It's nearly my birthday, I fancy a Ted Baker handbag but is it a waste of money?

[jewllerybox]

I really want a Ted Baker handbag - anyone recommend one? I don't want one of the £200 ones - just can't justify it but something maybe £100 or so. AIBU - should I just get something cheaper?

I have a Dubarry bag. It's bloody gorgeous and is fantastic for work and play. I say go for it. It's your birthday!

I love a good quality handbag and my favourite brand for cost, style and quality is Kate Spade. Picked up my last bag at Bicester Outlet for just over £100, but they have good sales from time to time as well.

Admittedly, I would happily pay more if I knew the quality warranted it. I bought myself a pair of near-new Louboutin heels (~400) for the office as they make me feel amazing, and I purchased Sophia Webster heels as my wedding shoes (~500). I'm also tempted by the Mulberry Bayswater Backpack in the sale at the moment..

If you have the money, and it won't cause you hardship to spend it, then do it. Do not restrict yourself to a certain brand though, look for quality and style.

All my bags are purposefully leather as I know they will last.

@ambereeree, I'm embarrassed to say I have three Mulberries - a Bayswater and two cross body bags. I didn't pay full price for any of them. None of them get as much use as the steel blue pebble leather bucket bag I bought from HoF for £25! The quality's just as good and it's wearing better. I think with bags you don't necessarily get what you pay for.

Look at it on a cost-per-use basis :) If it costs £100, you carry it with you 100 days a year and it lasts five years, then it's basically 20p per day you use it. So if it's going to make you smile every time you pick it up, then buy it. (I'm not a bag person at all, but I have a leather FatFace shoulder bag which does that to me and I don't regret the £80 spent on it in the slightest.)

coach have an excellent sale on at the moment and if your anywhere near york when i went last weekend they had 50% further off all bags

also fossil have a great sale at the mime t if any interest.

would consider getting a more expensive tedbaker there likely to be better materials I guess and therefore last longer

I think a good handbag is worth it as the quality is amazing, but I'd worry that £100 isn't enough to really have a quality difference and you would be paying for an average handbag with a brand name.

I have a KurtGeiger handbag and it is gorgeous quality. Plus, it's on quite the discount rn!

https://www.kurtgeiger.com/women/accessories/bags/tote/violet-soft-hobo-taupe-leather-kurt-geiger-london?istCompanyId=166c308a-e1e7-4c46-9232-e2b92f576b07&istItemId=-xiatrlqmix&istBid=tzxl&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvdO9b7Z3wIVzZ3tCh0NTw4QEAQYASABEgI9EPDD_BwE

I have a Chloe, a Mulberry and a Versace handbag so Ted Baker is reasonable to me! (All gifts, I couldn't afford them myself!)

Fossil and Michael Kors bags are great quality (although I steer clear of the particularly "bling" MK ones.) I've two MK ones that I got for less than half price on eBay.

I'm really fussy with bags. If I like it enough to buy it, I trust my gut and purchase. Buy the bag you want xx

Try to make sure whatever you buy it is leather. A few years ago I spent quite a lot (for me) on a beautiful pink Ted Baker bag, only to discover it wasn’t real leather and wasn’t great quality.

aeriflitgirl I am right though aren’t I

All those suggesting TB isn’t ‘designer’ enough, pack it in with your sniffy brand oneupping. If TB or Coach or MK or equivalent are aspirational for average people with average budgets including OP, where do people get off trying to put them down and make them feel lesser for not aspiring to even further out of reach higher end brands? Can you see that happening on a thread where someone has got a deposit for a 3 bed semi so a whole load of posters come on and say ‘no you should get a 6 bed en-suite McMansion with a least 5 acres.’

Osprey - I spent a lot of money on one

Get a coach handbag in the sale! Much better quality.

InSightMars well said ! Some people can’t help themselves

@InSightMars - Well said! Someone said about Radley being chavvy but I like Radley bags and purses and I am far from chavvy. I've recently bought a Joules cross over bag and purse - I prefer real leather items.
OP, if you want and like TB then go for it! Don't be talked out of it because it's supposedly 'middle quality'!

(I just got a Ralph Lauren Leaf handbag....£350....its very pretty :) )

I have a couple of TB bags, also for Christmas received a phone case and PJ’s. The reason I love TB is the prints, same reason I love Cath Kidson. To me a black bag is a black bag, whether it’s from Dot Perks or Mulberry.

Hence why I love TB, as they are pretty, floral and interesting.

Buy the bag you want if you love it :)

It's not about any brand not being "designery" enough. The reverse, in fact, Ted Baker is all fur coat and no knickers, a cheaper unbranded leather bag could easily be much better quality, especially in the sales.

Yes but if OP has her eye on a TB one there’s no need to be sneery or “why not buy a PROPER designer “ bag about it
Nowt wrong with Ted Baker and people bragging about their “proper” designer bags are being dicks. ( not referring to people making recommendations by the way)

BlackPrism that's such a bargain - is this the same one you have?

Get a Coach or Kate Spade. Ted Baker isn’t really worth it imho.

Treat yourself! Not sure if it's still on but Harvey Nichols have a sale on. Upto 70% off. Also try Flannels.com! Who cares if a bag is a £5 Primark bag, or a Chanel 3k bag. If it makes you feel good, go for it!

@InSightMars you missed the point entirely. For the same price (so not telling her to up her budget) right now in the sales, op can get a bag that is better quality and will last longer. Everything I have owned from TB has been shit quality and if this is a special present to OP from herself, as a handbag lover, I want her to get the best bang for her budget of around £100.