Who is buying the really expensive handbags and £600 trainers??

[Newmeagain]

I really like clothes and have always splurged on the occasional “investment” item - e.g. nice boots, a jacket from ME&EM that I loved, etc.

But even though I am on a high salary I can’t imagine spending £2000 on a handbag or £600 on fashion trainers that will only last a few months.

I work with lots of women in a professional environment, all earning between £150k/£200k - many don’t have children - and I don’t see any designer items. Mostly mix of standard high street brands plus a bit of Sezane and similar.

So - if you are spending £££, are you earning over £500k or have a partner who does?

I once bought a pair of trainers for 600. They are my concert trainers to give me a bit of height. Use them about once or twice a year.

And I was on a minimum wage job when I bought them. 7 years ago I may add. How times have changed!

We actually have household income over c. 100 now and I couldn’t afford them 😅

Well I just checked they were £525 so I tell a lie 🫠

www.selfridges.com/GB/en/product/isabel-marant-bekett-suede-and-leather-high-top-trainers_R04455820

Good choice - I love Isabel Marant.

I once worked on a project for a very high end Italian fashion brand.

5% of the client base accounted for a huge percentage of the sales. But these people were often buying products which rarely appeared in the stores.

But a very high percentage of clients were “aspirational” buyers - ie basically people who bought one item they could not afford - often on credit.

I know several women with very fancy handbags (laptop bags), the bags were all bought when they were in their 50s with an office job with several promotions under their belt and then looked after for 15+ years until retirement. Husbands mostly police, armed forces etc (rather than stockbrokers/brain surgeons).

My SIL is , and she doesn't work.

I bought a pair of Hermes sandals last year and they were £790 - I had a huge bonus from work and for once I wanted something for me instead of the house or family.
Disappointed to say they hurt my feet and I have worn them twice lol

Bought a Mulberry handbag maybe 15 years ago when I earned far less than now and a few of my friends bought similar designer items around that time. But your post made me realise none of us make purchases like that now even though we earn more.

I am in that financial situation. Have a couple of nice bags. I wouldn't spend that much on trainers because all my trainers become "walking the dog" shoes faster than I intend so they'd be wasted on me but I'd spend that much on decent boots.

I think what you spend on clothes and fashion is more a function of your interest in clothes and fashion than of your income. I could have ten times as much income but I wouldn't spend ten times as much on clothes- I probably wouldn't spend anything additional.

I think on lower incomes having a few designer bits can be more important as a signifier that you're doing well. Nobody on £500k needs to signify this with a pair of trainers so for them it just comes down to personal taste.

I think so far all the responses are consistent with my experience - an occasional splurge purchase but not every season and multiple items.

I have a louis vuitton (circa £1400) neverfull (the standard tote bag) and a gucci bag (circa £1300). They are the pride and joy of my wardrobe. Bought them as a treat to myself as we now have no debt (apart from a smallish mortgage) which is a new situation for me. I can really see how buying such designer things could become addictive because they are so lovely. They were mainly a treat to myself and getting to a large ish birthday! I think if you get into designer things it becomes normal to have them.

Good for those who like to buy luxury goods, but I think it's becoming less frequent for many apart from a certain cohort of wealthy, and often flashy people.

I often think that knock offs are so good these days that some of them are indistinguishable at first glance from the real thing, so I wouldn't bother myself to buy the real thing. I know that those who know would know ha ha, but many wouldn't be able to tell the difference now, since copying has become so sophisticated. Whether it's ethical or not to copy is another discussion.

Based on my experience working in a university with a high proportion of overseas students, it's 20-something Chinese students (or their parents) buying the Balenciaga/Loewe/Bottega.

@Princeofarondelle do you also shop for your clothes from LV, Gucci, Chloe, Max Mara etc?

I have 2 nice bags - combined cost of £5.4k.

I earn c.£100k and DH earns just over that.

Probably the same people who complain they can't afford a Costa lunch.

The more money I have (not that I have money to throw away, but I could quite easily buy a designer handbag if I wanted to), the less interest I have in doing it. I think a lot of the time people try to prove something with designer stuff.

Same here (though I bought mine 25 years ago!)

Edit: meant to quote @IsItSummerSoon

No I haven't and I never would, coach trainers in the sale for £100 is as far as I have got. And I don't think I will buy any more bags I think it was more of a moment in time because I finally could! But I think the people who are buying them get addicted and often can't stick to one or two (which I can understand)....

Most of my friends who have expensive handbags were given them as gifts. Above average incomes but not rich.

I have a few bits and pieces that were expensive. I treated myself to them once I found styles and colours that suited me. But I keep a capsule wardrobe. Spending £350 on a pair of trousers that I'm still wearing 15 years on seems like a good deal to me. And its always been good motivation to slim down over periods where I've put weight on.

I suppose it just depends on what you'd rather spend your money on / can justify spending money on.

I for one couldn't spend that much on handbags or shoes (I think my wedding shoes were my most expensive at about £250?!) but then again I would quite happily spend thousands on a holiday and stay in hotels costing £200+ a night.

Not bragging at all btw. But I suppose everyone has their vices and what gives them pleasure?!

I have 3 “nice bags and purses probably cost around 5k maybe 6

I have a lovely pair of louboutins that hurt

2 watches a Tag & brietling

I generally wear my Apple Watch 😂

Yeah this was me. Grew up fairly poor and so buying a Mulberry handbag was my proof that now I’d made it.
I’ve never spent that much on a bag since, even though I could afford to.

I also splashed £500 on a LV scarf which then sat in its box unworn for a few years, probably not helped by reading MN posts with people being very sneery about LV branding.
Once I did start wearing it though I noticed I got much better service in shops and cafes!

I splurge on a designer handbag roughly once a year. I have 9 or 10 in my collection currently. Earn very well but not in the six figure range. No dependents, plenty of disposable income. Any I stop using regularly get sold on. I'm approaching retirement so at some point I won't be able to afford them any more. Plus they bring me joy. Those are my justifications.

@Starlight1979 you are probably right. I guess I have a self imposed limit that has not really changed that much over the years.