In my Friday Loves post, I mentioned my newest addition to the purse closet…a vintage Gucci handbag. Yes, I love it dearly!
Thanks to Bonanza.com, I’ve been able to acquire a Fendi messenger bag, Prada handbag, and a Gucci leather hobo. I think the Fendi has been my favorite find of the lot, because it was a $1,000 bag that was sold to me for $49.00 (the guy got it at an estate auction and had no idea what he had on his hands…he paid $1 for it. I bought it from him for $49, knowing it was a $1,000 bag…here he was thinking he made a good buck. He could have sold it for a whole lot more because it had never been used).
The thing about buying vintage from Bonanza.com, I’ve been focusing on buying only major couture designer names for the same price I would pay for most of these cute non-designer names.
Now, I’ve added two more names to the purse closet. I’ve been wanting a Valentino Garavani bag for a very long time. Well, the wait is over.
This is an authentic Valentino tote bag that I picked up for $99. It definitely beats the Red Valentino price of $450 and the Valentino prices of $1,000+. Inside the bag is the signature red silk that Valentino is famous for.
But that wasn’t the only bag I picked up. I also picked up this Giorgio Armani (never used/mint condition) bag for $45.
Armani bags are not cheap at all. Starting price is $880. For $45…really you’re not twisting my arm at all.
Bonanza.com has actually been my go to place as of late for major designers that I’ve been lusting after for a long time. Unlike Ebay, they don’t have the auctions. You’re not bidding against anyone. You see it, you like it, you put it in your cart and checkout.
I’ve had great service from every seller. I got these two bags very quickly. I ordered it on Friday, got them both on Monday! I got the Gucci bag the very next day.
Everything is as described.
Bonanza.com is a stickler about fake items. If you see something that says FAKE all over it, you can report them immediately. The link is right there in every sale item. They even follow up with you after you receive your items to make sure that the item you received was authentic and not fake.
Now, the key to knowing what’s fake and what is not fake…do your research online. I think probably the hardest fake to figure out has been Louis Vuitton. There are hundreds of sites that will show you how to spot a fake Louis. It will even explain how the serial numbers work on each bag.
Also, if you’re like me and travel with designer handbags, you never want to carry a fake into a foreign country, especially in Europe. I had a Just Cavalli bag with me when I was traveling from London to Paris by train. They saw my bag, made me empty out all of the contents and then they inspected the bag itself!
They were checking to make sure I was carrying an authentic Just Cavalli bag. Thank goodness for the hologram image and the huge Just Cavalli hardware inside the bag as proof (I mean…I paid over $500 for the bag…it better be real).
Each time I went between London and Paris they did the exact same thing again and again…they inspected the bag to see if it was a fake. I’ve even had it happen in Canada when I was traveling between the US and Montreal. They inspect the bag for authenticity.
Also, something you should really think about…if you’re going to buy a fake for the exact same price that an authentic vintage item would cost…that may not be the coolest buy you’ve ever made.
If you can’t go brand new, at least try to go vintage. I know some girls are broke college girls that just want the IT bag right now because they saw it on Gossip Girl. Ladies, don’t waste your money on the fake Louis Vuittons of the world. Buy something cute and in your budget range. If it’s couture you’re looking for…try sample sale sites and Bonanza.com…or save, save, save for that luxury purchase. You may find that after you can afford it, you may not want it anymore.
Then again, I always say…if it’s meant to be, you’ll find it on sale at the price you want to pay. If it’s not meant to be yours, it will always be out of your reach.
As for me…I’m saving up for a new YSL bag. $1600 if I buy it brand new at Saks, $1,000 if I buy from a sample sale site, $700-$800 if I get it used from Bonanza.com. Hmm…
