Comments on: The Status Bag or The State of Your Mind

By: Emi

Emi — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:12:12 +0000

Did you in any way get her point?

By: Ladi

Ladi — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 19:29:13 +0000

Jen…you can just google it easily! Amazon.com has Mrs. Club books if you’re abroad order it simply.

By: Jen

Jen — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 18:39:07 +0000

hey..i read about your book the MRS Club and was wondering how i could get a copy…nice article by the way.xoxo

By: lanju

lanju — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:41:50 +0000

naija no dey carry last, so if i carry a jimmy choo or chanel bag, will i be awarded a contract or will my hair grow longer?

i am vegetarian..’ahem’ so i no dey carry cow hide. only snythetic cheap stuff made in ‘chin-eze’ LOL

By: Carolina

Carolina — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 20:10:09 +0000

yeah… I reckon with Divalicious, if u can afford it, why not? its all about moving up to another level and who doesn’t want to look good? I mean why do we REALLY love sex and the city? dreams baby, dreams! nice article btw!

By: ....

.... — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 21:30:32 +0000

nice article. Although some people buy them because they like them and not as a status symbol. the bottom line is if you can afford it, and you like it, why not? It’s a different issue if one barely has enough money for luxuries, and decides to buy designer bags so the world thinks they have made it!

By: chiquita

chiquita — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 18:35:26 +0000

It’s a bit contradicting when you say that its not important to wear a real designer bag or fake. And then again calling nigerian women cheap when they DO buy fake designer bags.

By: Amaka Olateju

Amaka Olateju — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 00:42:55 +0000

At the end of the day, Nigerian women lead a mee- too life style, breaking it down to mean a follow -follow life style.

Real designer bag or not. Who cares… the most important thing is.. ask your self who am i ? am i happy, confident or just one of the bunch?

Most of these women live such fake lives of keeing up with the joneses.. don’t get me wrong here; there is nothing wrong in designer handbags and there is nothing absolutely wrong with spending your hard earned cash on rewarding yourself once a while.We all need a treat every now and then.

What i do not understand is this; why do all these girls have to have the same bags?really, why do they have to have the same hand bag as everyother person in the same place. (Maybe the Nigerian context of big girl)

There are other designers apart from Gucci,Louis Vitton & Prada…that are unique, modern and less known about and command praises…whatever happened to classic and chic and proper designers.

Trust me there is nothing like confidence and personal style; especially when your bag is gorgeous, ticks all the boxes and is not a Gucci, Prada or the usual.

Nigerian women have potrayed themselves as cheap.. instead of spending proper money on a proper Gucci bag or Louis Vitton and or Burberry they rather spend their money on a fake from the market knowing it is a fake and yet they are happy to buy a fake and parade it around..

P.S
Its just like bleaching, majority of Nigeian women belive beauty is about bleaching or looking light not realising they are only spoiling their natural, beautiful, blessed born compextion and hence they stink.

This is a topic for discussion at a different time.

By: Ladi

Ladi — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 18:22:17 +0000

I equally love your comment! I read every word and its about what will last for years (the prada bag) and quality, utility, and comfort (the Haan). Marshalls is awesome ans id you ca afford it why not?

Only theres no point filling my closet with it-bags when I’m fro a third world country with beggars left right and center. So I get pissed when magazines praise Nigerian women who own a plethora of bags as fashionable when the same lagos is filled with unfortunate underpriviledged. Thats a story for another day.

By: Divalicious

Divalicious — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 00:38:05 +0000

My name is Divalicious and I am vain to my veins. Too superficial it’s scary. yeah, i collect designer handbags too and i tell you as addictive as that stuff is, i don’t see myself giving up anytime soon. I had a humble beginning in my life. i have watched people show off their name brands and hoped that one day, i can afford it. I have since worked hard and can afford it thus i’m moving on up…one more chanel bag, and viola, i have 10 premier designer handbags the least at $1500. yes…i have rocked nine west bags in the past but like i said moving on up..i know, i sound pathetic lol but i have worked hard to get here and when i didn’t have much, those who had it all, didn’t really spare my feelings..lol

By: Chi Chi

Chi Chi — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:42:37 +0000

I couldn’t agree with you more.

What you say about ppl who spend Extravagantly on wedding but are struggle to purchase a house etc?

By: Ngozi

Ngozi — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:31:36 +0000

I happen to collect expensive purses; not because I feel that it defines me but because I love these designer purses and at my level can offer to reward myself occassionally.
While it was very refreshing to read quite an interesting article; my personal believe is that it is okay to buy expensive items of fashion as long as it doesn’t own you as the write oh so eloquently puts it.
I am a very confident woman with an expensive taste but also very humble because I realize how bless I am.
Great Article by the way…

By: trendy with sense...!

trendy with sense...! — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:06:09 +0000

talk true… u say “Gucci is becoming Ghetto” just because alot of black ppl are wearing it…abi i lie…and by the way i don’t the point of the article is to say u borrowed the money…eventhough it might be…!

By: mamanino

mamanino — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:39:44 +0000

lovely write up,cant believe i read it all.
OMG! i love this part..”I am not by any means a blueprint for perfection but I am somebody, and a beautiful one at that”.
keep writing ekene.the sky is only a stepping stone.U rock!

By: Confused

Confused — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:15:25 +0000

This write-up is refreshingly succinct and relevant. Thanks Onu.

All the others have said it. If you can afford it and love it, buy it. But, never let the possession of expensive materials define you.

By: myalteregoisayanna

myalteregoisayanna — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 09:05:12 +0000

I agree with this write up. Personally, I do not care for a lot of these things. When you let these material things define you, you run into trouble hence runs girls. The pressure to “belong” is out there no doubt however, until you know who you are, everything around you will define you. Stay true to yourselves sisters..Happy holidays!!

By: nony

nony — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:02:06 +0000

good thinking! very well written…..

By: Bag Lover

Bag Lover — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:01:27 +0000

I love this article. I agree with all of you. I am in the middle because it is either or. Some people are quick to assume one is insecure and that is why they buy designer things and also to show off. I know this can be true but as we should all know it is wrong to assume it is true for all. I for one work in the same building that I live, I hardly take a handbag to work and this is where I go the most in my life. But I love designer handbags regardless. I grab it to go out to a party or to the grocery store or where ever. They are what I love and have, and I get them for myself and not for others. My social life is weak, and if it was to showoff my closet will be empty; but I still shop regardless, bcus I am buying for me not to impress another person. If I get compliments I willbe happy like every one of us.

I see my bag collecting as an investment, some love art, travelling amongst other things; and they are not ridiculed for that. But when you love fashion, whew its like you are greedy , vain and materialistic.

I always say that I will pass my bags and other valuables down to my unborn daughters one day.

Short story, I met a lady in a store once and she had a fab Prada bag, I had to ask her about her bag; she said Prada, ‘my mom’s bag; she’s had it for over 10 yrs’. The gold plated zippers and all the hardware were so shiny. I was surprised and happy to be reassured that my bags were not just material things but things I will have for a long time (my lil valuables, your art, His coin collection, whatever is yours).

For me cheap bags are out the closet after a year or so and I realized that in college. I get vintage clutches from thirft stores for under 10 bucks, so? I know that I do not buy designer bags for status purposes, for eg I do not live in Nigeria and so of course I can not be put in that box as well as many other women.

If I were doing it for status I will carry one every where I go 24/7. Bottom line, be true to yourself and buy what you can afford for yourself and not for mary or susan, etc. The newest ‘It Bag’ may not be your ‘It Bag’ get what is your style, what taste, your love, that is your ‘Ity Bag’. You never know what others have to go thru to have those things and sometimes its fake too. lol. I got a Cole Haan travel-like duffle handbag bag tonight on sale, I got it bcus it was a great deal, and nice to travel with lots of compartments it has. I didn’t for one second think about who will look at me and think wow ’she is a rich chic’ lol. I go to Marshall too, AA, for basics and I love a good deal, I am not like Angelina and am not trying to be them, I think some of their clothing are overly priced too, crazy. God is our provider, if you can afford it and know that ‘it’ doesn’t make you who you are, then you are good to go. God bless Sorry this is so long

By: Simi Speaks

Simi Speaks — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 01:53:12 +0000

Loved ur article! I too, am a recovering bagoholic!

By: Yvonn C.

Yvonn C. — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:47:57 +0000

The lure of luxury items is spreading globally with high-end designers targeting China and India as the new purveyors of the status and it items. The idea of looking wealthy and not being wealthy is everywhere. Why must people always have this facade as if they have truly made it?

There is no use in having a $2500 CHANEL bag with nothing but a dollar in it. Luxury items use to be about exclusivity now almost every one has access to them even if the majority of them are fake. I can’t do fake especially when I know that it is.

I’ll stick to the beautifully designed leather purses that I find are unique and just as stylish. I had my eye on a CHANEL 2.5 purse, walked up to the counter @ SAKS and was about to buy it and changed my mind. I realized at that moment I didn’t need it and plus my kids said if I could buy me one I could buy them an LV. I can not let material goods enslave me regardless of what some folks think. And plus when was the last time Chanel had a Black woman in one of their fashion shows or in an advertisement? With the exception of Gucci & YSL, I have not seen any models who look like us in their advertisements. They’re marketing to China and India, have they been doing the same in print ads in Africa? Just a thought.