Shoes

[stevieb]

I've been seeing a fair amount of Minkoff, Patricia Nash, oryany, Kors, Kerstenberg, DKNY, Lauren, etc... at the TJX stores.

[haddon9]

On 6/20/2014 BlingQueen022 said:

On 6/20/2014 sueb27 said:

People who say they don't like Coach, because of all the "C's", really don't know Coach very well. Those could be very bad counterfeit bags.

They have awesome all leather bags. Visit a boutique in your mall.

Even the bags made for outlet, don't just have "c's" on them. They have some great styles/colors. And leather.

Actually go to an outlet....

I've been to the Coach outlet a zillion times. I have one 10 min from my house. I've always walked out empty handed. I just can't get passed their paper thin leather handles. Yes, I don't like the huge C's either and I know they make bags without that, but like I said the thin leather straps is a turnoff for me.

I have a few Dooneys and Coaches. My favorite Coach bag is my Legacy leather duffle. It was not an outlet bag and it has a nice thick leather (probably at least 2" thick) strap where most Dooneys I find tend to have those super skinny straps and tiny handles which is also a turn off for me plus I need to have an outside pocket which many Dooneys don't have.

As for the Coach outlets I have found a few nice all leather bags with decent straps and while they still have the cloth logo bags I haven't seen as many as they offered a few years ago. Seems like they are scaling back on those.

My favorite bags though are Brightons and they keep coming out with some really gorgeous styles!

[haddon9]

On 6/25/2014 tough_kitty said:

On 6/18/2014 adriennelisa said:

Where I'm from, any designer bag is "the it bag", Kate, Tory, LV, Marc Jacobs, Kors, Lim, Burberry-take your pick. You will see ladies carrying everything. Coach, especially the signature C has over saturated the market, but the leather ones are still in.

Saying DB is the it bag to own is a QVC marketing ploy. It has always been a top tier bag of great quality but has failed to reach the status of Coach, which is its closest competitor.

Huh? Status of Coach??? Coach is everywhere = affordable, cheap....not leather anymore.... not cool.....

Not sure what the DB marketing strategy is, if there is any, but their leather is of high quality and that's a big deal for those of us who prefer leather to material or faux leather bags.

Have you looked at Coach.com? Check it out and you will see all leather bags. A medium sized bag will start around $300.00 and go up many hundreds more than that....maybe affordable to you but not to everyone.

[ID2]

I have nothing against Dooney & Bourke. I even have a few of their bags. But for some reason I just never considered them a ""designer"" name. They are just way over priced ordinary bags.

[Trix]

Let's be honest. A lot of the designer bags you see walking down the street are knock-offs -- particularly when you climb up to the level of Louis Vuitton, Kate Spade, and Gucci. I like Coach, but frankly a key reason you are seeing so many of them is due to their moderately priced outlet brand which says Coach, but is in reality a few steps down from true main line Coach. Not that it matters to the person who wants to carry a bag with the Coach label on it, nor does that make it bad. If I were one to trek to outlet malls and saw a bag in the Coach Outlet store which I liked I would definitely buy it.

When out and about if my mind is in watch mode I can spot a Dooney here and there. Those who love D&B should be glad that you don't see a high ratio of women carrying them. To me that helps the brand maintain its reputation of exclusivity and prestige.

As for what is a designer bag. Only a few of them were actually created by handbag designers. Kate Spade is rare in that area. Brands like Michael Kors and Ralph Lauren have design teams which create their accessories. Michael is not a handbag designer, so in literal terms his brand is not a designer brand. However, because he is a renowned fashion designer and the bags have his name on them they are marketed and priced as a designer handbag line.

Another thing is QVC throws around the term designer because people tend to think higher of a brand tauted that way even if better --more accurate terms would be to call the brand prestige, luxury, exclusive, or high end.

[bells4me]

On 6/14/2014 RedHeadedWench said:

Back in the day, when they werent made in China or Korea, yes, I would say they were considered "designer" handbags...now, not so much. I am lucky enough to have 2 original Dooney's that I cherish and still use today. I don't feel Coach is even a "designer" bag any longer.

I love Dooney bags, but as far as being a "designer" bag, no.

Chanel, LV, Gucci, Ferragamo, Birkin, yes.

I think D&B was the "it" bag in the 1980's & 90's. I have a dozen or so from that era when the hardware was solid brass & the handles were hand stitched & detachable. I also have two old Coach bags. I don't care that they are heavy because of the quality.

[beckyb1012]

Nordstrom website has D&B under their ""all handbags"" section but not under their ""designer handbag""

[RedTop]

I do not think of my D & B bags as "designer" bags. I do agree that Chanel, Prada, Gucci, LV, etc. are designer handbags. Since I retired, I only think of my D & B bags as the heavyweight bags I do not want to carry. I prefer to use my Brahmin or VB crossbody bags, and carry only the absolute essentials. My thoughts on handbags has changed dramatically since I retired; I still go for quality, but I focus on smaller and more lightweight. I do not like a double handed handbag, and it seems D & B is making more and more large size bags with both handles and shoulder straps, which do not appeal to me at all. I feel I already have all the handbags I'm going to need for my lifetime, and will just work on wearing them out. My oldest daughter is buying Coach and Brahmin bags now, and my youngest daughter (over 30) does not carry a handbag, and has NEVER owned a handbag!

[Nikalette]

Aimee Kestenberg is considered an "it" handbag designer...she is new, young, award winning,graduated from Parson. She has some very different designs. Her bags are in the $300 to $400 range at QVC, so not up with then Gucci's ...I think coming on QVC was a strategic move to get her name out, but once your bags are mass produced and the price dropped, it downgrades you as a designer. She went for the money instead of just selling in her website and exclusive stores. I noticed she is not designing new bags here, although she has new bags on her website, and I think she will disappear from the Q to maintain her bag's status. Dooney was considered a top designer bag 30 years ago. The price was actually the same...I paid $250 and $375 for my 2 classic Doonies. Once they came to the Q theychanged drastically and are now just a nice mass produced handbag. Coach is going downhill by selling at Macy's...they are expensive, but go on sale for a couple hundred. A real designer bag will sell in the thousands, like,Gucci. They have a few small items that sell for $800, bit the average price is $2k to $3k and their exotics,sell for up to $30k. They are stunning and designed for those who can afford them. I am waiting for my $2k bag to decide if it is worth it. I also,have my eye on a $3k bag that is fully lined in finished leather. The outside and inside are identical and gorgeous. That is a bag at will last for,the rest of my life, like my original pebble leather Doonies.

[MarenSeattle]

On 6/14/2014 mollysmama said: Dooneys were THE aspirational bag to have as far back as 30 yrs that I can remember. They're worth every penny because they last. When I see a Coach purse NOW, it screams, 'I went on vacation somewhere near an outlet mall.' EVERYONE has a Coach now - nothing special about them - unless you buy a $400 LEATHER Coach from a Coach store. I will never understand the appeal of Vera Bradley. They remind me of potholders. Very expensive potholders.

When I see a Coach purse NOW, it screams, 'I went on vacation somewhere near an outlet mall.'