What’s the most amount of money you’d spend on a non-bling wearable item? Eg - handbag, shoes, scarf, clothes etc.

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

And what item is it?

I love handbags with a burning passion, and my most expensive bag is a Chanel, which was ~$6k (USD). I can’t see myself spending much more than that on anything non-bling related, except maybe my wedding dress (if I ever get married!)

 

[TooPatient]

My most expensive hand bag is one I got in a charity auction benefitting a great dog rescue. My winning bid was $120. Most expensive shoes are my orthopedic sandals at around $100. Most expensive scarf was maybe $30 at the charity auction?

Now if you want to know about animal pampering, old books, or my shared hobby/project with DH..... those are much higher priority in my life.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

The amount of money I would spend on an item is far, far less than you. I seem to have a cutoff that is permanently ingrained in me. I don't know why. Its 250.00.
I came across some designer handbags that were around 250.00. I was so excited that I bought my niece and her mom one and one for myself. I emailed my niece and then thought about it and checked retail prices. Oh dear. something s not right. no-0ne would sell an original for 250.00. I called my credit card company and they told me its from China, and they cancelled the order for me. Too good to be true.

I also like fur coats (I know, I know). I couldn't believe a woman was selling a Sega Fox coat for , you guessed it, 200.00. I was out the door within minutes. This was a wedding gift from her husband and she only wore it once. She is an animal rights person and said she can't wear it. O.K, I may not wear it either, but it makes me happy, so its in my closet and I take it out and look at a couple times a year. Sega Fox is Russian and she gave me the original invoice. $3.200.00. I love it.

If you have a good deal around 250.00, let me know.

Annette

 

[diamondringlover]

I am a tight wad and hate spending money on well just about anything...It felt like a super splurge to me to spend $300 on a purse...but did it anyway, otherwise the only other thing I splurge on is I like a nice SUV......

 

[jaysonsmom]

For a car $80k, for handbag, I used to be in the $300 range, but since I turned 50 last year, I have acquired a couple handbags in the $3k range. For shoes and boots, I would max out around $200. I’m hard on my shoes and cannot justify spending over that amount for something I tread on and scuff up in a matter of weeks.

 

[stracci2000]

For shoes, purse, etc? Maybe $100
And it better be real special!
I'm a notorious cheapskate.
Although I did spend 250 on a signed Dali print and 160 on an art glass vase last year.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

i wear handbags out
i would wear out an exspensive one just like a cheap one
im really hard on bags
who wants to see a really good bag trashed ?
so would not buy a really good one
so under $100 NZ, preferably under $60 but i havnt brought a new one for nearky 6 years

sneakers, i cant wear cheap big box shoes,
my feet just cr*p out wearing cheap shoes
but $300 would be my top

i guess a coat would be my top priced item
not that im in the market for a new coat

from way back in the day when i first went to work in 1990 in the winter down south my mum brought me a winter wool coat made in NZ (it seems like nothing is made here any more ) it was $300
i still have it (Its a bit tight/ i mean very tight though


but that shows you how the entire market has changed as have consumer expectations on quality and also price
so more than 30 years latter im saying $300 for a coat
sorry off on a bit of a tangent there

 

[Mreader]

We spent 2K on a semi-industrial espresso machine and it was worth every penny! I used to be be REALLY into shoes and bags but not Chanel type more Michael Michael Kors, Furla etc and I always shopped sales. If it’s not a bargain it’s not exciting so max for a bag $200 or so and shoes max $90 (but these might be 65% off so more retail!)

 

[luckygreen317]

Great question and I have loved reading the responses!

I have a “cost per wear” justification when it comes to handbags, shoes, fashion and jewelry. I appreciate couture designers but it doesn’t suit my personality or lifestyle. I would rather have one quality handbag that I love and use daily than several that are just OK. So spending $200 up to $500 on a good handbag is a reasonable purchase for me. Tory Burch and See by Chloe are my 2 favorite handbag brands right now. When it comes to shoes, quality and comfort are the priorities. How much I will spend will depend on if it’s a wardrobe staple or limited wear. A staple up to $400 and limited wear up to $250.

 

[Lookinagain]

I used to buy expensive (for me) handbags in the 1500 to 1800 range but I wouldn’t do that now and I wouldn’t spend 600 or 700 on shoes though I used to. Now it’s probably $150 for a bag and the same for shoes but probably closer to $450 or so for good boots. I have plenty of all of these now that I probably don’t ever need more. I’m very easy and nothing seems to wear out.

 

[MeowMeow]

Hmm for a purse? Probably 2 or 300. We aren't rich enough to drop thousands sadly. But since I'm a mom to a 5 year old my half decent purses are getting no wear and I'm sticking to my 50 to 75 dollar Vera Bradley's since I can legit just shove them in the wash lol.
Shoes up to 150. I'm mostly shoeless or wear tennis shoes though so my shoes are usually running shoes when I have to wear them.

My clothes are even cheaper since I mostly hang out in athleisure. Probably less than 50 per tank and leggings lol. I'm willing to spend up to 150 though for the rare, very rare times I need something nicer because I feel like the nicer things will last longer and it's worth spending a teeny bit more.

 

[MissGotRocks]

My most expensive handbags are Coach. I do try to catch them on sale but won’t buy from the Coach outlets. Some of the ultra expensive bags just do not appeal to me and I am grateful for that! $80-$100 on shoes if necessary. I am retired now so my needs are not great. Still fun to splurge a bit on something every now and then, but I really do have to be able to envision myself using or wearing something a lot to justify the expense. I have too much now just sitting and while it was once used, much probably never will be again.

 

[lulu_ma]

I used to buy designer bags before I had kids-I’d max out at $600. Now all of my disposable income goes towards diamonds

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Most of my purses are in the $200-600 range (on sale when possible), Tory Burch, Coach, etc. I have one YSL bag that was a good bit higher. But I only use it for very special occasions, so it should last as long as I do! I like to use bags without worrying about them getting worn or dirty. My real world isn't like PS and TPF. I've said many times that I know a lot of people in my circle who are well off, but they choose spend money on real estate (vacation homes or lake houses) and/or travel as opposed to Jewelry and bags. In fact, most people around here think Tory Burch bags are expensive, so that's about my limit. I do see LV bags in the grocery store, etc., but I feel like those are so recognizable, and I don't really want to have my bag be a target. So I am pretty content with what I have.

 

[Bron357]

I collect things, mostly I buy pre loved because I love a bargain. Shoes and clothes I buy new but nothing fancy. I do buy quality shoes though, so $200 / $300 a pair.
I too love fur, again only pre loved. My most expensive and wasted purchase was a Chincillia fur coat. Paid close on 10k and being without proper cold storage it literally fell apart. dont buy Chinchilla!
my next most expensive was a sable coat, $8k, still beautiful.
I collect ceramics and glass. Most expensive ceramic was $10k, most expensive glass piece $6k.

 

[kenny]

Compared to spending massive amounts on a few other things ...
On clothing?
Not much!

Shoes, sox and undies must be bought new, mind-clean ya know.
Sox are bought in huge batches of like 40 identical pair when the ones I like are on sale.
I have sox in only two colors, white and black.

Shoes? asics are the most comfortable for me; I don't care what they look like.
I look for asics around $65, but wait till they are sale for at least 50% off.
Then I'll buy several identical pair.

The last couple of decades all of my shirts, shorts, pants, etc. all come from thrift stores.
You'd be amazed what very nice 100% cotton clothing you can find for pennies on the dollar.
PJs always come as a gift from someone who loves me.

Frankly, I see clothing a stupid hassle, a bother that have to wear so I don't get arrested.

I economize on things that don't matter so I have more for what does matter to me.
If I became a billionaire that's one thing that wouldn't change.

I have no opinion about how much others spend on their wearables.

 

[pricescopenewbie]

A lot of wearables, such as handbags and shoes, are consumables to me so I am not willing to put too much $$ on them. I know I will be too careful with handbags and shoes if they are expensive and will not be able to enjoy them when I wear them.

I would say, though, it depends on people. A friend of mine collects shoes and she knows how to take good care of them. Her shoes look like new after years of wear. In that case, it is investment and I always say go for it regardless of the pri$$e tag.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Thanks everyone for the responses! I found it interesting because over on TPF (I have tried to sign up there multiple times but it keeps rejecting my sign up so now I just lurk without an account) I see people with fabulous bag collections who also spend a significant amount on jewelry, but here there doesn’t seem to be a correlation. So it’s like a one-way correlation of sorts? Ie bag lovers usually also love jewelry but jewelry lovers aren’t necessarily into bags.

 

[elle_71125]

I usually spend less than $100 on shoes, but I did splurge on a fancy pair, in the $600 range, a few years back. They are the cutes little red bottom pumps and I adore them. I was going to share a pic, but I can’t find it right now.

I like to spend my money on bling so I don’t splurge on other things too often. Except for vacations. I love to travel. I actually keep a separate bank account just for that purpose.

 

[missy]

The most I have ever spent on a wearable item was my wedding dress which I wore once. However, I got it as a sample sale and luckily it was my size and needed very little alteration. It was 1500$ which compared to many in my social circles was the least expensive wedding dress. The actual price, IIRC was over 6K but again I got it as a sample sale. I was not going to spend more on a dress I planned on wearing one time.

The most I have ever spent since then was on a pair of boots which was 1K. However, I tend to calculate price per wear and I wear boots all autumn and winter and spring so well worth it. I have many many pairs of OTK boots but I am hard on my footwear so I get them reheeled as needed. We have a good shoemaker and he works wonders with my boots.

I borrowed the veil which was a very fancy and expensive veil which cost more than the dress





and my most expensive pair of boots

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Pretty much in the same boat as @stracci2000 for budget. Not into clothes/handbags/shoes, I only buy them out of necessity for the most part. However I will spend the most on good pair of sneakers for work, still under $100, I try to get them on clearance at DSW.

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

On a daily basis, $250 is my max for a bag BUT this one is more like luggage. It's a "weekender" that I just used for a work trip for 3 nights to DC. Functions as a crossbody or a backpack and it's from a local NY designer so worth it to me. I do have ONE designer evening bag that was about $1200. Valentino. It does not get thrown around so I see it lasting for a lifetime. I have no plans on getting another, I'm one and done in that department. Other than that my most expensive shoes are usually birkenstocks. I love my birks year round and the boots from last year are ready for year two. I think they were about $225 and worth it for me.

 

[Cerulean]

I buy nice shoes, especially boots. I have a few pairs in the $400-$600 range, but mostly $200-$300. I believe a good pair of leather shoes that are handmade are going to last far longer than anything less. I condition and polish them and resole them when they need it. I have a few pairs that are 5-10+ years old.

I have a few expensive bags (500-3k). One from a well known designer and I’d like 1-2 more designer bags

I generally buy very few clothing items, but I buy things I believe will last and are from smaller businesses, so they are more expensive. I hate “fast fashion” - most of my clothing items are $150-$500 with a few dresses above that. But instead of having let’s say 20 pairs of trousers I have 5 I really love and that fit me perfectly!

 

[yssie]

Thanks everyone for the responses! I found it interesting because over on [other forum] (I have tried to sign up there multiple times but it keeps rejecting my sign up so now I just lurk without an account) I see people with fabulous bag collections who also spend a significant amount on jewelry, but here there doesn’t seem to be a correlation. So it’s like a one-way correlation of sorts? Ie bag lovers usually also love jewelry but jewelry lovers aren’t necessarily into bags.

I’ve seen this too, and it fascinates me.

Seems like the other forum has the extremes, more than PS. There is some genuine and staggering wealth there. “Old money”. Much more than here. And there are also more young women who blow their full paychecks on purses than we’ll ever get here.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I’ve seen this too, and it fascinates me.

Seems like the other forum has the extremes, more than PS. There is some genuine and staggering wealth there. “Old money”. Much more than here. And there are also more young women who blow their full paychecks on purses than we’ll ever get here.

I also wonder if there’s a trend for people who collect designer/branded handbags to also mostly buy designer/branded jewelry. I say this because over there, it seems like branded jewelry gets much more traction than unbranded. Whereas over here, where unbranded bling tends to outweigh the branded stuff for most people, we have fewer consumers of other branded wearable goods, like clothes, shoes, bags etc.

 

[nala]

Before I discovered bling, when I was going through my divorce—I became obsessed with purses and 7 for all mankind jeans. This was 20 years ago and I would spend 200 dollars for jeans, and up to 1200 for purses. Adjusted for inflation—nope, never going to do that again! I gained weight and those size 4 jeans stopped fitting me 15 years ago. The purses were too high maintenance to enjoy!!! So I sold all but one and recouped about half of my money. The one that I kept sits pristine in a box and I am still reluctant to wear it. These days, I only buy used LV as my splurge but I buy new Dooney or Coach bc I think they are affordable and super nice leather and I don’t have to baby them.
Shoes are all about comfort to me so I live in comfort brands that may run up to 150 dollars.
The other day I saw a cute Tommy Hilfiger dress for 100 dollars at Macy’s and I couldn’t bring myself to buy it bc it will probably end up at 30 bucks at TJ maxx, lol.

 

[dk168]

I have clothes made for me: business formal and evening wear, as nothing ready to wear would fit.

DK

 

[mn_shopaholic]

I also wonder if there’s a trend for people who collect designer/branded handbags to also mostly buy designer/branded jewelry. I say this because over there, it seems like branded jewelry gets much more traction than unbranded. Whereas over here, where unbranded bling tends to outweigh the branded stuff for most people, we have fewer consumers of other branded wearable goods, like clothes, shoes, bags etc.

I think this is at very least a part of it.

It's been awhile since I've spent a significant amount of time over on TPF, but IIRC the jewelry forums over there seemed to be mostly focused on branded pieces (T&Co, Cartier, VCA, etc) and same for the bags (Hermes, Chanel, LV, etc), whereas PS is more concerned with quality over branding (especially if there is a cost savings for going non-designer/branded) - for instance most of TPF might pick the Tiffany solitaire whereas most of PS might choose Vatche U113 + Whiteflash ACA. Assuming you can afford either, neither is the wrong choice, just a different set of priorities.

To answer your original question, I have a few bags in the $2k range, but those are more of a splurge purchase with my Hot Pink Epi Alma from LV being my most expensive. And I haven't spent that much on a bag very often because I haven't found the quality of the premium designer brands to be a measurable improvement relative to some of the more cost-effective options; Chloe Marcie being a notable disappointment - after years of coveting that bag, I finally bought one, but the leather didn't feel better than a $500 Coach bag despite the 4x higher price for Chloe (it was returned). My higher end bag purchases have been driven by aesthetics or something that couldn't be 'replicated' by another brand/style without getting into gray area re: copying or losing the essence of what I liked about the original.

My daily drivers were Coach for a number of years (spent anywhere from 300-1500 each on those), though their quality has declined and in the last few years I've been buying from lesser-known brands to get full-grain leather in the sub-$500 range if I need a new bag fix. I have an embarrassing number of bags, but still want something new every now and again because they just make me happy. Even though I can easily spend $X amount on a new bag (and do so several times a year), I struggle with spending on other wearables and try to be more cost-conscious with shoes, jeans, etc and items that will inevitably wear out or may no longer fit if I gain/lose weight or items to which I don't have the same emotional attachment as I do my jewelry and my bags. My general preference for spending is enough to get good (or at least decent) quality items, without spending more than necessary.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

Great question. I have a huge black leather Coach purse that I love. I think to replace it, I would spend $400. I also like North Face coats and would spend $300. With shoes $200 is my limit.

 

[missy]

Oops I forgot about my winter coats. Unfortunately their price has gone up quite a bit during the pandemic. Used to pay 1500$ for them and now they are over 2K. I like having them in various colors but am pretty set now for my warmest winter coats and have 6 of the same brand in different colors. They are my warmest coats and I wear them all winter long so again cost per wear makes the cost worth it for me