I’m no handbag queen, as I own only one “purse,” as I prefer to call them (call me old school), in basic black to go with everything.
However, a while back I started spotting different fabulous handbags being sported by Nancy, a former coworker. After seeing her sashay past my desk with a different gorgeous bag every week, I started asking her about them. She was only too glad to school me in the ways of designer handbags, and pretty soon I started to develop an appreciation for them too.
After a while I could instantly spot a Fendi (such as this gorgeous red number) and could tell a Coach bag from a Louis Vuitton. I appreciated how well-made they were, with quality materials throughout and lots of nice touches.
I realized they must be pricy, but I was shocked to learn just how much they cost – starting off in the hundreds of dollars and often reaching into the thousands.
How was Nancy affording it, I wondered – was she selling drugs on the side, or what? I decided to ask her how she did it.
Turns out she rents them. Yup. She keeps each one for a week or so and then gets a new one. That way she has a constantly changing palette of purses – er, bags – to show off her exquisite taste. And she doesn’t have to go into debt or sell her children to do it.
Nancy rents her fabulous handbags from a fabulous site called Bag, Borrow or Steal. And shortly after she told me about this clever new way for women to enjoy designer fashion at a low cost, I watched the Sex and the City movie, and there it was again! Jennifer Hudson’s character, who was Carrie’s assistant in the movie, rented bags from Bag, Borrow or Steal – rather blatant product placement, right?
Often referred to as “Netflix for Handbags,” the site recently changed its name to Avelle, since they’ve added other luxury accessories, including designer sunglasses, jewelry, and watches. Members can borrow by the week or by the month, and they have access to more than 3,000 styles of authentic luxury handbags and jewelry, including accessories from renowned designers such as Gucci, Chanel, Kate Spade, Juicy Couture, Prada, Versace, Louis Vuitton, Coach, Vera Wang, Stephen Dweck, and lots more.
Avelle members simply select the piece that strikes their fancy, enjoy it as long as they like, and then exchange it for another. If they want to keep what they're borrowing, they have the option to “steal,” or purchase it.
The site features clear navigation, making it easy to find the designer, color, style, or price range you’re looking for, and as a member you can save 20 percent. There’s a free return shipping package, too, which is nice. Prices start around $15 a week.
Now, instead of renting The Devil Wears Prada, you can rent Prada!