With January sales on the horizon, you might be planning to finally go and treat yourself to one of the designer bags that you’ve been admiring from afar for some time. Whether you’ve been given a generous Christmas bonus at work that you’ve decided to use to treat yourself, or have been saving up for a while to finally buy the bag of your dreams, there’s never a bad reason to invest in a designer handbag for yourself. But with so many options to consider, it can take some time and effort to make sure that you’re making the right investment in yourself. Looking great is one of the main priorities when purchasing a designer bag, but you’ll also want to consider practicality, functionality, and useability. Keep these tips in mind to find the right bag for you.
Picking a Brand
‘Unless you know a lot about different designer brands, chances are that like most people, you only know a select few – typically the most famous. Perhaps you have a particular designer brand that you prefer over the others and would like to get a bag from them if possible. But don’t limit your choices too much just yet. There are plenty of lesser-known designer handbag brands that might pleasantly surprise you. Spend some time researching different designer handbag and check out what they offer to find a style that resonates with you.
Set a Budget
You can find designer handbags at both ends of the price scale and plenty that fit somewhere in between, so finding something for your budget is not difficult. You can get some bags for a few hundred dollars and others for tens of thousands, so it’s a wise idea to have a firm budget in mind before you start shopping. Knowing how much you would like to spend will ensure that you don’t end up wasting time looking through bags that are out of your price range or worse – end up becoming attached to a bag that you can’t afford.
Think About Practicality
You might have a firm idea of the style and look of the bag that you prefer, but don’t forget about practicality and useability too. This is especially important if you are going to be purchasing a bag that you plan to use on a daily basis. If you’re investing a lot of money into a luxury handbag, you will want one that you can rely on to meet your needs whatever you are doing. Consider the amount of space that your designer bag offers, how many pockets and compartments it has, whether it’s large enough to fit essential items like your laptop if you’re going to be using it for work, and the security of the closure.
Consider Your Outfits
Buying a designer bag for daily use means that you’ll need something that you can effortlessly pick up no matter what you are wearing, knowing that your bag is going to look great. Take a look in your wardrobe and think about the colors that you normally wear – will a certain bag color look better with the majority of outfits that you wear? If you’re not sure, or you like to wear a range of different colors and patterns, consider something versatile and neutral that will go with everything like black or white. It’s also worth considering the style, too – if you want something for work and casual events, a bag that can be dressed up or down easily is a safe choice.
What Do You Carry in Your Bag?
The last thing you want is to purchase the bag of your dreams only to find that all the things you usually carry in a handbag are not going to fit into it. This factor is a good reason to browse stores and take a look at some bags in-person before you head online to make your purchase. As a general rule of thumb, an everyday bag will usually need to be a little larger as chances are you’re going to be using it to store a lot of different things no matter what you are doing. If your current handbag works well in terms of size, go for one that is similar.
Shop Around
To get the best deal when investing in a designer bag, it’s worth spending some time shopping around. If you can, waiting until the end of the season might be a good time to get some good deals on certain bags as new ranges are introduced and old stock is cleared. Luxury sites like SSENSE may also be a good way to find a better range of bags compared to the stores; among SSENSE’s products are Loewe bags and a variety of other great designer brands to explore.
Purchasing a designer bag is a big investment, so it’s worth spending time to pick the bag that suits your lifestyle and sense of style best.
Photo by Anne R Photography