Sunday, May 1, 2011

10 Designer bags for under $40

There are currently over 40,000 Coach bags on Ebay right now.  Here are some fabulous designer bags that go for under $40.  Consistently.  Most are Coach, but there are some others thrown into the mix.

#1  The Coach Court bag


This bag can still be purchased on Coach's website for $258 under the section "Coach originals".  However, it often sells on Ebay for $15-$40.  Mainly because there are enough of them out there and its a more vintage style.  However, all the designer styles are beginning to hearken back to a sort of intellectual-menswear-1980s look, and this bag has all of that.  With a top handle, a removable long shoulder strap, brass accents, and a sweetly retro box like shape, this bag has been recently seen on the likes of Kirstin Dunst!  It usually comes in black, brown, or tan.  A great starter Coach bag!

#2 The Coach signature demi bag

 A Sweet classic, this bag is Coach's answer to the Louis Vuitton pochette or the Fendi Baguette.  It's pretty small, but has been made in a variety of colors, and the top handle can clip to the end of the bag, turning it into a wristlet.  It is also available on Coach's website for $148, but regularly sells on Ebay for under $40. 

#3 The Kate Spade Sam bag

Understated and simple, this is THE bag that made Kate Spade, well, Kate Spade.  It's a boxy bag made of black nylon (there are many other colors) with her simple patch stitched to the front.  Looks good with a little black dress or a t-shirt and jeans.  Because it's reinforced it doesn't get slouchy, and it stands on its own when you set it down.  Now, this bag was highly faked when Kate Spade first came out, so a slight amount of research might be in order before buying one.  However, the majority of Sams on Ebay are authentic.  This bag often sells on Ebay for around $20.

#4 Moschino bags
A very expensive Italian designer/company, Moschino is loved and carried by celebrities.  For many of us, however, it's just a brand we've never heard of.  Rest assured, these bags are stylish and chic.  They are often playful and feature bold logos or unique shapes.  They often sell for close to the starting bid on Ebay, so in many cases that's under $40. 

#5 The Coach Girlie bag


The late 90's and early 2000's were an interesting time for Coach, and they came out with several collections that tried to be innovative, but have since been abandoned and for the most part have been forgotten about.  The Girlie collection was one of these, with slim sleek hobo style bags in this shape.  Most were made out of leather, some were even metallic napa, but when they are on Ebay, they usually don't sell for much over $40.

#6 Dooney & Bourke All Weather Leather


The All Weather Leather collection from Dooney & Bourke is their most famous collection.  For good reason.  SO east coast stylish and soccer mom meets country club, this style features thick pebbled leather and smooth leather trim, with the duck embossed logo and a brass duck fob.  They come in a variety of styles, from doctors satchels to shoulder bags to little crossbody bags.  This collection was also highly counterfeited as well, so you want to look for a red, white, and blue dooney tag inside the bag. (older bags were made in the USA, newer bags do not have that part on the tag).

The All Weather Leather collection is also returning in popularity, with its sort of geeky-chic aesthetic that looks great with menswear, a simple dress, or a polo shirt.  These are all over Ebay so get yours today!

#7 Coach Neo Bags


This Coach collection is definitely not for everyone.  In the early 2000's, Coach made a line of neoprene bags in a with a sort of foamy-microfiber exterior, trimmed in leather.  These bags feature a simple metal plate that says "Coach New York" on the front of most of the bags.  While sort of space-age and businesslike, these bags sell for very little.  Often called "Neo" bags, I think of them as an attempt to go Matrix but just end up looking kind of off.  They are still Coach, and better quality than a lot of other bags out there. 

#8  Coach Soho bags

 Coach introduced its original Soho collection in the early 90's, and then in the early to mid 2000's they came out with another collection in the shape seen above. The shapes all had this signature style rounded buckle, and many had this stitching/shape seen on the base. There are many, many varieties within this collection, from leather to signature fabric to suede, but a lot of these bags sell for very little.  Coach made yet another Soho collection just a year or two ago, and those often sell a little more, but are still quite affordable. 

#9 Coach Chelsea bags

Coach has made several Chelsea collections, but the one from a few years ago is currently selling for pennies on the dollar.  The smaller pebbled leather bags with the front zipper and top turnlock sometimes go for under $20!  This is a great collection because its still very stylish and has a lot of signature Coach touches.  There is a wide variety of styles to chose from as well.  Some of the Chelsea bags sell for more, but there will always be some that go for very little.

#10  Vintage Coach Ergo bags


Sleek and designed to hug the body, Coach has made many Ergo collections since the 1990's.  The 90's bags are made of their famous glove tanned cowhide, and are sleek and fabulous.  The cowhide lasts forever, and is a much higher quality than the fabric bags.  Sometimes even more recent Ergo bags go for under $40, so keep an eye out!

There are so many, many other bags and styles that go for under $40 regularly.  The main think is to keep looking and watch for bags that end at weird times, like in the morning on a Saturday.  Good luck!

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