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Handbags

anne

Veteran

The last 2 years I have bought synthetic handbags for around $40-50 (or a bit more, but reduced to this much). I have enjoyed them stylewise, but the first pair (I've only just bought the second) started to come apart - the sort of piping over the seams came away. Thus it only lasted a year. I'd like to go longer than that (most of my clothes last much longer)

Earlier, though I had a leather bag that was my Mum's, and probably more expensive. Maybe it wasn't all leather, or for some other reason the end sections started to peel off and looked terrible.

I know many of you pay a lot more for bags than me, and I might be prepared to if they'd last. I'm a one bag girl, BTW, so they do get a lot of wear.

What's been your experience with handbag longevity?

Shopping

27 replies

Latest reply was from Jane

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Anne, if you use just one bag at a time, a leather bag is a good idea. I have one that is 7 years old, has been used & abused a lot, and still looks exactly the way it did the day I bought it.

I do own many faux leather bags though. The cheap ones will last no more than a year, I'm afraid. The slightly more expensive ones --- maybe 2. I can't give you an accurate estimate Coz I own many bags and switch them regularly....plus I don't use a bag everyday.

When buying faux, look for one with some texture. It should have well made handles and those tiny feet at the bottom so the bag doesn't rub against surfaces when you put it down. Most wear & tear happens around the edges due to friction. I've had faux leathers disintegrate and flake while lying in the cupboard....some that were barely used 2-3 times. They just don't have a long life.

Lucy

Veteran

I'll be super interested to hear what others have to say on this! I have bought bags anywhere from on sale at $50 to full price $400 (Australian dollars). I tend to wear one bag at a time and they all seem to last between 9 months and a year, whether they are leather or not, or higher end or cheaper.

Perhaps I should take better care of them - Maneera's tips are great!

Anonymous

Let me start by saying I love bags. I only own good leather bags because I love the feel of the leather to my touch. All of my purses are in heavy rotation and their cost per wear is less than $2. I own one purse from 1992. It looks like new. I own others that are more than a decade old. Because these bags are briefcases, I can see wear along the corners. I polish them and they look fine. Sadly, I use totes much more often than briefcases these days, but the briefcases served their purpose for a long, long time.

If you derive pleasure from purses like I do, this is a good way to spend your clothing budget. But before I splurged, I did some calculations. I wanted to make sure that I could achieve a reasonable cost per wear. That was easy to prove so I had no worries. Then I started thinking about what I really needed in a bag (NOT what I wanted, but what I needed). It was clear that totes are crucial in the life I lead today. Because ALL bags attract me, I have to constantly remind myself that "although pretty, I really need a sturdy tote." I buy good leather. Well made. Lined. I like a sturdy handle. I also like interior pockets and a zipper.

Are they worth it? Yes. In my life, they are. I try to buy one new bag per year (almost always on sale).

jill58

Veteran

Yes, when it comes to handbags I'm afraid that leather really does wear better than synthetic. This is one area that I'm willing to spend more on because, as Sterling points out, cost per wear quickly becomes fractional and the pleasure of owning a good bag can't be overestimated. That doesn't mean that you need to spend hundreds of dollars--it just means that you might want to think about putting a bit more emphasis on that item as part of your clothing budget. Not everyone thinks of their handbag as part of their ensemble for the day, but I do and I think a good bag can add a lot in terms of polish.

MrsK

I started only buying leather bags about 5 years ago once I had the budget and realized that they last much longer. I now have many leather bags (regular, patent and saffiano), and they all look perfect still. I use about 5 in regular rotation. They are Cole Haan, Michael Kors, Tignanello (Macy's), Dooney & Bourke, Lucky Brand. I always wait for a sale. I have never spent more than $200, and most of them were $120-$150. I've had great luck shopping at Macy's and Nordstrom Rack.

I would definitely recommend splurging on leather for more classic styles, but if it's a trendy pattern or something that you think you may only wear for a season or two, then you could stick with faux leather, canvas, etc.

Brooklyn

Veteran

I have a mix of leather and non leather bags. The non leather bags are mostly clutches: "accent" items for occasional wear that I did not want to spend a lot of money on. To be honest, I haven't really noticed any difference in longevity. But that may be because I have them in high rotation and they don't get as much wear as my everyday (leather) bags. I do think suede wears badly. It gets dirty fast. I always apply a leather protector to suede bags. I think you can get a good quality leather bag for around $250 Aud. Mimco regularly has them on sale at that price. As does Oroton. And I regularly see Furla, Kate Spade or Cole Haan on sale around that price.

Helen11

Veteran

I'm a one bag girl, too, and I don't spend much because I think I'm pretty hard on them. They go on the floor of the car, squash into a work cupboard, and lug around all the MOTG "essentials" .
I hope that when life moves to the next phase, I can enjoy nicer bags. Maybe that's where you are now, so there's hope for me yet!

Tanya

Veteran

I have a couple of every-day leather handbags, some that get worn very often like my silver RM satchel and some that only wear occasionally, for a color accent. They have all been wearing like iron, My Rm bag still looks great and I am guessing that it has been worn over 500 times in these two years I have had it. I have had some non-leather bags in the past and they have lasted much shorter before starting to peel and crack.

Joy

Veteran

My experience is that non-leather bags are one-season wonders if they get much use. So much better to scour thrift and consignment stores, sale racks and the internet for leather when you want a bag to last longer and are on a tight budget.

JAileen

Veteran

I have a couple of leather Coach bags I bought when I started my career, in the early 80s. I used them exclusively for years. A year or so ago I washed and reconditioned them and they still look pretty good. The CPW must be near zero. Anne, they are over 30 years old!

Lately I have found a number of leather bags at the thrift store that cost $10-$30. I conditioned them and they look great. The old Coach bags, if you can find them, can be washed. Some other brands are constructed with glues or cardboard and can't be washed.

My non leather bags are fabric. I have a couple of seatbelt bags. They seem very durable and supposedly are washable, but time will tell.

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Diana

Veteran

I had a bag that was leather on the outside but lined in pleather. And guess what? The outside (which is way more exposed to the elements) looked perfect while the lining started to come off in huge ugly peeling chunks.

I use either leather or nylon bags. The one down side of leather is that it can get heavy, hence my liking for nylon especially for big ones. (Although my floral tote is some sort of extremely coated canvas). But a good nylon tote costs nearly as much as a leather one....

Also keep in mind that if you use a bag daily or even a couple of times a week the CPW drops super fast. For example, if you carry the same $300 bag every day for 1 year, the cpw is already less than $1.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Anne, I'm not much of a bag girl either, although I do like them (I just always seem to find other things to spend my money on!). I have had good experiences with leather Fossil and Roots bags. They both lasted for years and years. Leather bags tend not to wear out.

DonnaF

Veteran

My Hobo brand leather bags from Nordstrom Rack started to fade and look bad rather quickly. A couple of fairly inexpensive leather bags that I bought at Macy's have stitching that is coming undone and showing wear at the corners. Pleather totes have also worn at the corners.

That being said, I've decided to go for quantity and recently bought a few pleather bags and a tote. Leather gets so heavy, and sometimes it's the lining and hardware that wears out first.

K. Period.

Veteran

For me, it is leather for the win. I've never had any luck with faux leather bags. They always quickly fall apart on me. Pleather means definitely less than a year of wear--more like 6 months of occasional use. I don't do it anymore because I can't stand knowing that bit of plastic is going to be rotting in a landfill for a gazillion years.

If you want leather that will wear like iron, look for a heavy pebbled leather. Dooney & Bourke (if you can find any style you like) has pebbled leather and the bags wear like iron. Older Coach bags were also very heavy leather (they weren't even lined!) and wore really well. If you can find one at a thrift store, then it is like finding gold. Also, maybe Brahmin. I recommended a Brahmin bag at NAS for a friend of mine who was tired of constantly throwing away her pleather bags. She had it for two years and it still looked like new when she replaced it because she just wanted a change. She couldn't believe how durable it was. (We sit next to each other at work, so I know how great it was after two years. I saw it every day!) So Brahmin may be a good choice too.

Unfortunately, with any of those bags you are likely to be paying about $300 unless you find them on sale or second hand. (Don't risk ebay. Filled with fakes.) The investment is worth it, though, if you can do it.

anne

Veteran

Thanks so much for all the contibutions to this thread, I have been waiting to have time to reply - and I still don't, but wanted to say something
I resonated with this

don't do it anymore because I can't stand knowing that bit of plastic is going to be rotting in a landfill for a gazillion years.

And wanted to respond to Diana here

Also keep in mind that if you use a bag daily or even a couple of times a week the CPW drops super fast. For example, if you carry the same $300 bag every day for 1 year, the cpw is already less than $1.

Although that's true, I need a lot better than that - I'm already making my $50 handbag last a year of 300 plus wears.

I'd want it to last 6 years of everyday wear!

I really appreciate all the brand recommendations. I won't be buying anytime soon, since I've just bought a new bag, so I have time to do some research, and to save up, if I want to go down that path.

Staysfit

Veteran

I just passed the first Coach bag I purchased, which was 30 years ago, on to my DD. Heavily used, but cleaned and reconditioned, it still looks great. She loved it! I know I'm late to this, but I have only a few handbags. They are all leather. I tend to pick expensive leather bags, but they wear like iron. I carry my bags to and from work in school buildings, they sit in file cabinet drawers, on car floors, on sticky tabletops, etc. Saffiano leather is one of my favorites. It's easy to keep clean. It holds its shape and color nicely.

Chris987

Veteran

This is a great discussion, I'm getting lots of good ideas.

I've heard it said that very light colored bags tend to scratch and mar easily, so some people who like them only buy them at lower price points and expect to refresh every year. I'm in that camp myself although I don't have many light clouted bags. On the flip side, sometimes real leather is easier to clean than faux leather or cloth. Also for many people (myself included) white bags are a warm weather item and if your warm season is relatively short then that might be another vote for less expensive ones/refreshing yearly.

I have never bought a really expensive bag but can see the value of doing so. I tend to get tired of most of mine after a few years and want something new so I keep the prices under $150 or so and always have some that are far below that. Maybe if I went for higher end ones I'd tire of them more slowly

A good bag (and shoes) sure do elevate an outfit, no matter what the outfit is.

Nishaa

I'm not exactly a one bag girl. I try to change twice or thrice acco to season.
Anne, I actually have a question for you. If you are a one bag girl.. And if you buy a very nice and sturdy bag which refuses to come apart .. Won't you get bored eventually?
If No, I'm sure others have better suggestions.
If yes, why not buy midrange and let it come apart at one year (or any bonus months above).. And go buy new. Unless you seriously hate to shop.
Is that helpful?

rabbit

Veteran

I have 12 bags which are in constant rotation, both leather and pleather, thrifted and bought new. About half I have had three years and are still going strong. I had one thrifted leather bag that had pleather loops holding on the handle for some reason, and that one did crack in that area and I passed it on--but I'm not sure how old it was originally.

My heaviest wearing bag is a black leather drawstring backpack (bought at TJ Max around 40$ on clearance). I have some more expensive pale colored leather bags but they got dirty a lot faster and after spot cleaning them I now baby them and don't wear them as much. Pleather is lighter than leather for sure, especially for a large bag. It's true though that if stored (not used) it can break down faster than it would otherwise, and mid-range pleather won't last as long as leather anyways.

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

If you know what style of bag works for you, then wait for the right one made of leather. If not, keep exploring with the non-leather ones until you nail what works for you and why. My best bags were leather ones and there is no comparison with anything else when it domes to quality, longevity or durability.

unfrumped

Veteran

I have mord than one bag! Bug hate to switch out, so tend to carry one per season.i think if you are a one bag person it can get quite economical because after all, you're USING it, not storing it. ( note to self: wear mird, stire less).
I'm not into designer bags but like leather that feels good and am picky about size & shape.
I have access to TJMaxx and dept store 50% off and can stay in the $ 100 range for good finds, this would be for a medium shopper- satchel- shoulder bag size, though can get really lucky and be less, and will go highee if it calls my name and I can see it as my everyday season bag or tote or think I'll love it for recurring seasonal outfits. I don't like ANY name or logo on bags so that rules out a lot- pass up many MK bags for thst reason.

JAileen

Veteran

I totally agree with you about Michael Kors. I won't buy his stuff for that very reason. What does that say about you when you have to plaster your name on everything?

DonnaF

Veteran

Okay; after reading K. Period's post I am rethinking my response. I now have a few Dooney & Bourke's bags on my Wish List. Maybe my problem was that I didn't buy pebbled/Saffiano leather.

Marilyn

Veteran

I have several Coach bags and feel they are worth the investment. A couple are pebbled leather...the rest are not. All have worn very well. I take good care of them with cleaner and moisturizer. If one gets marked (life happens!) I use a matching leather polish to blend it out. When in storage I stuff them with tissue paper.

anne

Veteran

So much wisdom here!

Nisha asked if I "seriously hate to shop" Aha - that is close to the truth. I am in a small but present minority on YLF who don't really like shopping very much!

I have been pondering your question

"And if you buy a very nice and sturdy bag which refuses to come apart .. Won't you get bored eventually?"

Long and hard.

I just don't know! I haven't had one long enough to know. I suspect not, if I choose carefully. In general I don't get sick of clothes and have some I've kept for 14-15 years. As long as the style isn't dated, and it is in good condition, I think I'd be ok.

Of course that makes choosing one a pretty big task, and I appreciate everyone's suggestions and advice. Another white coloured one would not be on the cards methinks!

Also, though I said I was a one bag person, that's not strictly true. I do have a silver clutch for special occasions (a couple of times a year) and a small red cross body (from Aussie forum member Lynne) which I used for a while but is too small for everyday use. I did however take it to Nepal, and I use it on walks to cafes. I damaged it somehow with chewing gum.

In addition, if I'm cycling I just use my backpack and a wallet. (Though yesterday I left my backpack on the bus, and am hoping I'll get it back again!)

Nishaa

Okay, we are kindred souls. . I love to shop as long as it's not for me. And I'm not asked to walk more than a km. And I have been fed. And don't have kids with me. Otherwise, You get it...
I had experienced this with a leather bag from a local boutique.. Hobo style.. After one year of continuous and two of non continuous use, I got fed up. My style also changed towards more structured bags. I did keep it for one more year. But I knew I'd never use it? and it was in good condition, so I finally passed it on. Hence the question.
I've had some clothes for 10 yrs and few clutches for 9, and I'm not bored of them. But shopping to the point is very tedious and boring task. So best of luck.

Jane

Veteran

Lovely to read everyone's thoughts on bags. I commute and need lots of bits to keep me occupied on the train! I find handbags aren't roomy enough, or keep papers straight enough. So I use satchels and changed recently to a white leather satchel, which as been great. Easy to clean (it's had coffee spilt on it). I like the way it bookends with the soles of my Geox shoes too.

So for a hard wearing bag that will have lots of use, for me leather works.