My New Coach Bag and Me: A Love Story

Okay, I must start by saying that I am really not a brand-name person. My kids wear few labels, and I shop for myself at chain stores in the mall. (This leads me to end up at school wearing the same outfits as the Grade 8 girls, but I digress.)

When it comes to handbags though, I have always wanted to own something with a nice, well-known label. To me, “Coach” seemed like the best bet. Classic and classy, (which I’d like to think suits me) but with a price tag manageable outside NY and LA. I also knew I wanted a shoulder bag, in black.

I had been checking Ebay for a while, and had my eye on a few possibilities, but as a non-regular Ebayer, I missed some opportunities because I forgot they were there. (Sure, I wanted a Coach bag, but it certainly didn’t rank ahead of real priorities, like keeping up with my PVR.) I finally figured out the whole “watchlist” thing, and got a reminder one evening that bidding on one of my favourites was ending in 15 minutes. Sitting in front of Desperate Housewives, I quickly checked to see that the seller looked reputable (and was vehement enough – but not too vehement – about only selling authentic purses, and that purchasing fakes helps to fund terrorism, etc.) With three minutes left, I placed my bid.

The result?

Meet my very first designer bag:

The purse (NWT, in Ebay speak) arrived from the States within a couple of weeks, and I couldn’t have been more pleased. It was exactly as pictured and described.

Until this, I don’t believe I have ever in my life paid more than $40 for a purse…yet for this one, I went in to the three digits. (Barely three digits. I may be a teacher, but I’m only a teacher. That sentence will mean something different to you depending on whether you live in Canada or the US.)

I immediately moved all of my handbag contents into my beautiful new acquisition (I won’t be one of those saving-it-for-a-special-occasion designer purse owners) and have been carrying it around ever since. Never before have I hesitated when setting my bag down on the ground, and I even took an injury to avoid having it soiled! We were sitting in a booth at a restaurant (an oh-so-rare occasion), preparing to leave, and Maggie decided to stand up on the bench and walk towards me. With her shoe poised to come down on the bag, my instincts kicked in and I threw my hand down to absorb the impact…and the dirt. I still have the bruise to prove it!

I would be the first to tell you that name brands don’t define you, and in fact are a waste of money. However, I am embarrassed to say that I have been brainwashed enough to make sure that I walk with the cute little Coach carriage logo facing out..in case anyone doesn’t realize that the textured letter C’s on the bag prove that in fact I own “the real thing”. (Though less than 10% of the people I come into contact with on a regular basis would notice or care. Which is probably good.)

And if you’re wondering “What does one wear with a Coach handbag?”, to you I say: Does it ever go nicely with my $30 Smart Set jeans and $15 Suzy Shier top…and you should see it with my new Zellers track suit!