Related to the wardrobe discussion... bags.

freebread03

I have a leather j crew factory bag that I really like. I have a huge coach leather tote for my day to day work bag, and its held up really well (it was around $300 full price, but I acted like it was too much and was going to leave and the manager gave me a 25% discount, which was kinda nice).  

Get something simple and classic.  Nordstrom Rack has great deals on nice bags too.

Ndelible

JCbride2015 said:

I hate the ubiquitous Coach monogram (maybe an UO).  Bummer that their leather non-monogrammed bags are so much more!  I have a leather Coach bag that I bought right after my college graduation 5 years ago, and it still looks perfect.  But I also sort of feel like I paid too much money for it.

You can often find good leather bags at discount stores.  My absolute favorite bag that I get the most compliments on is a woven Cole Haan bag.  Cole Haan is expensive just like Coach and DB, but I found my love on sale for $90 at Loehmann's (RIP Loehmann's).  

I've also gotten nice bags for good prices at the Michael Kors and Kate Spade outlets.  You can always express your desire for a nice quality leather purse and sort of drop a comment like, "I hear Marshall's or the outlet stores generally have good deals..."

I hear ya sister.  Miss them so much!

Ndelible

I am a purse lady.  I have about twenty of them.  I like Coach because they last.  However, I have a lot of purses for 10+ years.  Lately, I have been gravitating to Michael Kors.  I get almost all of them on sale.  Coach and Kate Spade have online pre-sales.  Just sign up on their websites.  Macys and Bloomingdales also have very good purse sales.  Sometimes Nordstrom.  Longchamps is a classic and their nylon bags aren't terribly expensive and literally go with everything.

ohannabelle

Summer, I'm a straw bag girl, winter, black leather coach bag. Not one with all those Cs all over. That's just my style.

This is my big girl. Fits everything, goes anywhere. She's almost four, and still looks new. I love her. Get on the coach mailing list. A few times a year they send me 100 off coupons. 

I think she was worth every cent.

arrippa

ohannabelle said:

Summer, I'm a straw bag girl, winter, black leather coach bag. Not one with all those Cs all over. That's just my style.

This is my big girl. Fits everything, goes anywhere. She's almost four, and still looks new. I love her. Get on the coach mailing list. A few times a year they send me 100 off coupons. 

I think she was worth every cent.

She is gorgeous.

cupcait927

ohannabelle said:

Summer, I'm a straw bag girl, winter, black leather coach bag. Not one with all those Cs all over. That's just my style.

This is my big girl. Fits everything, goes anywhere. She's almost four, and still looks new. I love her. Get on the coach mailing list. A few times a year they send me 100 off coupons. 

I think she was worth every cent.

This is the Coach bag I want!

JCbride2015

ohannabelle said:

Summer, I'm a straw bag girl, winter, black leather coach bag. Not one with all those Cs all over. That's just my style.

This is my big girl. Fits everything, goes anywhere. She's almost four, and still looks new. I love her. Get on the coach mailing list. A few times a year they send me 100 off coupons. 

I think she was worth every cent.

@OhAnnabelle My only Coach bag must be the little sister of your Coach bag!  Five years later, still looks great.

ohannabelle

JCbride2015 said:

ohannabelle said:

Summer, I'm a straw bag girl, winter, black leather coach bag. Not one with all those Cs all over. That's just my style.

This is my big girl. Fits everything, goes anywhere. She's almost four, and still looks new. I love her. Get on the coach mailing list. A few times a year they send me 100 off coupons. 

I think she was worth every cent.

@OhAnnabelle My only Coach bag must be the little sister of your Coach bag!  Five years later, still looks great.

Look at that! They look like friends.  (Good choice!)

buttercup1958

I'm basically a huge Kate Spade fanatic. I also have a couple couch bags and some from francesca's but Kate Spade is my go too. V even knows this, he sometimes whispers "Kate Spade!" at me ha. Also Modcloth has some good bags too. I bought a red satchel and I love it so much. It's pretty sturdy, but my foundation exploded in it so there's a stain on it. Luckily it was on the inside! That's why I don't carry makeup around anymore...

hikebikebemerry

My current bag is by Big Buddha.  I've never been into brand name bags, just not my thing.

I have used my current Big Buddha bag every day for over a year and it is still looking fab.  And honestly, I don't take great care of my bags.

jdluvr06

So I love purses... I have like 50. It is ridiculous. I don't have leather bags though because I think leather is too heavy. Right now my faves are Kate Spade and Vera Bradley. VB is really light which is why I them. I'm not into the crazy colors though so I'm one of the weird people who buy the solid black or brown ones.

Jells2dot0

I'm hit or miss with purses. I go through phases of wanting them and then I go awhile not caring at all. I mostly carry Modalu nowadays, but I admittedly carried Louis Vuitton for awhile. I rationalize it because I don't need purses on a regular basis.

The good news is that I bought two Modalu shoppers late last year and never really got to wear them because of getting sick, so it's like having new stuff all over again!

JCbride2015

Jells2dot0 said:

I'm hit or miss with purses. I go through phases of wanting them and then I go awhile not caring at all. I mostly carry Modalu nowadays, but I admittedly carried Louis Vuitton for awhile. I rationalize it because I don't need purses on a regular basis. The good news is that I bought two Modalu shoppers late last year and never really got to wear them because of getting sick, so it's like having new stuff all over again!

Your constant positive attitude amazes me.  You are awesome.

Jells2dot0

JCbride2015 said:

Jells2dot0 said:

I'm hit or miss with purses. I go through phases of wanting them and then I go awhile not caring at all. I mostly carry Modalu nowadays, but I admittedly carried Louis Vuitton for awhile. I rationalize it because I don't need purses on a regular basis.

The good news is that I bought two Modalu shoppers late last year and never really got to wear them because of getting sick, so it's like having new stuff all over again!

Your constant positive attitude amazes me.  You are awesome.

Aw, thanks!! I just feel like it could be a lot worse and I'm just an overly stubborn and motivated person. there have been some days where I just wanted to curl up in a ball in a corner, but I am fortunate to have a lot to look forward to when I'm well.

CMGragain

The Dooney and Bourke leather bag I am now carrying came from eBay.  It had one small scratch.  This is the third year I have carried it, and it looks like it did the day it came in the mail.  The retail price was three times what I paid.

Here is one:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dooney-Bourke-CARAMEL-BROWN-Leather-Harrison-Hobo-Handbag-Purse-BEAUTIFUL-/311083746083?pt=US_CSA_WH_Handbags&hash=item486e094323

I have also bought Coach bags on eBay.  You can buy new ones, usually from the factory outlet.  The Coach factory outlet has a website.  http://www.coachfactory.com. 
Don't expect to buy a designer bag for next to nothing.  $100 is a good plan if you are patient.
As an alternative brand, try Fossil.  They have beautiful leather, and they do go on sale!  http://www1.macys.com/shop/handbags-accessories/fossil/Special_offers,Sortby,Productsperpage/Clearance/Closeout,ORIGINAL,40?id=28743&edge=hybrid&cm_sp=us_hdr-_-handbags-&-accessories-_-28743_fossil

Kauris

I'm carrying this Henri Bendel bag and this Cole Haan. I like them both, they use the same grade leather as Louis Vuitton, but no where near that price point. If you sign up for emails on HB, you get great discount offers, I got 25% off my bag.

Jells2dot0

I'm such a Cole Haan shoe whore, but I've never carried one of their purses. I think that is a must do now!!!

Senecaf

I love all the bags but cannot bring myself to buy one. Even when I have the money I just can't spend more than $40 or it hurts.
My current bag is from Target. It's a POS though and is falling apart 4 months later. Maybe I should spend the money on my next one.

beethery

ohannabelle said:

Summer, I'm a straw bag girl, winter, black leather coach bag. Not one with all those Cs all over. That's just my style.

This is my big girl. Fits everything, goes anywhere. She's almost four, and still looks new. I love her. Get on the coach mailing list. A few times a year they send me 100 off coupons. 

I think she was worth every cent.

I want a straw bag really bad. I was seriously considering to start my traverse into Sophia Petrillo territory with this bag:

hellosweetie1015

Sorry to ditch this thread, haha - we went and got a kitchen table! My grandmother had her mother's table, and it was going to be my mom's anyway, so we just went and got it and spent some time with my grandmother tonight, so that was fun. 

I'm LOVING the bag porn though! @ohannabelle looks like she's got EXACTLY the bag I want (and it doesn't sound like she'll part with her... sad face). 

I wish our TJ Maxx was even halfway decent... I'm lucky to find ANYTHING there. Their purse selection especially sucks.

PrincessOfHavoc

Man, I am drooling over the leather Coach bags.

But I have too much junk - tape measure, notepad, utility knife, usually a screwdriver or two, work gloves, etc... then work phone and tablet, my phone, anything else I need. So I just have an Eddie Bauer bag, bright aqua with gray and lime flowers. It's a cross body good for your back type design. I wear them out then get a new obnoxious colored one because I can't lose it then.