For some people, a handbag seems like a superfluous, superficial thing that is merely meant to carry our belongings from place to place. Of course, there are varying levels of this view, with some caring what their bag looks or feels like a bit more but not really giving it much thought beyond its function. Then, there are those like us, whose bags feel like extensions of themselves, making the choice of what to carry feel a lot more thought out and very personal.
While I’ve never been in a position to be gifted a bag or luxury goods at all, for that matter, I typically budget and save for them myself. Still, I’ve always daydreamed about how exciting it must be on a birthday or during the holiday season, or even ‘just because’ to see a Bottega Green, Louis Vuitton Saffron Yellow, Prada Blue, or whatever color box you’d wish to open up sitting there with your name on it. The anticipation of what lies beneath the hue of your dreams all wrapped up in a pretty bow that reads the name of your favorite designer. Ahh, a dream…right?
The older I get, the more personal I find my handbags to be, and I pine over my purchasing, painstakingly analyzing the various styles I want and the sizes and colors that are offered. The bag itself is about more than just the bag, it’s about the process, and it’s an intimate process at that. Most purses today cost a pretty penny, and unless the giver is completely sure the bag is truly the “one,” personally I think it’s better to air on the side of caution and offer to take your loved one shopping or buy them a gift card for what you’re comfortable spending.
From the receiver’s perspective, how disappointing would it be to open up something pricey that you don’t really love? Personally, the thought of being disappointed and the anxiety I would feel about not really liking something so expensive but not wanting to hurt the giver’s feelings by saying something is enough for me to really question the idea of luxury goods as gifts. On the flip side, though, is there really any gift more sentimental than a purse for a collector if it goes right? For now, I’d say proceed with caution on all fronts.
What do you think? Would you let someone pick out a bag for you as a gift? Or is a handbag an item that you’d rather select yourself?
I’m too picky. Just get me a gift card, and I’ll buy it myself.
Mostly because I do NOT like black handbags. That’s usually a go-to for most people. Not me. Give me all of the colors!
I hear you! I’ve become quite the color queen myself these days.
Same here. Love all colors of the rainbow and pink is my favorite. If someone listens to me he/she will know what bag to get me especially if he/she reads my wish list taped on top of my bed’s headboard. But then again if it comes in a big huge hermes orange box il be extremely happy with it no matter the design or color is. My love for bags has actually extended to my bff. I gift him one every christmas (not an expensive one usually casual canvas backpacks).
My husband has given me three luxury bags, all as Christmas gifts. The first two were surprises in the sense that I wasn’t expecting him to give me a bag on either occasion, but the bags themselves were not surprising because both were styles I’d openly admired while with him.
The third bag, which was my Christmas gift this past year, was a total surprise! My knee-jerk reaction when I opened it was that I should exchange it for something less expensive and more practical. It’s a beautiful bag, but I was worried it might be a little “out of my league” style-wise. However, after talking it over with some nice people on the PurseForum, and frantically watching every YouTube bag review I could find, I decided to keep it. I haven’t had many chances to use it yet due to Covid, but I enjoy looking at it and I think I’ll get a lot of use out of it in the years to come. In a way, the fact that it’s something I never would’ve purchased for myself makes it more special to me. 🙂
You know many of us are curious what bag, but great story! 🙂
Oh sorry! It is a Louis Vuitton Capucines BB, in black. He knows me well enough to know black is always the best bet for me!
My sister-in-law bought me a matte alligator hermes wallet for a special birthday. While it wasn’t something I would buy for myself, I decided to keep it and every time I take it out of my handbag I think of her with love.
That sounds stunning! What a lovely gift 🙂
It depends on the person. If you know me then you know what to choose. Also, I may receive a bag that I may like that will now be part of my wheelhouse. There times when you can branch out and a gift is a great way to broaden your palate
I would almost always prefer to pick for myself, but there are a couple of people who know my likes well enough to hit the mark pretty consistently.
Yes, I would, but only if the giver was picking from a short list of bags they knew I liked/wanted (and in the colors/leather that I liked). Otherwise no — well, ok, maybe, IF they truly wouldn’t be offended if I returned/exchanged the bag. But I would rather the giver (most likely my husband) said he wants to buy me a bag and we pick it out together. Note: we tried that once at LV but I didn’t see any bags in stock that I really wanted, so we ended up buying a bag for him instead! 🙂
I received as a gift a handbag (something non premium designer ) from the company’s partner’s wife ( excuse my english not native ) and pleasently surprised had the exchange ticket gift so … i used the money to buy gifts for my husband , my daughter and my son 😅 was a beautiful handbag and expensive but i knew that i won’t wear it … its a matter of control with what i like and i wear and sometimes i judge myself for being like that 🙃
Only my mother and significant other are possibly buying me a bag. Fortunately I spend the year telling them about the exact purses I want. So they know my style. But I get the hesitation from anyone else that is trying to buy me a luxury handbag (no one).
nope. once I sent my husband a list with five bags that I would like for my birthday, because I like being semi-surprised, and also I wanted the gift coming from him to be something that he also likes, and EVEN THEN, in the month between when I sent him the links, and my actual bday, I guess my mind changed a little and I was still disappointed in the choice he made, there was another that I would have preferred, but I felt like I couldn’t exchange it or it would have hurt his feelings/ discouraged him from ever buying a bag for me again.
That’s exactly the feeling I would want to avoid!
No, like you said, it’s so personal.
I am way to picky for someone in my family to buy me a handbag. BUT! I would trust my daughter, and a couple of my fashion conscious girlfriends to buy me a handbag….not luxury because that would be an experience I’d myself. This was a hard question! Lol
Ha! I know…it is a tricky one!
Hahahaha. It’s like you want to let someone buy something for your but you are like….eehhhhhh ahhh yeah, nah I’m good.
this is a bit off topic, but where is that Gucci box from? how do I get one?!
My husband has bought me so many bags, some of them not-at-all-“safe” choices, and I have loved every one of them. Often with bags and jewellery, he chooses items I may not have, but I end up really liking them. Seems he knows me better than I do – or my purchasing is just too “safe.”