Today we’re taking a look into the life of a young professional hailing from our nation’s capital. She has worked exceptionally hard to get to where she is in her career. like lots of of us, this confessor has celebrated big life events by purchasing new bags. though this confessor has purchased lots of bags on her own, her a lot of beloved bag was handed down to her by her mom, whose mother was the previous owner of the bag.

Her collection varies and she has her fair share of different designers, but today’s confessor’s attitude towards bags and shopping is pretty down to earth. This confessor owns, and loves, bags in any way price points. Additionally, she recognizes that bags are “just bags” and shouldn’t impact how others are treated. While she admits that she went through a bit of a frivolous spending period in her 20s, today’s confessor shops mindfully, typically planning out higher-end bag purchases in correlation to big life events. While her overall attitude towards bags and shopping is refreshing, so is her knack for the sweets she keeps stuffed in her bags. read the full confessional below and don’t forget to submit your own!

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Det grundlæggende

Age: 31
Gender Identity: Female
Location: Washington, DC
Occupation: Lawyers/Consultant
Industry: Tax
Salary: $102,000
Household Income: $400,000

The Bags

Are you a PurseForum member? Ingen

How lots of bags do you own? around 30

What bags are in your collection?

Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM (Damier Azur)

Louis Vuitton Boulogne 35 (Classic Monogram)

Vintage Gucci Boston Bag

Vintage Gucci GG monogram small Crossbody

Mulberry Bayswater (Heritage) in sage green

Mulberry Dorset tote in bluebell leather

Balenciaga medium classic City in black with silver hardware

Prada Nylon Crossbody in black

Marc Jacobs Stam in turquoise

Kurt Geiger London Rainbow stripe Kensington Bag

Kurt Geiger London tiny Kensington in red tweed

Annabel Ingall large Isabella tote in black

Tory Burch Gemini link tote in Orange

Tory Burch leather Foldover Crossbody

Rebecca Minkoff Cupid satchel in Camel

Rebecca Minkoff tiny MAC in Grey

Rebecca Minkoff tiny affair in Teal

Longchamp large Le Pliage in Olive

Several vintage instructor crossbody bags

Additionally, I have several unbranded bags from local stores and Amazon, and a few bags from fast fashion places like H&M, Aldo, Target, and TJMaxx

How much is your collection worth? roughly $12,800 at retail price (before depreciation)

What is your a lot of expensive bag? In terms of retail value, probably the Balenciaga City, but I paid way less. Out of all my bags, I paid the most for the LV Neverfull.

What are the most crucial brands or pieces in your collection?

Almost all of my bags provided are crucial to me, but I am a lot of sentimental about the following:
– Mulberry Bayswater – this was my “high end” designer bag that I purchased for myself
– LV Neverfull – I purchased this after a hard-won promotion at work. I fought hard to get that promotion – I was working in a very competitive office within my firm where it could be tough for women to get promoted, reporting to a boss who fostered that environment. I worked really hard to get that promotion, but I know I couldn’t have gotten there without the support I received from a network of wonderful women within my firm that I am lucky to call colleagues. Not only did they give me the support and support to help me get to that level, they went to bat for me when push pertained to shove.
– The LV Boulogne – this was originally my grandmother’s, and my mommy handed it down to me for my 30th birthday. I didn’t get to know her well considering that I was really young when she passed, so it really is special to me.
– The Balenciaga City – I had wanted this bag considering that it came out, and finally got this last year to celebrate getting a new position at my company that had been a goal for me for some time. It represented a real stepping stone in my occupation for me.
– Kurt Geiger Rainbow stripe Kensington – I got this in Scotland when I was there on an anniversary trip with my husband. He got this for me as a surprise when he found out I got an interview for my current role.

What age did you get your first designer bag, and what was it? The first name brand designer bag I got was probably a instructor logo’d purse I had saved up for in middle school. I’m not sure what the exact model was, but it was a big deal to me at the time! In terms of higher end labels, the first “luxury” bag I got (I take that label with a grain of salt, considering that I have bags I love in any way market levels) was the Mulberry Bayswater. I had wanted it for some time and found a pre-loved one on Tradesy that I didn’t get immediately, but kept my eye on. I finally gotten it during a dreadful trip to new York, where we had gone to check out pals and it was a complete disaster – the couple we were staying with hAnnonce tog netop en beslutning om at skille sig og forsøgte at holde planerne alligevel sammen, jeg blev trukket ind i en nødsituation og tilbragte meget af weekenden i deres andet soveværelse på min bærbare computer … Jeg trak aktiveringen midt i alt det!

Er der en bestemt taske, du søger at købe næste gang? Jeg er virkelig meget glad for min nuværende samling, og ærligt talt, i betragtning af verdens tilstand ideal nu, ville jeg bare være glad for at bruge meget mere tid på at bruge de poser, jeg ejer og elsker så useriøs, som det lyder. Mens jeg havde tænkt på en Stella McCartney Fallabella, har jeg sat det på ubestemt hold og måske eller måske ikke revideret den tanke, når tingene forbedres. Med alt det sagt, MZ Wallace Small Sutton i en tid i betragtning af at jeg ville have noget, der var pakkeligt, holdbart og også sød, og prisen er rimelig. Jeg får måske den, når tingene går tilbage til det normale, forudsat at det sker!

Enhver bestemt taske, der har en særlig sentimental værdi? De poser, der er meget afgørende for mig, er dem, der har en sentimental værdi!

Føler du, at dine tasker skifter folks opfattelse af dig, eller hvordan du behandles? Ikke i disse dage – min sofa ser ikke ud til at være ligeglad med, hvad jeg bærer! Tilbage, når vi kunne gå ud, ville jeg kun sige minimalt. Jeg tror, ​​at mine mange genkendelige poser som LVS eller Guccis er et krone et dusin, hvor jeg bor, så jeg har ikke observeret meget forskel, når jeg bærer dem snarere end hvor jeg ikke gør det. Mens DC ikke er det mest “mode-y” -område (selvom der er en virkelig voksende tilstedeværelse), bemærker jeg, at mange kvinder på mine kontor bærer designerposer, men det er sjældent et samtaleemne. Nogle af mine venner er i poser – nogle meget mere end andre, men for dem, der er det, er det meget mere som et sjovt samtaleemne for os end en status ting, som jeg virkelig værdsætter.

Jeg tror, ​​jeg ser den mest ændring i opfattelsen, når jeg bærer noget lidt usædvanligt eller uden for den slagne sti (især Kurt Geiger Rainbow Stripe Kensington). Helt ærligt, jeg kan godt lide det på den måde! Tasker er sjove, men i slutningen af ​​dagen er de bare poser, og jeg tror ikke, de skal påvirke, hvordan folk behandles.

Shopping

Hvor typisk får du nye tasker? Måske et par gange om året, give eller tage. En masse af mine højere slutkøb er godt planlagt og lavet i forhold til en livsbegivenhed, men der er tidspunkter, hvor jeg vil drage fordel af en god handel, når det kommer op. Jeg gennemgik en periode i slutningen af ​​20’erne, hvor jeg fik ny taske meget mere typisk end det, mest i mellemklassen/lav ende-ordning af ting, men i betragtning af det så har jeg forsøgt at være meget mere opmærksom . Jeg er heldig, at mange af mine venner vil bede mig om at hjælpe dem med at shoppe en taske, så jeg får en masse af mine shoppingimpulser ud på den måde!

Hvilke butikker hyppigt har du mest? Jeg får en masse af mine tasker forelskede, så virkelig en masse forsendelsesbutikker, både personlige og online. Hvis jeg køber nyt, tager jeg til Nordstrom eller South Moon under, og jeg elsker en god TJMaxx -aftale. Jeg tror, ​​Aldo virkelig også er undervurderet – jeg fik mit bryllupshold der!

Får du nogensinde brugte tasker? Hvor bliver du brugt? Meget ofte! Jeg kan godt lide at blive førelsket, hvis det er muligt-det føles meget mere bæredygtigt for mig, og du kan finde en fantastisk aftale, hvis du ved, hvor du skal se. Jeg har også en tendens til at tynge mod tasker, der synes lidt mere specielle (i det mindste for mig), som kan omfatte poser, der ikke længere er på markedet. Hvis det var populært i 2005, er det sandsynligvis på min ønskeliste! Personligt, jeg kan godt lide den nuværende butik, for det meste Clarendon-placeringen i Arlington, VA. Jeg har fundet nogle utrolige tilbud der – jeg betalte $ 15 ud af lommen for min Prada Nylon CrossBody (det var $ 115 og jeg havde $ 100 i butikskredit). Jeg hyppige online butikker som Tradesy, The RealReal og ofte eBay (selvom jeg får dem godkendt). En kammerat af en PAL driver en luksusvarerforsendelsesbutik (primært gennem Instagram, men hun har også en butik), så jeg har fået nogle fantastiske tasker fra hende til gode priser, herunder Balanciaga City, Neverfull og Gucci Boston.

Sælger du gamle tasker til at betale for nye køb? Jeg har sjældent solgt gamle tasker, men ikke at betale for nye køb! Hvis jeg sælger en taske, er det sandsynligvis til den nuværende butik i betragtning af at de gør det så let (hvis jeg skal sende noget, vil jeg uundgåeligt glemme at gøre det). Jeg er meget mere tilbøjelig til at give gamle poser væk til venner eller familie eller til at donere.

Føler du nogensinde samfundsmæssigt pres for at købe meget flere tasker? Mindre så i disse dage, men jeg plejede at gøre det. Instagram hjælper absolut ikke, men når jeg er blevet ældre, er jeg blevet meget mere sikker i mine valg og smag. I disse dage er presset ikke så meget for mig tanken om, at jeg skal have meget flere poser med hensyn til tal, det kommer meget mere fra et stort antal fantastiske muligheder derude – det meget mere du ruller gennem Instagram, blogs , marketing -e -mails, jo meget mere ser du ting, du måske ønsker. Med det sagt er jeg heldig nok til at have flere langvarige drømmeposer in my closet already, and given the state of the world these days I just want to take pleasure in what I have.

Do you consider your bag purchases investments? Slet ikke! At least not relating to my own bags, for me I think they’re something to take pleasure in that I am lucky I am able to afford. maybe an investment in my happiness? I do see how they can be checked out as investments, and I like to think about the investment side of things from an economics perspective due to my profession – I have used handbags as an example of describing market level and value motorists when teaching junior colleagues! I also really like monitoring popular styles and prices in the retail market to see how things change over time.
Who usually influences your getting decisions?

Who influences your getting decisions? Jeg er ikke sikker! While I think Instagram influencers and celebrities probably have some subconscious impact on things, I tend to get what I like, which includes both styles that are really popular and mainstream, and styles that are not. I am drawn a lot more to recognizable styles a lot more so than logos, if that makes any sense, and I think I get that from my mom, who loves luxury items but absolutely hates logos. I don’t mind logos myself, but I have to like the style as well. While I’ll often ask my pals or spouse what they think when making a purchase decision, I’ll probably just go ahead and get what I like because I’m the one carrying the bag! I hope that doesn’t sound callous!

Are sales associate relationships instrumental to your shopping? Not in the standard way, considering that I get a lot second-hand. While I always appreciate the insight of boutique or department store SAs if they are friendly, I don’t shop at those stores for bags enough to really develop those relationships.

I would say that these kind of relationships are instrumental in terms of secondhand purchases. I’ve developed a good relationship with my friend’s pal who runs the luxury consignment service – she’s tracked down a certain bag I’ve wanted or reserved a style for me she knew I had been wanting. She’ll also reach out often if a style comes in that she thinks I may want, and she has also helped me authenticate an eBay purchase. I’ve also referred people to her, and I’m always happy to send people her way. I’m also close with the staff at my local consignment store – I miss them now that things are shut down, and I can’t wait to support them when things reopen. The manager is on my Christmas list!

Why do you take pleasure in shopping, beyond just acquiring something new? I’ve always been a buyer – the hunter-gatherer impulse was already strong in me, and capitalism absolutely doesn’t help! maybe it is retail therapy, but I take pleasure in the experience of going to stores, checking out things, talking to the salespeople, and seeing what is out there. I also really take pleasure in helping my pals and family shop for themselves – I’m the go-to in my family when someone needs a prom dress or something!

Have you ever felt like you received inferior service at a store or boutique due to your appearance, ethnicity or gender? I’ve absolutely seen some not terrific customer service in some places, mostly a few luxury boutiques, but I don’t think it was attributable to my appearance, ethnicity, or gender. I think it was just bad customer service from some snobby sales associates, which absolutely happens! That said, I do know that this happens, and I think it is abhorrent, and I know that I am inherently privileged not to experience it.

Pengene

Who pays for your bags? mostly me, though my spouse has gotten me a few. He got me the Mulberry Dorset tote for my birthday one year and the Kurt Geiger Kensington as an anniversary present. A few were gifts – the LV Boulogne was handed down to me from my late grandmother from my mommy for my 30th birthday, and my daddy got me the Tory Burch Gemini tote for a birthday, but for the most part, I do.

Do you set aside a budget for your bag purchases? not on a regular basis. My workplace has a recognition program where we can send people “rewards points” which are