Coach Bags, Do You Really Spend That Much on a Purse?

Well I've never bought or even looked at a Coach bag, so I decided to go to their website to see how much they run.... HOLY $HIT!! Okay, I'm good now.

It depends. I have a couole of very nice Coach bags and I've used the same Coach wallet over 6 yrs.

I don't " have" to have Coach. I buy whatever I find I any brand that is the most functional for me.

I tend to have 1-3 good bags and alternate.

I don't own a Coach bag. I have no desire to. I'm not into brands and designers, never have been. I'm 45. I don't have a budget for those things. I don't look at anyone else's Coach pocketbook with envy. If several hundred dollars fell out of the sky, I could make a list of what I'd use it for, and a designer pocketbook wouldn't be anywhere on that list.

We all have different priorities.

I don't spend money on bags, but I WILL drop a couple thousand into a camera. Meanwhile Ms.Coach can look at Ms.Nikon and think I'm nuts.

What we do with our extra money, what we save for, what we enjoy, what makes us feel competent/successful/good is all going to be VERY different from most other people.

Beyond the basics (shelter, food, 1 set of clothes) EVERYTHING is extra.

Maybe someone spends $1000 on Xmas lights. The next person spends 1000 on clothes. The next, on their 401k. The next on extracurriculars for their kids. The next on tithing. The next on travel. The next on a coach bag. The next on a camera. The next, next, next....

Doesn't mean ANY of us are wrong. Just different.

I'm not the sort of person to have something just to say I have that brand. I'd rather have something I like and don't have to take out a loan to pay for. I don't have a whole wardrobe of bags, either - maybe two or three. (I do like to switch to a fabric or straw bag in the summer.)

That said, I have a Coach bag. Years ago, I was looking for a good leather purse at our area's thrift stores (which I do help keep in business, thank you). I had never heard of Coach! But the price tag was $20, so I figured it must be a big name. The style of the bag was not "in," but it was *great* quality; the only thing wrong was that the clasp was badly damaged. I bought the bag and sent it to the Coach company, and they repaired the clasp "free fer nuthin'," as the saying goes.

So yes, I have a Coach bag. I have a small Coach briefcase, too, that I found the same way. I use it to tote music in. I'll never have to buy another. It's earned its keep already. I don't think owning those makes me Somebody, however.

I have one large Coach bag and two Kate Spade that I've had for more than five years. The Coach and one Kate Spade were hand-me-downs from one of my sisters. The other KS I bought myself at an outlet, with a discount, for my birthday and mother's day gifts for about $250.

I will never own a cheap bag again. There are few things that I spend money on and a nice bag is worth it. I can't go into my day job office and meet with clients or vendors toting some ratty old thing from JC Penney or Marshalls. I can't go into the McMansion homes of the people who pay $100+ an hour for private SAT tutoring carrying something from WalMart.

To me, there are some places and times in your life where first impressions count and having the right bag is a relatively inexpensive and lasting way to help make that good impression.

To a point there's something to be said for quality. I have an old coach purse that still looks new and I got a coach wallet. Most times I open it I think how much I like it bc it's so nice, high quality. Nothing to do with status. People don't always buy expensive for status. Over time I've seen that cheap is cheap for a reason. It's like our cars. We have one expensive german and a Chevy. I love the Chevy in many many ways but it wasn't expensive and as the car ages, it's really showing. I dont like coach's style now or I'd buy another coach purse... They really hold up.

To me, a Coach bag is a middle-class house wife's wet dream. Seriously, I don't get the big deal especially since although they are pricey, they are affordable for most people as a slurge. I also don't get the purse obsession, like buying them on a regular basis. I have a bag I carry all year and then a small evening bag. Matching your bag to your outfit is really outdated to me. I have a Longchamp which cost 130 dollars. It matches everything and most people don't know that brand because it is not so middle America. I had a friend who regularly bought super expensive purses. A coach was like entry level for her. She would take pictures of the newest purse and send it in emails. So lame.

I must confess, I do have a few coach purses, plus I use a Coach wallet. I have the classic models of just leather, not these patchwork kinds that look like they came from a Hello Kitty store.

I buy nice leather purses and keep just a few: black for winter, brown for fall, a fun green one for spring and a yellow for summer. Right now I have DKNY that looks like snake skin. I look for good metal zippers and they ALL sling across my body, rest on my hip and have good inside pockets for cell phone, pens, lip balms, etc.

I was a poor, single parent for along time and used a backpack for every thing. What's interesting, is that workers in the malls treat me differently with my nicer purses and wallet then prior. People are so materialistic. Sad.

I spend around $100 on my purses, but I use mine for years and years. The cheaper ones fall apart on me, so I look for a quality leather purse on sale. I don't have time to change out purses all the time, so I have one winter purse and one summer purse.

I honestly don't get the obsession with shoes or purses. I look for quality and practicality, because I use mine for years but that's about it.

I am not a fan of Coach at all. I can actually get great deals on them and still cannot bring myself to get one.
Some people just have purse fetishes. Whatever floats their boat.
I am a designer jean girl, not because of the label, but the way they fit. I am obsessed.
If they can afford it, more power to them!

I like a nice purse but it doesn't have to be designer. I have a purse that I get compliments on all the time. I've had it for 3 years and it cost me $4 from Target.

I am not hard on anything I own; purses, clothes, shoes, etc. I keep my belongings for decades and they look brand new.

My husband bought me a coach purse that was on major sale for $69. I like it but too many people have Coach, and I don't like to have things that everyone has.

Ha! One day my husband was going to buy me something nice while we were in the Forum Shops at Caesars. We used to go there from time to time and buy ourselves a little gift. Well he walked me into the Coach store and told me to pick out what I wanted, so I did.

First of all the sales agent wouldn't really give us the time of day, then he finally did and told us the bag was $5,000! Well, I didn't get a purse that day, just a good laugh.

I have never understood the obsession! Not only are they ridiculously expensive, but most of the ones I have seen are also super ugly! My bags all cost under $50 and most of them have a special memory attached, like the one I got in Paris, or the one from that great flea market we went to in London, ect. I like things to hold meaning for me more then $$$$$$.

I am just not big on wearing/using items with obvious or gaudy branding. It just screams to me: "Look at how much money I spent on a thing that means nothing!". Take a pair of plastic sunglasses. $20 bucks without branding. The same pair, with a name brand emblem on it? At least $300 bucks. Even when I have extra money, I still can't even justify the high prices.

I have Nine West & Target bags that have lasted for YEARS. I don't want to be forced to use a bag for decades because I have to justify the huge price tag. I don't care if it's well made and will last for decades because nothing is that classic. I'd rather buy middle of the road items and have a variety. Not to mention, what if you lost it, or your kid spilled Kool Aid all over it? No thanks.

I'm probably not the right person to talk to, I can't even bring myself to buy a Starbucks coffee anymore! And I hate paying full price for anything.

And a poster below is right, those bags are so "trendy" that they're not even unique. I'd rather find a no name brand of good quality that no one else had.

i'm not a purse girl. i find one that's plain brown leather with enough compartments to keep me organized, and i use it for years. i'm with you, $50 is if i fall in LOVE with one.
because i'm not a purse girl, that rarely happens.
:) khairete
S.

I didn't know that bags were made for couches, or that you'd carry a couch bag as a purse. Hmmm, learn something new everyday!

Sorry, couldn't resist!

Thanks for being a good sport! I don't have a Coach purse because I think they are U-G-L-Y! I was even offered a hand-me-down Coach purse by my SIL once and I didn't take it. I don't care what name is on something, if I like it I buy it and if I don't you won't see me with it!

My Coach bags (3) were all gifts. They're so well-made. The classic one I've had for 14 years and it's been repaired twice for free. I don't spend that much on a bag, but I'm glad my husband will!

Did you have a question, or did you just come on here to lecture people about what they choose to spend their money on?

I do agree... I personally don't spend a lot on purses and I don't have any 'designer' ones (although I wish someone would give me one as a gift, because I love coach bags, I would just never buy one). But I certainly don't care if other people want to spend their money on that kind of thing. A good friend of mine absolutely loves designer brands. She has designer sunglasses, designer purses, shoes, etc. She's practically obsessed with the stuff. On the other hand, she just had her first child, so I suspect a lot of that will die down now.

I agree it's silly, at least to me, but I don't care how other people spend their money.

I never even notice unless someone else brings it up. I am helping people get financial aid and boy do people get rejected a lot for driving expensive cars and carrying $2,000 purses! When they leave, I am amazed at how many people recognize name brands and the prices.
Am I the only one who shops at JCPenney?

I don't have one, and likely never will. I stick to middle designers, like Liz Claiborne or Tommy Hilfiger, and get many years of use out of my $60 TJ Maxx purses.

Coach bags really are worth the money. They (in my experience) will last forever. Now, I have not actually had to pay for one myself I only have two and they were both gifts. If I were to pay for them I would ONLY get them at the outlet store and they are always handing out coupons. My hubby got me one last year that big, super nice, and after the outlet price and coupon it was only about $190.00.

It all depends on what is going on in my life....

I'd rather spend money on a purse that will last instead of $20 on one that will fall apart in 3 to 6 months.

I have a DKNY right now. It was a gift last year for Christmas. It was a little over $100 on sale. It's not a knock-off..

The most I have spent on a purse is $300 and it lasted me a good 6 years. So that's $50 a year. Not bad. And I ended up selling it on ebay for $100 EVEN after it was 6 years old....because it lasted and was quality.

I have a few coach purses, but they are all ones that I bought secondhand for a few dollars. I will never spend $300 for a purse...even when I can afford it. I like them,but certainly not enough to spend that much money on them....

I love purses. I have many Vera Bradley ones and about 8 Coach bags. The Vera bags are cute and the Coach bags are very well made. I never pay full price for Coach bags. I get them at the outlet stores and only when they are offering an extra 30% off everything in the store. I can't carry the same purse for longer than 2 weeks so I am constantly switching. I don't carry purses to go with outfits, it's just what I feel like at the time, which is why I switch all the time. I'm not a fashiony kind of girl and I could care less about shoes, but I do like bags. There are some brands that I just really like such as I only buy Yankee candles and my baskets are from Longaberger. For me I don't think of any of it as flashy at all, it's just what I like and there's the quality aspect of it. But not everyone is like that.

It's a status symbol for many. I personally think it's stupid to but a fabric purse for over $10.

But Louis Vittion purses are no better over $1000 for a vinyl bag is just plain outrageous.

No, I don't spend that, nor do I have or want a Coach bag.

I will say, however, that I am most definitely NOT a purse (or shoe) person. I absolutely HATE when I end up needing a new purse. I dread shopping for one because I am very picky (as another poster mentioned, regarding the pockets/zippers/storage and functionality issues) and the current styles all seem to be in-your-face style and color. I'm not really an in-your-face kinda person....
So I have a really difficult time finding what I am looking for: (typically) black or brown leather with room for lots of stuff--including the rest of the family's stuff that they ask me to hold for "just a second"--, easy access to my wallet (which is another issue of mine), my phone, something to write with, that my keys won't get lost in the bottom while putting my wallet back inside the purse, that actually zips or secures fully at the top (for those roller coaster rides at the amusement parks, or the quick stops in traffic when everything on the seat flies into the floorboard, or it falls into the door on a sharp turn)... etc. All that, plus is conservative and classic looking, without being a briefcase and has both handles and a shoulder strap for hands free use.

Yeah... exactly... I'm picky about it. I HATE looking for that ONE bag that can do it all. I only come across about one every 3 years. And I want it all for $100 or less.
THEN, I HATE moving all my stuff from the old bag to the new one. I totally have to relearn how to find things in it without looking (you know, while you are driving down the road with your left hand and digging in your purse with your right hand). And everything needs to be accessible with the ONE HAND.

All of the above issues, with the wallet purchases, too. I had a perfect wallet when I was about 22 yrs old. It lasted me until I was around 35. Finally it just completely wore out. The hinges on the change purse started letting coins slip out and it was just plain dirty from years of dust accumulation in the seams/wrinkles of leather. I searched for a Loooooong time before finding the one I have been using ever since. It's going on year 8 or 9. Starting to show some wear... so I have begun to wander through the purse/wallet section of the stores...I've found a few I took more than a glance at, but wasn't sold on them. Still looking, waiting to find just the right one.

I'm a purse hoarder. I kid you not I have 4 large trash bags full of purses, all sizes and all colors. My husband just shakes his head at this.....its my thing. I love purses. :p
I don't have room in my closets for them so I keep them stored in bags. I switch off when the mood hits and when I take one out it feels "new" since I hadn't used it in awhile.
I don't spend alot of money on it though. Coach bags? Ehh...not worth all that.

The only Coach bags I have were given to me as toss-offs from a neighbor who was moving and didn't have room to pack them. She was the type to buy nothing but brand name anything, but she also has a sugar daddy who only wanted her and their daughter to "have the best." Ditto with her greedy family. She wasn't like that so she was always giving stuff away.

Anyway, my personal style is more Vera Bradley and then no-name cute-but-functional. My last Vera finally wore out to threadbare after nearly 6 years because I used it every day. Every single day. It doubled as a "mom bag" and not just a purse. I loved that thing. I had the matching change purse wallet.

Since I got my first paycheck in almost ten years and some birthday money, I did some bargain shopping and found a brand new Vera "postal bag" with a matching accordion wallet. I'll use THAT one every day for years except the odd day here and there. I love it already and I've only had it for five days.

Here's my thinking. If someone buys it and they afford it, then who's to judge? If they use it or gift it, then again, who's to judge? Are we not supposed to enjoy finer things in life including nice purses just because we're mothers? Do you know how embarrassing it was carrying around a threadbare purse? When I did carry around a Coach bag to my meetings with DSS I didn't feel one bit guilty. It didn't occur to me to because it was a GIFT. But since we're currently poor, I guess I shouldn't go out in public with Coach or anything nice? Should I sell them and play the part of the poor shlob?

When I was single, I had designer bags. Some were gifts too.
The quality ones really last. I still have them. I keep it in very good condition.
It is like fine shoes.
Now, I have been married for awhile and have 2 kids. I don't spend money like that. Even if I wanted to or could, I wouldn't. My interests simply changed. And I have a relative, single... that gives me her designer high end bags, that she doesn't want or hardly used. So I have those now. But I don't buy it myself.

Some people collect and spend on wine or organic things or other things they enjoy, some spend on handbags. Whether or not they are a Mom.
To each his/her own.

Nah--don't care for them.
And EVERYONE has them so what's the point?
I prefer something a little more individual and stylish and I sont see Coach bags as that at all.
My BFF is a VP/Controller for a Fortune 500 company and she always has the nicest purses--not billboards!

Bags are one thing I do spend some money on. I love a good leather bag and will keep them forever. To many it may seem like a lot of money but to many it is really not-its all relative. My average bag costs about $500 and is by designers like REbecca Minkoff and MBMJ. Not a big fan of Coach although I am considering one from their throwback Legacy collection because they look like the ones I wore when I was young. While there are a few bags that I would dearly love and 'could' afford I would feel too bad paying over $1000 for them.

The one brand that I believe is a huge rip-off and to me screams "I want you to think I have money" the most is Louis Vuitton (only the monograms-the leathers are nice) If you took the same exact bag and took off the LV there would be not a person buying them...they are brown, ugly and feel cheap.

I am a purse lover and probably have about 10 ranging in size from a tiny going-out wristlet to the large Vera Bradly Bowler satchel. I own 2 Coach bags that I have had for 25 years and they were probably close to $200 back then but they are made out of the most lusciously thick yet soft leather. I also have some highly organized ones out of parachute ripstop nylon material - lightweight and washable . I buy most of my bags at eBags.com. I will carry one for a few weeks and then switch to another because of a color match or a purpose (back pack, shoulder bag, hand bag, small purse, etc). I have had all of them for many years (the Coach ones are the oldest) and because I switch them around all are still in great shape. I have a girl friend who carried a cheap black purse with a broken re-knotted strap and leather that turned grey from being so scuffed and she prided herself on getting every last penny's worth out of her purse. I would rather enjoy each purse like it is a new one when I switch them around. But then she drove a fancy car and I do not. To each their own.

I don't like much of what Coach makes nowadays. But I have a few old leather Coach bags that my mom gave me as gifts 25-30 years ago that have been used for years and years, and they're still in good condition. They were really well-made. I've never been much of a purse person, a bag is just a utility item for me. So when I find something that works for me I just use the hell out of it. Whatever those bags originally cost, it was probably well worth it.

Personally, I don't find the Coach products attractive, so even if I had disposable income, I wouldn't spend it on Coach.

That said, I am a sucker for pretty things and I imagine if I were wealthy I would indulge in lovely shoes and clothes. Purses have never really been my thing. I pick them up very cheap at thrift stores and have a penitent for good quality leather.

Recently I became a student and I bought a good quality (and comfortable!) backpack to truck around my books and personal items. I may never go back. I am more organized than ever before, when I used a purse. God bless the pocket.

I am not a purse person. Love shoes, can't be bothered to switch purses! I won't spend a fortune on a purse, but since I use mine day in and day out for a couple of years, I might pay a little more for something versatile that would hold up and look good.

Id rather have 3-4 regular purses that I can switch out than one coach. Also I hate how they have the logo plastered all over the front. They are ugly bags, imo.

I was given a Coach bag many years ago. I never liked it. The patina on the leather changed with age and I thought it looked yucky. I gave it away and never felt bad about doing it.

The rest of my bags are knock-offs I bought in China. I didn't buy them because they were designer knock-offs. I bought them because I liked the way the bag was designed. (Pockets in the right places, that kind of thing.) Sometimes the bags last, sometimes they don't. I would never pay thousands for a designer bag. That's just stupid in my book. I'd rather go on a vacation and spend that same money!

Dawn

I am with you. Not a purse, shoe, clothes, (or really anything) big spender. Never understood. But to each his own. Some people would raise an eyebrow at the amount I spend on books each year. (Still probably not as much as one of those purses).

I tease my husband that's the real reason he married me. He know's I don't particularly like shopping and I keep the same $50 purse for 10 years. :)

Back before I had kids and thus, had some money, my husband bought me a coach bag for Christmas (I asked for it). It was a great purse! I still have it but don't use it. The quality is unbelievable and they last forever. K, that said, I would never buy one now, I'm way too cheap. But sometimes I wish I could get a good quality bag that will last. I have been using the same nasty purse for years and desperately need a new one but I can't find a style I like. A couple years ago I got so tired of going through wallets that I looked into coach wallets and I thought I was going to fall over! No way would I spend $200 on a wallet! No matter how long it lasts! And the styles are kind of ugly.

I have quite a few designer purses and love great shoes as well!! I did the cheap, crappy purses from Target in the old days and they simply do not have the quality of something nice. For me, it is part of the high end sales uniform along with a great briefcase and great suits. I simply can't bring an almost worn out purse into work when I am dealing with million dollar contracts. I am not giving up saving, my electric bill or taking care of my daughter because of this.

I would if mommy guilt didn't get to me every time..

If I did I wouldn't have anything to put in it!
Not impressed.

No, I don't really spend that much on a purse or bag, although I could technically afford to do so. However, I do have friends how do and are very happy with their purchases. I also don't spend THAT much money on a phone, so I don't have an iPhone. I don't spend THAT much money on tv, so I don't have TiVo or DVR. I don't spend THAT much money on a house, so I have a smaller one with a small affordable mortgage. It's none of my business how other people spend their money, unless I have to pay their bills or they are negleting their kids.

I did look inside a Coach outlet this last summer and I didn't like any of the styles I saw.
Years ago I got one for $75 at the Marine Exchange.
Would have been $125 anywhere else but I would not have gone that high.
I still have that purse - they never wear out - but I don't use it all the time.
I do buy cheap purses but they wear out in about a year of heavy use.
If you want something that will last and it's a classic style then it might be worth it to spend a little more to get something that's good quality - you'll only have to buy it once.

My DIL loves them, they are tan and such with the "C" or Coach on them. The price stops me in my tracks.

I did look at one and the price was $325 at the base and thought that was a bit much. It was black and had no pockets or zippers on the outside - just plain and understated. So I took my tape measurer out and measured it and created my own version of the purse for about $60 (leather and hardware and time). What I like is how deep it is and my wallet doesn't fall out and the handle fits just perfectly for what i want.

People want to know where I got my bag and I tell it's my verson of a Coach.

This bag will be with me for a very long time. The green is dark and goes with everything. Now if I can get a design for a wallet that will be great.

The other S.

I have purchased the "fake" Coach purses at the purse parties before, and they cost around $50-60 bucks. I thought that was ridiculous enough! Normally I'll try to find something cute at Target or even Walmart for no more than $20 bucks. I usually get compliments on my purse from other ladies at the office, so I know you don't have to spend a lot to have something that looks nice. Even if I did make a ton more money, I just don't think my purse would be where I would want to spend more money - I'd rather keep the extra money IN the cheap purse!! :)

Okay, I'm that Mom. I love Coach as does my daughter. I buy at discount malls. However, I received one for my anniversary. Its orange and awesome. Yes it was expensive. I also have D&B (3), Long Champ bought that in Paris a couple of years ago. Spent way too much and I don't care, love love love that purse!!! I would have bought the Jimmy Choo but it was $1,200! I have my limits. =)

I don't think it is ridiculous. I like having nice purses and shoes. Bought Coach flats in Vegas on SALE, $80!!

Until 6 months ago I said the same thing you are saying. Then I went to a Beijo purse party!

I had never spent more than $30 on a purse. I left this party with a $45 wallet. Signed up to have my own purse party...I now have four purses and two wallets and am saving my money to buy the $130 purse I want. (one of my purses I got for free, one I got for $7 and another half price and paid full price for one).

I have a Coach coin purse that someone else bought me...I don't use it. I never have liked Coach.

I used to think it ridiculous...and I still do but I love these purses and well if I take care of them they will last a long time.

My favorite items are not usually name brand ones (other than Keen shoes, because they fit my wide feet so well), but ones with great memories.

I have a small Dickies purse. Just big enough to fit my wallet, a roll-up windbreaker/raincoat and a couple dvds. I got it with the dvds in mind, as I walk to the local video store. Silly, but that's my 'memory' of getting that bag ("It's big enough to hold dvds for those small neighborhood walks.")

My purse is a handmade fabric one I found while on a special weekend away in Hood River with my sister a couple years ago. It was about $50 and I love it. I use it all the time-- it's big enough to hold a few books, a drawing pad and a bag of crayons, too, so very handy for when we are heading out to restaurants. I love the memory of when I got it and I love that it's not the backpack we often tote around.

All that said, I don't choose to buy/not buy something depending on the brand name. Some things I really like come with a brand name. I try to be purposeful and not reactionary with my purchases. Frugal, definitely. Perhaps too frugal, though-- my closet is crying out for an update.

My mother collects them. I always shake my head at her. She pry has 100 high end purses ranging from a few hundred to a thousand. I think the fact that she has that many is absurd. On the other hand if you are buying cheap purses you get what you pay for. Here's an example my SIL has had the same signature D & B purse since I was pry 12 and I'm now 31. She still uses it. It's in perfect condition and she uses it all the time. Sure it cost pry 500 new but I can't say that any of my cheap purses last more than a season. She's had hers for years. In purses you get what you pay for. Just like shoes. No one can deny that if you go buy your shoes at Walmart for 30 bucks vs. Dillard's for a few hundred the Dillard's ones you'll have still in a few years but the Walmart ones won't make it past a season. It's like buying staples to build your wardrobe off of. You can keep those nice staple pieces of clothing for years and years and just buy accent pieces every year. Purses are no different.

So they do have a purpose.

My sister does and mainly because they have some sort of lifetime guarantee. She's had one for three years that started ripping inside and took it in and came out with a brand new one! But I don't think I've ever had a purse that I loved enough to carry it for that long either.