I'm not yet a "bag lady" (but it seems to be creeping up on me a little bit lately) - but I wanted to suggest that there is such a thing as "joy per wear" - just as we sometimes talk about "cost per wear".
About a year and a half ago, I spied this beautifully-made, simple black leather bag at Nordstrom Rack. It was *perfect* for me - the right shape, nice-quality leather, not too blingy, and I loved the shape of it (a rectangle). Plus, it was also a cross-body bag that just worked well on my frame. I paid about $70 for it, which I thought was a lot. LOL. I have since found out that these bags retail for around $400, usually. That's not the point though - the point is that this particular simple little black bag has made me *happy* every time I use it. The leather is beautiful. The shape is structured, but not typical. It stays on my shoulder, and it drapes nicely when I do the 'cross-body' thing. The thing just looks so elegant, to my eye.
I have to say that now that I've had this particular bag for about a year and a half - I'd gladly pay the full-retail price of $400 for it. I like it that much.
I realize that you're talking about bags that are much more expensive than this - and that perhaps quality has gone downhill, in some instances. You're probably right about this, as I've also noticed a general downgrade in quality across the board, at just about every price point.
Meanwhile, what about factoring in how happy a particular bag makes someone? Maybe the workmanship or the quality doesn't match up to some seemingly outrageous price tag, but having said that, I kind of think that if it makes someone incredibly happy every time they use it, then yes - it's definitely "worth the price" to that person.
Not to take this too far off-topic, but I spend more money on food than a lot of people do. I'm very, very fussy about stuff. I could just as easily get a better price on tomatoes at the local grocery store, but it makes me *happy* seeing those organic campari tomatoes on the vine sitting in a wire basket on my kitchen counter. The tomatoes probably aren't *that* much better than other tomatoes, but they make me so much happier. Does that seem kind of silly?
Likewise, I was searching for "gluten free cleaning products" a few months ago, and stumbled upon Mrs. Meyers brand products. Bought some dish soap and a counter spray - totally fell in love with the Lemon Verbena Scent, and the funky, slightly vintage-looking label. Do these things clean better? No. They clean about as well as anything else. Thing is? I love the smell so much that I'm inventing reasons to hand-wash things so I can use the liquid dish soap. And, the counter tops have never been cleaner.
Meanwhile, I think it (the joy factor, that is) works in reverse too. I showed up to a family reunion about a year ago now...wearing purple Converse with my simple jeans and a nicer blouse. Well, guess what? My whole family *had to have* the Converse shoes. My parents normally spend a lot more on shoes, and the funniest thing is that they absolutely have to be real Converse - no spending more on a designer version of the same thing.
I think the same is true of last fall's mad rush for Jason Wu for Target items. I'm sure there were lots of people who could easily buy Jason Wu designer fashions - but there was this fun-factor, this new-ness to the line introduced at Target...and everybody wanted these items.
I think we need a new YLF term/acronym - Joy Per Wear or Joy Per Use.
It might well be that some designer bags aren't necessarily 'worth it' in terms of price, at least to some of us - but the thing is - you can't always put a price on what makes someone happy. I'm not all that keen on Coach bags, but during that same family reunion trip, a family friend was all about buying her daughter a Coach bag...to me, it didn't seem like such a big deal, but my Mom's friend knew that this would make her daughter extremely happy. So, off we went to the outlet store. Not my kind of thing, but I can imagine the squeals of delight when Mom's friend arrived back home, with a Coach bag in tow for her daughter.
No, not worth it to me...but for my Mom's friend, buying a gift for her young daughter - this was a big deal. This same woman would probably think I was stupid for spending so much money on tomatoes.
People wonder why I buy parchment paper and fancy graters. Nobody complains about the food though, and if some little tiny package of organic fresh dill weed puts a big smile on my face, then it's all good.
I still love that $70 bag that normally retails for $400+. I'm so inept at this kind of thing, that I didn't think anything of it, and I certainly didn't recognize the brand in any way - I just liked it a whole lot, so I bought it. It made me happy. It makes me happy every time I use it.
I wonder if the same is true of those expensive, designer bags?
What do you think of this idea? That it's not necessarily the price itself or whether a certain item is worth the price being asked - but that there is something to be said for what makes people happy?
I can see it now...I run into someone who buys very expensive, designer bags, saying to me, "Are you nuts? It's dish soap...you can get Palmolive" and me stammering, "But...I like the label design, I like the smell..." while also thinking, "Are you crazy? Spending $800 on a purse?"
You just never know what will make someone happy.