If you had about £800-900 to spend on a handbag, what would you get?

[DontmindifIdo]

that's about it really. Basically, I have some money to buy something to remind me of someone who's died. I've a lot of very good jewellery already that I don't actually wear that much (normally the only jewellery I wear is my watch and my wedding and engagement rings), I was going to buy a piece of furniture with it, but we have just bought some new furniture and don't need anything.

so I was thinking a 'good' bag might be something I'll actually use. I have been looking at the Mulberry Bayswater or Alexa, but just wondered if any more stylish ladies had any other suggestions.

Thanks!

It's not much use to the OP though is it,if people aren't answering her question,is it?

She asked which handbag she should buy.She didn't ask what she should buy with the money.She wants a handbag. And she certainly doesn't need a lecture because people think she shouldn't spend that much money on a handbag. This is not AIBU.

I think hadbags are interesting [shallow] . I used to love Mulberry but think the brand has changed and not for the better. Too logotastic now for me really.

I do also think prices have gone crazy and many bags are just too heavy for everyday use.

I find Anya bags are made of lovely leather, well finished, lined (something which Mulberry aren't always) and the prices are more reasonable.

But if money was no object the chloe marcie is definitely top of my wishlist.

Its funny reading this thread though having read the 'shit people say on mn thread'

MrsCB now i've linked to the chloe Marcie i now NEED one.....

Oh so do I madamme - have been coveting for a long long time. But just so £££. I actually spent ages chatting to the assistant in Selfridges as to which colour was best and imagining my life with the blue v khaki v taupe one. Was so much fun.

I love the size of this one too - very much old school satchel. Loving the pastels this SS13 as well. swooning at this lobster one

If they were into bags a Chloe should be a perfect way to remember them.

A Kipling something and an iPad mini :)

Could you buy a couple of less expensive handbags in different colours so that you were able to carry the memory of the person with you more often iyswim?
Sorry for your loss by the way.

I'm not keen on Mulberrys, I think they are boring. My choice would be a Miu Miu or I'd put some more towards it and get a Balenciaga.

Gulp! Some of those bags are beautiful but I would be terrified of losing it or having it stolen, or my toddlers wrecking it.

Sorry to hear you had to say goodbye to someone dear to you, OP. I hope you find something you like that will remind you of your friend.

Agree that the best way to do it is to head to Selfridges and try lots of different ones on. Have you thought about a £500 bag and some £400 shoes too?

I'd steer clear of Mulberry tbh, whilst I like the classic design they are ten a penny these days and lots of very good fakes around. I think somehow the popularity has made them flashy, it's like walking around with a price tag on your arm as everyone knows how much they cost.

I have a Marc Jacobs bag at the moment which I love but I don't think it's a "forever" bag, it's my lovely bag whilst I'm waiting for DP to take my hints and buy me a Chanel bag for my birthday .

Also, wait for a sale if you can, the immediately post Christmas sale on net a porter (or a similar site, can't remember which one) had some amazing discounts on bags.

I'm so the poor person on this thread aren't I?

I love handbags and have a wardrobe full few.

It's worth bearing in mind that however much people tell you on threads like this that bags are an investment and that they'll last forever they really don't.

At the moment I have an Alexa, a paraty, a Mandah and a Mulberry tote that I swap between. I also use random bags and clutches on various ocassions so none of my bags are used excessively.

The Mandah is a few years old and is utterly trashed - honestly it looks a bit shit, the mulberry tote is the newest but is not wearing great. Really they don't. I binned an LK Bennett today. When I was given my first "proper" bag I had all these romantic notions about passing my bag to my DD - not a chance.

NOt saying don't get one - just don't imagine it's an investment.

Agree Sara - unless perhaps you're VB - I wouldn't mind being her DD and inheriting her birkin collection.

VB's bag collection would be unlikely to fit in my bedroom let alone my wardrobe

I love all my bags. I loved buying them and wearing them but they are not forever pieces unless you have 100+

If you are shopping online My Theresa is worth looking at. I just got a nice Marc Jacobs on there in the sale.

OK - I get that a lot of people think of 'better' things to get with the money. The lady in question was an older woman who was a relation - DB also has a similar sum given to him and is spending it on a sideboard - but when DH's Aunt died we bought a sideboard. We've recently bought new armchairs, we have a perfectly lovely dining table, our house already has art, we've had professional photos done of DS, I've cut 3 trees down in our garden over the last couple of years and have no intention of adding anymore (small garden, previous owner liked planting trees it seems, I still have 4). We can afford family holidays, and i'm pregnant so long haul wouldnt actually be a treat now/for the next year or so anyway...

The money has come from the person who has actually inherited the full estate, not from the will, we were told to go out and get something to remember her by, not put it in general family fund or donate it to someone else.

I would never spend that much on myself normally (hense the total lack of clue of what's out there for that sort of price!), my most expensive bag before was £150. I wanted to get something for me to remember her by, not lots of little things. In the same way whenever I put on the pearls I inherited from my gran or her engagement ring, I think of her. When we (on rare occasions) use the crystal we inherited from DH's Grandfather, we do think of him.

I can see that others might see that as selfish - and I think I'd feel that way about taking this money out of the family budget (even though I think we could afford it), but this is separate. There's no rush to spend it, I've put it in a separate account so I'm not tempted to dip into it (although I've already cheated a bit by dipping into it for car insurance, hense it not being a round sum), I just can't see that there's anything else I could get that was something I'd either want or need, if I got something more "worthy" I'd be doing it for the sake of it.

Thanks for all the thoughts. I will investigate the various bag options and will feel suitably inferior to the people who'd do something more socially responsible with it...

Do light coloured bags show marks more and wear less well? I'm assuming so but don't really know the answer - wondering about how long the lovely chloe bag would stay lovely for?

I have a mimco cream coloured bag. Wont buy one that colour again. Strap gets marked from dark clothing and dye does come off jeans if it is hip length.

dontmindifIdo you absolutely, 100%, no sireee, do not need to justify yourself... Get yourself a gorgeous handbag and bloody enjoy it!

Don'tmind I think it's important to spend it on something you will use and love.

It would be strange to hand it straight to a charity, if your lovely relative wanted to donate to a charity she would have done so. Anyway, buy something gorgeous and cherish it as I'm sure you will.

She might have done that too of course. But I mean she was thinking of you, and you can do that in return with a lovely new bag.

A carrier bag then go on one allmighty shopping spree. Im not really one for bags. IF I were I would go for a timeless classic, hardwearing and something likely to be practical and used often.

I really don't think you have to justify yourself OP. This is one reason I miss the W and A thread - the least judgemental thread on mumsnet - you could pop on there, ask such a question and get some really fab ideas. But for what it's worth I used to be a Mulberry devotee and I wouldn't go near the brand now. So very overpriced. I really love Anya Hindmarch atm.