Loving purses is a large part of my identity. I’ve been an active member of the PurseForum since 2007 and have been reading PurseBlog since 2006. I am pretty certain that I am part of this obsessive community for life, and I am so grateful to others who understand my love and appreciation for bags.
I can remember the first bag I ever wanted, a red and navy striped knit bag from Gap in 1998–I was 10 years old. My cousin wore it to a family outing and I recall the instant head over heels love I felt for it. I begged my mom to take me to the Gap to get my own but they didn’t have it in stock. I continued to beg her to take me to different Gaps in our area for months, striking out at each of them. That bag still haunts me to this day. I still remember it well 20 years later–obsessive, I know!
I admired bags throughout high school, but it wasn’t until 2006 when I was a freshman in college that I became a full blown addict. Browsing the internet in my dorm, I saw a photo of Kristin Cavallari carrying a light pink bag. The familiar rush of intense desire crept in; I had to have it. I saved the photo to my desktop and started googling frantically. My search led me to the PurseForum, and after perusing a few threads, I finally was able to find the bag I was looking for. A Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Bag. I was beside myself with excitement and even though I had never heard of a forum before, I intuitively bookmarked the page. I found myself checking the site multiple times a day, reading all the threads and comments about Rebecca Minkoff, a new designer at the time—I couldn’t believe the wealth of knowledge at my fingertips.
[sc_ic_ad1]A Morning After Bag cost $425 which, as a college student, seemed like a fortune. At first I thought my lust for the bag would decline, but when I started to have trouble sleeping at night thinking about it, I knew I was in trouble. I was consumed by how much I wanted it. I decided to start babysitting to fund my purchase. After three seemingly never ending months of saving, I was able to buy my own Morning After Bag in navy from Shopbop. I still remember the joy I felt unboxing it and the awe I felt that I owned something that came with its own dust bag. I was so proud of myself that I finally stopped lurking and joined the PurseForum as an official member. 11 years later, I am still active on the forum, visiting the site almost daily.
I had no idea that one random visit to a website could create such a bond between strangers. To this day I am unable to make a handbag purchase without seeking advice from other tPF members. When a bag catches my eye, I search it on PurseBlog, eager to absorb as many details as possible before taking the plunge. My tastes have changed and I have ventured into shopping premier and other contemporary designers, but one thing still remains constant—the community.
What bag brought you to the point of no return in your bag obsession? Let me know in the comments!
I’m including a few bags that might spark my obsession nowadays in 2018…
Marc Jacobs The Editor Leather Tote
Tory Burch McGraw Medium Tote
Kate Spade New York Reese Park Courtnee Large Shoulder Bag
I love the teal colored Marc Jacobs! What a pleasant suprise to discover it doesn’t cost the price of a mortgage payment! I remember falling in love with his early quilted bags! Anything Kate Spade today, still just makes my heart hurt, to know the world lost such a beautiful, creative, brilliant woman & designer. I still have her original bag that started it all. (I think I must always keep it!)
I knew that was a Morning After bag when i saw the illustration! That bag was also one of my very first true obsessions! I still love the original MAB in the old school leather-nothing comes close. Thanks for sharing your story! 🙂
WOW that sounds so real! Do you also sell LuLaRoe?
I still own and use my MAB in black leather. Classic and functional with a full zipped closure. Not one lip gloss is going to fly out of your bag when you slam on your breaks and it tumps over!
Im so obsessed with bags myself .Im retired and i dont use huge bags anymore.I would love to own a dooney crossbody but its out of my reach so im spemding sleepless nightsI live where its not available and shipping costs a fortune afyer conversion from us to my currency so hopefully ill travel to the us one day and might be able to to purchase one. In the meamtime ill keep dreaming.
Marc Jacobs- Groovee!! LOVE!
Love this post! But isn’t it more like 2 decades? I seem to remember an annual 5-hour drive to NYC during your high school years to make it to NYC for the Rebecca Minkoff factory sale as part of your birthday purse pilgrimage (with your Dad at the wheel). Thanks to your story, I’m signed up for purseblog.com now in hopes that I can work my way thru my obsession with the black Channel Medium Classic Flap bag. Maybe by seeing and reading about all these other great bags, I can get over it and move on (it never goes on sale!!!). ??
The bag that opened the pandora’s box for me was Kate Spade’s Sam bag. I wanted to ask for it as a graduation gift from college but also looked at other styles. I also researched for a particular hobo bag I liked from Coach but in the end, was gifted a Gucci bag.
I was also obsessed with bags from the age of 10! I remember how happy I was when I was allowed to go to school with a bag instead of a backpack. while I was living with my parents, my obsession could not open up in full force, but then …
My first designer bag was a D&G Lily crossbody with 3 zips in hot pink color.
I was a college student, and lived in Moscow before moving to another country to study at a university. Once I was walking through an unfamiliar area, and I saw the consignment shop, and in it a bag. Since my childhood I was surrounded by fashion magazines (my mother worked as a personal seamstress), and among other designers I loved Dolce & Gabbana, so seeing a real (and beautiful!) designer bag at a relatively low price shocked me. It seems like it cost about $ 140… In any case, I didn’t have this money, so I had to go home and borrow it from a neighbor — I was obsessed with the idea of ??having it. The next day I flew to the store faster than the wind, the bag was still there and became mine (I think I got even a small discount). I was so happy! This bag was with me for more than five years, and then I sold it, because of my enlarged bag collection. Nevertheless, I loved this bag very much and still consider it great and contemporary style. Thank you for helping me remember this story.
Coach was the first serious bag brand we knew about when we were young. But Coach was still made in the U.S. with classic designs and top quality leathers and craftsmanship that would last for years, probably decades. A very different brand from what you see today. But anyway, back then the cool combo was a Coach saddle bag, original Calvin Klein jeans, and Frye boots (also made in the U.S.). A favorite sweater or shirt/blouse on top and you were good to go.