For some people, a handbag seems like a superfluous, superficial thing that is merely indicated to carry our belongings from place to place. Of course, there are varying levels of this view, with some caring what their bag looks or feels like a bit a lot more but not really giving it much thought beyond its function. Then, there are those like us, whose bags feel like extensions of themselves, making the choice of what to carry feel a lot a lot more thought out and very personal.
While I’ve never been in a position to be gifted a bag or luxury goods at all, for that matter, I typically budget and save for them myself. Still, I’ve always daydreamed about how exciting it need to be on a birthday or during the holiday season, or even ‘just because’ to see a Bottega Green, Louis Vuitton Saffron Yellow, Prada Blue, or whatever color box you’d wish to open up sitting there with your name on it. The anticipation of what lies underneath the color of your dreams all wrapped up in a pretty bow that reads the name of your favorite designer. Ahh, a dream…right?
The older I get, the a lot more personal I find my handbags to be, and I want over my purchasing, painstakingly analyzing the various styles I want and the sizes and colors that are offered. The bag itself is about a lot more than just the bag, it’s about the process, and it’s an intimate process at that. a lot of purses today cost a pretty penny, and unless the giver is completely sure the bag is genuinely the “one,” personally I think it’s better to air on the side of caution and offer to take your loved one shopping or get them a gift card for what you’re comfortable spending.
From the receiver’s perspective, how disappointing would it be to open up something pricey that you don’t really love? Personally, the thought of being disappointed and the anxiety I would feel about not really liking something so expensive but not wanting to hurt the giver’s feelings by saying something is enough for me to really question the idea of luxury goods as gifts. On the flip side, though, is there really any gift a lot more sentimental than a purse for a collector if it goes right? For now, I’d say proceed with caution on all fronts.
What do you think? would you let someone pick out a bag for you as a gift? Or is a handbag an item that you’d rather select yourself?