Now I’ve come on here claiming that my grey Michael Kors bag from TK Maxx was the ultimate bargain before, however I’m here to share the latest and probably the best bargain bag I’ve ever found.
Today’s bag is from a brand called Bally that I’d never heard of until I was stood in a secondhand store admiring the craftsmanship of it – the leather was pristine, the stitching perfect and hardware in perfect nick.
I was also telling myself that I needed a creamy coloured handbag and this just ticked all of the boxes in terms of my handbag shopping criteria.
Gaby’s handbag must haves
- A genuine leather – I know there are a lot of great pleather bags out there, but I can’t help but turn my nose up knowing they just won’t last as long for somebody that will wear a bag for years – I’m sorry I’m a handbag snob
- Great hardware – if something has a clasp on it, you need to know it’s not going to come loose or snap when you’re constantly opening and shutting it
- Decent lining – I’ve had high street bags which were gorgeous but the lining ripped and meant if I wanted to use them, I’d lose my kitchen sink – I mean who wants to lose that with everything else?
- Immaculate stitching – I’m a sucker for great craftsmanship when it comes to sewing
My step-mum Fran saw me eyeing it up and said she’d recognised the brand from John Lewis and they were worth a couple of hundred pounds which completely blew my mind. Aaron got his phone out quickly to look it up and when we realised this was a diamond in the rough, we headed to the tills to pay £12 for the beauty. Yes you read that right TWELVE POUNDS!
I’ve always prided myself on having an eye for genuine, decent handbags. So I’m sure you can imagine my complete glee at finding such a bargain. It also got me thinking about my first amazing designer handbag purchase (unfortunately the bag’s whereabouts are unknown after my sister Georgie borrowed it – don’t let your siblings borrow your designer things) – a vintage brown leather Mulberry bag that I managed to find on eBay for just £50. Oh how I miss that bag so!
One thing I’d like you all to take away from this post is that we need to start scouring our secondhand charity shops, websites and apps to not only shop sustainably, but to nab ourselves some bargains. There’s much to be found and I’d love to continue finding some gems to add to my collection of stuff!
I’d like to thank Preen Reuse in Biggleswade (my step-mum Fran took Aaron and I at the weekend) for their amazing service stocking some great secondhand products – Aaron and I ended up leaving with not only this bag, but a Tresemme curling wand, a food chopper and a pair of brand new waxed black jeans from H&M.
If you’re in the area, I’d definitely recommend giving them a visit, especially if you’re just moving into a new home and need to kit it out with all the essentials, because you’re bound to find everything there!
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