few months, if that. Especially now that I am not a primary source of income, I feel guilty wanting these things. Although, I can now look back and ponder where did all that money go to? I could have saved or paid extra to our house or something other than mindless squandering.
Angela’s last blog post..Sous Chef
October 7th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Love the post… I’ve been in a perpetual diaper bag phase for sooo long and just recently shopped for a purse that wasn’t full of bottle pockets and diaper liners!
It was so fun and I love my new purse too!
Laura@StorytellinMama’s last blog post..It’s Good to Laugh a Little during all this Political Tension and Financial Crisis…
October 7th, 2008 at 10:46 am
Faux is good enough for me. I am frugal in the worst way
Average Girl’s last blog post..Birthdays Are A Coming
October 7th, 2008 at 10:50 am
If you feel that a handbag can carry the guilt that comes with the price tag, then by all means…
Seriously though, I think that a ton of bags to go with this or that is better than one bag you feel married to…
You could always rent the real thing and not feel so bad about keeping the variety and sampling the goods…
http://www.bagborroworsteal.com/
Victoria’s last blog post..Asking God For Help Part 3
October 7th, 2008 at 10:58 am
I tend to buy one purse and stick with it until it wears out. And most of the time my purses are more functional then cute. But I think they are cute so I guess that counts. I also like to be able to put them on my shoulder or over my head so that I don’t have to hold onto them. That pretty much rules out cute purses.
I do however love shoes and buy way too many of them. Unfortunately they are all more functional than cute as well. I guess I need to get with the cuteness.
heartache heartburn’s last blog post..September Wrap-Up
October 7th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Oh I’m a big spend-thrift, too! I don’t think I could ever buy the real thing – not worth it to me for a purse. But then, I *just* entered the realm of having two!
Colleen – Mommy Always Wins’s last blog post..Crying over spilt milk (a.k.a. The post where I make you doubt my own sanity. Its OK, I did, too.)
October 7th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Shoes, bags, how can I choose? Big love for both. Too many shoes to count, probably a dozen bags. I can’t/won’t fork over huge amounts of dough for a bag, I usually buy the in between range – not totally expensive but not cheap either. I guess I’m a moderate in my bag spending.
skiplovey’s last blog post..A trip to the mall turns into an hour on the shrink’s couch
October 7th, 2008 at 11:45 am
the only thing i insist on “real” for? is jewelry.
the planet of janet’s last blog post..I think I have lost my mind
October 7th, 2008 at 11:52 am
I’m exactly the same way, but I usually let my SIL pick out my purses for me. She has better taste in that dept.
My problem is not that I’m super cheap, but I end up buying cute stuff for my kids instead of myself! I’m getting a little better about it, but only because everything I had was out of style…
kspin’s last blog post..Crossroads
October 7th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Faux is good enough until:
Babisodes is off to college, because once she passes the spilled food stage, there will still be the, “Mom, can I borrow your…” stage.
You’ve won the lottery or Dadisodes’s ship comes in.
Who cares – they’re fun, they’re pretty, and if you end up with a juice box in the wrong place, you’ll feel oh-so-much better!
Jen of a2eatwrite’s last blog post..URGENT – Voter Registration in Michigan!!!
October 7th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
I just bought my first Coach purse two months ago….with some of my bonus money that I got BACK IN DECEMBER for being at my place of employment for 10 years. It took me that long to just do it. I keep buying the cheap purses and I wear them out so fast and have to throw them out, but I just felt sick about spending that kind of money on a freaking purse….am I really THAT materialistic?? My husband made me just do it. It was my bonus, I should treat myself to something I would normally never buy and that was it, so I did it. It actually sat in my closet for a month because I was almost embarrassed that I bought it…..then I just said to hell with it and started using it. I like it A LOT.
abunslife’s last blog post..In Case You Missed It….
October 7th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Kmommy- Yup, I have a closet full of cheap one’s too
Tanya- LOL! How did I know
Angela- Ah yes, I know what you mean. I too feel guilty wanting anything expensive now that I’m pulling any income. It’s a whole new ball game once you have little ones.
Laura@storytellingmama- It’s liberating not having to tote around a CVS worth of stuff anymore isn’t it?
Average girl- I hear ya.
Victoria- That is certainly true. I’ve also looked into the purse rentals. They’re a tad expensive. After renting a few, you could certainly pay for a very nice original bag.
Heartache heartburn- I wish my practicality won over cuteness sometimes. My pocket would be much happier.
Colleen- two purses? Oh sweets, please feel free to borrow one of mine anytime.
skiplovey- Nothin’ wrong with moderate bag spending
The planet of janet- LOL! I don’t blame you
kspin- Ah yes. I am quite familiar with spending on my kid, instead of me scenario. Happens all the time.
Jen of a2eatwrite- Thank you for the reminder! I totally forgot about the borrowing stage.
October 7th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
I can’t spend a lot of money on things. I’m totally like you…why spend tons of money on something that will (*WILL!*) get ruined? ::sigh::
I’m not a designer person unless it’s cheap. I’ll buy designer clothes at second hand stores or places like TJMaxx/Marshalls, but never new out of store off the rack. It’s just too much.
The Chanel purse is adorable. The fact that it doesn’t have a price, though, means I would *never* be able to buy it. I just couldn’t let myself!
Allison’s last blog post..Who Needs Pants?
October 7th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
I bought a knock off Louis once… the strap broke within a few months. So I try to go for the real thing.. but I genearlly stick with Dooney and Bourke and Coach if I can find a good price.
sugarplumsmom’s last blog post..Rockstar/Popstar
October 7th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
I have NOTHING designer. I just can’t bring myself to spend the money on it. I just can’t. I also don’t really understand it. Because of a name? That seems silly. I do like fashion. I just don’t want to pay for it. I would feel like such a sucker.
I grew up in a family with not very much money so I have turned into a tightwad, I guess.
Kathryn’s last blog post..Am I A Party Pooper?
October 7th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
I have one — only one expensive purse. I bought is about 10 years ago and still carrie it off and on. It is a Dooney & Bourke navy with tan trim. It is their signature bag. They have since changed the styles and added to their line so think classic. I had wanted such purse for many years before saving the money from the sell of the bears I make and when I had enough I selfishly bought this purse for myself. It was an over the top purchase that I felt like I had earned and deserved.
That is the only designer or close to designer thing I own.
Patsy’s last blog post..100 Word Challenge — Blend
October 7th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Allison- TJmaxx is heaven for me, too. Yea, the lack of pricing scares me.
Sugarplumsmom- I hate it when that happens
Kathryn- I hear ya. I grew up in tighwad household as well. It’s amazing how some things stick throughout your life.
Patsy- I bet it’s lovely. That’s wonderful it’s lasted so long. If I were to ever purchase one, I’d probably go about it the same way
October 7th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
I can’t pay tons for clothes either. I haven’t ever paid out for a purse or shoes either. Although, I have been drooling over a couple of Kate Spade bags as well as a Dooney and Burke I saw at Macys a couple of months ago.
But I just can’t bring myself to do it. Maybe some day.
Kim’s last blog post..The Table
October 7th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
If it costs more than $10 then it’s too much for me. My wedding gown was barely over $100.
And we used to drive to NH from RI on a semi-regular basis for tax free outlet shopping/browsing.
So I know you aren’t THAT far away….
CC’s last blog post..Teaching Tuesday: Magnetic Word Builder
October 8th, 2008 at 12:28 am
Ohmygoodness, I heart purses too! And I was just saying how I can’t bring myself to spend a lot of money on a purse that’s just going to get a juice stain on it. We would totally get along.
Personally, I don’t think there’s any shame in a knockoff. As long as you really, really love it, you know, a bag is a bag.
I continue to be amazed that people who live in many states can drive to another state for a weekend trip. It takes me six hours just to get to the Florida state line — but a 25-minute plane ride to the Bahamas!
October 8th, 2008 at 12:49 am
I can`t bear to buy a fake. I`m a designer, and I know what counterfeiting does to your brand. My vice? Coach purses. I have many, even special editions. I am on the look out for a few Hermes and LV…. Maybe even a Chanel or three. Do I use them?? No, they are for a special occasion that will only happen when I am invited to the Paris fashion Week.
Elaine B.’s last blog post..A New Appreciation for Modeling and Inner Beauty Filters
October 8th, 2008 at 7:23 am
Kim- I know that feeling…all too well.
CC- Nope, I’m not that far at all!
Holly at Tropic of Mom- LOL! I felt the same way when I lived down in So.Fla. It felt like an eternity to drive out of the state, and yes, the Bahamas was the shortest flight EVER (Fabulous!). The states up here are a bit smaller, so it only takes about 1 hour to drive through the state of MA (north< ->south). When in Miami, it took 3-4 times that long just to get mid-state
Elaine B.- JEALOUS!
October 8th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Alas, I’d pass on BOTH when it comes to ‘designer’ bags … don’t want the real or faux bags, but I feel for you. Fortunately function works best for me when it comes to purses … and I do love simple less expensive brands like Kipling (though I own my favorite styles in multiple colors so in the end I do spend more than I might if I limited myself).
Hugs and blessings,
storyteller’s last blog post..Natural Highs
October 8th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
I’m the kind that carries the same purse every day forever. I like the Coach outlet–well-made and more reasonably-priced.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Storyteller- Lucky duck. Sounds like you dodged the purse-itis. I had a kipling years ago. It was actually a great bag
Asianmommy-LOL! I am right there with you. Just bought a tiny leather clutch at their outlet last month
October 8th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
My rule is if it has a logo on it, save for the real thing. Otherwise, carry what appeals to you and what feels good. I have a lot of purses but have not forked over more than $100 for any one of them.
October 8th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
I am so with you. I can not spend that kind of money on something that will hold pudding cups, and crushed goldfish crackers both inside and out. That’s why I fell in love with the ‘Purse Party’. Better than tupperware, stays in my house longer than Tastefully Simple and makes me look as good as Mary Kay and Lia Sophia! Knock off purses, that look like the real thing. Many a ‘real purse’ fiend who loves to waste money has complimented everything from my ‘Kate Spade’ to my ‘Burbury” and all were floored when I told them they were knock offs. They even asked me to let them know the next time I was going to a party!
You go girl, You have better stuff to spend money on.
Weaselmomma’s last blog post..Ask Not What Your Momma Can Do For You, But What you Can Do For Your Momma
October 9th, 2008 at 4:56 pm