Husband bought me a really awful but expensive bag for my birthday, what shall I do?

[feesh]

I don't want to sound ungrateful, and I don't know why he's done it, as I am definitely not a bag person (I usually wear a satchel from Jones the Bootmaker!) but he's bought me this probably hideously expensive Burberry bag and matching purse for my birthday. We live overseas so I don't know if I can exchange it or not, but in any case I'm really not a fan of Burberry at the best of times. It's this one (it's the visible Burberry check which I object to!) uk.burberry.com/buckle-detail-leatherhouse-check-crossbody-bag-p40460471

And there's a matching purse as well, which I am a bit gutted about, as I already have an absolutely gorgeous soft electric pink Aspinal one which I love and treated myself to last year.

I think he has tried, bless him even though he only had to go downstairs from his office to buy it as it's cross body (which is the only sort of bag I will carry) and he has gone for pink as he knows I love my pink purse, although he's gone for dusky pink which I really hate!

I feel REALLY awful but honestly I will never use it and the dusky pink doesn't work with my usual colours (I'm quite a preppy navy blue jeans and tshirt type of person). Shall I fess up and ask if I can change it or not?

There are some real shockers on that website.

This one is quite nice though - if you threw the purse and bag in together would it make up the price of that?

Feesh, what is the resale market like round you?? Anywhere you could resell it for say 550??? Maybe check the Ryial/Dhs price. I would guess the conversion would lead to a price above the sterling website

And the black Ashby is rather nice, although horrendously overpriced for something that's 90% canvas

"Looks and feels hideous" it's a handbag. It's not to your taste. Exchange it.

I've not read all the replies but can you say that there is a thread loose or something similar so ask for the receipt, take it back and pretend that on your way you saw a really really gorgeous bag that you just fell in love with?

Aw bless him! Do you think he mixed up Mulberry with Burberry

It's not as bad as I was expecting!

Op are you in Qatar? I am too! 😁

I'm in the shop now and they're letting me do an exchange! Happy dance! Now to break the news to the husband.....

I received a present of an Orla Kiely bag (not in the same league as yours) but it is absolutely not my taste at all. I didn't want to say anything but it is sill in its box at the top of the wardrobe. I wish I had said something at the time. The thing is I can't even just get rid of it as I still don't want to offend the person who bought it. I really wish I'd asked if it would be ok to return/exchange it for my usual brown leather crossover type bag. Definitely ask him if you can exchange it.

I went for this one (they didn't have anything like the selection available on the uk website unfortunately). m.shop.nordstrom.com/s/burberry-medium-honeybrook-leather-tote/4366019

I like that. Much more practical.

Lovely OP! And the check nicely hidden

The French navy version linked up thread without the check is nice.

I'd tell him you love and appreciate it but the pink and particularly the beige fabric bits will just get too dirty and can you/he change it for the plain navy.

Oops. X-posts

That one is much nicer than the pink monstrosity!

I hope your husband it gracious over the exchange. Surely he'll want you to love and enjoy a new bag, not just tolerate it.

He's taken it well! I was very complimentary about his present-hunting skills, but made it clear that the Burberry check and dusky pink were the issues (so he knows for next time.....haha, the poor bloke will probably never buy me a pressie again!).

At least he did better than my Dad, who bought my mum a DustBuster for her similar big birthday, which actually turned out to be the death knell for their marriage 😂

Great news.
What is the official returns policy, out of interest?? Wondering if it's worth asking sometimes here....

The sign just said 'Please ask for our returns policy' but I still don't know what it was. I actually got the impression that a cash refund might have been on the cards had I found the gift receipt! They didn't even mind that I didn't have a receipt at all - they just needed my husband's phone number to find the receipt on their system.

I've only dealt with two 'designer' shops here (Burberry and Aspinal) and they both seem to have been MUCH more customer focused than the high street stores and willing to help and be flexible. So in my limited experience, much more flexible where the top-end stores are concerned.

Also the shop assistant said she remembered him coming in, and how excited and proud he was to be buying it 😳

Was it a lot more expensive ? It is lovely.

No it was pretty much the same price including the purse return. Well, there was about a tenner in it, for which they gave me a voucher!