$400 handbag-- excessive or buy it? (backstory)

[Anonymous]

OP,
Oh, I'd call that an exasperation gift.
If you really like it, can't imagine passing it up at a lower price, then get it. (9:38 here.).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would never buy a $400 bag (and yes, we can afford it). It feels so excessive to me I wouldn't want to carry it. But i know it's an investment piece that you'd use forever, so if you really want it and it suits your taste, get it. Just not something I would ever really want, personally.

Then again, my MIL shops only at Bloomingdales and buys only Ralph Lauren clothes for our kids, and I return most of them and buy their clothes at Target, Kohl's, and Justice. (I save a few items for them to wear when we see her.) Most people would probably keep the clothes, but it seems crazy to me to put such expensive things on small children, except for special occasions. Last week I returned 2 pairs of jeans she sent for DS, and it came to $140. I don't know if it's because I grew up in a more frugal household or what, but I can't bring myself to spend a lot on material goods just for labels or status or whatever.

I tend to feel the same way. I've gotten really into bags in the last two years, and I could afford a $400 one every once in a while, but I too wouldn't enjoy it. It really does seem excessive. I have paid just over $300, and been fine. But that's about my limit. But OP, if you think you will enjoy it then get it. 400 is certainly better than 700, which I can't fathom buying even if we were worth several million. It just seems crazy that a bag could cost that much.

can you explain this mentality? You've bought a few $300+ bags but $400 is beyond the pale and $700 is unfathomable? Maybe if you didn't buy multiple $300 bags, you could justify a more expensive one.

[Anonymous]

I have a Ferragomo purse that I bought 10 years ago that I still use and still looks great. It was never $700 though. I think if you want it, you should get it.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Here's another concern: it's a cross body bag, which I think would be pretty useful with baby/kids but maybe I'll tire of that style?
To 10:10-- yes, I'm a deal whore. I can't pass them up!

[Anonymous]

A lot of the PPs are missing the point. OP didn't ask if $400 was a reasonable amount to spend on a bag. She was looking for feedback on buying it in the context of her relationship with DH. It could have been a $50 item, it doesn't matter. The point is that she would be buying it back (albeit at a lesser price) when DH didn't expect her to keep it.

I say buy it, OP. If you've had your eye on it this long you won't regret it. But since it is on sale and you didn't just keep the extravagant gift in the first place, I don't know that it's really going to send the message you are hoping to send to your DH. Next time you just need to excitedly accept and keep the gift with no questions asked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Here's another concern: it's a cross body bag, which I think would be pretty useful with baby/kids but maybe I'll tire of that style?
To 10:10-- yes, I'm a deal whore. I can't pass them up!

I love the cross body style. Your kids are going to be little for many years yet so you will appreciate it for a long time.

[Anonymous]

get the bag. sorry for the lowercase - pumping at the moment.

[Anonymous]

Buy it. Great handbags last forever. And, you'll use it often. Sounds like a great deal.

[Anonymous]

well if you are of a frugal mind, you might check this site out first. I've bought a few things here and they are practically brand new condition (they point out flaws) and its for a good cause.

http://www.shophousingworks.com/listing.cfm?page=category&categoryID=148&from=sidebar

[Anonymous]

Get it. I just got a bag that was about $350, on sale, and am really enjoying it. If it's something you use every day your cost per use is actually pretty low compared to other clothing items. And frankly in the handbag world $400 is not really that much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would never buy a $400 bag (and yes, we can afford it). It feels so excessive to me I wouldn't want to carry it. But i know it's an investment piece that you'd use forever, so if you really want it and it suits your taste, get it. Just not something I would ever really want, personally.

Then again, my MIL shops only at Bloomingdales and buys only Ralph Lauren clothes for our kids, and I return most of them and buy their clothes at Target, Kohl's, and Justice. (I save a few items for them to wear when we see her.) Most people would probably keep the clothes, but it seems crazy to me to put such expensive things on small children, except for special occasions. Last week I returned 2 pairs of jeans she sent for DS, and it came to $140. I don't know if it's because I grew up in a more frugal household or what, but I can't bring myself to spend a lot on material goods just for labels or status or whatever.

I tend to feel the same way. I've gotten really into bags in the last two years, and I could afford a $400 one every once in a while, but I too wouldn't enjoy it. It really does seem excessive. I have paid just over $300, and been fine. But that's about my limit. But OP, if you think you will enjoy it then get it. 400 is certainly better than 700, which I can't fathom buying even if we were worth several million. It just seems crazy that a bag could cost that much.

can you explain this mentality? You've bought a few $300+ bags but $400 is beyond the pale and $700 is unfathomable? Maybe if you didn't buy multiple $300 bags, you could justify a more expensive one.

I have bought one bag in my life for $305. I may by another in a year or two for that same price. I don't see the expensive bags holding up any longer. A nice leather bag is a nice bag, at some point you are paying for the label. Since I'd like to have more than one bag in my life, I'd rather by a 300 dollar bag every three years than have one super expensive bag for 10 years.

I didn't think it was that odd to have a price limit for certain things. Don't you have certain items you just won't pay certain prices for, even if you could afford it? I imagine most people do. I wouldn't enjoy a 700 bag because I'd be afraid it would get stolen, ruined, spilled on, whatever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Buy it. Great handbags last forever. And, you'll use it often. Sounds like a great deal.

I don't know about that. I just posted on the beauty and fashion forum about an expensive kate spade I wanted. Someone posted they had gotten it two years ago and it hadn't held up. I guess it depends on how often you use it, etc. After a certain price, you aren't paying for better materials, it is priced that high because of the designer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would never buy a $400 bag (and yes, we can afford it). It feels so excessive to me I wouldn't want to carry it. But i know it's an investment piece that you'd use forever, so if you really want it and it suits your taste, get it. Just not something I would ever really want, personally.

Then again, my MIL shops only at Bloomingdales and buys only Ralph Lauren clothes for our kids, and I return most of them and buy their clothes at Target, Kohl's, and Justice. (I save a few items for them to wear when we see her.) Most people would probably keep the clothes, but it seems crazy to me to put such expensive things on small children, except for special occasions. Last week I returned 2 pairs of jeans she sent for DS, and it came to $140. I don't know if it's because I grew up in a more frugal household or what, but I can't bring myself to spend a lot on material goods just for labels or status or whatever.

I tend to feel the same way. I've gotten really into bags in the last two years, and I could afford a $400 one every once in a while, but I too wouldn't enjoy it. It really does seem excessive. I have paid just over $300, and been fine. But that's about my limit. But OP, if you think you will enjoy it then get it. 400 is certainly better than 700, which I can't fathom buying even if we were worth several million. It just seems crazy that a bag could cost that much.

can you explain this mentality? You've bought a few $300+ bags but $400 is beyond the pale and $700 is unfathomable? Maybe if you didn't buy multiple $300 bags, you could justify a more expensive one.

I have bought one bag in my life for $305. I may by another in a year or two for that same price. I don't see the expensive bags holding up any longer. A nice leather bag is a nice bag, at some point you are paying for the label. Since I'd like to have more than one bag in my life, I'd rather by a 300 dollar bag every three years than have one super expensive bag for 10 years.

I didn't think it was that odd to have a price limit for certain things. Don't you have certain items you just won't pay certain prices for, even if you could afford it? I imagine most people do. I wouldn't enjoy a 700 bag because I'd be afraid it would get stolen, ruined, spilled on, whatever.

Sorry - I do realize buy is buy, and not by! trying to multi-task

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of the PPs are missing the point. OP didn't ask if $400 was a reasonable amount to spend on a bag. She was looking for feedback on buying it in the context of her relationship with DH. It could have been a $50 item, it doesn't matter. The point is that she would be buying it back (albeit at a lesser price) when DH didn't expect her to keep it.

I say buy it, OP. If you've had your eye on it this long you won't regret it. But since it is on sale and you didn't just keep the extravagant gift in the first place, I don't know that it's really going to send the message you are hoping to send to your DH. Next time you just need to excitedly accept and keep the gift with no questions asked.

The title of her post is "excessive or buy it" and her husband seemed concerned. I think it's worth talking about the cost. If it was $50 do you think she'd have posted? Probably not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would never buy a $400 bag (and yes, we can afford it). It feels so excessive to me I wouldn't want to carry it. But i know it's an investment piece that you'd use forever, so if you really want it and it suits your taste, get it. Just not something I would ever really want, personally.

Then again, my MIL shops only at Bloomingdales and buys only Ralph Lauren clothes for our kids, and I return most of them and buy their clothes at Target, Kohl's, and Justice. (I save a few items for them to wear when we see her.) Most people would probably keep the clothes, but it seems crazy to me to put such expensive things on small children, except for special occasions. Last week I returned 2 pairs of jeans she sent for DS, and it came to $140. I don't know if it's because I grew up in a more frugal household or what, but I can't bring myself to spend a lot on material goods just for labels or status or whatever.

Whem you returm the stuff do you put it back on her card or get something else you need?