In today’s installment of the beloved Closet Confessionals we meet a Gucci-obsessed Mom, whose bag collection began with Dooney & Bourke when she was just 14. Though her tastes and brand obsessions have evolved, she’s still brand loyal to her first love, and has as many Dooney bags as she does Gucci! Many of you can likely relate to her experience with poor treatment when shopping at premier designer boutiques as she’s often been the victim of racial discrimination. She wishes that sales associates would’t profile her based on looks. Though her collection comes in at over 50 bags, it was once even bigger! Her attitude towards purchasing her bags is simple, yet important: “no bag, or anything else for that matter, is worth financial instability. So please everyone, enjoy in moderation.” Read the full CC below!
[sc_cc_callout]The Basics
Age: 41
Gender Identity: Female
Location: Oakland / Bay Area, CA
Occupation: Attorney / College Professor – both part time, approx 15 hours per week, Full time mom
Industry: Higher Education / Law / Home
Salary: $50,000
Household Income: $200,000
The Bags
Are you a PurseForum member? Yes (immigraty)
How many bags do you own? 50+ [this is what I tell my Fiancee]
What bags are in your collection? Mostly Gucci, about 80% of my Collection, Dooney & Bourke makes up about 15%, the other 5% are mix of Burberry, Prada, Louis Vuitton and Coach
How much is your collection worth? $40,000
What is your most expensive bag? I have several Gucci Python bags, I believe the most expensive of which is $4,500
What are the most important brands or pieces in your collection? I absolutely LOVE Gucci [leather and python/exotic skin, NOT mono] I love Gucci style and selection, you don’t see the same things over and over year after year. They are also high quality bags, especially leather. Also I love Gucci signature hardware [bamboo, stirrup, horsebit] that make Gucci, GUCCI!
My contemporary love is Dooney & Bourke, the craftsmanship is almost unmatched, even among many premiere designers.
What age did you get your first designer bag, and what was it? I was 14 as a gift I received a Dooney & Bourke leather cross body with the large duck, still one of the faves of my collection. Still have it, still in impeccable condition. Dooney quality is beyond compare.
Any particular bag that holds a special sentimental value? Dooney, as it’s my first handbag love, and still speaks to my heart, although I’ve moved from pebbled leather to the Alto collection, I absolutely LOVE Dooney & Bourke.
Do you feel like your bags change people’s perceptions of you or how you’re treated? Absolutely they do. I am a Black / African American female, so often times if I walk into a store I’m not greeted and approached as quickly as my white counterparts, if at all.
However if I walk in the store with a Gucci bag, I am greeted quickly, also, my bags always receives many compliments, and of course the question of designer, when I say Gucci I get one of two things, either looked at more favorably because I am able to afford a premiere designer [a large number of them] or more negatively, as if I’m one of “those” girls.
[sc_ic_ad1]The Shopping
How often do you buy new bags? The frequency with which I purchase handbags depends greatly on what I like. With Gucci for instance, I was a huge Frida fan, not so much with Alessandro. I found myself purchasing 3-4 bags per month [sometimes more] whereas under the new regime, I’ve purchased approximately 3-4 bags total since 2016.
Which stores do you frequent the most? Gucci Boutique and Outlet stores and Bloomies are the stores I will make specific plans to visit, any other store is out of convenience.
Do you ever buy second-hand bags? Where do you buy used? I have purchased second hand bags, mostly older bags that are no longer sold in stores. I have gone to high end consignment shops, or rarely on websites.
Do you sell old bags to pay for new purchases? When I decided to scale back my handbag collection [which was once 3+ times bigger than what it is now] I sold many bags, not necessarily to purchase new bags [which I ended up doing] but to get rid of them and get a little pocket change at the same time. I sold them on eBay, Poshmark, and Mercari.
Do you ever feel societal pressure to purchase more bags? Never. Society does not fund my handbag purchases, so it therefore has no bearing on my decision to make said purchases.
Do you consider your bag purchases investments? No, they are not investments. I buy them because I like them and want them, not for some financial return in the future.
Who influences your buying decisions? Myself. I buy what I like, and wear what I like.
Are sales associate relationships instrumental to your shopping? No. In the past they have been, but more recently I do not purchase nearly enough handbags to warrant having an SA I contact regularly.
Why do you enjoy shopping, beyond just acquiring something new? I love beautiful things. I love to have the perfect handbag to compliment my outfit etc.
Have you ever felt like you received inferior service at a store or boutique due to your appearance, ethnicity or gender? Absolutely, as previously stated, I am a Black / African American female. And often times I am not the client who is “rushed” when I come into the door.
I also ride motorcycles [crotch rockets] so I have shopped for bags with my backpack, du-rag, and riding gear on. I will often have to visit 3-4 stores before someone is willing to help me. And I ensure those are times where I have at least two purchases [preferably more] to make, so that SA gets a grand commission. People should not judge a book by its cover.
I have a Platinum AmEx with no pre-set spending limit, and I’m not afraid to use it.
The Money
Who pays for your bags? My fiancee and I pool our resources, it’s all “our” money. So I will have to say both of us. Prior to us being together, purchased my own, or received them as gifts.
Do you set aside a budget for your bag purchases? No budget necessary. By the grace of God I’m able to afford my handbags, we have good savings, and retirement and investment accounts. Not to mention I don’t shop with the great frequency I once did. However; once I make the decision to pull the trigger on this Hermes Birkin 40 cm Himalayan Croco bag, I will be saving for several years though, lol.
[sc_ic_ad2]The Taboo Topics
Have you ever purchased a counterfeit because you couldn’t afford a designer item? NEVER. I don’t support fakes. It’s better to get pre-owned if you want a lesser price. PLUS, fakes are still kind of expensive, at least too expensive to have it disintegrate when you carry it in the rain. In addition, the proceeds from fakes often fund undesirable activities such as human trafficking, terrorist activities etc.
Do you ever hide purchases from your significant other? No, he knows what I buy, we discuss it before I purchase. He still can’t wrap his mind around the cost, but the agreement is, he says nothing about my bags, I say nothing about his very expensive habit of restoring classic cars.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve done to afford a bag? Nothing crazy.
Do you think your shopping is ever a problem? Have you ever felt like you were struggling with a shopping addiction? Never. I love getting a good deal though, but no bag, or anything else for that matter, is worth financial instability. So please everyone, enjoy in moderation. It’s hard to enjoy your bags if you get kicked out because you can’t pay your rent/mortgage, phone/lights are cut off, or bill collectors won’t stop calling.
The Rest Of It
Any other expensive hobbies or passions? I love to travel. We travel often, but also enjoy just being together with our 2.5 year old son and 1 year old English Bulldog.
Anything else you would like to include? I love the PurseForum, good to find a community of people as obsessed with bags as I am.
I loved the part where she said “society does not fund my handbag purchases”. Plus I love that she sticks to brands that she loves, and that work well with her. All together CC 31 sounds like fun to hang out with. ?
I sympathize with the discrimination. I am also discriminated against if my clothes don’t meet up with the approval of the SA’s. And, I noticed one time that I was discriminated against when I drove up in my Honda as opposed to when my husband comes with me in his Mercedes.
I related to this article especially the discrimination. I can walk the entire store before someone approaches. But if I have one of my higher end bag I get the hello’s, would you like some water, etc. And the part of being judged by the bag. But I love she has her go to bags and no one influences what she likes.
I enjoy reading the CCs but this one feels the most earnest. I’ve felt like a few have exaggerated a bit much in their handbag history. I own a few Dooney bags and I have to totally agree with her in the quality and craftsmanship of Dooney and Bourke, it is incomparable.
I appreciate her candor and obviously her love of bags, especially Gucci! Gucci may not be a brand popular with the masses, but I enjoy the eclectic artistic designs. However, re: her response about “receiving inferior services…” I can relate despite that I’m not African American. When I shop I typically wear leggings and a casual shirt, but carry a designer bag since that is my comfort level. I have seen S.A.’s look me up and down, when they think I’m not looking, as though I dress down to afford my bags. Nevertheless, I have walked into high end stores and been completely ignored despite there are 3-4 S.A. who are busy talking amongst themselves. It’s hard to ignore me since I’m 5’10, but I feel invisible. Often, if I want to look at a bag I have to interrupt their busy conversation to be shown a bag. I would hope that the poor treatment has nothing to do with race, but I know that it has happened to me more times than I like. Thus, I refuse to purchase at stores that treat ppl poorly.
I disagree with you when you say “Gucci isn’t popular with the masses” it most definitely is. Especially in the younger demographic.
Actually, I said “Gucci may not be a brand popular with the masses”. I did not say “Gucci isn’t popular with the masses” as you stated. There is a difference. I don’t want my words or meaning to be misconstrued. Thx!
Ok “Gucci isn’t AS popular with the masses” there. Still not correct either way it’s stated.
Bryan: You misread what I wrote. Again, “may not” is what I said. You said “isn’t”, which I did not say. “May not” allows for flexibility and “isn’t” is a concrete, inflexible, rigid statement of fact. Also, by stating “still not correct either way” is diminishing and dismissive of my opinion and makes your opinion fact, when it is not. I’m not sure of the reason you feel the need to yell at me through Caps when we haven’t even had the pleasure of meeting. It would be more gracious of you to simply admit you were wrong without attacking me and going on the defensive. I truly hope your day is pleasant!
Insert eyeroll here.
Ha! If Bryan read correctly Candee wouldn’t need to call him out! Obviously, he misunderstood and continued to verbally attack her, but was too proud to admit his error.
Oh lord. TLDR Goodnight Moon!
You are such a misogynist. It clearly shows in the way you respond to women!
Nah. For me to be one I’d have to know if it was a man or a woman and with vague, nondescript usernames, you can’t tell who is what gender! Lol.
Sigh….
I have to agree with you. Profiling indeed exists but SA’s can be quite unhelpful depending on how you look. Rest assured, they reserve their bad behavior for the non-glamorously
made up customer.
Let’s not always assume these SA’s are profiling or discriminating. Keep in mind that they are glorified sales clerks and only a few true professionals do justice to their job these days.
They are rude and at times completely ignore you.
It’s happened to me several times. So awkward and unprofessional on their part.
Yes except when you’re a black or brown person you don’t have the privilege of assuming that.
I loved reading this woman’s confessional!!! She’s living her best life. I love how much she supports Dooney. D&B is a fabulous brand.
People are so quick to pull the race card not realizing that there could be many other reasons for someone’s behavior. If you always make it about race, it’ll stay being about race.
This is why you’ll never get to be a writer on this blog, I hope you know. You leave the nastiest and most misogynistic comments on almost every post.
As I’ve answered before, it’s not misogynistic if it’s not targeted towards a woman. When I say something, the persons gender has nothing to do with it. Also because I can’t even tell if it’s a man or a woman based on a screen name.
Spoken clearly from someone who has never had to deal with the issue
I appreciate that you responded. No-one can relate to the experiences of an African American, specifically, if they are not African American. We can all discuss our own experiences as they relate to discrimination by S.A.’s re: how we might dress, what car we drive, what bag we carry and all of these opinions are valid because they are our experiences. However, to ignore someone’s experiences based on their race is condescending, elitist and disrespectful. The rigidity and mindset re: “it’ll stay about race” clearly shows how much isn’t known about the struggles that African Americans encounter, perhaps on a daily basis.
Very well said. Even non-black people of color can relate, as numerous studies and stats show that black people are often treated worse than non-black people of color. So, to have a non black POC question the “race card” and experiences of black folks…well, suffice it to say, I don’t weigh it as highly.
Spoken by someone that’s both not white and not heterosexual, actually. So I know a thing or two about discrimination. Crazy how the whole assumption thing works right? Weird.
You can’t speak for CC’s experiences, and it’s not your place to try.
Not trying. At all actually as I never spoke on any of mine. Nor am I comparing. I’m simply saying that women of colour aren’t the only ones that can experience discrimination and thinking so is rather…. ignorant to the world as far as discrimination goes.
Not true, you discussed the “race card” which Nakia apparently found offensive, as I’m sure many other people did as well. From what Nakia and the author of this article were referencing were the experiences and discrimination of African American women, only. That is the part you missed. Also, you did speak about yourself and you did make comparisons. You stated “Spoken by someone that’s both not white and not heterosexual”. Then,” So I know a thing or two about discrimination”. Since you are not an African American woman you DO NOT know their experiences because you have not lived them. You have only lived your experiences and cannot speak to theirs. This shows disrespect and exhibits narcissistic and misogynistic behaviors. Your dismissive remarks for their concerns are a good reason to offer an apology to avoid continuing to look uncaring, self absorbed and self centered.
(????
Your reply is powerful and thought provoking! I agree that Bryan can only speak about his individual experiences…not CC’s, not Nakia’s, etc. It’s egocentric to think otherwise.
More enjoyable to read than many of the others. Loved her honesty about Dooney & Bourke bags.
Question the race comments being the reason for rude treatment in stores. I dress well, carry expensive bags, am not a minority and usually have to demand attention to get help………
Sometimes it’s what a person is wearing and sometimes it IS their race. It depends on the situation. But to say you question the race comments being the reason for rude treatment is unfair. Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn’t. And as a black woman I would say that you really have to be on the receiving end to really know. And I’ve been on the receiving end all my life.
Say it again please. When your privileged, you don’t understand and no one is asking you to, but just because it’s not your experience doesn’t mean it’s untrue. Let’s keep it light and fun, starting to wonder of maybe that question should be removed. Most of the no discrimination replies come from people who that simply just isn’t their personal experience. Yet when someone of color says it, it’s always questioned. It’s frustrating, I get that it’s not your experience and that’s ok, but you become condescending when you question something you absolutely nothing about.
No, it shouldn’t be removed. People need to be educated, and an open (and friendly) discussion is one way to allow that to occur. Have a great day!
For a minute I thought I was reading about myself, then I remembered that I didn’t fill out a survey! LOL! I started out with Dooney and Bourke as well, then Gucci. I’m still a lover of the brand, although I prefer their shoes over their bags.
It’s a shame that there are still SAs who don’t understand the difference between discriminating taste and just plain discrimination. Good to have the first; bad (and stupid) to have the second. I enjoyed this CC. I have one Gucci bag (from the Tian collection) and several pairs of Gucci shoes — their loafers are classics that easily stand the test of time — but it’s not a brand that calls to me year in and year out. I would be curious to find out which collections she really loved and which didn’t resonate as much. I have a soft spot for the bamboo too. I remember a woman in velvet jeans, a great cashmere sweater, Tods loafers and a vintage chocolate leather Gucci backpack with the bamboo handle sitting next to me in a Brussels cafe and me thinking, dang, she looks GOOOOD.
So lame to hear all these stories of people being ignored by SAs for any/all reasons! Like, their job is customer service and don’t they make commission too? They should be earnest! Anyone who walks into the store is, potentially, a current or future customer, so make them feel welcome! Especially since I know super wealthy people who dress/live like hermits because they don’t care for material/luxury things, so you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover! Also a few weeks ago at the restaurant I work at, a super nice and low maintenance couple bought less than $20 worth of food and tipped $100. When we asked them if they made a mistake on the receipt, the woman replied, “no, that’s correct! I just wanted to!” That’s just another example that you can’t judge a book by it’s cover and that you should give good service to all customers/patrons!
Having said that, I don’t make a lot of money (and I think it’s evident by my appearance) and I would feel nervous walking into a luxury shop because I would worry that the SAs could tell that I don’t belong.
….. Okay, once I needed to buy leather conditioner for a vintage Coach bag, so I marched into the Coach store like I knew exactly what I was doing and the SAs were super nice to me. I know that’s not considered truly luxury, so maybe if I was in a higher-end store, I would have been ignored?
(I am thinking out loud, as they say.)
Your comment re: that you “would worry that the SAs could tell that (you) don’t belong) is wrong. 🙂 Of course, you “belong”! Walk into any store with the confidence that you “own it” and browse or purchase to your heart’s content. I browse in Dior, YSL, Gucci, Hermes, Chanel ,etc. While the bags are expensive I can still enjoy them and ask to try them on. Who knows, you could be a future buyer. Also, let the SA’s think what they want, who cares? They don’t define you and their looks are meaningless. I stopped caring about what SA’s thought years ago. 🙂
Aahhhhhh, I mean’t “its cover,” not “it’s cover.” My b.
I LOVE Dooney and agree that their quality rivals the most expensive designer bags costing far,far more.
May I ask what sales associates prefer to be called? 🙂
(in reference to your comment about not liking the term “SA”)
Shout out for Dooney! They are so well made!! I have expensive designer bags and I have Dooney and Coach bags too. The Dooneys are solid! I was so glad to see the duck making a comeback. Kudos to you girl for keeping your first! I wish I had.
she want to be triggered