Today we’re taking a look into the life of a young professional hailing from our nation’s capital. She has worked exceptionally hard to get to where she is in her career. like lots of of us, this confessor has celebrated big life events by purchasing new bags. though this confessor has purchased lots of bags on her own, her a lot of beloved bag was handed down to her by her mom, whose mother was the previous owner of the bag.
Her collection varies and she has her fair share of different designers, but today’s confessor’s attitude towards bags and shopping is pretty down to earth. This confessor owns, and loves, bags in any way price points. Additionally, she recognizes that bags are “just bags” and shouldn’t impact how others are treated. While she admits that she went through a bit of a frivolous spending period in her 20s, today’s confessor shops mindfully, typically planning out higher-end bag purchases in correlation to big life events. While her overall attitude towards bags and shopping is refreshing, so is her knack for the sweets she keeps stuffed in her bags. read the full confessional below and don’t forget to submit your own!
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The Basics
Age: 31
Gender Identity: Female
Location: Washington, DC
Occupation: Lawyers/Consultant
Industry: Tax
Salary: $102,000
Household Income: $400,000
The Bags
Are you a PurseForum member? No
How lots of bags do you own? around 30
What bags are in your collection?
Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM (Damier Azur)
Louis Vuitton Boulogne 35 (Classic Monogram)
Vintage Gucci Boston Bag
Vintage Gucci GG monogram small Crossbody
Mulberry Bayswater (Heritage) in sage green
Mulberry Dorset tote in bluebell leather
Balenciaga medium classic City in black with silver hardware
Prada Nylon Crossbody in black
Marc Jacobs Stam in turquoise
Kurt Geiger London Rainbow stripe Kensington Bag
Kurt Geiger London tiny Kensington in red tweed
Annabel Ingall large Isabella tote in black
Tory Burch Gemini link tote in Orange
Tory Burch leather Foldover Crossbody
Rebecca Minkoff Cupid satchel in Camel
Rebecca Minkoff tiny MAC in Grey
Rebecca Minkoff tiny affair in Teal
Longchamp large Le Pliage in Olive
Several vintage instructor crossbody bags
Additionally, I have several unbranded bags from local stores and Amazon, and a few bags from fast fashion places like H&M, Aldo, Target, and TJMaxx
How much is your collection worth? roughly $12,800 at retail price (before depreciation)
What is your a lot of expensive bag? In terms of retail value, probably the Balenciaga City, but I paid way less. Out of all my bags, I paid the most for the LV Neverfull.
What are the most crucial brands or pieces in your collection?
Almost all of my bags provided are crucial to me, but I am a lot of sentimental about the following:
– Mulberry Bayswater – this was my “high end” designer bag that I purchased for myself
– LV Neverfull – I purchased this after a hard-won promotion at work. I fought hard to get that promotion – I was working in a very competitive office within my firm where it could be tough for women to get promoted, reporting to a boss who fostered that environment. I worked really hard to get that promotion, but I know I couldn’t have gotten there without the support I received from a network of wonderful women within my firm that I am lucky to call colleagues. Not only did they give me the support and support to help me get to that level, they went to bat for me when push pertained to shove.
– The LV Boulogne – this was originally my grandmother’s, and my mommy handed it down to me for my 30th birthday. I didn’t get to know her well considering that I was really young when she passed, so it really is special to me.
– The Balenciaga City – I had wanted this bag considering that it came out, and finally got this last year to celebrate getting a new position at my company that had been a goal for me for some time. It represented a real stepping stone in my occupation for me.
– Kurt Geiger Rainbow stripe Kensington – I got this in Scotland when I was there on an anniversary trip with my husband. He got this for me as a surprise when he found out I got an interview for my current role.
What age did you get your first designer bag, and what was it? The first name brand designer bag I got was probably a instructor logo’d purse I had saved up for in middle school. I’m not sure what the exact model was, but it was a big deal to me at the time! In terms of higher end labels, the first “luxury” bag I got (I take that label with a grain of salt, considering that I have bags I love in any way market levels) was the Mulberry Bayswater. I had wanted it for some time and found a pre-loved one on Tradesy that I didn’t get immediately, but kept my eye on. I finally gotten it during a dreadful trip to new York, where we had gone to check out pals and it was a complete disaster – the couple we were staying with had just made a decision to divorce and were trying to keep the plans together anyway, I got pulled into a work emergency and spent much of the weekend in their second bedroom on my laptop…I pulled the activate in the midst of all that!
Is there a certain bag you are seeking to purchase next? I really am very delighted with my current collection, and honestly, given the state of the world ideal now, I would just be delighted to spend a lot more time using the bags I own and love as frivolous as that sounds. While I had been thinking about a Stella McCartney Fallabella, I’ve put that on indefinite hold and may or may not revisit that thought when things improve. With all that said, MZ Wallace small Sutton for a time considering that I wanted something that was packable, durable, and also cute, and the price is reasonable. I may get that one when things go back to normal, assuming that happens!
Any particular bag that holds a special sentimental value? The bags that are a lot of crucial to me are those that hold a sentimental value!
Do you feel like your bags change people’s perceptions of you or how you’re treated? Not these days – my couch doesn’t seem to care what I am carrying! back when we could go outside, I would say only minimally. I think my a lot of recognizable bags like the LVs or Guccis are a dime a dozen where I live, so I haven’t observed much difference when I do carry those rather than where I don’t. While DC isn’t the most “fashion-y” area (though there is a really emerging presence), I do notice that a lot of women in my office carry designer bags but it is rarely a topic of conversation. some of my pals are into bags – some a lot more so than others, but for those that are it is a lot more like a fun topic of conversation to us than a status thing, which I really value.
I think I see the most change in perception when I carry something a little unusual or off the beaten path (particularly the Kurt Geiger Rainbow stripe Kensington). Honestly, I like it that way! Bags are fun, but at the end of the day, they are just bags, and I don’t think they must impact how people are treated.
The Shopping
How typically do you get new bags? maybe a few times a year, give or take. a lot of of my higher end purchases are well planned out and made in relation to a life event, but there are times where I will take advantage of a good deal when it comes up. I did go through a period in my late 20s where I gotten new bag a lot more typically than that, mostly in the mid-range/low end scheme of things, but considering that then I’ve tried to be much a lot more mindful. I’m lucky in that a lot of my pals will ask me to help them shop for a bag, so I get a lot of my shopping impulses out that way!
Which stores do you frequent the most? I get a lot of of my bags pre-loved, so really a lot of consignment stores, both in-person and online. If I purchase new, I will go to Nordstrom or South Moon Under, and I love a good TJMaxx deal. I think Aldo is really underrated as well – I got my wedding hold there!
Do you ever get second-hand bags? Where do you get used? very frequently! I like to get pre-loved if possible – it feels a lot more sustainable to me, and you can find a terrific deal if you know where to look. I also tend to gravitate towards bags that seem a bit a lot more special (at least to me), which can include bags that aren’t on the market anymore. If it was popular in 2005, its probably on my wishlist! In-person, I like current Boutique, mostly the Clarendon location in Arlington, VA. I have found some incredible deals there – I paid $15 out of pocket for my Prada Nylon Crossbody (it was $115 and I had $100 in store credit). I also frequent online stores like Tradesy, the RealReal, and often eBay (though I get those authenticated). A pal of a pal runs an luxury goods consignment store (primarily through Instagram, but she also has a storefront), so I have gotten some terrific bags from her at good prices, including the Balanciaga City, the Neverfull, and the Gucci Boston.
Do you sell old bags to pay for new purchases? I have infrequently sold old bags, but not to pay for new purchases! If I do sell a bag, it is probably to current boutique considering that they make it so easy (if I have to mail something, I will unavoidably forget to do it). I’m a lot more inclined to give old bags away to pals or family, or to donate.
Do you ever feel societal pressure to purchase a lot more bags? less so these days, but I used to. Instagram absolutely doesn’t help, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve gotten a lot more safe in my choices and tastes. These days, the pressure is not so much to me the idea that I must have a lot more bags in terms of numbers, it comes a lot more from sheer number of terrific options out there – the a lot more you scroll through Instagram, blogs, marketing emails, the a lot more you see things that you may want. with that said, I am lucky enough to have several long-term dream bags in my closet already, and given the state of the world these days I just want to take pleasure in what I have.
Do you consider your bag purchases investments? Not at all! At least not relating to my own bags, for me I think they’re something to take pleasure in that I am lucky I am able to afford. maybe an investment in my happiness? I do see how they can be checked out as investments, and I like to think about the investment side of things from an economics perspective due to my profession – I have used handbags as an example of describing market level and value motorists when teaching junior colleagues! I also really like monitoring popular styles and prices in the retail market to see how things change over time.
Who usually influences your getting decisions?
Who influences your getting decisions? I am not sure! While I think Instagram influencers and celebrities probably have some subconscious impact on things, I tend to get what I like, which includes both styles that are really popular and mainstream, and styles that are not. I am drawn a lot more to recognizable styles a lot more so than logos, if that makes any sense, and I think I get that from my mom, who loves luxury items but absolutely hates logos. I don’t mind logos myself, but I have to like the style as well. While I’ll often ask my pals or spouse what they think when making a purchase decision, I’ll probably just go ahead and get what I like because I’m the one carrying the bag! I hope that doesn’t sound callous!
Are sales associate relationships instrumental to your shopping? Not in the standard way, considering that I get a lot second-hand. While I always appreciate the insight of boutique or department store SAs if they are friendly, I don’t shop at those stores for bags enough to really develop those relationships.
I would say that these kind of relationships are instrumental in terms of secondhand purchases. I’ve developed a good relationship with my friend’s pal who runs the luxury consignment service – she’s tracked down a certain bag I’ve wanted or reserved a style for me she knew I had been wanting. She’ll also reach out often if a style comes in that she thinks I may want, and she has also helped me authenticate an eBay purchase. I’ve also referred people to her, and I’m always happy to send people her way. I’m also close with the staff at my local consignment store – I miss them now that things are shut down, and I can’t wait to support them when things reopen. The manager is on my Christmas list!
Why do you take pleasure in shopping, beyond just acquiring something new? I’ve always been a buyer – the hunter-gatherer impulse was already strong in me, and capitalism absolutely doesn’t help! maybe it is retail therapy, but I take pleasure in the experience of going to stores, checking out things, talking to the salespeople, and seeing what is out there. I also really take pleasure in helping my pals and family shop for themselves – I’m the go-to in my family when someone needs a prom dress or something!
Have you ever felt like you received inferior service at a store or boutique due to your appearance, ethnicity or gender? I’ve absolutely seen some not terrific customer service in some places, mostly a few luxury boutiques, but I don’t think it was attributable to my appearance, ethnicity, or gender. I think it was just bad customer service from some snobby sales associates, which absolutely happens! That said, I do know that this happens, and I think it is abhorrent, and I know that I am inherently privileged not to experience it.
The Money
Who pays for your bags? mostly me, though my spouse has gotten me a few. He got me the Mulberry Dorset tote for my birthday one year and the Kurt Geiger Kensington as an anniversary present. A few were gifts – the LV Boulogne was handed down to me from my late grandmother from my mommy for my 30th birthday, and my daddy got me the Tory Burch Gemini tote for a birthday, but for the most part, I do.
Do you set aside a budget for your bag purchases? not on a regular basis. My workplace has a recognition program where we can send people “rewards points” which are