It’s all in the bag

[InLove]

Flick through any of the weekly fashion magazines such as Grazia or Heat and you’ll find adverts for bags costing hundreds or even thousands of pounds. Once only to be found nestling between the pages of Vogue and Tatler, such costly accessories have now become somewhat ubiquitous.

There was once a time when handbag thieves would snatch a bag from the front seat of your car, off your shoulder or the back of your chair, because they wanted the contents: the cash, the mobile, the bank cards. But these days if you’re a handbag thief, you go straight for the bag itself: Gucci, Fendi or Dolce & Gabbana. And London's Bond Street is your domain, because that’s where the bags, worth thousands of pounds, are being carried on the arms of the rich.

It's now been reported that one handbag, the Hermes Birkin in croc porosus lissecosts, costs £75,000 (couldn't find a picture, sorry). That’s right, a handbag. Not a yacht, not a top-of-the-range Mercedes SLK or a second home abroad, but a small, leathery piece of arm candy that those-in-the-know would recognise as expensive and designer.

In the MP's have an opinion. While Justice Minister Harman argued that it was a sign of a divided society when some people struggle to make ends meet while “others spend £10,000 on a handbag”, Labour chair Blears argued: “I don’t think it’s the job of politicians to tell people what they should spend money on.” Ms Blears’ said her own Orla Kiely bag had set her back “around £250”. Five times Ms Harman’s £50 limit. Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Tessa Jowell, on the other hand, was recently seen with a white Chloe bag worth more than £500.

How can this kind of spending be justified??? They're only buying it because they can! It's discraceful, I like fashion but even if I had that kind of money I would never spend that much on a bag!!! These people are obviously very shallow.

[smartsez]

Oh dear, I hang my head in shame! Though I can say I would never spend thousands on a handbag even if i could afford it, I think i can safely say that there a few out there that I really like the look of that are a few hundred, and if I could, I most certainly would! I have no interest in big names, I just have an over keen interest in handbags!!! I've been known to spend about £60 on a bag, n thats only when I actually had money to spare (which is a VERY rare occasion!) but on the other hand I have bags that I love that cost a fiver from claires accessories! But if I could afford it, I would buy dearer bags I like, dont care who makes them-just care whether I like them!

[TheGuru]

Handbags at dawn

[smartsez]

I know, i shouldnt think that way, but i'm also the first person to help someone out if they need money, i've been known to literally give my last penny away, so if i could afford to treat myself, I would do.

[TheGuru]

Originally Posted by smartsez

I know, i shouldnt think that way, but i'm also the first person to help someone out if they need money, i've been known to literally give my last penny away, so if i could afford to treat myself, I would do.

I agree with you, and I also consider myself to be generous.

However I am guilty of splashing out on gadgets

[InLove]

I'd probably buy a lot of expensive things if I had the money. I have no issue with people who pay hundreds or even thousands of pounds for a handbag or clothes but this is £75,000! That's enough to buy a house abroad, a new car or even better give lots of starving children food and shelter.

Surely £75k on a handbag is going too far? But saying that. How much is too much?

I'd probably spend loads of money on gadgets too, if I had it.