I have had an obsession with bags for a very very very long time, I bought my first expensive bag when I was around 12 (and really it wasn’t that expensive) I paid around $50AUD for the bag and I got it from Sportsgirl (I actually still have it 😂) it was a bright yellow giant hand bag with handle straps and I used to wear it ALL OF THE TIME! It didn’t exactly go with everything but I loved it anyway and surprisingly I got a lot of use out of it – from there my bag collection continued to grow wildly – I now have over 25 bags in my collection. Whilst my handbag collection was forever growing and I was starting to pick up more expensive brands such as Minkpink, Tony Bianco and Belle and Bloom I knew that I was ready to take the plunge and buy my first ever “DESIGNER” bag and in December that is exactly what I did! It took lots of research, contemplating and thinking, but I am so incredibly happy with my first ever designer purchase I wanted to share some tips and tricks on how you to can pick your first bag!

So you are probably wondering what did I decide to go for!? Gucci? Prada? Fendi? Chloe? and the answer is none of those, I actually decided to go with Stella McCartney and bought one of her iconic Falabella shoulder bags in black faux brushed suede. The bag is a small “camera” sized bag with gorgeous iconic chain detailing! Now you know which bag I picked you probably want to know how much this bag cost… and well it was on the cheaper side of designer brands; the original price of the bag was just over $900AUD however due to the bag going on sale I managed to snatch it up at only $490AUD

*Stella McCartney Falabella Faux Brushed-Suede Shoulder Bag (http://bit.ly/2iXUuQz)

The reason why I decided to go for this bag and not another was ultimately down to the size dimension, just to be honest with you! I knew that I wanted my first designer bag to be a simple black, small boxed shaped bag that had an over the shoulder strap; the bag had to be able to fit my phone (iPhone 6) my small blogging camera (Sony A500) and a card holder / pouch (Mimco Pouch). I had several bags with similar exterior designs and styles in my wish list ranging from brands such as Givenchy, Prada and Versace however none of them were as spacious as the Stella McCartney which made my decision much easier to make! The chain strap detailing also won me over, as its something very iconic in designer bags! AND the fact that the McCartney bag went on sale for half price made it all just that much sweeter and from there it didn’t take me long to start entering in my card details!

PROS: The Stella McCartney bag fits everything that I need in it (phone, camera and purse). It has a simple yet sleek and sexy design with an iconic designer feel in material and chain strap detailing. The bag also goes with all of my outfits whether I am in active wear, casual wear or formal wear – its the most perfect first designer hand bag and the price is also sweet 😍❤️

CONS: I personally would have loved if the Stella McCartney bag had a textured leather exterior rather than the soft suede, suede material can often get damaged more quickly if not taken care of! I also would have appreciated if the inner pocket had a zip (however this is just me being picky). Also be aware of how heavy the chain is on bags that offer a chain strap detailing – my shoulders get quite the workout (but I love it anyway!)

So what are some things you should look out for when buying your first designer bag you ask?

Firstly you should know what kind of style bag you are looking for – for example; I knew I wanted a small, black box bag with an over the shoulder strap so I specifically searched for these key specifications. Also your first designer bag should be one that you know is going to suit all of your outfits and match your own unique style, I say this because usually people who buy a designer bag for the first time will want to use it religiously (because obviously its designer and its expensive) so if you aren’t usually a big bag kind of person DONT buy the big bag!

Make sure you do lots of research before you commit to the buy! Look at photos of the bag on your specified website as well as on other websites, and if you can, try find it in a store that way you can put it on and really see if it suits you! Also try find reviews online – this was super handy for me when coming to my final decision, blog pages and youtube are amazing for this! It is also helpful to find alternatives and bags that are similar and then narrow down from there!

Once you have found ‘THE’ bag or even a few different ones, always look at the size of it! If you are buying online make sure you record the dimensions and try and measure them up to another bag that looks similar in size (I actually did this and it was a life safer). Sometimes websites can be deceiving in the way they take their images and this can be confusing when making a decision to purchase! Make sure the bag that you go for can fit everything you need in it – for example if your the kind of person that always keeps your phone in your bag make sure your phone fits the measurements otherwise you could be in for a bit of a disaster! Another key tip is to always identify the material of the bag, buying a bag that has hard and textured leather is a much safer option when buying your first designer hand bag as this material is more durable and long lasting.

I think my #1 tip however is to just not rush the process! Make sure that you are 150% sure that the bag your going to purchase is one that you love and that you are going to use! Spend time thinking about it, envisaging it with your outfits –  if you doubt the bag don’t get it! However if you start dreaming about it then go ahead and buy it! If it feels rights, chances are it is 😘😘

PS: always look out for sales they are the true life savers!

& there you have it lovelies, my tips and tricks on how to buy your first designer bag! Go out and browse around, even if you aren’t looking at buying just yet – its good to get an idea of what you do and don’t like for future reference! I hope you all enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed writing it! Have a fabulous weekend I will see you all in another post very very soon! ❤️

MISSDCAL XXX