One train ride to Berlin, Germany from Paris Fashion Week, and we bumped into two PursePeople! Read on to catch our photographer Alyssa’s chat with fellow purse lovers Boy and Hunny…
Boy and Hunny were visiting Paris for the weekend to go shopping. They were on their way to Frankfurt, Germany, to meet some friends, which is how I ended up sitting across from them on my ride to Germany after Paris Fashion Week. They are co-workers for a tiling manufacturing company in Thailand. They said their love of fashion is what originally ignited their friendship.
I spoke with them primarily through the Google Translate app, which limited our conversation.
The Bags
Hunny: Chanel Boy Bag
Boy: Hermès Evelyne
When Friends Bond Over Bags
PurseBlog: Why did you pick your bag?
Hunny: I picked this Chanel bag because it is a brand that everyone knows and is very popular in Thailand. I wanted to get a “flashy” bag. My friends aahed over it when I first took it out. I think they want it too.
Boy: I picked my bag for the same reason. I wanted to be seen with a very nice bag, and I know that everyone I know wants my bag. I like to dress nice amongst my social circle, and I felt like this bag would be the most practical option for me.
PurseBlog: How often do you use your bag? Do you feel that the price/quality was justified?
Hunny: The Chanel bag is very nice great, and I use it often, but not for every day. I like to take it on trips with me and when I go to nice dinners with my friends. The hardware is really nice, and I think that was a big deciding factor for me. I wanted a bag that would last a long time. I would give it a 9/10.
Boy: I love how big my Evelyne bag is. I can fit many things in it. It is always stylish, and I don’t have to think much about if it goes with my outfit because it is neutral. The crossbody function makes it practical for everyday use. I have no complaints about it. I would give it a 10/10.
PurseBlog: Which bags do you have your eyes on for your next purchase?
Boy: None, because they are so expensive. This was a real treat for me. I don’t think I will be getting another bag anytime soon.
Hunny: I would like to have this same bag in a different color. Maybe purple. I like to look around online. Maybe one day, I will finally make a decision.
It’s so refreshing for someone to be asked about their next bag, and for them to just say that the current bag was a massive financial outlay and they’re not going to buy anything new for a long time.
Sometimes PF commenters normalize a perpetual longing state where you finally obtain your Holy Grail Bag and then immediate start casting about for your *next* holy grail bag. I know the whole point of the blog is to encourage shallow obsessing 🙂 but it also feels good to wholly savor a single purchase for a long time too.
This is all very relatable … but also points to my discomfort with luxury bags? Hunny is honest that she wanted a “recognizable” bag — that the point of carrying an expensive bag is to broadcast to others that you’ve bought an expensive bag (conspicuous consumption).
I think sometimes that is a reason to get a luxury bag, but not the only reason or always the reason. I find there are situations that having a fancy bag really helps. Particularly if you are in a situation where it is assumed you are low income, and you need to show that you are not in order to fit in or code switch.
Other reasons, some brands are markedly higher quality. The experience of buying the nicer bag can also be a nice outing. I generally end up with slightly under the radar nice bags. But I have been very tempted to get a really recognizable one for some occasions.