Everyone has to start somewhere. That’s doubly true when it comes to the addictive world of designer accessories; for every shopper, there’s at least one gateway drug that brought them here. Not everyone’s found that all-important first bag, though. Naturally, we have some suggestions.
A first bag means different things to different people. A successful, career-minded woman in her 40s might want to upgrade her wardrobe with something seriously luxurious to let everyone know she’s arrived, while a woman in her 20s might be looking for something that makes her feel grown and professional without breaking a meager, early career bank account. And that’s before you even get to personal style considerations!
Below, we’ve selected ten bags that we think you should consider, if you’re looking to take your first plunge into the designer (and we’re using that term loosely here; in this context, it covers both premier and contemporary bags) handbag pool. Come on in, the water’s fine.
Alexander Wang Small Emile Satchel
$945 via Shopbop
The Emile is the perfect combination between a discreet, wear-to-work bag and Wang’s signature cool-girl style, this is the perfect option.
Balenciaga Giant Mini City Bag
$1,395 via Barneys
Balenciaga’s moto bags are a full-fledged classic at this point, and the miniaturized City Bag is the perfect way to get the look in a fresh (and slightly less expensive) way.
Chanel Classic Flap Bag
$4,900 via Chanel
Most people start their collections with a contemporary bag or something from the lower end of a premier designer’s price range, but if you want to dive directly into the deep end, far be it from us to advise you against it. (In fact, we’ll advise you toward a Chanel flap bag–they’re true classics and hold their value well, in case you decide bags aren’t actually your thing at some point.)
Coach Jumbo Central Satchel
$495 via Coach
American women have been finding their way into handbags through Coach for decades; the brand provided an introduction for both Megs and me when we were still in high school. Today’s Coach is better than ever, with plenty of bags like the one below, which feel young without looking too trendy or inexpensive.
Givenchy Mini Pandora Bag
$1,150 via Barneys
If you want to skip contemporary options and go with something from one of the biggest premier handbag brands on the planet, this little bag is a wonderful option. It’s attractive and super functional; why else would it be beloved by stars and actresses who can afford whatever bags they want?
Gucci Soho Disco Bag
$980 via Gucci
For a premier designer under $1,000, you won’t do any better than this little bag–it holds way more than you’d think, and it’s one of Megs’ favorite go-tos in her large, diverse collection.
Kate Spade Cedar Street Small Hayden Satchel
$298 via Shopbop
For younger shoppers or those with a more girlish sense of personal style, almost any of Kate Spade’s bright, cleanly tailored leather options would be a great collection-starter.
Loeffler Randall Medium Rider Bag
$475 via Shopbop
If you’re looking for a nice bag that won’t immediately read as “designer” in a judgmental workplace (or if that’s simply not your look), we can’t say enough in favor of one of Loeffler Randall’s marquee bags in a neutral leather.
Louis Vuitton Alma BB Bag
$1,590 via Louis Vuitton
A lot of women look to Vuitton for their first bag–after all, it is the world’s biggest handbag brand. While LV monogram might be the most oft-made choice, we’d like to steer you toward a classic in Epi leather; it’s not all that much more expensive and far more subtle.
Rebecca Minkoff Monroe Tote
$245 via Rebecca Minkoff
If your budget is tight and you need a bag that’ll work both inside a conservative office and on the weekends, this new tote from RM is the way to go.
The Coach is pretty.
LV’s Epi leather is always a great choice but not sure about this colour-a little queasy for my taste!
That particular bag comes in lots of colors–just chose this one for the photo because it was bright and different than the other bags!
I love the Alma BB but the price is $1590 in the US, not $1150.
Yes that’s true. The alma bb is beautiful – only problem is that the strap is not adjustable and on me, it hangs below my rear-not a good look.
I love the Givenchy and Loeffler Randall bag the most!
Love the Coach and Chanel bags!
Great diverse choices!
My designer bag addiction has found me with no perfect bag and loads of debt convincing myself that “this is the one.” Horribly embarrassing addiction.
I agree, I sold all mine and settled for “the one” being a durable, structured See by Chloe satchel for $350 and and even cheaper Furla bag for documents. Both are as high quality as any other designer bag I’ve ever owned. Never felt better
I agree, Smithy, I bought a Celine Trapeze and had the worst regrets and scared to carry it on the streets of NYC for fear of getting robbed! I finally sold it on eBay, but took a serious hit to my pocketbook for it. Now, I just shop for bags under $500 or less, but it’s still expensive searching for the right bag in the right bag for the right occasion. I hate my addiction.
My first real expensive bag was a Balenciaga and i sold it within a month for a huge loss. Now, I’ve taken to only buying bags used. I’ve never been a person who needs to have the trendy bag *now*… I’ll like a bag for years. So, that patience lends itself to waiting for others to get tired of their it bag. And I snap it up for a considerable discount. Makes it a little easier to swallow.
Thank you for posting this reply. I can so relate to you.
Wow, it’s so sad, when we love our bags and have to worry about getting robbed.
Maybe try selling “mistakes”
Ha! I am a seasoned ebay seller for this very reason.
It’s kind of nuts isn’t it?
Direct working part time512.69$/day::: @1md5.
ii…
http://www.BestworldMedia lncom point.More/Best/jobs…
???????????????????????????????????
mine is mulberry and, oh boy, the leather is looking good as it ages.
My teenaged daughter picked out that exact kate spade Cedar Street Hayden (bigger size) for her first designer bag! Great call!
In slide 6, you mention Meg’s collection. Suggestion: Would it be possible for both of you to post group shots of some of your bags? Would be interesting to learn how you balance your collection (color, size, style, etc).
I started my designerbag collection and addiction 6 years ago with a Loewe Napa Aire bag in black. I loved the design of the bag, the soft leather and its simple design.
Unfortunately, the bag was not practical at all and I have hardly used it. At least I could sell it at a reasonable price. The Loewe was followed by a Gucci New Jackie Hobo in a greenish colour. Also a really nice bag and I got it 50% off in sales which was a brilliant deal. However, although I loved the colour, it did not work with my wardrobe and the bag itself was just a tad too big for my frame. So I also sold this one. It took some time to find out which styles really work for me. I want something that stands out yet is still a classic and can be worn for years. My collection now includes the Chanel Classic Flap as well as the Gucci Soho Disco.
My first was a black Chanel GST with gold hardware, which I bought right after I got a big promotion at work. I loved it and used it nonstop for about four years. Probably has the lowest cost per wear of any bag I’ve ever owned!
This also was my first major purchase. I have the usual suspects, LV, Gucci, Fendi,
Jimmy Choo and Prada. Bought the Chanel GST with gold hardware and love it.
I have that alma bb epi bag and I really really love it
What color do you have? That yellow is a fantastic POP of color for summer!!! Love Alma!!
*Squee* This is my article. Never thought I would ever consider a designer handbag, but then I stumbled upon PB. Oh, you wonderfully informative blog 😛
5 Chanels, 2 Hermes, 3 Prada, 2 Nancy Gonzales, 2 Valentino, 4 LV, 1 Gucci, 2 Fendi, 2 Chloe, 1 Carlos Falchi, 1 D&G, 2 Juidith Lieber, 1 Salvatore Ferragamo, 1 Tod’s, 2 Bottega Veneta and as of yesterday, a newly ordered Mansur Gavriel. (Which I blame solely on PB because of their latest blog) My collection is gluttonous and embarrassing. I kind of cringed looking over my list of bags. To combat my “guilt” I have my best girlfriends come over to my house around the first of the year, and I let them pick a bag for themselves. This helps me feel less self-indulgent and it makes them very happy, which makes me happy too.
I make an excellent friend. Just sayin
I will volunteer to come over and help you feel “less self-indulgent”..hehe!!! 😉
Can I be your friend?:)))
I’m at 58 designer bags.. Yes 58 I have a SERIOUS issue! I ordered 4 Mansur bags in the past 60 days thanks PB! What’s worse is I don’t wear too many for the sake of coworkers/family (especially my mom) saying ANOTHER BAG!! I can’t help myself it’s so bad!! But I love them 🙁
Don’t worry about being judged for your handbags….you like them and that’s all that matters…I look at purse collecting like collecting anything…there are people who collect guns, baseball cards, art, comic books, etc…there’s nothing wrong with collecting handbags. They’re a great accessory and one purse isn’t going to go with all of your outfits so to me a purse is like a piece of jewelry that goes with the outfit…58 purses sounds fine to me! Enjoy them and it’s your money…you can buy whatever you want with it!
Sorry, I got distracted. The whole purpose of my reply was to delight over the Alma BB in the bright yellow. Divine and fresh and fun and helps round out my cross body craving. Parallel bag lives.
We are leading parallel lives! My first designer bag was a Chloe Paddington in grey and it continued to LV, Balenciaga, Chanel, Gucci, Celine, Saint Laurent etc from there. I won’t even count my bags for fear of judging myself. I just love it and although I don’t use many of them I just love looking at them from time to time and dreaming about where I will wear them! They make me happy. Currently on the waiting list for a Kelly and awaiting a delivery tomorrow of a Saint Laurent pick. Have been debating the Gucci Bamboo Shopper as it is so chic. I think the anticipation and dreaming is often better than the purchase itself!
That whole ‘people judging’ is why I’ve taken to liking bags with minimal badging. Generally ones that only other purse aficionados will recognize (and we don’t judge each other because we know “the struggle is real” 🙂
Haha! Thanks Elle 🙂 – it’s a big reason I love the Mansur bags they are low key on the branding but lovely bags to carry. You are too wise – thanks again 🙂
Ladies I would love to sell any of the handbags that are no longer of interest to you. I have a consignment website and my fees are really reasonable as I have no overhead. I too love designer handbags and I share your passion. With the prices going up every few months, why not free up some cash to purchase your next crave. You can find me at http://www.kooklascloset.com or on my ebay store under the same name. Hope to hear from you.
Just checked out your site – No offence, but it needs a lot more work. I can’t see the bags! If we are buying second hand, oops let me correct that, Preloved bags, We really have to be able to see every single details to help us make a decision. Hope this helps and didn’t come across mean as it wasn’t my intention 🙂
If my bag addiction is my greatest weakness, I’m not doing too badly! I remember saving every dime in my late teens (early 1970’s) to buy my first Coach. It was the monetary equivalent of a Birkin in today’s dollars and I still remember the joy I felt carrying it. Now, I joyfully carry a Hermes Jypsiere, a Chanel 2005 reissue, a Valentino, a Jimmy Choo, a Jil Sander, a vintage Lancel, a Tory Burch clutch and a couple of Coach and Dooney & Bourke bags too. It’s been a wonderful 40 years, and I look forward to a several more purse-filled decades!
PS My next bag will be a Gucci Bamboo Shopper. Still mulling over the color choices.
Wilma, I was just thinking you sounded a lot like me until I read your “PS” and then I KNEW you are my bag twin!! Lol!! I remember back “in the day” and my first D&B–you’d have thought I just bought a Kelly!! Sounds like you have a nice mix of bags, and that Gucci Bamboo Shopper will be a PERFECT addition! I was thinking black, but then the Taupe caught my eye, until I saw the Burgundy!! So gorgeous!!
Yeah, I love having a bag twin! I really like the dark red medium shopper.
I don’t have many designer bags, as I spend way too much on clothes. I have a big black Prada tote, which I love, a mini Chloe Paddington, and I just bought a bright blue Balenciaga Town. I also have some vintage bags and one of my favourites is an old green bag from Topshop.
That said there are some nice choices here. I love the Coach one and the Gucci Disco. I’ve always liked the LV Alma but I know that a Speedy would suit my needs better for travelling. I just wish they still sold the EPI version.
No debt at least with me. But Sorry to say that my list of bag differs from this one, specially based on taste, I don’t like Rebecca, I don’t like LV, I don’t like Gucci. I don’t have channel but I have it on my list, I do have Yves Saint Laurent, Fendi, Valentino, Givenchy, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, and some other that are not so expensive but are nice and good quality when it comes to leather.
I started my collection with a grey Chanel Jumbo. I have about 15 bags now that I rotate. I don’t want to get past 20-30 because that would just be buying to buy imo
Hey Amanda ! Just for fun , if you had 6000- 7000 € to spend , buying bags and you’ve got to buy a minimum of 6-7 designer handbags .. which ones would you buy ?
this is the perfect post for me. Have been hanging in the fringes for a while, testing the “baggy” waters, reading up and gathering information…but I am definitely ready now.
I try to keep my “permanent collection” down to 7 bags but it’s really hard! Currently I have 2 Longchamp totes (workhorses that they are), 2 LV bags, 2 beautifully hand made high quality leather bags from Etsy sellers, a Bottega Venetta woven hobo which I rarely wear but my teen daughter will not let me sell and to be honest I will wear when I am shopping higher end shops to not be “invisible” to salespeople ;-). Also a simple Claire V clutch which I use inside some of my bags so yes that’s 8 but I don’t count the clutch as a bag but more like a SLG. All but the Etsy bags are preloved or other people’s regret purchases and I got them all for under $500…yes even the BV THAT was a find! My goal has always been to get great timeless bags at similar price points as a made in China popular brand “crappy” bags- it’s like a hobby. I love the Alma BB but I just can’t seem to wrap my head around the “made with imported materials” new LV and so many purse people lament their quality isn’t what it once was. I have an epi Noe from 1995 that looks NEW still and I use it mostly in the winter in the Northeast. It is so well made and the materials are wonderful!