Have bloggers lost their minds? Bags, bags, bags. Luxury bags. Shiny and untouchable in all their leather goodness. As I am typing this blog post I am also referring to myself so please, I am not judging bloggers, if anything I am making fun of myself. I have also lost my mind. I got my first Chanel purse at the age of 22 right after graduating University and I was hooked. Although I have invested in designer handbags in the past it was never as frequent as it became after I started blogging. This year alone, I purchased 3 designer handbags. What the heck is going on? Luxury handbags are undeniably the best arm candy out there, but fact of the matter is that they cost an arm and a leg.
The New Measure of Success?
I dared to have a thought today. Have purses become the new measure of success in the blogging world? Am I overthinking it? The more luxury designer handbags you buy the more successful you are as a blogger? It seems to me being a blogger comes with a prerequisite nowadays. You gotta own a designer handbag or else you are like the D-list celebrity of the blogging world. You become the Lindsay Lohan amongst the Angelina Jolies. Never had I seen as many designer handbags in a room as I have everytime I go to a blogging event. Or even Instagram. Most of the fashion bloggers I follow have at least a couple of designer handbags, and don’t even get me started on bloggers that have over a 100k followers…They seem to have a closet full of designer handbags.
To Chanel or Not to Chanel?
It seems to me that luxury handbags have become the norm when it comes to fashion blogging and God forbid you do not own a designer handbag. I mean, it makes you feel shitty as a person. And not that you ever cared about handbags, but blogging makes you care. It is total peer pressure like circa highschool days. If you are at an event and you don’t have your Gucci or Chanel… well, you feel like a loser. Am I being extreme? Maybe, but imagine being in a room where everyone has a Chanel and you have your good old $400 Kate Spade! Oh the horror. Lol. This has nothing to do about confidence, it has to do about purses.
The Purse Talk
Purse talk is also a hot topic at media events and social gatherings. Sometimes, I catch myself. Did I really just have a 20 minute conversation about a purse? Then other times it is a team effort, we consult each other about handbags. My 20 year old academic self is rolling her eyes at me and shaking her head as if to say “What happened to you?” So disappointed in you Eleni. You were talking William Blake now you are talking about how you want Blake Lively’s Chanel purse. Well, dear self, I don’t know what happened to me, but dare I say I enjoy this version of me? I enjoy talking purses. Sometimes though I cannot help but laugh at myself and this new addition to my identity that really does no service to my bank account, but thankfully designer handbags never depreciate in value if anything, they increase.
Spending Within Reason
Proudly so, you and I both invest our money as we please. Bloggers as well. I think it is everyone’s own right to spend their hard earned money as they please. No one should judge you, me or the person next to you. Some will travel, some will save for a home, some will splurge on material things they desire. But where do you draw the line? Is there a line? Everytime I get a paycheck I am thinking of what purse I should invest in next. Newbie bloggers be aware, once you enter there is no stop. Maybe luxury handbags are not a measure of success in the blogging world, but it sure seems like it nowadays. Have we spun out of control? Are we setting the bar too high for our readers? Are we setting the bar too high for our own selves?
I do sincerely hope that bloggers or any other person for that matter does not purchase a bag they cannot afford. Even though I do love designer handbags I am reasonable about my finances and know what I can and cannot afford.I hope others are too.
Eleni, I love this post! LOL. It's an addiction, once you start. But I still don't have a problem sporting a $40 bag from wherever, or a vintage no nothing. It's all about what works for you and how you make it work.xx Gabriellapastelsandpastries.com
I totally agree! One of my favourite handbags actually only cost me &80. I think you need a fine balance. Because a designer handbag doesnt necessarily mean that it is also a nice handbag. I have seen some Chanel purses where I was like "why would anyone buy that".
I agree with you on this to an extent. Although the blogging world has made us more aware of our designer purses or lack thereof lol, talking about big designer purchases between girlfriends is nothing new. But I'm the same way, sometimes I stop and think about HOW can we talking about these things for so long lolxoThe Fashionista Bubble
"No one should judge you, me or the person next to you. Some will travel, some will save for a home, some will splurge on material things they desire." — I totally agree with you on this. I still can't splurge on branded purses yet, travel seems to be #1.