So, I've Been Getting an Education on Purses

For a couple of days, I've been out with two of my superiors, both of them ladies of about my young age, as we attempt to recruit new underlings from the incoming Freshman class. They told me that girls with expensive purses were unlikely to join us working in the dining hall because they already have plenty of spending money, and proceeded to point out examples. They then quizzed me on the knowledge.

I am now able to identify the brand of the most popular models of Chanelle, Coach, Vera-Bradley, Luis-Vitton, and Prada handbags. They told me that the small bags, barely bigger than my hand, cost $50-200, which would buy me months of food, high-end portable electronic devices, a very good used bike, a complete overhaul of my current bike, a recent video game console, a flat screen computer monitor, or many other things that seem more worth the money to me, and still leave enough money for a higher-quality purse from many stores. The larger ones apparently go for $500-800, and I daresay that if I had money to spend that much on a bag, I wouldn't work for a dining hall either.

The easiest to spot from a distance are the Coach bags that are covered with lots of C's in different colors. I renamed this the "kids with crayons" edition. The most baffling of all are the Vera-Bradley bags, which sell very, very well locally, at altogether stupid prices. According to my coworkers, in addition to the popular sizes selling for about $400, they fall apart after several washes and a no longer fashionable after a new pattern is released, which happens about every four months. I can sincerely claim that given three hours, a good sewing machine, and a trip to a fabric store, I could create better with my own hands.

The conversation later turned to which jeans made similar indications about the wearers. Unable to keep track of all of the specifics, I told them that I was more concerned by the overall shape than the details of the stitching. I've never seen them look so amused as they did at that.

The world market is now awash in good AND bad fakes of every couture brand on the market. Most bags rarely resemble the actual original designs, but have a pretense of a logo or fabric plastered all over them.

Suburbanites rarely carry Chanel since Chanel is actually quite conservative and geared towards an older demographic with "young" looking designs that don't actually appeal to the younger set.

Louis Vuitton is quite the same. Their 'pretty' stuff is quite rare and very, very expensive and it's hard to find outside the biggest cities; London, NYC, Paris, Los Angeles...

The Vera Bradley stuff is kind of tacky, isn't it? I can't stand a fabric handbag. For me it's leather or nothing. I woldn't want a handbag I'd have to wash. I prefer one that will last my lifetime! The Vera Bradleys start at $50 to under $200; not sure where your friends are getting their info. Luggage is a bit pricier. I think they're slightly misinformed.

And... I have Prada, Louis Vuitton and Coach bags. I don't even like to carry them anymore because the knock offs are so pervasive. I can't stand carrying something everyone else has, especially if their stuff is fake.

I promise, most if not all the bags you see are fakes, so go ahead and recruit away!

Still, if I were buying someone a gift, I wouldn't pay $30 for a Vera Bradley. I'd get a non-brand name leather bag with zippers.