So you’re considering buying your first designer bag but want to make sure you’re making the right decision. This is my guide for you.
I love talking about designer bags, that’s no secret. And I often get asked on or offline about the first purchase – how to buy your first designer bag? This can mean different things to different people. So, I wanted to put together an all-inclusive blog post about bags, process of purchasing, resale value, amongst many other things. Sort of everything that goes into buying a designer bag.
Before we get there, I want to say that buying a bag, much like anything else, is a personal decision. This blog post is my advice to anyone investing money into a designer bag. But ultimately, this is your money and you should do what you like with it.
Also, there isn’t going to be a list of bags you should consider buying as your first designer bag purchase – sorry for the disappointment, if you were here for this. I don’t believe in that and whoever tells you Louis Vuitton is where you should start – don’t listen to them. Instead, I go over several important considerations to help you make that decision. Let’s go through my list!
This blog post is all about how to buy your first designer bag. I hope you enjoy reading this, and it helps you make that first purchase easy.
MY FIRST DESIGNER BAG PURCHASE
I don’t think about this very often, as it has been a while since my first purchase. But my first designer bag purchase was from Chanel, during my first visit to Paris. I remember looking up where the flagship store was, all the stories I stumbled on about Coco Chanel, the white boxes they give out only at this address and I went to Rue Cambon. I remember feeling very overwhelmed about the price of my bag but just going with it, even though this was many years ago and prices have gone up significantly since then. So here we are, many bag purchases later, I’m here to share with you my thoughts and advice on how to buy your first designer bag.
#1 WHERE ARE YOU WEARING THIS BAG?
You probably have a Pinterest board of all the bags you love. I have one too. Don’t let that board go, put a pin on that (literally), we will come back to this. You probably have several bags in your closet but want a shiny designer bag, trust me I get it. Think about where you want to wear this bag. Did you just graduate from school and got yourself a first job where you need an everyday bag? or do you want a night out bag? or a cross-body city bag for everyday?
I think this is such an important question that people often dismiss and then find themselves disappointed. If you purchase a beautiful clutch but don’t go out at night much, you will realize you’re not really using the bag and that can be disappointing.
This is even more important to determine because it will help you decide not only the style but the leather type. Two extreme examples would be a large shoulder bag vs wallet on chain or box leather vs caviar leather. One is scratch prone and the other, resistant.
#2 TRENDY VS CLASSIC STYLES
For the most part, I recommend buying a classic style (shocker!) that would hold its value vs a trendy bag.
There are a few reasons for this, one is that you are less likely to get bored from using a classic style (if that is your style of course), and second, the classic style is more likely to hold its value. This isn’t set in stone; we will get back to this point in a bit.
Several of my friends have bags that were once trendy, their current resale value is a fraction of the price they paid. On the flip side, I know people who have for example – the boy Chanel bag, which is no longer trendy and its resale value has plummeted. They love and still use their bag. So, you decide if you love something so much, and wouldn’t care if it lost its value.
The only unpredictable fact here is that your opinion about the bag can change after you buy it, and start using it. I’ve purchased bags I loved, but my opinion has changed very quickly. This is normal, and has nothing to do with thinking through things. You will never know until you own a bag and use it regularly.
Photos are a property of Celine. Celine Clasp Bag (classic style), Medium AVA Triomphe Bag (trendy style).
#3 RESALE VALUE
There are several factors that impact resale value. Sometimes, it’s a certain bag from a certain brand that is so popular and loved, and sometimes it’s the brand (like The Row or Hermes). I am sharing this for your knowledge, not so much to encourage you to purchase only from these brands. I love Céline bags (Phoebe Philo era), and I know that they do not necessarily hold their value on the second-hand market, but I’m ok with that as I love them and use them. At the end of the day, you are making a purchase to hopefully love and use a bag and not so much to sell it. At least that’s not the plan from the get go. However, it is a bonus if you can make your money back or better yet make some profit when you sell it.
#4 BEFORE YOU COMMIT: TRY, TRY, TRY
Go to the store, try on the bag as many times as you want. I felt so embarrassed to do this when I was purchasing my first designer item. I thought I should go and try it on right before I buy the bag. It is very important that you know how this bag fits you, to your frame, and where it lands on you (waist vs hip for instance). How many ways you can wear it, crossbody vs shoulder? I highly recommend going and taking photos of yourself trying on the bag. You can look at them and compare the different sizes and colors.
I have changed my opinion about bags completely after seeing them or holding them. Bags can seem very different online, just like anything you shop for.
#5 ONLINE PURCHASES
Piggy backing off of the last point. I never make it a habit to buy bags online from designer stores. While these are designer goods and each should have extensive quality checks. I have seen a lot of variability between bags and have been disappointed at times with what I have received. So, whenever you can – make sure to buy these bags in person.
‘I wanted to put together an all-inclusive blog post about bags, process of purchasing, resale value, amongst many other things. Sort of everything that goes into buying a first designer bag.’
#6 INSPECT THE BAG
So you’ve finally decided on the brand, model, leather type and color. You’re hopefully in Europe, where you will pay less and get your taxes back – You know my thoughts on this one. Make it a point to inspect the bag and every corner, and stitch. If there is a defect, ask for another one, if they have it. If the condition doesn’t look right, ask if it was a display item, as you know those have been tried on and I wouldn’t recommend buying them. Designer stores will not give you a discount on those display items, so there is nothing to gain here. The point is, you are paying a large sum of money, don’t be shy to ask questions and make sure you bag is as pristine as possible.
I was so embarrassed to ask questions when I made my first designer bag purchase. I went to the store, saw the bag, agreed on the style, leather, color and hardware combination and purchased it.
#7 DEPARTMENT STORE PURCHASES
Most designer bags come with a 2-3 year warranty. Careful when purchasing at department stores, sometimes that’s not the case. If you are buying your bag at a heavy discount, and you’re aware of the tradeoff you’re making, sure – go for it. But if you’re paying full price, by all means, go to the boutique and buy the bag from the store directly. It will land in your account and make things very easy for the future should you have a quality issue.
#8 OUTLET STORE PURCHASES
Not all purchases from outlet stores are the same. I would be very wary about purchasing from any Prada outlet, as Prada has a separate outlet stock. They produce and feed their outlets as a second-tier collection, alongside their top tier collection and you have no way of knowing which is which. It’s personally, not my idea of luxury. On the other hand, if you live in the New York area and decide to buy something from Celine at Woodbury Common Premium Outlet, with a 20% discount – that’s a better decision. As those items are part of their older collection, and no longer sold in stores. Overall, I’d say the brand has a big influence on my decision to purchase from outlet stores.
#9 IN STORE TREATMENT
Get your luxury designer store treatment. They will offer you sparkling water, coffee or champagne. Take a friend with you and enjoy the experience. This isn’t something I would ask for, but stores usually offer it as a treat to their customers. But I hope you’re not making your designer purchase from the store for this reason. This is a very small gesture on the part of the brand, while you’re spending a very large sum. Ultimately, it is your bag that’s going to last so whether you bought it from the store or the second-hand market, it’s not going to matter.
While I do have great memories with certain bags of mine that I have purchased in store where sales associates have gone above and beyond to make my experience one to remember… I have over the course of several years now understood that ultimately, it’s the bag that matters and the price I paid for it.
#10 BUILD SOME COMFORT
My first ever bag that wasn’t from any fast fashion company was from a mid-range brand called Mansur Gavriel. I recognize that there are people out there who don’t know this brand. I talked about them here, I also reviewed my first bag from there here. Their vegetable-tanned leather is out of this world and quite durable.
I bought the mini bucket bag many years ago and took it everywhere with me. I really enjoyed using it. Owning this bag was great because I learned how to carry around and care for a leather bag before committing to a designer bag.
This blog post is all about how to buy your first designer bag. I hope you enjoy reading this, and it helps you make that purchase.
As always, thank you for stopping by and reading. Click here if you’d like to see & follow my Instagram page @girlontheues.
See you next week,
Girl on the Upper East Side
Xx
If this interests you, you might enjoy reading my blog post on The Row Margaux 15 Review, Celine Nano Luggage Bag Review, and Bag Trends 2024.
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