In mid-January, I asked the PurseBlog community about their handbag goals for the new year. I imagined readers would discuss their desire to save up for a specific style, or consign a few of their lesser used pieces to purchase something new.
Instead, I was met with a handful of replies I didn’t quite expect: It appears many readers have challenged themselves to forego bag purchases in 2020. Some said they want to evaluate their collections before investing in a new bag, while others said, under no circumstance, would they buy a new bag.
Here are some of the most interesting reader responses:
“Not to buy. Period.” – Sparky
“I am on a no buy bags (clothes, accessories) year. So 2020 is a no buy. This will allow me to reevaluate my collection and sell.” – Moria McQueen
“I only have one bag on my wishlist which I will be purchasing this month. After that, I’m kind of not sure what I’m going to do with myself. It feels strange not wanting anything.” – Marvel
“Hopefully keep with my very low buy, hopefully, and only add one bag… I want to use what I have. I finally fully unsubscribed from all Youtube and Instagram influencers. I’ve made way to many mindless purchases because of social media… Just over the constant oversell of gifted bags… and people finding they aren’t saving enough for real life. For years, I only bought one bag a year, if that, and I’m ready to return to getting less and enjoying more.” – Elm1979
I find these comments fascinating because I, too, challenged myself to not buy a bag – for at least the first six months of the year. It’s easy to get caught up in the glitz of a fashion house’s latest styles, especially when they start to appear on every influencer and celebrity in town. (Did you see Chanel’s newest releases? Swooning over some of them, but not spending upwards of $4,000 on a mini bag.)
It’s easy to become desensitized by the outrageous prices as well. I know some of them are justified, depending on the craftsmanship, type of leather, and so on. But, more often than not, it’s really (really!) hard to explain why a bag smaller than my iPhone costs more than a mortgage payment (depending where you live, of course).
With the rise of sustainability and consignment practices, coupled with a growing desire for financial stability (Think about all of the ‘money diaries’ articles on the web!), it’s clear even the most diehard purse collectors are becoming more intentional with their spending. It’s not a matter of if you have the money in the first place – rather it’s a question of how you want to spend it.
I am certain I will add a few new bags to my arsenal this year (all preloved, though). But with every addition, I want to maintain that I’m choosing styles that speak to me – bags that turn into companions. That way, I’m confident I’ll get my money’s worth and enjoyment out of them, instead of simply purchasing a style because everyone else has it.
I also want to continue to be more mindful in terms of how much I’m spending. Truthfully, I think many of us have become numb to the cost of handbags – and if a 2020 zero purchase policy is what it takes, then so be it. I don’t see myself following that extreme, though I admire those who do.
I truly love handbags in every sense, from the way they make me feel to the way they can elevate an outfit. I wouldn’t want to say I’m completely done with them, but I also don’t want to get carried away by the culture of what you have is never enough, and there’s always a style out there that may be newer and better.
Have you challenged yourself to steer clear of handbags this year? Or, have you pledged to only buy one or two new (or preloved) bags this year instead of five or six?
Very interesting and timely article. I spent a fortune at Hermes last year and swore off new bags for this year. But it’s only February and the new Dior “MEDIUM LADY D-LITE EMBROIDERED CANNAGE BAG” (to be exact) has me rethinking the whole “no bags in 2020” idea. And if that bag hadn’t made me do some soul searching, the new On The Go LV bag would have… That all said, I do think I will only buy one bag this year and will wait until summer to get it.
My thoughts exactly about the Dior bag. I thought it was gorgeous and asked an SA to send me pics; it was shockingly different, not as elegant, as the pics on the Dior site. To be honest, that immediately cured me of spending the $4,450 the bag cost. Now I’m back on track and waiting to find the perfect bag for me in 2020.
I haven’t purchased a bag since 2018. I do plan on getting a Chanel drawstring bag this year, soon actually. I am very hesitant to buy bags that are trendy, like Bottega Veneta right now. I do love the look of the Cassette bag but I think it is a short lived impulse and it will pass. I really plan to stick with the brands and styles that I really feel have longevity, never buy anything without really thinking it over, and only one per year at the most.
Last year I purchased too many bags, shoes, clothes as retail therapy after experiencing a tremendous loss. Feeling healthier this year I have no desire to repeat that pattern and I’m focused on one bag. I can wait though until I find it on the secondary market for a fraction of the price.
That was my 2018. The huge hole in my life got filled and filled with handbags and clothing and shoes and all the stuff in the world. Once I climbed out of that hole, I spent most of 2019 not buying much of anything.
Well this question is clearly not directed at me, as a student as I would be insanely happy if I could buy even one or two 😀
But at the same time I don’t think I’d buy a ton of handbags even if I had the means. I am not one who resells, at least I don’t think I’d do that regularly, I’m one of those who likes to buy and keep my bags in my collection as far as possible, and if I don’t want my collection to have a “around 2020” stamp on it I need to be careful when making my choices.
I am quite happy with the four designer bags I own thus far, but I fall in love with about 5 new bags each year, and I have a list of “classics” that has stayed on the list since I first started looking at handbags, and as I don’t want to be a owner of like 70 bags in ten years time I really need to keep calm, I mean, I want to be able to enjoy this hobby for as long as possible and to not buy so much that I just feel sick about it… 🙂
Gemmabelle, you are a wise purchaser. Keep those values and you will grow a nice collection!
I didn’t put myself on a no-buy for 2020 but I will think long and hard before I buy anything this year, primarily because my collection is pretty much as complete as I would want it to be. I haven’t seen any bags in the 12+ months that I was completely head over heels in love with. The only bag I bought in 2019 was the Chanel Mini Reissue and while it’s a cute functional bag, it wasn’t heart-pounding, butterflies kind of love. I felt that way about almost every single bag I bought before that one, so in a way I feel like maybe its because my collection is already complete. Maybe if Chanel re-releases its caviar minis, I might pick up a rectangular mini, but otherwise I’m very content with what I have.
I’m on the no buy for 2020. My collection was completed a while back and aside from two contemporary purchases last year, I literally dont need anything. As I’ve gotten older, my tastes have simplified over the years. I can definitely appreciate fashion but I’m definitely over the transient aspect of it.
I find me wanting to find one great bag this year. I’m studying prices, trends, and what works best for me. But I’m thinking just one this year. Prices are ridiculous. I have BV bag from 2003 that was $600 and now would be $1500. Its just crazy what is happening.
I with ELM1979, “Just over the constant oversell of gifted bags” and shoes. I have been on ebay purchasing vintage bags that have the same shapes that are trending now, quality is so good and the prices are so low. And i purchase different bag straps to change up the look on my designer bags.
I too have been re-imaging my vintage bags by removing the original long strap and installing custom straps ordered from Esme at All About Straps on FB.
Do you know if they ship to the United States? Thx!
Are you finding nice bag straps on eBay, too? I need one and everywhere I look they are expensive ($200+).
I think there is a leather artisan on Etsy who either sells or custom-makes extremely well-made leather straps and other leather replacement parts. I once saw people on purseforum discuss it.
Edit: the name of his shop is Mcraft
I purchased an LV Neonoe this year pre-loved in brand new condition because the color (saffran) wasn’t right for someone. I absolutely loved the bag when I received it. One week of use and I moved out of it. Why? It wasn’t working for me. I went onto Etsy and found Mcraft who made me a dark leather LV similar small hand carry strap. The bag works perfectly. I have recently downsized and sold off at least 35 bags. I was in the industry and got great prices during that time. Now it is time to get sensible and one thing I do know is that as tempting as those celeb shots are, the bag just may not work for me. I cannot function unless i have a top handle and a crossbody so I am making 2020 the year where I celebrate the bags I do have and part with those that simply do not work and if I buy, it has to work for me from the start. There are so many people out there on FBMP, Etsy, Ebay who do amazing third party straps even made with matching leather or canvas that some with authenticity papers of the original item it came from! Can you imagine! It doesn’t have to come directly from the designer to work for you. We are becoming a society that says “hey, that price is ridiculous and if I can get it pre-loved my money goes further”. Why not, I say. You do miss the boutique experience but the way I ship mine, you still get the unveiling rather nicely and when I choose to buy that way, I also have money in the bank. It can be a nice option. You just have to be smart and ask questions.
I was a bit skeptical since I haven’t found anything yet, but when I followed your recommendation I was shocked at the quality and prices! THIS was exactly what I was looking for since the LV straps are so expensive. Thank you, you have been so helpful!!
I’m getting a cross-body strap from there for my LV Graceful MM and it will become perfection!
I’m getting a cross-body strap from there for my LV Graceful MM and it will become perfection!
I think there is a leather artisan on Etsy who either sells or custom-makes extremely well-made leather straps and other leather replacement parts. I once saw people on purseforum discuss it.
Edit: the name of his shop is Mcraft
Hi No nice bag straps on ebay yet.
I’m super happy that I didn’t get into bags until I was financially stable (not financially independent yet, still gotta work, but never have to worry about mortgage or what-have-you). I think that and my age were part of why I’ve been able to avoid the impulse/emotional-handbag-purchase stuff. Young people with gifted bags all over Instagram just make me roll my eyes and scroll past in the Explore page. If I don’t see another LV trio bag for the next 10 years it’ll be too soon.
I can 100% see why it works, though. It wasn’t bags for me, it was art supplies, when I was younger. I’d see an artist use a specific (expensive!!!) pen/marker/paint, and I’d go out and get it. I spent a LOT of unnecessary money on certain brands of art supplies. Thankfully, even at the most expensive (Copic markers of all colors etc.), it didn’t come close to, say, Hermes bag prices, so that part of my impressionable life went by without much hassle.
I’ve been much more conscious about my bag choices, despite my love for handbags. I find it very easy to admire from afar, and appreciate beauty without needing to see it in my closet. The Dior book tote for example – beautiful! But I have no use for it. So I’ll like posts with it, I’ll admire it, but I’m never going to buy it.
I’m happy that more people are sort of seeing things that way, too. I’m not a low-spender in general, but I like buying things with PURPOSE, and just love or just utility isn’t enough for me, it’s gotta be a marriage, and realistically that just is NOT happening even once a year for a handbag for me.
Thank you for taking the time to read our comments! As a loyal reader it does make me feel connected to the PB team 🙂
I think, like everything in our world now, we are reacting to social media. Now, as bag lovers, we see “unboxings” and “**gifted/ads” ALL THE TIME. It feels like too much. (Not to mention social media people don’t really have to disclose how much they are getting paid, kick backs, etc… it doesn’t feel fun to watch anymore)
We all love bags, that’s why we’re here, but personally, I’ve gone from a bag lover who would maybe collect a bag a year to falling into the trap of watching “reviews and unboxings” and Feel like I need more and more bags, shoes, clothing, jewelry….
I’ve watched my collection double in a few years and I’ve lost my sense of actually wanting a bag because I’ve wanted it, not because I saw it on other people.
To get back to better spending habits, I have sold a lot (and lost a disgusting amount of money) and then tried to baby step down to only buying preloved. Now, I’m officially on a no buy for the rest of the year. I love my collection, and yes, there’s lots of others bags out there I think are fabulous, but just because I like them, and “could” buy them, doesn’t mean I should have them, or need them.
Price increases, declining product quality and poor boutique service, are also all factors for me in my no buy. It feels like luxury houses are much more about their profits and bottom line than they are about treating customers like they are valued.
I was ready to continue my no-buying spree, right up until I realized that a bag I loved but never pulled the trigger on, was being discontinued. Normally, this would be fine and I’d pick it up on the pre-loved market, but it was never very popular, and in all the time since it was released, I had not once seen it appear on those sites. It was on sale, and I jumped on it. And I couldn’t be happier. But I’m also not feeling an overwhelming pull towards anything more at the moment. (aside from a Loewe Puzzle, but those will always be around)
Out of curiosity, what was the bag you grabbed, if you don’t mind sharing? 🙂
Bottega Veneta Tambura
Criminally underrated for how functional it is, all while looking nothing like anything else out there.
I love your writing!
The celebrity-gifting kind of marketing has a different effect on me from that of straight-out ads. It is one thing to look at glossy, airbrushed ads, it is quite another to see someone actually use the goods and how good they look with said goods. I feel more “influenced” when I see those celebrity action shots, and tempted to purchase what they are carrying. As you said, it is rarely disclosed if the bags carried by the celebs were in fact sponsored or not.
And I think it is very smart of you, unsubscribing from the unboxing videos. For the same reason, I rarely visit the reveal threads on purseforum, and if I do, I try to look at the posts with mindfulness. A bag that works nicely for one person may not work for me. And sometimes, knowing that my money is sitting intact in my bank account feels better than coming home with a brand-new splurge.
I’m going to keep it simple, I don’t have the money! My collection is worth about $45,000 which mainly consist of Chanel, Valentino and Fendi. I need to use these bags more and just enjoy them!
I think people are getting tired of the overconsumption being promulgated by social media and want to return to a simpler lifestyle.
Great article! I love seeing people make more thoughtful purchases. The simpler life is making a comeback (with Facebook killing the enjoyment of using Instagram) along with living more realistically.
To be honest, influencers receiving gifted bags have never swayed me either way and I’m a blogger myself. I just buy what I like without caring what others think. I haven’t started my own bag collection yet, but when I do, it’ll be pre-loved. And I don’t care if a bag I love is no longer in style by then because if it has been sitting in my private Pinterest board for years and still hasn’t been deleted, that’s how I know I want it.
Great article! I love seeing people make more thoughtful purchases. The simpler life is making a comeback (with Facebook killing the enjoyment of using Instagram) along with living more realistically.
To be honest, influencers receiving gifted bags have never swayed me either way and I’m a blogger myself. I just buy what I like without caring what others think. I haven’t started my own bag collection yet, but when I do, it’ll be pre-loved. And I don’t care if a bag I love is no longer in style by then because if it has been sitting in my private Pinterest board for years and still hasn’t been deleted, that’s how I know I want it.
I’ve been buying all pre-loved for a few years. My handbag collection has doubled fairly quickly. I do not buy anything new and on trend. There’s only two bags I am interested in, the BV Pouch and Chanel 19, but I am willing to wait a long time I do not need to have it now. For instance I recently bought Manhattan PM from FP for $550. I loved that bag since 2006 and finally got her 13 years later. That said, I’m not on a no buy, but I’m on a wait until I see a fantastic deal for a bag I’ve wanted for a long time to show up.
Real talk: I’ve been w/ PB since its inception. Back then (ahem), my low rent, student budget could afford one nice bag (i.e. LV, Gucci, etc.) per semester, or two annually. I purchased my first Chanel on that budget in 2010. Given the outrageous price increases over the last 10 years, it’s high time consumers realize we have a great affordability crisis on our hands, but also the power to do something about it. Tell brands no more fleecing. I haven’t purchased a bag since 2016. My last, a Nightingale. I’m done letting big business take my money and give me junk in return year after year. What do I mean by this? “Price increases, declining product quality and poor boutique service” as a wiser poster put it. Yep! I fully agree. That big tax break they all got in ’17…where’s the trickle down? It seems that in times of economic uncertainty the brands are on bended knee w/ consumers; call it the good behavior effect. Since the markets have gone gangbusters these last few years, consumers have received the short end. All ships don’t rise when the markets do well, in fact, the opposite is true. I’m done buying the lies they sell. I hope others join me on this luxury goods strike until this great affordability crisis ends.
A youtuber that committed to no buying and then bought a new bag and 10+ bags the same year made me laugh last year ?. I still want to buy a couple of bags this year, but I agree with many comments: prices/quality, oversaturation changed my spending habits.
My primary reason for wanting to buy less is that I want to focus more on intangible enrichment for myself and the people I love. Buying/owning less will free up the resources so I can dedicate them to causes worthier to me:)
“Challenge myself” to not buy??
It would seem that a lot of people self medicate with shopping. Putting aside whether or not one can afford to spend obscene amounts of money on multiple handbag purchases, there is something alarming about endless craving that can only be assuaged for a short time by a new purchase. That’s the part I would look at. what is missing in your life that you have to keep shopping like that?
I’ve been sober from alcohol for 14 years, and when I read some of these forums, I might just as well be reading about alcohol or drugs. Chasing that high is always a bad sign.
First, congratulations on your sobriety! I would also agree with your statement that some people self medicate with shopping. I think that is true for myself, but also a little different. I recognize that I have a very addictive personality and perhaps this is due to alcoholism in my family. I realized this when I received opioids after a painful surgery and within a day became addicted. Because of this I didn’t fill my prescription when I was discharged. Also, I tried smoking and alcohol, but soon quit because if I didn’t I would never stop. In the past couple of years l allowed myself to purchase bags after my children were grown and on their own. However, to compensate for my lack of being able to spend on myself, I spent on them. After they left the family home, I spent thousands of dollars before I forced myself to reel it in. Now I limit myself to one bag annually. While some people shop because it fills a need other people have different and more complex reasons, like myself.
I actually think that you are very typical of a person who struggles to balance out their shopping..with the added benefit of being able to see that you needed to modify your spending.
Most people arrive at this problem for complex reasons and I didn’t mean to over-simplify that aspect in my comment.
Your citing that your overspending on your children was to “compensate” for the lack of spending for yourself speaks to that underlying need and complexity of motivation.
Many, many people when they give up alcohol, for instance, have their addiction morph in other directions..food, shopping, serial romances..it seeks out other outlets because the underlying problem has not been looked at thoroughly.
You sound like you have achieved a good balance in your life and that’s terrific!
Price increases and poor quality of the merchandise. At this point I would love to have wonderful memories on a nice vacation and if I happen to do some shopping I will only purchase my higher end handbags when I get a vat refund.
I’m buying mostly pre-owned bags. I have also reduced my purchase of fast fashion. Trying to be more eco conscious
All of the reasons cited below are valid. But I would also add that many of the bag-loving women I know say they have a vague sense of unease that the good economic times and free-spending days are coming to an end, that the winds of change are beginning to blow. They see their employers thinking hard about re-orging (excuse me, “transforming”) which often means cutbacks or layoffs. I feel the same. So we are pulling in our horns (as the saying goes) with a focus on saving and preparing, not spending. We’re not in full anxiety mode (even with coronavirus), just being more prudent. But yeah, we’re also fed up with skyrocketing prices coupled with an increase in quality problems. And we’ve soared right past the influencer saturation point. Nothing is more nauseating these days than looking back at one of those “rich kids of…” social media spreads that were everywhere for a while. Ugh.