Vogue Mode

First of all, what are replica handbags? In case you’ve been living under a rock, a replica handbag is exactly how it sounds. It is a handbag (this applies also to SLG’s and other fashion accessory items) that is made to look exactly like the real thing. But it isn’t the real thing. It is not the same thing as an inspired bag, or a knockoff. Got it? Good.

Okay, so now that we’ve covered the basics, why would anyone want a replica bag? Most likely, it is because they don’t want to pay full price for the real thing. They still want to have the look and style of the real thing without having to put up so much of an investment. So what’s so wrong with that? Well...

Replicas aren’t as harmless as they seem. For one thing, they’re illegal. It’s illegal to buy and/or sell them. Why? Because it violates the intellectual property rights of the original owner. It takes away from the hard work and time that the original designer has put into achieving the design. Additionally, the money people use to purchase these bags has been linked to going towards organized crime, terrorism, sex trafficking and child labor, just to name a few.

I know what some of you may be thinking at this point: “I’m still not going to pay thousands of dollars for a purse, I could spend that money on way more meaningful things.” And you know what? You’re probably right. No one is forcing you to purchase a $2,000, $5,000, or $50,000 handbag. But you should stop breaking the law and contributing to crime by instead purchasing handbags that are in your budget and fit your lifestyle. If you still want the look and feel of a designer bag, then you should do what the rest of us do: Budget for the bag and buy the real deal. There are no shortcuts in life and sometimes you may have to invest in things that you really want. Besides, I can speak from experience when I say that saving up and budgeting for, and then buying, the real thing is so much more fulfilling than getting that instant gratification of buying a fake.

But wait, okay, okay. I know, $2,000 is still $2,000. And yes, that is a lot of money. Is there any way to justify this ostentatious amount? Why yes, in fact there is. Let’s talk about a brand I’m partial to: Louis Vuitton.

Louis Vuitton has a wide range of prices when it comes to their bags. On the low end, a canvas bag will typically run you somewhere in the ball park between $1,200 and $3,000. To be fair, let’s sit somewhere in the middle and say that you purchased a bag for $2,000. How can you justify spending that much money on a bag?! Let me put it into lamens terms for you.

On average, and with normal everyday wear and tear, your typical LV canvas bag will last anywhere from 20-25 years. If we humble ourselves and say that it only lasts for 20 years, the CPW (cost per wear) would only be $100 per year or a measly $8.34 per month. Can you think about all of the things you purchase right now that are completely non-essential items? How many of them can you think of that you spend more than $8.34 per month on? People spend more than that on coffee and cigarettes alone.

In addition, when you are done with the bag, you can normally almost always sell the bag for what you initially purchased it for. If it’s a vintage bag, you can usually get much more than what you initially purchased it for. This doesn’t apply to bags that are torn up beyond repair or are just generally not in good condition. You will be required to take care of your bag. But for the most part, LV canvas bags aren’t as high maintenance as you might think.

The reality is that everyone has different things that they like to spend their money on. If buying a Louis Vuitton bag is really important to you, I can almost guarantee that you can work one into your budget. It really is just as simple as working out your priorities, straightening out your budget, and putting away some money for what you want. Don’t get discouraged if you can’t buy the bag you want right away. Saving up for it is fun and also a great incentive to budget your finances wisely.

If you’re reading this and are still thinking that bags like this are a waste of money, try to think about all of the things you spend money on that are unnecessary. Try to remember that just because someone budgets for and purchases designer goods, it doesn’t mean that they’re shallow, dumb, or irresponsible with their money. If you do it right, anyone can own designer goods. And no one should be criticized for what they love.

That is all. (:        xoxo

P.S. -> I’m planning on making a blog post about how to budget for a designer bag. If you’d like to read that from me then please give this post some love by liking and sharing.

As always, you can submit a post if there is something you’d like me to feature on my blog, and you’re also welcome to drop me any questions/concerns you have under the “ask me anything” tab.