Alternative to mulberry bayswater

[tillytubby]

I'm due to turn 40 next Jan and have been thinking about saving up for a treat for myself in the form of a handbag.
I've been looking at the mulberry bayswater but I'm not sure I can justify nearly £1000 for a handbag!
Are there any good alternatives that aren't so much or is it worth picking one up second hand? I'm a bit worried about fakes.

Definitely worth it but not at £1k, I love mulberry but second hand all the way.

I only buy from legitimate resellers.

I have personally bought from labelsmostwanted.co.uk/stock/page/2/
And www.npnbags.co.uk/naughtipidginsnestshop/cat_401404-Mulberry.html

Pre- loved from either of the sellers recommended by Sexnotgender is the way to go . Both top sellers of the best pre-loved bags . Labels Most Wanted will also put feelers out for you to find anything you specifically want .

I love mulberry but feel my newer bags are not as well made as my older ones. Not sure why exactly, but just don’t feel as substantial and the leather feels thinner. So definitely recommend second hand!

You can get a new one for less than that if you can wait. Mulberry do great sales after Christmas and in June, the Bayswater is usually included (old and new version) and you can get them for about 2/3 of the price. Their customer service is excellent too. I got a heritage Bayswater for around £600 and absolutely love it 3 years on.

Worth looking at their online sale, they have a fair few with a few hundred off.

Find your nearest mulberry outlet store (they def have one at Cheshire oaks and Bicester village) if you don't want to buy second hand. Also gives you an opportunity to try it out in front of a mirror. I find the Bayswater too heavy to carry around all day but they they are lovely.

I'd reconsider a Bayswater. Love mine but it's so heavy without stuff innit that I hardly use it!

I have one that I bought (full price) as a treat for a particular reason. I've had it several years now and used it maybe a dozen times. It looks like new.

Why? It's so impractical - really heavy even without anything in it because of the thick leather and because it only has a fairly short handle you either have to ram it over your shoulder which looks naff or elbow crook it (so heavy!) I wish I'd bought something else or at least a smaller one with the shoulder strap so I would've used it more often. It's so much money for something that just sits in its dust bag in the wardrobe.
Also I think they look quite formal (maybe a bit dated?). I would never use it for work as it'd get trashed (and it's too heavy!), it's not a going out bag and not practical with a child. I only used it when I went somewhere naice like for tea but even then it looked a bit business formal. Really would steer you in a different direction personally.

Ok all really useful advice thank you!
Maybe a small one with a shoulder strap could work as I want to take it to work but I have a locker and don't want to shove an expensive bag in it and ruin it.

I have one that comes out for funeral weddings and Christmas Day only and when I want to look posh 😂 I’ve had it three years and probably only used it maybe 6 -8 times . It’s in absolute mint condition as it’s hardly used

Its lovely in the Bayswater oak colour but it’s so heavy even without much in it that it’s only used for special occasions when I know I’m mainly going to be siting down .
The mulberry matching Bayswater purse on the other hand was worth every penny of the £300 I paid for it and I use it every single day and I bought it at the same time as I bought the bag

On the Bayswater the shoulder strap is to short so it’s either walk and carry it which I hate doing or stuff it over your shoulder and it’s to awkward to carry like that
I stick with my Day Et collection of bags as they are much more every day bags that I can actually use