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Those of you familiar with Mile High Style are well aware of my insistence on smart splurging and adherence to quality over quantity. Nowhere is that more important than in the purchase of the investment piece: the ‘Big Girl Bag’.

Simply put, a Big Girl Bag comes from a top design house and typically retails for over $1000. $1000 seems exorbitant for a handbag and sets off all sorts of alarms of budget, principal, and limits. That is until I have clients add up all your $300 Coach bags, $500 MARC by Marc Jacobs bags, $75-100 random bags and so on. The math is compelling. You are paying $1000, well over $1000 for bags that are less versatile, less timeless and less fabulous.

The good news- You only need one. I don’t care what the editorials are telling you, these bags are appropriate year-round. Black leather can be worn in the summer, taupe patent leather in the winter. Additionally (and again despite the popular editorial nonsense), these bags don’t go out of style. When chosen correctly, a Big Girl Bag won’t be trendy and will be forever; for every day, for every outfit.

More good news? With websites like ‘Tradesy’ and ‘TheRealReal’ (and others I keep in a secret file), seasonal sales from every high-end department store (Barneys, SAKS, Bergdorf Goodman), and top notch consignment boutiques like Common Threads, sourcing a Big Girl Bag for 40-60% off the retail price is becoming easier and easier. If you buy at the right time and stay on top of online sales (or hire me to do this for you), $1000 gets you a $2000 bag.