<p>We bought what we thought was a ‘real’ Dooney and Bourke purse at consignment - didn’t have the long strap with it, and was not in their current line - so sent a picture to Dooney and Bourke (to purchase replacement strap) and they identified it as a ‘fake’ - we were able to get our money back from the consignment store.</p>
<p>Yes they back their purses, as do others.</p>
<p>mcat2 D2 bought her bag with money her grandparents gave her. If she wants a bag in the future she will need to be prepared to pay for it herself. Of course, as this money was gifted to her, it WAS her money. She would never demand one from a SO if that is what you are insinuating. And I doubt she would be impressed by a guy who would spend his money on things he cannot afford or if they were married, making big purchases with community money that would cause hardship.</p>
<p>Leather goods of any kind made with decent workmanship aren’t inexpensive. Baseball gloves today sell for $300-500!</p>
<p>Maybe, maybe not. Maybe she’ll be the kind who just wants one really good bag and not want any more. Maybe she’ll have a relative who likes to buy leather goods / nice handbags and she will get them that way (I have such a relative). Maybe she’ll buy her own bags and her significant other won’t be involved. </p>
<p>Mcat, can you help me understand why this is a particular worry? This just isn’t any different from any other purchase that a boyfriend / significant other might (or might not) make for his girlfriend. A girlfriend might like electronic equipment, or jewelry, or nice handbags, or artwork, or whatever. And, maybe a boyfriend would wind up buying her that stuff, and maybe she’d buy it herself and not involve him. There’s no “rule” here. </p>
<p>“If many women are into purse or bag, their SO may have the need to buy one for her sooner or later, I would guess. Maybe not a “several thousands dollars” one, but at least one which costs several hundreds dollars?”</p>
<p>If they are on their own, it is their business what they buy for each other or for themselves: tattoos, Louboutins, crocodile leather bags… ;)</p>
<p>Agree with past two posts.have only a kindle with me so too hard to type a decent response.</p>
<p>Mcat, didn’t you say that your son’s girlfriend is a medical student? If you are looking for a rule of thumb, I think it is safe to say that most doctors buy their own handbags, so you can probably take this off your list of things to worry about. </p>
<p>I don’t know about the young women, but I know my son was more than happy to get a Coach wallet and belt! I have several Coach bags - some I’ve had for quite some time, and some are newer models. I do not care for the fabric or logo’d bags, I prefer the traditional leather bags. I used to buy less expensive bags (say about $50), but I would blast through them in six months (handles ripping off, lining tearing, literally blowing out the bottom of the bag). Now I spend more on each bag, but the bags are lasting me forever, so although it’s a “luxury”, it’s actually quite a practical purchase for me. My husband has never bought me a Coach bag - I am very capable of buying my own (he has a Coach wallet and belts as well). :)</p>
<p>I haven’t read all of the responses, so forgive me if this has been posted already. Interesting link about what people are googling during these final days of Christmas shopping.</p>
<p>Re: knowing name brands. I bought my first Coach bag in '79 or '80 (10th grade). Coach Basic Bag, $68, carried it for YEARS. Aigner was ‘in style’ at the time also, but did not have the staying power. I bought myself my Coach briefcase once I had a meeting to attend on my first job out of college. I think Coach workmanship is great, but hate the logo’d looks of the past ten years. They still make unbeatable men’s belts & wallets that I find at the outlet at great prices.</p>
<p>There are some brands that are distinguishable w/o a label or logo: Bottega Veneta bags, Missoni clothing, Chanel bags & clothing, etc. Viewing magazine ads would allow one to recognize the brand when seen in real life.</p>
<p>I have not spent a fortune on a ‘statement’ bag as I have never coveted one but I must have 20 pairs of Tod’s shoes & boots as they are the only brand that comfortably fits on my wide toe box. Fortunately, there is a Tod’s outlet within an hour also. The shoes were probably never really in style and I continue to wear them 10+ years later, so for me, paying more has been worthwhile.</p>
<p><a href=“America’s Christmas Gift Lists, as Seen by Google - The New York Times”>America’s Christmas Gift Lists, as Seen by Google - The New York Times;
<p>I mentioned this thread to my 20 yr old daughter and she said - don’t you remember back in middle school all those girls who had gucci and coach bags. </p>
<p>I’m not sure I understand this thread… at all. </p>
<p>My sister wanted a designer bag for Christmas. Sent me exactly what she wanted, I got it, and I’ll give it to her wrapped on Christmas and she’ll pretend to be surprised. She would do the same thing with a SO. </p>
<p>If I wanted something that was “several hundred dollars,” whatever it was, I would make darn sure that my partner knew EXACTLY what I wanted. (More likely though, I’d just buy it myself since we don’t give each other presents that cost several hundred dollars.) </p>
<p>Forgive me as I haven’t read this rapidly growing thread in its entirety either…</p>
<p>I have two daughters, ages 26 and 28. Neither own designer handbags. Neither give a care about it either. My guess is that neither would recognize most designer bags by name either. </p>
<p>I can’t explain why but one thing is that my kids grew up in rural Vermont and so owning designer this and that was not a thing in their social circles. Both went to college and grad schools in cities and have lived in major cities since college as well. I am sure they have peers who own these things, but it is not a desire of either of my girls. D1 doesn’t carry a purse too often (she has a professional career in London), though has a small canvas/fabric one. She has a nice computer type bag/tote, but doesn’t care about having a designer one (she likes nice things, but just saying is not tuned into having designer stuff). D2 carries a backpack (also works professionally in NYC). When she uses a pocketbook, I think she uses a very old one of mine that I had at her age that I let her take (not designer, but it is leather). </p>
<p>This reminds me of an anecdote when D2 was about 12 years old. She had an agent in NYC who sent her to an audition for a show on Nicklelodeon TV, that centered on preteen girls I guess. For the audition, for one thing, she was given what are called “sides” to act (this is an excerpt of the script) and so when my rural VT kid was reading over the sides to prepare, I was cracking up as there were references to Prada and I’m not sure my kid even know what that was. If I recall, my kid got a callback and the agent was told that my D needed to dress more hip and more the part…I just don’t think she had that kind of thing going that this show was aiming for, likely because she did not grow up where kids were trying to dress and look well beyond their age and into designer stuff. I recall that a person working at the studio took my D into the ladies room and tried to do her hair to make her look more the part of this teeny bopper who loves designer duds sort of look. </p>
<p>romani, I think OP is concerned that his future DIL could have expensive taste in bags since she seems to recognize brands… And the rest of us are just chatting about bags! ;)</p>
<p>Ah… ok. I guess I just don’t understand why that is a concern lol. </p>
<p>Especially to a potential FIL :-?? </p>
<p>Good thing OP cannot tell Chanel from Shinola ;)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Are you referring to the cobalt blue? I just got a Kate Spade handbag in cobalt blue, and in all my years of carrying a purse, have NEVER gotten so many compliments! It is just a beautiful color, and will work well for both winter and summer.</p>
<p>Ahhh… The worries about FDIL bankrupting her hubby with her expensive tastes! 
</p>
<p>This thread reminds me of an old tale:</p>
<p><a href=“Borrowing Trouble on JSTOR”>Borrowing Trouble on JSTOR;
<p>“I can’t explain why but one thing is that my kids grew up in rural Vermont and so owning designer this and that was not a thing in their social circles.”</p>
<p>I don’t think it necessarily has to do with one’s social circles. I like certain nice things because <em>I</em> like / appreciate them. Conversely, there are things that people in my social circles often like and do that I don’t care for, so I don’t do them (spending money on wine is a prime example of that). I’ve bought my kids “designer” things but when it’s been something where I think there is an appreciable quality / style difference, which is not related to what their peers are doing. </p>
<p>I do have quite a few Michael Green bags from the 1970’s and 1980’s that he made after he left Coach.
Fossil seems to get their designs from Roots ( I say this because I see them at Roots first), but I think Roots uses better leather.
This is an interesting take.
<a href=“Women may buy designer bags to protect their relationships, study suggests - CBS News”>http://www.cbsnews.com/news/women-may-buy-designer-bags-to-protect-their-relationships-study-suggests/</a>
I mostly use my Perlina cross body bag that I’ve had for 35 years.
I used to like a nice clutch or doctors style bag, but now I want my hands free.
I know just enough about designers to know that I don’t need their label to guide my choices.</p>
<p>MCAT2, just because a person is able to ID expensive items does not necessarily mean that they wish to acquire such items. Our kids are prime examples. Both can ID a lot of expensive items because they have seen them–in stores, carried to colleagues, classmates and peers. Neither has a desire to possess expensive items just because they are designer but are much more interested in form and function. </p>
<p>S particularly likes well made items if he will be using them a lot and is willing to pay a lot of such items (out of his own funds). D on the other hand can admire such items from afar but has no particular desire to own such items at this time (even when I have gifted her with some). She honestly prefers non-branded or very discreetly branded items that fit her sense of style.</p>
<p>I agree that it makes no sense to be borrowing trouble. This young woman may or may not be a serious interest of your S’s and may or may not have expensive tastes. Really, time will tell how things evolve, IF they are meant to be more than simply passing interests.</p>