A purse is much more than a means to carry around a wallet and your cell phone. A purse embodies a style and aura that directly reflects is owner. A Vintage purse is a timeless fashion accessory that can add a nostalgic appeal that remains unmatched by any other designer purse style.
Of course, there's always an exception, look at Lindsay Lohan and Shauna Sands, they kill me with how beat up their purses look.When does buying previously loved make sense? When:
1. You missed out on a particular style or color and must now have it.
2. You like the purse, but don't LOVE it
3. You want the designer look, without the designer price tag
4. You want to be green and recycle.1. MISSED OUT ON A MODEL:
A dear friend of mine missed out on the Dior purple lamb leather plisse purse circa 2008 (I believe) and is now on the hunt for the purse. Another friend missed out on the Gucci Britt tote and after almost a year of looking for it
Air Jordan XIX, recently scored! This year, I finally scored my first Gucci Blondie, the last of the Tom Ford designs for Gucci from 2004. If you missed out on particular model or recently discovered a particular designer line or color and must now have it then buying previously loved is the way to go!
Today there are many styles of vintage purses, typically named after the era from which it's a throwback to. An expensive genuine designer purse of today, has its own place in the market with their particular rich look and feel. They however, lack that exquisite nostalgic appeal that only a vintage purse can provide, and often at a much lower cost. A vintage purse is typically not subdued or plain, while being nowhere near as loud as a jazzy red handbag; it's tastefully in between. It will speak of a prideful heritage of a bygone era
Fendi Shoes, and will never be out of time. Whether choosing a Victorian, Edwardian
Ed hardy T Shirt, or perhaps an Art Nouveau era styling, a vintage purse will be a timeless fashion accessory that will tastefully compliment your own personal flair.
Handbags have been around for a long time, thousands of years in fact. Originally they were just a drawstring satchel which was used to carry around medicines such as herbs, seeds or coins. They didn't really become "women's accessories" until the 1700s. It was a style conscious era and a woman's clothing did not allow for pockets to carry their personal belongings around. Into the late 1700s women started to carry around small embroidered drawstring "reticules" as a means to carry around their perfumes, powders and hankies.
Most make a conscious effort to keep the interior clean. I for one carry pens wrapped in Ziploc bags (thanks to a tip learned from friend CSP) in my purse. Others send their purse babies to the purse hospital on regular basis. For example, I send some of my purse babies to the manufacturer on a yearly basis to get a tune-up, such as getting re-dyed if the leather oxidizes or if there if the leather gets snagged. Others make it a point to rotate their purses often to avoid corner wear and most store those purse babies in their dust bags and stuff them to ensure they keep their shape.
Through the 1800s and into the Victorian era these handbags became a feminine mainstay. They grew in size and were usually heavily embroidered and beaded, and were designed to match a woman's outfit. By the early 1900s a woman rarely left home without a purse, and by WW2 these "handbags" grew shoulder straps which conveniently allowed her hands to be free while carrying the bag.