There is something that I have always wanted. It is going to seem really silly to a lot of people but not to me. I have a love of designer handbags, well a secret love. Most of the people in my life just don’t understand handbags or why a person would want to pay $400 for a purse. So I just love them in secret. I drool over them on my computer and I told myself that some day, I too could join designer handbag owner’s club.
Well, that day finally came this last October while I was in Vegas. My friend and I decided to go shopping at one of the outlet malls near her home. And what should be in the outlet mall? Well, nothing short of heaven for a designer hand bag lover like myself.
A Kate Spade outlet store. And this was not ordinary Kate Spade outlet store but this one was having a 30% off sale.
I almost wet myself out of pure excitement. And once I walked into the actual store, a tear rolled down my check as I took in all the beauty that is Kate Spade handbags. I was like a kid in a candy store. I walked around the store with a big cheesy grin on my face as I touched and tried on each bag in the store. It was just so awesome to be there, totally one of the greatest moments in my life. Expect for getting married, having my kids and blah blah blah.
It was fabulous.
But like most good things in life, it had to end and I had to leave. But I couldn’t just leave without something. This was it. This was my moment to achieve my goal. This was what I had worked so hard for as a wife, mother and nurse. It was time for my reward and it was 30% off.
So I texted Jeff that I was going to send $200 on a new handbag and I braced myself for a long discussion. But his answer was this, “You know our finances so if you want it get it.” And with that, I had a green light. My dream was about to become a reality. So I walked around the store one more time and then left.
I couldn’t do it. The head rush was just too much. I had to get out of there and clear my head.
My poor friend. Because for the next hour, I made her go back into the store like a gazillion time. She also had to listen to me whine about how much I wanted one but how I didn’t know if it should spend the money. I hemmed and hawed went back and forth and then it was finally a text from the lovely Lula, that said, “It’s a Kate Spade outlet and they are having a 30% off sale. Jesus wants you to have this bag.”
So I did it. I got me an original designer Kate Spade handbag. And the best part was that I walked out of that store for under $100, actually under $90!
So, I am guessing by now you have realized how much I love my handbag. I love the shape of it. I love how it feels on my shoulder. I love all its pink and orange swirls. I love how bright and happy the colors are. And I LOVE that it is a Kate Spade handbag.
So you can just imagine my horror when I was at a local grocery store and the clerk said, “Wow, that is a really bright purse. I should get my grandma a purse like that, then she would never lose it. She is always losing her purse and with a purse that bright, she would be able to see it in the dark.”
I look at her and I looked at my precious Kate Spade handbag and something snapped inside me. I looked her straight in the eye and said in a high pitched totally crazy voice, “This is not a purse. It is a Kate Spade handbag. A KATE SPADE HANDBAG! Your grandma can’t handle this bag.”
And with that, I gathered my groceries and stomped out of the store. Never, ever to return.
This post is part of Writer’s Workshop.
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{ 43 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh I would have said the same. And I love bags too – also in colours preferably.
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I love these bags. They are so happy. I can totally understand the need to own one (or two or…). I say ENJOY!
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You go girl! A Kate Spade is a HANDBAG, NOT a purse. A purse carries money, receipts, and ID. A Kate Spade carries… your personality.
.-= Brea @ Brea’s Befuddled Brain´s last blog ..Writers Workshop – I miss you… =-.
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Love your handbag.
That granny totally couldn’t handle it.
.-= K´s last blog ..RTT-The Cliches Edition =-.
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You are so freakin funny and I am so glad you said you would wet yourself over this Handbag because I would do the same over small green vintage handbags which I collect….
.-= Farmers Wife´s last blog ..Video =-.
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Remind me not to tangle with you!
.-= blueviolet´s last blog ..Your Feet Stink? Interesting. For Me, It’s My Hands. =-.
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My husband came home from a business trip to NYC and came home with a pair of UGG boots I’d been coveting in a local boutique shop window. He was sooo smugly pleased with himself as he presented them to me. “Well, I knew how much you wanted them and I was thinking of you and when I walked by them I just had to…”
“Wait. Walked by them? Like, on a street cart?”
“Yeah but LOOK! They’re labeled! They’re the same!”
No. They aren’t.
Love that bag like your fifth baby. And lord help the dingbat that insults our babies.
.-= Cindy S. (Serial Swooper)´s last blog ..Reason #927 Why Craigslist Totally Freaks Me Out =-.
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THAT is fantastic! I’ve often wanted to scream out craziness at the rude people in the world. Thank God you have the guts to do it!
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Hater! That’s what she was. Or, ignoramous. Probably more accurate. Because some bags are too good to be called purses. And bags made by Kate Spade, and Kenneth Cole, and the like are HANDBAGS. For crying out loud, what is this world coming to when a grown up woman can’t appreciate a quality bag?! Sad. Shameful even. Besides, granny carry pocketbooks. Now I’m going to go sit in my closet and smell my HANDBAGS for a bit.
P.S. Loving the new look:)
.-= Dumb Mom´s last blog ..Wordful Scoop This Wednesday =-.
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I didn’t know what a designer handbag was until I moved to Denver in 2000. My friend had a Kate Spade that I wanted soooo badly.
I bought one just like it on Ebay right before the Vegas trip…and I LOVE IT!
Grandma can’t handle it! So True….
.-= Connie @ Young and Relentless´s last blog ..Bring on the Fabulous! =-.
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Does nobody call them ‘Pocketbooks’ anymore? I’ve had the same damn pocketbook for years and I love it dammit. A friend of my sister’s handmade it. It is black leather with a huge red flower on it and a superlong strap that looks sorta like a seat belt. I’ll have it until it disintegrates.
.-= cristin´s last blog ..So I’m A Bad Person, Does That Make Me A Bad Person? =-.
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I am a longtime legacy purse devotee. I have a number of Coaches and a few Dooney and Burkes thrown in for variety. I consider a good handbag an investment. That being said, I have been coveting a Louis Vuitton for a while now. I can justify $300. But $800? Not so much. Maybe someday.
.-= Carabee´s last blog ..36 =-.
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That’s a serious obcession you have there:-)
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ha ha ha! Brilliant! They are gorgeous bags, aren’t they?
.-= Heather´s last blog ..My First Naked Party =-.
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LOLOLOL!! Sorry, but stupid comments from grocery store clerks seem to follow me around, too.
.-= Susan´s last blog ..It’s National Pig Day! =-.
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I can’t believe she said that! I mean I must admit I am not a big handbag person, but for her to say that it would be good for her grandma! Someone needs to teach her some manners
.-= Emmy´s last blog ..Restaurant Nightmares =-.
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Pretty purse..er, um, handbag
LOL great post!
.-= Kathy´s last blog ..Writer’s Workshop — Deja vu =-.
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ooohhhh lady i’m with you…i LOVE LOVE LOVE handbags…and i would have smacked that clerk upside the head!
.-= Alicia´s last blog ..A little Summer in winter.. =-.
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I am thinking that little miss priss was really green with jealously and couldn’t stand it that you had such a glorious handbag and she did not.
What a beotch!
.-= Sunday Stilwell´s last blog ..Wordful Wednesday: The coloring banshee edition =-.
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*eye roll* It drives me crazy when people don’t know the difference between a handbag and a purse! I’m soooooo with you…I HEART handbags. It’s my ultimate weakness.
.-= Emily´s last blog ..A little mommy =-.
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HAHAHAHA
Oh, how I long for a Kate Spade handbag.
And shoes.
And a raincoat.
She simply doesn’t design for a college budget! (And yes, I like to think of Kate Spade herself carefully designing each of these products. Unrealistic? Nahh…)
It kills me that so many of them are leather (not to mention expensive). SO HARD to find fun handbags that aren’t leather. I’ve ended up rather hooked on these: http://www.seatbeltbags.com/
.-= Blythe´s last blog ..Sometimes I Really Love College =-.
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I too am a lover of Kate Spade. I have an outlet near me. I don’t allow myself to go in there very often.
You show me your purse and I’ll show you my wallet at Boot Camp, okay?
.-= Trenches of Mommyhood´s last blog ..Slowly, Steadily Climbing Out of the Winter Rut =-.
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I soooo relate…to the drooling, the deliberation, the whole bit. I love your bag; I love Kate Spade. If I were you I might have to return to the store wearing another handbag. Then I could clobber him over the head with it!
Great post!
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Oh, this makes me laugh out loud. I love going to look at purses, sorry… handbags. Especially leather ones. I hold them up to my nose and ssssnnnniiiifffff in the new leather smell and ruuubbbb them. Ahhhh. Now I need a new one. Alas, it will just be a purse, and not handbag, and it will definitely not be a Kate Spade.
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..Talking with Baby Girl =-.
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bwahahaha! You are hilarious.
I must admit that I am not a lover of handbags yet. Maybe next year. hmm.
.-= Kelly Deneen´s last blog ..Wild Rumpus =-.
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Jeff reacted so much better than I thought any husband would! Kudos to him. I typically stay within a $100 for my handbags so you should have seen Stevie’s face when I told him I wanted a $600 Coach bag. Needless to say I didn’t get it…and we haven’t been back to that store.
.-= Brandy´s last blog ..Groundhog Day? =-.
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lol. took me awhile to figure out which prompt you were using but it was TOTALLY worth the wait for that ending. loved this post. thank you.
.-= tara´s last blog ..weekly winners :: end of february 2010 =-.
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hahaha! good for you getting the purse!!!
.-= MommyNamedApril´s last blog ..Cookies! Everything is Better with Cookies! =-.
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Jen Reply:
March 4th, 2010 at 8:36 pm
Um, its a handbag. Not a purse.
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Thoroughly enjoyed imagining your pain as she spouted about the granny being able to see her purse in the dark. She didn’t know who she was tangling with, did she?
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Jen Reply:
March 4th, 2010 at 8:37 pm
Nope, not a clue. You see, I look like a perfectly normal person. She had no idea that I was handbag crazy.
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baahhaaahahhhaa! I can totally relate. When we were house hunting a while back I started to fall in love w/this old, run-down, farmhouse in a dusty field far away from civilization. My DH said to me, “Oh, yeah! I can just see you walking around this yard with your Kate Spade bag.” And, poof. The farmhouse dream vanished!
Love your new bag!!!
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oh…how I wish I was one of those gals too…but I’m awful when it comes to purses/handbags…sure, I like a cute one…but I hate changing out purses and such and when I find one I like based on size, looks and functionality…I usually keep it for a looong while. I am wanting a new one now though…maybe it’ll be a spring treat – although I hate to spend that kind of money on myself, too…
Glad you treated yourself! We really do need to do that for ourselves more!
.-= Barbara Manatee´s last blog ..Snowy with a chance of pizza =-.
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LOVE IT!!!! Haha, hilarious… and I’m SO glad you got it. Every girl needs a great handbag, and Kate Spade it a perfect one! Love her stuff
.-= Tabitha Blue´s last blog ..And Then There Were Four. =-.
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I could totally relate to your post as I recently became the proud owner of my first designer handbag…a Coach! I have never spent more than $30 on a “purse” and never thought I would be the owner of an expensive handbag. One weekend my purse broke and I jokingly told my husband that this wouldn’t happen if I was the proud owner of a Coach. Next thing I know, I am being asked to pick one out that I love and it would be my Valentine’s gift.
I emailed several friends asking if this was okay…was it my time to own one and what would be a good color investment. I opted for the classic style and newly popular gray to ensure that it would last through the seasons and style changes. I will cherish it for a long time!
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“Your Grandma can’t handle this bag!” hahaha! You go girl! I really love the designer bags too, I just can’t justify it. Good for you for not only finding a good deal, but giving yourself a sweet gift!
.-= Lourie´s last blog ..Nothing to Fear =-.
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Here you are!!! I stopped getting updates from you in my reader so I hunted you down. These new digs are niiiiice!
OMG, this story CRACKED me up!!!! I have the brightest Vera Bradley bag in the world right now, and I am always caught between the “is it too bright?” and “It’s Vera, it’s supposed to be bright” and then back to “but it’s really, really bright.” Oh well.
LOL at “your grandma can’t handle this bag” – ha!!
.-= Megan´s last blog ..Maybe We Should Have Just Gotten a Dog =-.
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OMG, Jen, you totally crack me up!! I loved the ending of this post!!
But what I want to know is how you get away with carrying a handbag…I mean, I’ve been carrying around nothing but that dang Skip Hop Duo diaper bag for the last 5 years. I cannot wait until I can carry a handbag…no more diapers, no more wipes, no more extra changes of underwear (for the kids, not me…although I probably should carry an extra pair around. The old bladder just isn’t the same since the 2nd set of twins).
I think Lula was right….you were led directly to that outlet store for a reason!
.-= Helene´s last blog ..All kinds of paranormal activity going on around here… =-.
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Jen Reply:
March 5th, 2010 at 8:33 am
This time I was by myself so it was just me and my handbag. But I usually carry two bags, my handbag and the diaper bag. I have always done it this way b/c it was important to me not losing myself and my tastes in all things baby.
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.-= debi9kids´s last blog ..It’s Never Too Early for Peeps =-.
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You crack me up!!! So funny! I know just how you feel! I once bought a Coach purse. It was beautiful. No scratches on the leather, the material on it so crisp and clean and that new handbag smell?!?! Is it better than that new baby smell?….OK, maybe not…but close
Anywho, when I bought it they put it in this little coach “safe keeping” bag before they put it in the shopping bag for me to take home!!! That alone, I felt, was well worth the INSANE amount of money I forked over for this purse. Then, once I got “coach” home, Craig thought it was really funny to call it Gucci. He wouldn’t even ask me if I had my purse when we were leaving for somewhere, he’d say “Do you have Gucci?” It’s COACH – get it straight man!!! 
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That is hilarious!! I wish I could have seen the look on the poor cashier’s face!
.-= Lauren´s last blog ..Splish Splash =-.
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this made me laugh out loud…and i’m the only one awake at this time of the night. poor cashier person..tsk,tsk. she never knew what hit her.
so which one among the pictures did you get?
.-= cheri´s last blog ..making money (and spending it,too) =-.
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Oh you must have been at the designer outlets downtown. We do have an awesome outlet store here in Vegas.
Glad you got the bag you’ve been longing for. 
.-= Kellee´s last blog ..Avocado Fields of Mitered Squares =-.
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I love Kate Spade. You TELL that check out girl!! HA!
.-= Elaine´s last blog ..Happy {Laundry} List =-.
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I remember this day very well…I remember being JEALOUS that I was on an airplane and you were shopping and I wanted a 30% off Kate Spade bag.
One day you can hand it down to Claire. Or not.
(“Your grandma can’t handle this bag!” is the BEST comeback ever. I’m going to start using it…)
.-= Lula´s last blog ..A Swift Kick In The Pants =-.
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