Holiday Gift Guide - Best Handbags to Gift

With the holiday season fast approaching, a hunt for the best gifts has begun. Here at Lux Second Chance we believe that a designer handbag is the perfect gift for your loved ones - your mother or daughter, wife or girlfriend, best friend or sister, or just yourself. With it, you can show how much you love them and it will put a big smile on their faces. However, the market is so big and saturated that it is quite hard to navigate through it for those who are not familiar with it! To help you out, we made some tips and picked some of the most covetable handbags and leather goods for any budget.

Under $500

For a budget of $500, you can narrow down your search by three criteria 1) brand 2) size 3) go for vintage.

For a brand new handbag under $500, the best option is a medium priced luxury brand, such as Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Tory Burch and Kate Spade. These American companies offer some excellent items of a great quality and design at a more affordable price. For example, Michael Kors Mercer Tote is really a fantastic bag - spacious and functional inside, sleek and elegant on the outside. It comes in a bunch of colours, from classic neutrals to luscious dark greens and purples.

Marc Jacobs Big Shot Satchel, $480.00 Tory Burch Fleming Convertible Shoulder Bag, $495.00

If your loved ones prefer higher end brand names, but your budget is limited, you can can opt for smaller sized leather goods (like a coin case or a card-holder) or bags of alternative materials, such as canvas or rubber. FURLA is actually famous for its rubbery plastic bags - they are extremely popular in Europe and costs less than $300.

Fendi Large Rainbow Studded Leather Key Case, $465.00 Furla Glitter PVC Satchel, $260.00

If you are determined to get a leather designer handbag, then your best destination will be consignment stores of pre-loved authentic handbags. You can even find brand new items in stock. Those items have never been worn by previous owners, or very gently used. Here at Lux Second Chance, you can find vintage Gucci and Roberto Cavalli or pretty modern Alexander Wang for only $230 -$420.

From $500 - $1,000

The most worthwhile and thoughtful gift within this price range would be a leather designer wallet for many reasons. It is practical and functional. It is beautiful and sophisticated. It will last for many years and will never go out of fashion.

According to feng shui, colour red attracts wealth and abundance, so often times it is the most popular choice for a wallet. At the same time, it is considered that the darker the wallet, the more protected it is. Brown and black are always available. So it is a matter of personal preference. Gucci, Burberry, and Louis Vuitton produce some of the best wallets on the market.

Burberry House Check and Leather Ziparound Wallet, $625.00

But if you don’t want to detour from your search of a handbag, your alternative option that will fit your budget under $1000 is again, a consignment store. At Lux Second Chance we offer a fabulous selection of handbags by various brands in various styles - from a classic Louis Vuitton Speedy to cross-body items like Prada and Balenciaga, at a fraction of retail price.

From $1000 - $2,500

This year the most covetable handbags within this price range is the mini Gucci Dionysus and the velvet Marmont. Although, one size up to a small Dionysus and leather or embroidered Marmont, these bags would exceed this budget. So the mini and velvet would be your best options. These two styles of Gucci purses have been all over the fashion blogosphere in 2017 and it looks like they are here to stay for a while.

Dionysus GG Supreme mini bag $2010.00 GG Marmont velvet mini bag $1775.00

However, if you prefer not to follow trends and stick to the classics, you can consider totes, satchels and clutches. All of these are worth its price and styling options are endless.

The most popular, universal and stylish daily totes are Saint Laurent Shopping tote, Goyard Saint Louis and Louis Vuitton Neverfull. These totes have been around for decades and are great practical investment pieces.

SHOPPING SAINT LAURENT BAG IN ROYAL BLUE LEATHER, $1295.00 Goyard St Louis Tote, $1595.00 Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM Tote, $1610.00

Taking more fashion-forward yet classic direction, some other great choices are Chloe, Dolce & Gabbana and Burberry handbags. Chloe Drew Shoulder Saddlebag is a very elegant sophisticated choice due to its ergonomical design and equestrian motives. Dolce & Gabbana’s Miss Sicily is an iconic piece that symbolized Italian glamour, elegance and La Dolce Vita. Burberry’s The Banner is a perfect classic bag for career women to carry to the office due to its strict yet stylish shape.

Chloe Drew Saddlebag, $2150.00 Dolce & Gabbana Medium Miss Sicily Leopard-Print Top-Handle Satchel, $1975.00

Louis Vuitton’s Pallas Clutch and Saint Laurent Kate Clutch are the most classic and covetable in this category. According to people’s reviews, they’ve been extremely happy with these clutches because they can fit a lot inside yet they are elegant and very durable.

Louis Vuitton Pallas Clutch, $1350.00

Over $2,500

After the price tag of $2,500 you can go two ways - either you pick the most classic and universal item that gets passed down from one generation to another (think Chanel or Hermes handbags) or you can go for the most unique and gorgeous item that will be later remembered as an artifact in fashion history. Fashion companies and their designers are playing with the most expensive, luxurious and unbelievable materials, embellishments and combinations. There are two sides to a pendulum - the most understated and quiet luxury (classic) or the loudest and craziest prints. The choice is yours!