Buying Vintage Handbags

Buying vintage or pre-loved handbags is a hobby and it is an art, you have to know all the tips and tricks.  There may be many reasons that you want to buy vintage, cost wise it is generally cheaper, but the quality of some handbags were better before the 2000's.  For example with Chanel, the straps of the bags now are no longer 24k gold plating so they wear easier and are brighter which I dont think has as much of an expensive look, I prefer the deeper, less shiny gold. I also prefer the look of a Chanel handbag that has been worn, there's something about it which looks much nicer, the quilting looks a little flatter which I much prefer. Then there is Louis Vuitton where I love the tan leather strap, but when they are new they are a pink cream colour that darken with age.  I bought mine already worn and I love it.  It looks brand new but with the colour strap I like.  There are many more example, but these are the two vintage bags that I own and the reasons I got them vintage and not brand new. There are many styles of bags that are no longer made, so if you had your heart set on one of those, you would have to go pre-loved.

My tips for buying vintage are:

1) Always ask for more pictures, it's important to see every angle of the bag and that it is actually real

2) Send these pictures to another online shops authentication contact (every store who sells vintage also buys so will have this service). If they offer you a good price, it's a good indication it's real.

3) Do your research on the brand and the CEO, what celebrities might follow them or have bought from them.  Get your stalk on.

4) Google the hell out of the picture, if they've used a cover photo of the bag that you find elsewhere, I wouldn't even go any further.

5) Look at the bag on a big screen and zoom into every detail to see the condition.

6) It is harder to make a fake vintage handbag as its difficult to get the look of a worn handbag, so if it looks brand new, you can generally tell it's fake.

7) Research where some influencers have bought vintage designer from, they often make YouTube videos about it. They are usually a good place to start looking at bags.

8)  Finally, if it's too cheap it's almost always too good to be true.

My favourite place to buy vintage is Luxury promise, where I got 2 of my bags. Other places I also look at and like are Fashionphile, Xupes and Vestiaire.