How long do your handbags last? - YouLookFab Forum

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How long do your handbags last?

Greyscale

Veteran

I was never much of a purse person. I used to carry a messenger bag with my computer, rather than a purse. But a few years ago, I found this simple Baggu cross body, and I carry it every day. It's perfect for me: space for sunglasses, wallet, keys, iPhone, lipstick. As a bonus, it fits a small notepad for taking notes at seminars.

I'm the first to admit that I don't treat the bag very delicately. It gets shoved in my backpack, carried to my art shop (grungy industrial metalworking space), brought to campouts.

Now, ~2.5 years after I bought it, it's probably time to say goodbye. The magnets that held it closed worked their way out of the seams, the straps are pulling off, the inside is covered in green eyeshadow from an unfortunate incident, and (least fixable) there are holes in the leather on the rim of the bag. I was going to bring it to a cobbler to fix the first two issues but the holes are a different story.

I think I'll buy an identical replacement because it's been so versatile, or this year's updated model. Mine is the first find; the new model is the second find. I'll keep the old one for days when it'll get banged around, so maybe the new one will last longer. I wish I didn't have to replace it so soon, but it was inexpensive and I certainly got my money's worth.

How long do your daily-use handbags last you?

Baggu Cross Body Bag

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Baggu Leather Crossbody Bag

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30 replies

Latest reply was from Suz

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Mine last years (I have some that are pre-YLF and still look pristine), but I switch bags frequently. I rarely wear them out before I tire of them or they fall out of style. Notable exceptions are basic black bags, and black clutches, which I tend to use a lot.

Anonymous

Oh ,these are nice bags. When you use the same one everyday, and put it through it's paces as you do, then 2.5 years seems pretty reasonable to me. I can't say I've ever "worn out" a bag, but totes or things I use every day and travel with and that get put on the floor and generally abused - yes

donnat

Veteran

I tend to carry a bag daily for 3 or 4 months, then tire of it. I will keep it for occasional use after that. After a couple years I give them away . My daughter usually takes them. She will give them a year of solid bashing as you described. Then a seam may fail or a handle break .... most of my bags fall into the between -$100. -300. Range

jill58

Veteran

Like Janet, I rotate bags so they rarely wear out. It is more likely that I would eventually donate one that I no longer used. It's hard for me to imagine wanting to duplicate the exact bag that I had in the past but you, it appears, are a handbag minimalist and the Baggu bag sounds perfect for your needs.

Kathie

Veteran

I have very few bags, and rotate infrequently. A nearly 25 year old Coach has some wear. A Dooney and Burke of almost the same age is nearly new looking, but it's only seen 2-3 months of use out of each year. And a 3 year old Kate Spade, that I use daily for work, is still going strong. My bags are all functional- but they don't go on campouts. The bag I stuff into anything is a fabric Kipling, so that has definitely saved the Coach and D&B from heavier use.

Greyscale

Veteran

I do also have a vintage Coach bag - bought used, carried daily for a few years, and it looks as good as the day I got it. I think that once this inexpensive Baggu bag started looking a bit banged up, I just decided not to worry about it at all. And its soft leather is just inevitably less sturdy than the saddle leather used for most bags.

cindysmith

Veteran

I am a one handbag kind of girl. I have one handbag right now, and a clutch that I bought for my sister's wedding that I am debating passing onto the local charity shops because I have no use for a bag that freaking small.

Handbags are an area where I am willing to spend, because I hunt and hunt and stalk and stalk until I find what I like at a price point I can afford. I only buy leather, and I abuse the ever-loving-crap out of my bags. My bag goes everywhere with me, and it holds a lot of stuffs (some days, it even holds my 17.5 pound dachshund). As a result of all of the research and hunting and inspecting, I usually wind up with a bag that will last through 2 to 3 years of my abuse. These same bags would probably hold up to at least twice that under more normal conditions, but I'm really hard on bags.

I'm OK with only getting 2 to 3 years out of a bag. I know I abuse them; I figure that 2 to 3 years of my abuse is a long, hard life for a bag.

Aquamarine

Veteran

I keep my bags forever, with the exception of one or two cheap ones I tossed. I tend to baby them, and store them carefully in the offseason. I even have one from high school (a Coach, gifted by a favorite aunt). I graduated HS in 1982

JAileen

Veteran

I have a couple Coach bags I bought over 30 years ago. I switched between the two for several years. They still look pretty good, but are too small for regular use (no cell phones back then).

I've never put a dog in one!

Style Fan

Veteran

Those are nice bags. It works for you and is very much in keeping with your style.
I keep my bags forever. I have bags from way back (1980s and maybe 1970s). Mr Style Fan bought some bags in Morocco in the 1960s (all fringes, etc) that I also have. I have bought bags in vintage stores and craft shows. These days I rarely buy bags because I don't see the need. If I saw something amazing in a vintage store I would buy it.

Jules

Veteran

That seems like a reasonable lifespan. I'm impressed with the longevity of other posters' bags! I have a couple of decent-to-good quality bags currently with broken zippers (will need to see if the cobbler can fix them). A few years ago I decided I like Fossil and thought they seemed reasonable quality for the price point, but everything I've bought there has worn poorly in some way within a year of wear (broken zipper, fading 'gold' finish on a wallet's hardware, flaked off coating on the googly eyes of a cute 'novelty' purse I got my daughter - but I don't see $70 as a novelty price), so I'm a bit disappointed. I should see how seriously that mean their 1-year warranty, but that doesn't help much for seasonal items.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I keep them a number of years - unless they start showing too many signs of wear. I switch out probably every couple of months (sometimes just for a day or two in between if the outfit goes better with a different bag). I have about 4 or 5 in rotation. Navy, burgundy, cognac and taupe are the main 4.

Dianna

Veteran

Right now my bags tend to last more because I switch between them, but when I used to carry the same bag day after day, their lifespan was between 2 and 3 years.

Laura G

Veteran

My one-and-only Coach bag is about 10 years old. I just went and inspected it to see if I was deluding myself, but other than being due for some saddle soap, it looks great.

Kathleen

I have some old 80s and 90s Coach bags, all still usable.

The Monsac bag that was my everyday bag for at least 5 years is in my closet and is still usable but I was just so tired of it. I did polish and treat it regularly. I'm not sure if it really helped or not but maybe a little.

Gaylene

Veteran

I keep bags for a long time. My oldest bag is a black, beaded, evening clutch from the mid 60s which is still in regular use. It still looks like new and I regularly get asked where I bought it.

My leather Coach bags from the late 70s are still in excellent shape, although the tan saddle bag has developed a patina which I love. I stopped buying inexpensive bags years ago when one broke during a conference trip. After spending a flight trying to hold the thing together so my stuff wouldn't dump out, I swore never to buy a cheap bag or tote again. My bags and totes work hard, need to be dependable in all sorts of conditions, and, last but not least, look good even when they have been used constantly for several years--or, in my case, decades!

Thistle

Veteran

Many years. I'm glad to see them bringing back some of the older Coach styles. Hoping they're as high of quality.

rachylou

Veteran

My Gucci is about 30 years old. I carried this every day for a long time before thinking I should put it in 'preserve' mode - it's my favourite bag ever. Irreplaceable. My dog-walking Target purse, which I attach the leash to, is maybe 5 years. I have just retired it and replaced it with the same basic model. My Le SportSac dog walking bag bit the dust in months. My Nature Conservancy free bag is 5 months? It's already see-through...

Brooklyn

Veteran

I switch a lot, so they last a long time. I have only had a hardware fail once. The closet thing I have to an everyday bag is a leather backpack from Ash. I use it as a gym bag and carry it most days. It is almost 3 years old and still going strong. If it failed now, I will feel like it had done it's service (it is not well treated). So I think 2.5 years is a pretty good run.

Joy

Veteran

Now that I have more bags and switch them often, I expect that they will last many years. When I used just one bag, I replaced it yearly or, in case of a summer bag, it lasted one season. These were not expensive or designer bags, however.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I really think that 2-3 years is a very respectable run for a bag that gets used everyday.

Sal

Veteran

2-3 years and I normally have about two on the go. I have worn them out but I am not a careful person. I stuff them full of things, and leave them on the floor and all sorts of disgraceful behavior:)

I have come around to having 2-3 handbags but for most of my life have been a one bag person (with a couple of evening options).

I like this bag very much and it suits your style.

Kate

Veteran

Mine last for many years, but I have a variety, and I'm not too hard on my bags. For a bag that gets used every day for over two years with no babying, I'm not too surprised that it's limping toward the sunset.

bella

(website)

Veteran

I usually have two or three in rotation, and I am very hard on my bags as well (put them on the ground in public transport and in classroom, fill them to the brim, etc.) I agree that 2-3 years is a very good run.

Jane

Veteran

I tend to rotate and buy very carefully, especially more expensive bags. When I get fed up with them I put them away and then have joy when I rediscover.

I love also though the occasional bags I manage to find in thrift shops.

2.5 years for a regularly used bag seems very good to me.

I do wonder though if you should branch out and find an entirely new bag - but may be not.

anchie

Veteran

If you were so happy with this bag, why not get the same. 2.5 years seem like a decent return of value.
My experience vary. I have a few bags that are more than 10 years old, heavily used and still look brand new. They are mostly dark colors. I have less luck with light color bags regardless of price point. My fairly expensive white leather handbag started showing wear after only one season.

gryffin

Veteran

Greyscale - I'm a one bag girl too. My first fendi camera bag lasted over 10 years although I had to have it relined at 9 and it was far less than pristine. I usually buy coach. I like the quality although they rarely have a style for me. My coach Annabelle is 4 yo and I had to have the side tab repaired recently. It still has several years of life. Itmw I bought a MJ recruit bag as a place holder which I'm still enjoying so the Annabelle is on vacation. I expect minimum 5 years of daily heavy use from a bag as long as I picked wisely and they work for it and I do wear them out. I do have "good" Bags and they are forever special occasion pieces.

Staysfit

Veteran

I have 4-5 bags that I purchased over 30 years ago, and there are several in my closet that my mother purchased maybe 40 years ago that look pristine. I tend to favor one or two that get the heaviest use, but even those last for years. Maybe 20 or more. I don’t mind spending lots of money for a good bag because I know it will last.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

My Chanel bag is 25 years old. Still going strong, but doesn't get much wear.

Some of my bags last 2 years max. Others much longer. My six Furlas get a lot of wear - and they look new.

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