No matter how old you are or how much money you’re willing (and able) to spend on your first designer handbag, buying said bag can be daunting. For most people, handbags are the foray into the world of luxury, which often means that someone’s first handbag purchase is also their first luxury good purchase in general. While it’s an exciting milestone to hit, the journey is not always smooth—it can be quite bumpy.
With the vast number of brands to choose from and the bags that each one offers, making the right decision can be quite anxiety-provoking. Not to mention, even for those who’ve spent years bitten by the shopping bug, a lot of emotions are wrapped up in breaking a certain spending threshold for the first time. But whether you’re looking to begin a lifelong collecting journey or you’re just hoping to add a few nice bags into your rotation, taking the leap and buying that first bag must be done eventually.
Go With Your Gut
Making the leap into the luxury world often involves a lot of second-guessing. How will I feel making such a big purchase? Will I regret spending X amount of dollars on one item? What if I make the wrong decision? And so on. Of course, I’ve thought about this a lot, as it’s one of the questions I get asked most by those who know what it is I do for a living. I’ve also wondered what it would have been like to start my collecting journey as an adult, or at least not as a pre-teen (I purchased my first Dior Saddle bag at 13!).
The best advice I offer everyone is to go with your gut. Don’t worry about what’s trendy, but on the flip side, don’t worry about what’s classic, either. When it comes to spending advice on fashion items, especially when you’re young and on a budget, oftentimes you’ll read that the only items you should be spending top dollar on are sophisticated, timeless pieces. However, that advice can be counterintuitive if you’re not the type of person whose lifestyle warrants such an item.
Match Your Style
Instead, you should assess your personal style and aesthetic to determine the style of bag you’ll use the most. If you’re more of a sporty, sneakers kind of gal, a Chanel Classic Flap in Nude is probably not the way to go. If the items already in your rotation lend toward the more on-trend side, maybe an embellished bag or a bold color is the right bag for you.
Your first purchase should be one that you’re excited to wear, not one you’re worried about selling for a profit or passing down to your future granddaughter. Again, go with your gut. Try on the bag and look in the mirror. Does it make you feel happy? Will it elicit joy each time you wear it? Those are the only yeses you need to worry about, not whether or not the bag is a classic.
