I saw something shocking whilst flipping through the latest Lucky. Pictured in the “Lucky Girl” feature - you know, that page where they show a selection of a 22-year-old PR associate’s wardrobe (you ain’t buying $350 tops on that salary, girlfriend, I don’t care what Lucky says) - was a $190 handbag. As I deem handbags a worthy splurge, my problem wasn’t with the price. It was with the brand. This tote wasn’t Hype, Tano, Fracesco Biasia, or any other legit bag brands that retail for around $200. It was from The GAP.
What the FUCK is GAP doing selling $200 handbags?! If I’m going to blow a few hundred on a bag, you best believe it won’t be as mass-produced and totally vanilla as the shit they sell at GAP. Don’t talk to me about the quality of the leather or about how the bag goes with everything. GAP is for basic tees, occasional flip flops and nylon totes you take to and from the grocery store if you’re green like that. GAP is not for legit leather totes. On the off-chance that someone compliments you on your GAP handbag, what are you going to say? Does “It’s a GAP,” have the same ring to it as “It’s a Botkier,” “It’s a Marc Jacobs,” or “It’s a Louis”? I don’t THINK so. Worse is that a GAP bag implies you haven’t gotten ripped off, when in fact, you’ve paid the equivalent of a Cole Haan and no one’s the wiser. I’m nauseous that they even exist. Blech.
Kvelling and Kvetching
i think im shuddering…
@ 1:19 pm on July 18th, 2008AMEN!
@ 6:10 pm on July 18th, 2008Same deal with bags from J.Crew, or the really high-end Coach bags. Why not use your money and buy from a more legit brand?
@ 9:49 am on July 19th, 2008I’m sure these bags will be on sale for 100 or less eventually..lets face it, particularly in this economy, not that many people will be stupid enough to pay 200 for a gap bag..
@ 6:13 pm on July 20th, 2008This is shocking. I am also a twenty-something designer handbag fiend, and just looking at that price hurt my eyeballs. I can’t even fathom spending that sort of money for a Guess bag, when the quality is so shit-eous that crystals fall off after three fancy dinners (true story). Even my boyfriend was appalled.
P.S. Your blog is fabulous, keep it up!
@ 10:46 pm on July 20th, 2008They’re nice, if utterly boring. Ugh, I hate to admit it, but yeah part of buying designer is for the prestige, not just the look. I would even rather pay that much for a local designer’s tote that nobody’s heard of since at least then I’d be rocking the “so hip that I shun major labels” attitude!
@ 7:17 pm on July 22nd, 2008Leave a Reply