OK SO HERE’S HOW YOU CHOOSE A LUXURY HANDBAG

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BOY OH BOY HAS THIS POST BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.

There’s so many of you who have asked about my thoughts on luxury handbags.

I have thoughts- many thoughts.

Let’s back up a min though.

I’ll never forget the first handbag I bought myself…

I so enjoyed speeding down the highway blasting Avril Levigne headed to the mall ( that’s right guys! No online shopping back in dinosaur days ) imagining how my first handbag purchase would look. Sophmore year had just started & I couldn’t wait to rock a high-end bag. Immediately upon arriving to the mall I grabbed a Hot Dog on Stick, because first things first. And then I headed to Coach- hot dog in hand, duh! I picked the smallest handbag they had because let’s be real, my job at Abercrombie & Fitch Kids wasn’t paying too well…& off I went, carrying my handbag ( & hot dog ) so proud of my first luxury purchase.

…It was covered in logos- like covered, but I was happy as a clam.

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Cue to today…I’m now a pickier B when it comes to handbags.

Here’s the thing I’m not going to pay a 20342304 dollars for purse that is not just right. It has to speak to me in all the right ways, you know. Not too many logos. Ideal spacing. Maybe a pop of originality like a good button but still classic at the same time. Something you can carry everyday too please.

You guys get it, I need to be able to commit to it.

If I sound wildly critical, it’s because I am- BECAUSE luxury handbags are a real investment.

SO what’s my advice? Well it’s rather simple, actually…The secret’s out: pre-owned bags are key.

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That’s right guys. SO MANY PEOPLE ARE NOW IN THE RESELL BAG CLUB.

BECAUSE we can’t be spending all our money on handbags when there’s too many other essentials ( my hair, for one…& I love my twice monthly brow tint…oh, and spray tans…& OH- of course, MY BUSINESS ). YES, my business is what I prefer to spend my money on, not the blogger handbag of the month.

You should know, when I heard about Trendlee I KNEW IN MY GUT that it was the PERFECT site to feature on The Skinny Confidential. So many of you guys work your asses off but still love a good handbag. Have your cake & eat it too! My kinda girls!

Basically Trendlee relies on the longevity of high-end handbags to resell bags for a discounted price. They have everything from Hermes to Chloe to Celine ( a fav ) to even Gucci, Chanel, Saint Laurent ( a REAL fav ), Tom Ford, Louis Vuitton- you get it.

Also do what I’m doing: I have three handbags to sell to TrendleeRebagg (Trendlee’s sister company where you can sell preowned items). After I sell them I’m going to take that money & put it back in one dreamy Trendlee bag ( been eyeing this one ).

Trendlee has it all figured out too: they guarantee authenticity AND offer payment plans for babes on a budget. I LOVE.

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Oh, & this Chanel WOC I’m rocking in these pictures IS SOOOO CUTE it hurts. First things first: can we talk about the size. It’s so micro- which I love. I picture myself wearing this out with friends. In it I’ll have my phone, ID, credit card, & a red, blue-toned lipstick. Efficient. Micro is IN too. If it’s a crossbody, it’s a double win. Getting the bag was a BREEZE- it arrived to my door in PERFECT, shiny condition, ready to wear.

Some other luxury handbag tips for you:

  1. Overwhelmed? Go classic BUT not overly trendy. So here’s the thing- I hate overly trendy. My last handbag choice was actually a black, huge MEN’S HANDBAG. It’s unpredictable & something not a lot of girls have ( funny enough, Trendlee actually has the bag on their site too- in white AND black! ). Go for something different but keep it classic.
  2. I like to avoid too many logos. The less logos the better. Keep it simple. You can’t go wrong with nude, white, or black either. Right now I prefer really OVERSIZED or very MINI. You know I like things intense.
  3. If you’re going for flair do a metallic moment or a pop of spicy red. Also Kelly green is fun too…or apricot. I also like marigold. Baby blue is always chic with a kitten heel too…Oh shit, AHHHHH I can’t decide. Pretty much a pop of color can be festive. Just choose wisely because as I said, a luxury handbag is an investment.
  4. Be strategic- make sure the bag you’re choosing is something you will rock A LOT. Nothing worse than a high-end piece that you don’t wear. Shop online so you can see EVERYTHING as opposed to in-store where you’re only seeing half the inventory.
  5. Lastly!! USE IT. Take care of it with a good leather cleaner ( love this one ) but definitely use the bag. I display my favorite luxury bag on the vanity when I’m not using it. I just..like to look at it, you know? And I use it on the regular. BUT like I said, I take care of the bag. Every night I clean it out & give it a little TLC.

♡ | ♡ | ♡ | ♡ | ♡

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And for all of you who have DM’d or e-mailed me about which handbag to get? I gotcha covered- I curated ( this took me a V. long time- LOL, like hours- wanted to make it PERFECT if you’re spending the money ) a luxury handbag selection of my personal favorites just for you. Pre-owned for the win!

If by chance you run into Michael please tell him I actually need the mini red Chanel or I’ll die. TYSM.

Off to read Jane Fonda’s autobiography ( a recommendation from one of you ) & drink some ginger tea.

Shop till you drop! x lauryn

SHOP THE POST: tee-shirt ( << get SIZE L ) | jeans | mini bag | hoops | booties ( sold out, similar )

+ this post is in collaboration with Trendlee. As always all opinions are my own.

{ photos }

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29 replies to “OK SO HERE’S HOW YOU CHOOSE A LUXURY HANDBAG”

  1. No. 2 is so important – you should be buying the bag for the BAG not the logo!
    No. 5 are you missing a link here??
    Anyhoo, lots of great tips here for any first purchase of a luxury bag xx

  2. Oh my gosh, hot dog on a stick!!! This just made my day because it brought back so many memories (the good old days when I would actually eat a hot dog on a stick and not think twice). My first bag was a Dooney and Bourke and I thought I was just SO COOL.
    Now I also stick to simple, classic, and big enough to haul all my teacher materials in it. This website is so helpful because usually those bigger designer bags cost a fortune! Thank you!

  3. A luxury bag is definitely investment! I think you have to be careful more so now than ever though, I read this page about “super fake” handbags that look identical to the real thing and it’s hard to tell if if they’re authentic or not. If buying a new or second hand one on ebay for a high price I think you have to make sure that it’s real.

  4. Very well written blog. I’ve been following theskinnyconfidential for a long time and it’s one of the best blogs out there on fashion & style.

    Cheers!
    BagsButler

  5. I agree with you on too many logos in the bag. Infact a higher end bag of a top brand will have minimal logo presence, sometimes you will be hardpressed to find it. As they say “less is more” , this is the hallmark of a luxury brand. Completely loved all the bags!