Does anyone else not get bag love?

[Floisme]

Right, Escargot, if I get trashed I'm blaming you

Bags. Why?
Yes they hold your stuff and chocolate would melt if you kept it in your pocket. But Mulberry, Pashli, whatever, I'm sorry, they all look like something off Ashton market to me. Why, when there are so many lovely dresses and cakes in the world, do people get so giddy about them? Why all the gushing and the stroking? Thread after thread after thread....

It's not the price tags. I am all for spending money on beautiful things so please, no benches, holidays or new boilers. I don't even want to hear about your favourite charity. And bag lovers, please save your breath and your links; you have had plenty of chances to convert me and you have failed. I just want to hear from people who don't feel the luuurve.

This for example:
www.net-a-porter.com/product/386141
I don't mean the price - I'm not having a pop at anyone's spending. But just, well ,,, why??

I like bags but do not like spending much money on them,so tend to buy high street versions.
I get fed up of them after a few years,plus I like to change bags depending on outfit and season.
My favourite ones at the moment are
Beige and chocolate Jane Shilton one from Tkmaxx
Purple Jane Shilton one,a few years old now
Black and leopard print AUtograph one.
Squashy soft tan Oasis bag.

I so get it but I just don't have the cash to feed it. I also get clothes, shoes, food not so much as H is an amazing cook and I'm not too bad at baking.

A bambi print clutch in nappa leather??? OMG (and I've never typed OMG in my life before but felt it was appropriate in this instance)

OH EM GEE

I love that they styled it with a hideous pair of hooker shoes as well.

A bambi print clutch in nappa leather (should I know what nappa leather is? ) at a cool £1300 no less.

Who would actually spend that sort of money on a Disney bag?

I think it's from Oohnappaloma blanca sirch

I love bags and think that quirky little Givenchy is rather cool.

I also like shoes and clothes of all varieties. Cake I can take or leave. Diamonds are ok but I'd pick a bag every time.

Different strokes for different folks, innit?

I like bags and would happily pay hundreds for one I loved, however I wouldn't pay bespoke Birkin prices no matter how rich I was.

I'm not into jewellery though and am completely 'meh' about diamonds.

Ha ha Amber, thank you for joining in I completely agree about different strokes etc, just having fun - and a bit of a rant!

But while you're here, what is it with quilting? That's my other pet hate, along with clutches, gold chains and massive logos.

I love bags, shoes, clothes and diamonds.

I'm doomed.

(Bunnymother, I love diamonds the most and and I'm much poorer because of them!)

I'm just a bird in the sky escargot?

Or this: fashionbombdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/vintage-chanel-handbag.jpg

I'm not trying to be provocative, I just think it looks quite ugly. I sometimes lurk on threads where the talk turns to bags and I end up wondering what everyone's smoking. It's just nice to know I'm not alone!

I really don't get bag love (or shoe love) and think most of them look the same - a bit like most wedding dresses tbh!

I get wanting something that's nice quality and will last, but a lot of mid-range stores/TK Maxx do good-quality real leather bags and don't see the need to get designer ones, they don't look any different to me. The only difference would be a more distinctive design like Orla Kiely.

I would never criticise anyone for spending ££££ on a handbag or shoes though. I would spend ££££ on Dr Martens....

Oh and clutches are so fecking annoying - and so easy to lose.

Diamonds are boring and the price is artificially inflated by De Beers, Tiffany et al. White sapphires are nearly indistinguishable and have the advantage of not coming stained with the blood of exploited diamond miners. Give me an interesting gemstone like Alexandrite any day, though.

De Beers can control supply, and, thus, cost. However, Tiffany are jewellers so can't see how they can affect cost of jewels. I can't comment on the ethics of sapphire mining versus diamond mining. Diamonds are harder than sapphires, which is part of their appeal.

...don't get me started on quilted things ...

Er, white sapphires look nothing like diamonds. Anyone with decent knowledge of gemstones (I assure you, my knowledge is more than decent) can tell them apart. Real alexandrite is very very expensive, can be more than diamonds and way lower on the Mohs scale, so I would and do pick diamonds for daily wear, hands down.

Anyway, I could bang on about gemstones forever but to get back on track: for me a handbag completes an outfit so I'm never going to be happy with just one. It doesn't necessarily have to be expensive, but I'm happy to spend £££ on a bag if I adore it.

Apatite maybe I have just seen some shit diamonds then

I cannot tell the difference between white diamonds and white sapphires, sorry, but then I am not an expert. I get that experts CAN tell the difference. White topaz and white diamonds look different to me though, I prefer white topaz slightly as I prefer the more opaque look. I also prefer emerald or cabochon cuts anyway so sparkle matters less to me.

My comment on Tiffanys et al was about them marketing diamonds as more desirable. I get that diamonds are at the top of the Mohs scale so are practical from that angle, but promoting them as the most romantic/attractive is a bit iffy and has lead to blood diamonds, surely? Corundums aren't that far down the Mohs scale anyway.

Liking diamonds for their own properties is fine and I'd never judge anyone for liking diamonds, I just don't care personally. I don't dislike them that much though, if someone got me diamond jewellery I would happily accept!

I like to get a nice, trendy retro handbag (price under £30) every once in a while for the very occasional night out, but I generally prefer to stuff my pockets or wear a backpack. It's more practical than trying to balance a bag on your shoulder or even across the body (it just keeps sliding around and getting in your way when you bend down, etc.).

Mulberry, etc. Don't get it. But then again I would not spend hundreds, let alone thousands, on any clothing or accessory.

Oh and I hate bling. Of any kind. If someone gave me a diamond, I would run to cash converters!

I get it, not everyone likes diamonds! And I hope most women are not dumb enough to fall for marketing hype and buy what they like.

A word about the Mohs scale though: it's not linear but a relative scale. Diamonds have a hardness of 10, as opposed to corundum which is 9, but is 4-5 times harder than corundum. I'm sorry, but I get on my soapbox if people think sapphires are only a bit softer than diamonds when they most definitely aren't, and I can't let this misinformation pervade whenever I come across it. I cringe a bit when I see people want emeralds as engagement rings: I love emeralds but you have to baby them so much I'd crack them in a week.

I'll stop jacking this thread now.

I didn't realise emeralds were so delicate, it's a shame, I'm fond of emeralds. And rubies.

DH has more bag love than me. Unfortunately this means that his generous gifts are always bloody bags and not what I really love: shoes.

Apatite I am now ashamed at my gemstone ignorance! I do love gemstones but obviously not that knowledgeable about them. Thank you for the info (although sad that emeralds are fragile). I love Art Nouveau type semi-precious stones (my idea engagement ring would be labradorite or moonstone) but guessing they are fragile