Mid-Priced Designer Bags: 5 Great Designers to Shop For
By Abby on July 14 2008 at 10:04 PM
Drooling over the newest Chloe bag featured in Vogue… and Glamour… and InStyle? And aching with disappointment that you can’t afford to spend $2,000 on a handbag? Welcome to the “stuck with a mid-priced designer bag” club. It’s not the place you want to be, maybe, but it’s the only club that will accept your current salary. You may as well embrace it with open arms.
Most of us can’t spend more than $300-$400 on a designer bag without digging a sizeable trench in our rent money. But winding up with a mid-priced designer bag instead of your favorite $2,000 Chloe doesn’t have to feel like a disappointing childhood Christmas-- you know… the one you spent dreaming of handlebar-tassled Rainbow Brite bicycle, only to get a Rainbow Brite coloring book instead. There are plenty of designer bags in the $200-$400 that you’ll love just as much (okay, almost as much) as a Chloe or Chanel. The trick to finding one? Pick a great designer.
Karen Millen Bags, Average Price: $220 - Karen Millen bags are popular throughout the UK and Europe, and are slowly trickling into the U.S. market. While you might not be able to pick one up at your local Nordstrom’s, these gorgeous designer bags are available in plenty of your favorite online stores. While Karen’s bags range from classic to bold, the best of them feature bold prints or bright colors and lots of feminine details.
Nook & Willow Bags, Average Price: $375 - Nook & Willow is another popular English brand that’s becoming a favorite of a lot of today’s “It” girls. These nature-inspired leather (or leather and canvas) bags have been seen on Sienna Miller, Elle MacPherson, Jade Jagger, and others. These bags are handmade using natural shades and gorgeous leather. Each one is unique.
Rafe Bags, Average Price: $275 - Rafe bags are a lot of fun. They’re wonderfully trendy, but use trends in such a way as to make them timeless. As far as value, Rafe bags are some of the best mid-priced designer bags you can find. The materials used are top-quality, and each bag has fun details and feminine touches. From wood-frame bags in bright florals to understated sisal-and-leather totes, each bag makes a statement… but without going over the top.
Botkier Bags, Average Price: $450 - Botkier bags are all about shape and color. With bright pinks and subtle metallics, Botkiers feature chunky but feminine shapes and subtle detailing. A Botkier bag is perfect for the woman who wants to make a statement without taking a big fashion risk-- these bags are classic and timeless. And while they’re more expensive than some mid-priced designer bags, a Botkier will last you forever.
Kate Spade Bags, Average Price: $275 - Every woman who does a lot of shopping among mid-priced bags is probably in love with Kate Spade. When you flip through her collection, you see a lot of familiar (and well-loved) shapes and details-- Kate’s designs are wonderfully reminiscent of flagship Chanel and Prada (and other) designs, but at a fraction of the cost. A Kate Spade is a great substitute for that Chanel you’ve been drooling over.
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