promise?



If I buy this bag, I will give up shopping for the year.

It is an extravagance, not a necessity, but I am filled with an absolute certainty that with this bag, I wouldn't need to buy another for as long as it lasts.

My history with bags is fairly disciplined. I currently use this -




and a grey bag in a similar style nearly every day, for work and play.

When I don't need such an roomy bag, I switch it up for this Topshop bag (bought 2 years ago) -




and a long strap leather vintage saddle bag.

When I require even less room, I use this purse (bought 3 years ago) -




Since I was gifted the blue Longchamp last year, I haven't felt the urge to buy a bag at all. All all bags are in regular rotation and some of them are frankly battered for it. It would pain me to lose any of them.

I don't own any bags older than these - they all wore out, or I gave them away (usually gifts).

And yet the Mulberry Bayswater I am eyeing now isn't quite a casual covetous moment. I first saw that bag in 2005 in a shop window, and hey, instant love. As a typical poor undergraduate, it was waaaay out of my budget to even consider it. But I thought, "When I get out there and start working, I'll come back for you."


It's enough of an extravagance for me to think that if I buy this, I ought not buy anything else for the year (unless necessary, like, if my flip-flops snapped, undies etc). I wonder if I can stick to that kind of commitment. Technically it's a no-brainer - I have more clothing than I need and I love them all.


I'm still thinking, I'd loathe to break such a promise. Is any bag worth this kind of headache, this risk of failure?

Image of Mulberry bag from mulberry.com

Comments

Jennifer said…
it would be better (i think), to not shop all year with the promise that at the end, as a reward, you would buy this purse. that would be a safer test. if you bought it and then broke your promise, you would feel worse than if you waited and chose to make a different arrangement at some point. also, if it's a financial issue, then it makes sense to save the cash, week by week, and then you can see if there is in fact wiggle room for other purchases.
is the bag heavy when empty?
i love my longchamp nylon tote as my casual run-around bag, for what it's worth.
yanqin said…
Thanks for the advice!

Your suggestion makes sense, except that I forgot to mention that now is such a good time to buy it because of the low British pound, almost an instant 30% discount (if I order it online) Which was what prompted this train of 'to buy or not' thought. (And nope not a financial issue, not going on credit for this or anything.)

It's not particularly heavy, I 'm quite turned off by heavy bags (eg, Chloe bags) even though I expect bags to have a certain sturdiness.

I love my Longchamp too, it's one of those things I see myself replacing if it comes apart.
Jennifer said…
i replace mine every time. when i buy a new longchamp i think 'this is the perfect color, i only ever want this one color,' and then when i have to replace it, i just pick from what they have, always a new color, and then i love that color.
30% discount is hard to argue with if you already know that you want it.
yanqin said…
It is. I have given up arguing and decided to go for it.

Popular Posts