In today’s installment of Closet Confessionals, we meet a headstrong collector who knows what she likes and what she wants! Hailing from Canada, this handbag lover has a smart approach to bag-buying (and selling), continuously streamlining her collection to include smart, timeless pieces that she truly enjoys. After buying more trendy pieces that didn’t hold much resale value, this confessor has sold off bags that she no longer used in the past to slowly pare down her collection as she’s not looking to “run a museum”. Over the last few years, she has slowly fallen in love with all Bottega everything after realizing the brand’s DNA effortlessly melds with her own personal style. A true bag lover at the core who buys what she wants and tries not to be influenced by others, this CC is refreshingly honest and relatable! Read the full confessional below and don’t forget to submit your own!
[sc_cc_callout]The Basics
Age: 33
Gender Identity: Female
Location: Montreal, Canada
Occupation: Marketing Specialist
Industry: Fashion
Salary: $60,000
Household Income: $140,000
The Bags
Are you a PurseForum member? Yes
How many bags do you own? Well at the moment only 8, but that’s due to the fact that I sold quite a few in the last 6 months. I really wanted to narrow down my collection to bags that I’m actually going to use on a frequent basis (I’m not running a museum here), but that are also timeless pieces as well.
What bags are in your collection?
– Balenciaga Nano Neo Classic City in Blacked out Croc.
– Bottega Veneta Clip in Black w/Gold Hardware.
– Bottega Veneta Mini Jodie in Ice Cream Yellow.
– Bottega Veneta Mini Jodie in Grass Green.
– Bottega Veneta Pouch 20 in Swimming Pool Blue.
– Bottega Veneta Large Pouch in Caramel Intrecciato.
– Bottega Veneta Large Pouch in Black Intrecciato.
– Prada Nylon Pouch Clutch in Papaya Orange.
How much is your collection worth? $26,600 CAD
What is your most expensive bag? Well I suppose it’s a tie between my Bottega Clip bag and my two large Bottega intrecciato Pouches, since they’re all the exact same price. I want to mention that these bags were all bought directly from the boutique and not second hand or online whatsoever. It was important to me that, because these bags are all handmade and unique, I got the most perfectly shaped ones possible. I’m a very visual person and a perfectionist to boot, so any little flaw would bother me. I notice everything! Haha
What are the most important brands or pieces in your collection? Well surprise, surprise, it’s CLEARLY Bottega Veneta! As of the last few years at least. Daniel Lee’s designs really changed the game for me, and just essentially embodied my exact style the way it’s been since I was a teenager! Very effortlessly simple “cool-girl” style mixed with bohemian flare. I don’t particularly gravitate towards anything gaudy or [that] screams tacky – for instance that logo-mania trend a few yrs back really killed me. So that’s what I appreciate about Bottega Veneta, you’re not distracted by logos or crazy hardware; it’s all about the shapes and beautiful craftsmanship.
What age did you get your first designer bag, and what was it? Not sure how young I was, maybe 14 or so, I was gifted a Dooney & Bourke white charm shoulder bag for my birthday. But when I truly think of my first real designer bag, it’s my Louis Vuitton Pochette Bosphore in Damier Ebene I purchased myself with my first paycheck from my first job. When I grew tired of it, I ended up giving it to my mom who was always obsessed with it. So I guess you could say it’s still in the family!
Is there a specific bag you are looking to purchase next? I feel I’ve spent a lot of money on bags in the last 7 months, so I might take a good break till fall – but I have to say I’m slightly in love with the new softer version of the Balenciaga Neo City bag with the green Balenciaga charm! I would love to get that bag in the washed out navy, medium size since I already own a nano. I have a soft spot for Balenciaga since I used to own 6 City bags and a few large envelope clutches over ten years ago. They’re just the epitome of cool, and I honestly regret selling a couple to this day.
Any particular bag that holds a special sentimental value? It’s a nice thought, but I really don’t attach sentimental feelings for handbags like I once did. I think if I did then my collection would be outrageously large and wasteful, shall we say?… as I’ve mentioned previously, I don’t want a bag museum, I want a collection that’s practical and current. If there’s a bag that I haven’t used in the last 8-12 months, and I know I most likely won’t be reaching for it in the near future, then I’ll sell it and maybe fund a future purchase that I know I’ll get a ton more use out of!
Do you feel like your bags change people’s perceptions of you or how you’re treated? Well it depends where I am to be honest. If I’m traveling then I would say most definitely! Here in Montreal though, it’s a hit or a miss. If you’re downtown then I’ll get people who will know what brand of bag I’m wearing, and then by default treat me differently I guess. But there’s many places in Montreal where I’m certain people have no clue what I’m carrying so there’s no difference. Either way I don’t care if people notice or not, because I’m not wearing a bag for people to gawk at me, I’m wearing it because I love it and it makes me feel empowered and “on”.
The Shopping
How often do you buy new bags? Whenever I feel inspired by a piece! It’s usually not for a specific occasion or anything, just when something tugs on my heartstrings.
Which stores do you frequent the most? Well here in Canada our designer boutiques are in a widely known department store called Holt Renfrew, so I go there the most. But other than that I really love online shops such as Matchesfashion, Mytheresa and Net-a-Porter.
Do you ever buy second-hand bags? Where do you buy used? I have in the past but I’m not into that anymore. It really takes the whole beautiful experience of buying the bag brand new from the boutique all wrapped up and everything, ya know? I’m aware it’s superficial, but it somehow makes the bag feel more special to me. That being said though, if I ever happen to run into a Balenciaga apple green city in good condition, all that special crap goes out the window. That bag has been a bit of a holy grail to me.
Do you sell old bags to pay for new purchases? As I’ve said, yes at times if it’s a bag that’s not being used and doesn’t really hold a specific purpose in my collection, I’ll sell to fund another bag that will. Usually I’ll sell to friends.
Do you ever feel societal pressure to purchase more bags? Look, I can’t pretend that social media doesn’t play a small part in my handbag purchases, BUT it’s what’s most important at the end of the day. The problem with Instagram, for instance, is that there could be a bag that every other influencer has been gifted or whatever, and the more frequently they push the bag down our throats, the more I actually get unenthused. Ironically the whole marketing scheme that some brands use to bring in younger generations, actually backfires because they oversaturate the product. It’s like that catchy song you hear on the radio, and then by the end of the month you want to pull the hair right outta your head out if you have to hear that damn song one more time.
Do you consider your bag purchases investments? Yes, yes and YES. I didn’t use to in the past, but as I entered my thirties I became more financially aware of my purchases and wanted to make them last! I was really caught up with Chloé bags 4-5 yrs ago and would spend thousands on them, only to realize that I would grow tired of them just as fast as the trends lasted. They also held not much resale value. This is the main reason I invested so much in my Bottega Collection, they’re bags that, while trendy at th moment, have all the potential to be timeless pieces long after the hype wears down. They’re investment pieces for a thousand reasons and nobody can convince me otherwise.
Who influences your buying decisions? Nobody. I beat to my own drum and I like what I like. Period. Not to sound narcissistic, but I’m my own celebrity! I value my style and opinion above what any influencer or famous person could portray. I think that’s how everyone should be, no? DO YOU!
Are sales associate relationships instrumental to your shopping? Not at all, but I have to say that I absolutely love my SA at Bottega Veneta and she makes the whole experience so much more enjoyable. She’s the coolest SA I’ve seen in all my years of buying bags.
Why do you enjoy shopping, beyond just acquiring something new? I’m not a shopaholic, but the potential is definitely there if I’m not mindful haha. Who doesn’t love shopping and the whole experience right?! It’s like a high! Mostly short-lived but it’s still thrilling.
Have you ever felt like you received inferior service at a store or boutique due to your appearance, ethnicity or gender? No I can’t say that I have thankfully. Sad to say, but the reality is that I’m a white woman with dark blonde hair and usually look put together; usually people like myself don’t have many issues if I’m being brutally honest. I can’t imagine the toll it must take on some other people who go through those types of experiences, just awful for your soul.
The Money
Who pays for your bags? Myself usually, or a lot of the time my boyfriend because he knows it’s my guilty pleasure.
Do you set aside a budget for your bag purchases? No not at all. The thing is I don’t really care to spend unnecessary amounts of money on designer clothes or shoes, so it’s always just been bags for me. Like I said before, it’s my guilty pleasure! Well, that and furniture.
The Taboo Topics
Have you ever purchased a counterfeit because you couldn’t afford a designer item? Yes! I’ll always remember buying a dupe Marc Jacobs Stam bag on eBay when it was first released. I couldn’t afford the authentic one but I lusted so hard I pulled the trigger on the fake. It taught me a lesson though, because I found after wearing it to work and school a few times I realized that I felt like a fake myself. It was such a great dupe that nobody around me could spot the difference, but that’s not what mattered to me, what mattered was that I KNEW and it made me not appreciate the bag at all.
Do you ever hide purchases from your significant other? I don’t care to hide anything. He would inevitably see it anyways and ask where I got it so…. don’t know how that would work.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve done to afford a bag? I wish I had some really funny, entertaining story to share but in reality I got nothin’ lol
Do you think your shopping is ever a problem? Have you ever felt like you were struggling with a shopping addiction? Like I previously mentioned, in the past a bit, but now I’m pretty careful on what I buy and I put a lot of thought behind my purchases typically. Impulse buying is a killer to the wallet and the only way I avoid that is to take a week or so to really mull it over, and if I’m still as obsessed after that, than I know I truly want it and it’s worth it.
The Rest Of It
Any other expensive hobbies or passions? Lately, furniture and jewelry. But I love vintage pieces the most so it doesn’t get TOO crazy. Some necklaces I have in mind though are in the 9k region though so… we’ll see.
Anything else you would like to include? If I were to give any advice whatsoever to younger readers, it would be to not get caught up in the social media game where it’s always about “the next best thing”. Trust me, you’ll regret it and end up wasting a lot of energy and money. Put thought behind your purchases and make sure you really love the bag FOR YOU and your lifestyle, and not just because you saw Hailey Bieber wear it.
Hardly a Bottega Veneta devotee when her collection was almost just from one line. More like a hoarder.
Also if those are her only bags, I dont think they would add up to 26k CAD.
I think the point he/she is trying to make is that on the resale market, the collection likely will not fetch $26K (even if it’s CAD). Resale value is how most collectors would define as the “value” of their collection.
Yea I don’t agree with this sorry. If somebody ask you straight up what your collection is worth, well that’s the price you paid for all these bags combined! But I’m going to be honest and say that even if you were correct, I’ve sold some BV bags in the last 6 months and I always got exactly what I payed for them if not MORE! Bottega bags are actually an investment. There’s many credible sites that state this, one that comes to mind is Forbes https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/abinlot/2020/10/01/dior-and-bottega-veneta-make-the-hottest-investment-handbags-according-to-inaugural-rebag-clair-report/amp/
I don’t agree. I have no idea what my bags would be on the resale market so I would list the price I paid. If we are talking about Birkin’s, for instance, the price can be 2 or 3 times what I paid; It would be grossly misleading to value them at these ridiculous prices.
Yea that’s exactly right. You could get what you paid or much less depending on where you sell so it makes little sense.
Didn’t realize I put anonymous when I wrote this up, but yes my collection is worth that much you can do the research yourself. I payed all full price for my bags in the boutique and it adds up to around $24500-26000. Also, I’m the opposite of a hoarder because had I not been practical and sold some bags due to underuse, my collection would be so large from over the years I would need a second closet! Lol but thx for the input ??
We mark every Closet Confessional as anonymous, just because we find that is the best way to handle it! Sometimes the CC will come forward (like you did here!).
I don’t think it falls into the definition of hoarder at all either… plus that would then make me have a major major problem haha
Oh I didn’t even realize! I thought it was an option to maybe put your name and I just perhaps missed it. Wrote it pretty early in the morning so you never know haha
That cranky person hardly deserves your explanation.
Doesn’t bother me at all! Maybe others will feel the same so I thought I’d clear some things up that’s all.
I’m sorry I couldn’t help but roll my eyes and laugh at this BS confession. I know this girl, she dates guys and gets them to buy her bags. She is a rampant narcissist that consistently drills on about how she is her own inspiration, lies about the bags she’s had in the past and her IG followers are fake (1-4 likes a post with 1k+ followers @whiterosesintherain lol please) she’s bought plenty of fake bags Balenciaga and bottega and exaggerates to the point of sickness. She buys and returns bags at Holt renfrew all the time so she can post and LOOK like she can afford these bags. She a condescending woman that puts other women down all the time, making fun of their “tacky cheap outfits, ugly hair, fake bags) when we worked together, everyone in the office HATED her. Leeching off her parents lying about every aspect of her life. I was so happy when she “relocated” due to complaints. Biggest fraud that looks down on others constantly. She’s pathetic, just a shell of a person
I loved this! Sounds like someone I would love to shop with. My favorite quote is now “I’m wearing it because I love it and it makes me feel empowered and “on”.
That’s really sweet thank you!
She’s straight forward and confident. I liked her and enjoyed reading this!
Thank you!
Love her honesty and compassion.
I don’t think I could keep my collection that small especially when 1/3 of the bags are the same (as beautiful as they are) but props to OP for knowing what she likes!
I also really relate to needing to inspect the bags in person first. I will obsess over a small thing while other people would’t even notice. Drives me crazy >.<
Well my collection was really large a couple yrs back and I found I was just reaching for the same like 5 bags over and over and would neglect the others! So when 2020 hit, it got me re-evaluating my whole bag buying process, pros and cons etc… not to mention I just bought a house not long before and that’s where a lot of my money was going; not on purses that I would wear maybe 3 times a year. And the inspection aspects drive me absolute bonkers as well haha
I LOVE this! I find it hard to pair down my collection even though I don’t use some of my bags anymore. I’ve gotten better selling old clothes but I always have this fear that I’ll miss a bag when it’s gone, even if I haven’t used it in years. Thanks for sharing your confessional with us!
Well sellers remorse is definitely a real thing! Trust me I’ve had a few bags over the years that I wish I could’ve made a different decision at the time but you know, it is what is is. That’s why nowadays I go with my gut and really think it over for a few weeks before actually selling. 9/10 times though it’s always the right decision and I nvr end up missing said bag. Plus I can use those funds to purchase another bag that I KNOW I’ll love more and gets tons more usage!
I feel the point about resale value so hard. I have about 5 bags that are contemporary rather than designer brands (like Loeffler Randall, Rebecca Minkoff, original retail between $400-500) that I would like to sell, but they’re worth almost nothing on Poshmark. Even though I bought them on sale, it still stings that I can’t get anything for them. It makes me want to invest in timeless designer bags that aren’t trend pieces, that will hold their value if I get tired of them.
Would strongly recommend doing your research before you buy a luxury bag because if you’re having trouble with the concept of losing $300-$400 on a contemporary bag, then the cost of selling a luxury bag would often exceed that. Reselling a luxury bag more often than not would result in a loss even higher than $300-$400, with consignment stores taking a significant commission. If you try to sell it yourself be prepared to lower the price because unless you have a very public established platform ( YouTube) then get ready to deal with all the headache of selling (scammers, lowball offers, shipping and insurance, fielding multiple requests). I will end it with only a few bags (handful) actually go up in price in the store but you will still more likely lose money if you were to sell it after a few years after all the selling cost -assuming you’re actually able to keep the bag in decent shape. So many variables need to line up for you to not lose money on the resale market!!! Trust me i had to learn the hard way!!
This is very informative, thank you. I don’t buy many and I never plan on selling any because I don’t want to put myself through worrying about little wear and tear here and there in anticipation of selling them. Hearing about the hassle of selling confirms that what I am doing works for me.:)
I would love to know what the author thinks about the Padded Cassette. I think they have made some great buying decisions as far as sticking to the traditional Bottega Veneta weave mixed with the new silhouette. Wondering if they feel the Padded Cassette is too trendy. I would love your opinion on it since you know a lot about Bottega. Thanks!
Love this!