It probably didn’t escape your notice yesterday, but I’m trying to buy a new designer bag. “Does it have to be accompanied by so much fuss?” you might ask. The answer is yes. It definitely has to be accompanied by so much fuss. Purchasing a bag like this is an enormous happening, involving a lot of different things. You’re not just buying any old bag, you’re buying something you’ll be using for years to come. That’s why, today in the Explorer, I’m talking about the issue of making sure you’re buying the perfect bag and not something you’ll ever regret.
LONGING
It starts with a longing. A deeply rooted, passionate longing for The Bag. When you think on a Monday, hey that Balenciaga’s kind of fun, but on Tuesday are eyeing Alexander Wang’s Rocco, you’re not ready. Give it some time, discover which model keeps attracting your attention during online shopping sessions, and just feel you really, really REALLY want it. Dream about it, tell about it, you won’t be able to stop talking about it if you really like the bag. When friends and colleagues have been driven mad and tell you to BUY THAT BAG FOR HEAVEN SAKE, then you know your longings are ay-okay.
CHOOSE SOMETHING TIMELESS
Perhaps redundant to state this, because you surely already know, but it needs to be said. I’d recommend not buying an It-bag. An It-bag is a bag du jour, a bag that has suddenly become incredibly hip and are spotted on every hot girl’s arm. The disadvantage of It-bags are that they’re very expensive, but also that they haven’t yet proved their timelessness. For example the Fendi Spy Bag or the Chloé Paddington. There was a time these bags were immensely popular. Everyone wanted one, myself included. But now, five years later, no one has one anymore and they are shunned entirely, even sold on second-hand websites for a snip.
COLOUR AND MATERIAL
The colour’s of course depends on your taste. I don’t like black bags because they’re boring, but also because black doesn’t match with brown. A bag in a colour fits, I think, everything. My burgundy red Marc Jacobs and marine blue Chloé are colours that match with everything, probably exactly because they’re such distinct colours. Having said that, black is safe and the right choice for a lot of people because it doesn’t bore you as quickly. When it comes to the material, always choose leather. Suede is such a hassle, takes a lot of maintenance time. Everything linen (for example the It-bag du jour, the Chanel backpack) gets dirty and isn’t the most durable choice.
SHAPE
Choose a shape that contrasts with your body. Are you curvy like Kim Kardashian then choose a boxy model. Women with enormous breasts need to watch out with cross body bags, the shoulder strap will sit in between your girlfriends, which isn’t charming at all. A hobo type of bag is flattering on almost everyone and so the perfect first bag model.
LONGING AGAIN
It starts with longings but also ends with it. The price you pay for an average designer bag is ludicrous and in no way justifiable. So don’t even try. Don’t even try to justify a 1000 euros to bag-haters. No, aim for the emotion. This bag’s making me terribly happy, it completes my life, etc etc.
Final words, enjoy your bag. Take care of it with love, don’t put it on the floor (in the beginning), take it everywhere you go, and put it next to your bed when you’re going to bed. I do the same.
