I really appreciate you sharing this. I am definitely someone who uses retail therapy when I’m feeling stressed or bored. It’s cheaper than actual therapy unfortunately. As long as we can recognize what we are feeling and doing and not go out of control I think it’s ok. I love my bags!

This is the most relatable video I’ll watch all day! It’s a topic I’ve definitely been thinking about a lot lately. Like, why am I so obsessed with bags right now? It comes and goes, I was doing so well for a while, but I think my bag obsession gets triggered by stress and it gets out of control. Idk, either way, thank you for letting us know we’re not alone. Have a great day!

Just sharing my own experience: Usefulness was & continued to be my priority. It was an alternative to have fun when I couldn't sit for long periods to do artwork. Regardless, I want to have Armani bags. Don't have any yet.

Bags are one thing I enjoy, but I would not trade getting bags for traveling. So it is a balance. Traveling is something that is priority for me and I will buy bags I want only if it does not interfer with my travel budget.

Hi Julie, I love this video, everything that you said got me. But firstly, I am so sorry to hear about your 2nd child, I didn't know you have lost a child. I actually have filmed a video that I was supposed to upload last week, but I feel like I am missing something or said something i shouldn't, so I did not upload it. It is talking about...."do I have to keep buying bags just to sustain my YT channel?". Somewhere along that line. When you said that in this video, I'm like....wow! So true! Thanks so much for sharing your journey with us Julie, what important is where your happiness is at right now. Stay happy and blessed for what you have instead of wanting more. Love that! ❤️ ❤❤

Awe I had my first baby in 2010 also ❤ Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry for your loss Julie. Thank you so much for sharing. It was great to get to know you better in this video.

Excellent video! Our life milestones are so close in timing. I totally relate to shopping phases as a reaction to life stressors. In my 20s it was shoes, 30s it was makeup and bags, and now my 40s bags but with a greater intensity. I've also been having similar conversations with purse friends offline recognizing that I have other goals for 2024 that will require me to focus on other things. It's always good to stop and think about how and why we do certain things. TFS ❤

I’ve been in to handbags since my twenties and just turned 60 but didn’t step up to luxury until 4 years ago. As we know 2020/2021 was a wild ride so I finally bought my first Louis Vuitton and many many more. I slowed way down once life got somewhat more normal and am just as happy with my Naghedi and Coach as I am with all my LV. Fantastic video! 💕

Thank you for sharing so much about your personal life with us, Julie you’ve definitely been through some hard times. I always think it’s great that sometimes we have something as simple and harmless as handbags to pull us through.❤

Julie thanks so much for sharing your journey. There is so much to exploring the WHY behind it all. We started KZfaq around the same time. I was just writing some notes on a follow up video I planned on doing just about my life and channel. It’s so interesting how bags permit therapy if and when we allow it. I just truly enjoyed your transparency about it all. I’ve listened to so many KZfaqrs about this subject and it truly seems as if bag buying or the group association of it all provides a hobby or therapy of some sort for us all. I agree with so many things you said. One being there is so much more to life than bags; however they do sprinkle that little pizazz that keeps us going. Love this video, so relatable and personal, THANKS FOR SHARING!! 🩷💕🫶🏽✨

I so relate more to you now than watching any other video. I want so badly to start a KZfaq channel, maybe not so much for the bags, per se but the friendships. I started with Coach to Dooney, than selling all my Dooney for Coach , now sprinkle in ] some luxury bags such as LV and YSL,, then to go back and buy Dooney. I mean, where does it really end???? I would love to share my love for these items with others and join a space where we all are kind of in the same space. LOVE you all and hope I have the courage to start a channel of my own soon

Thanks for sharing your journey! It is always interesting to hear why other bag lovers are into bags! Glad to hear you are in a good place now!

thanks for the video I appreciate you being vulnerable and transparent and that is also yours to keep. I would watch your channel either way youtube does not deserve all of the KZfaqrs. We are here to be in awe and joy and get from Channels what you all choose to share and thank you for this. Have a blessed and healthy new year.

Thx for sharing your story. I love handbags and just been a way I treat myself over the years since I started my adult life and career. I didn’t get a Coach bag til maybe I was around early 30s. As I progressed in my career, I bought more expensive and nicer and nicer bags. I just love them as an accent to my clothes and just love how they feel and look. I just enjoy and so appreciate my bags. In any case, I am a first gen immigrant, family had nothing when we first came to the U.S. and never even knew about bags when I was younger. So the Bag thing for me was not even a possibility until I was solid into my career. So maybe having and being able to buy the bags I wanted maybe was just a right of passage in some ways for me…. Where I was crossing a point in my life when I could buy things that I just wanted and didn’t need. I think that is the reason why I take absolute super care of all my bags….worked very hard to buy them and so I just don’t want any mars on them….i am sort of OCD about that.

Thanks for opening and sharing your story, not easy to do! ❤

Hi Julie, I’m so very sorry for your loss. ❤️ Thank you for sharing your very personal story. It’s wonderful that you’ve found purse peace, but more importantly it sounds like you’ve found life peace. I look forward to future videos on any topic. TFS xoxo 🥰

Love this - thx so much for sharing your story!!!❤

Really great video. Thank you for sharing your story ❤ Sending hugs 🤗

I agree that in those down turns is when we turn to whatever it is that helps us through ,and it’s not always a positive outcome ,during the pandemic I went crazy with perfumes which I always had a passion for as well as handbags and that actually got out of hand and I have pulled back with that 🤦‍♀️ I am now going through a stage where I’m more grounded again and focusing on other positive things in my life !! So it’s definitely an up and down journey no matter what stage of life we are in Thanks for sharing your story ❤

I can just tell this is a hard story and journey to talk about and it truly resonates with me

That Marc Jacobs bag in lime is stunning! The color is amazing! I’ve already watched Aaryn’s video. Watching yours now. I hope you still have your vintage Coach bag. It is stunning! Sorry about losing the baby. I remember when you started your channel. I’ve been with you since the beginning. I didn’t comment a lot though I remember you saying you were recently divorced. I always wondered why you got rid of all of your Louis Vuitton bags and this really put things into perspective. I kinda figured you bought a new home. Your background changed. Thanks for bringing to the platform such awesome content. I’ve enjoyed the journey. 😊

Thank you for sharing your personal story. I've always collected something. Just see it as a hobby. I started with fake Coach in my early 30s, , graduated to real dooney and outlet coach in my early 40s. In the last 8yrs , got rid of all if that when I discovered 1941 coach. I will probably stay with coach love the styles and price points. I also collect some john hardy and barbara bixby jewelry. We love to travel and anywhere in Europe has been the spot for the last 8yrs, with our best friends. That will always be a priority.

I fell in love with Mulberry bags in 1978 when I started my nurse training. They were way out of my price range and although I loved bags and purses, I had just one (usually black leather) that I used until it started to look shabby. I then went on to buy a house and have children- their needs always came first and there was never money left over for anything expensive. I went through 5 miscarriages and miscarried my daughter's twin before having my family- So tough, but my three adult children- and now my 7 year old grandson- are the most precious things in the world to me. I developed colon cancer in 2009, was unable to work and my ex left me in a lot of debt- almost 30k 😢 It took me almost 9 years to pay that off. I then developed cervical cancer in 2015. Around 6 weeks after my surgery and awaiting my chemo and radiation to start I spotted a beautiful vintage mulberry reasonably priced on eBay. Something told me 'life is short, buy it'- oh boy, it's been a gateway drug 😁 Since then I've bought and sold other beautiful mulberry bags ( still have 6 I can't part with, even though they are too big and heavy for me. I know I could never replace them, especially in their condition). I've always bought mulberry Preloved and I've not liked anything of their ranges since Johnny Coca joined and left. I currently have a few Preloved LV, a beautiful Chloe Lexa, a Salvatore Ferragamo kelly I won in a raffle, several coach bags, 2 Lulu Guinness calfskin Annabelle bags ,a couple of longchamp and my current favourite- a Uniqlo sling bag that was £14, is light, carries everything I need and is a joy to wear and use. I'm going to buy a summer colour- I haven't used any of my other bags since I bought my sling bag. I'm not interested in Chanel etc. My daughter is currently enjoying my neverfull and my vintage mono Monceau, which looks much more cute on her than on me. I'm pretty much at bag peace, with no desire for anything other than another sling bag. I'm gradually selling off bags and purses, but did purchase a lovely LV empreinte wallet off a friend yesterday having sold 2 LV and a Prada as I was just bored with them. There was a period I was constantly in Facebook mulberry groups, and I enjoyed the chat and made a great friend on there, but I don't miss that constant pull to buy another bag. I watch others going through that stage and seeming miserable and have tried to counsel them, but of course you can't pass on your own experience. .

Thank you for sharing with us! ❤️ This was really vulnerable and something I think is really good to reflect on. I can relate in many ways to what you brought up. I'm excited to see what topics you will get into in future videos! 😄

Love your denim shirt! I purchased a Fendi bag in an Atlantic City boutique when I was dating my husband when I was about 27. It was around $165.00. I thought that was crazy but because my husband won a few bucks it was a special purchase. Then my next bag was about 10 years later. A Coach! A few Coach bags and then my first LV at 40. I didn’t really start collecting until about 4 years ago and mainly because of KZfaq. The rest is history, lol. Thanks for sharing your story. I had two miscarriages so I can empathize. 🙏🏼

Julie, this is a fantastic video. Thank you for being so open and vulnerable with all of us on your journey. ❤❤❤❤❤

Great video. I think fashion/bags is a great diversion from life’s ups and downs. Thanks for being so personal and sharing 🌸

Loved your story and your journey. I was always into handbags but the brands were Nine West, Tiganello, Dooney, and BCG. Now, once I got older and working, I love the styles and quality. ❤

Wow, the timing ❤ wonderful video.thanks for sharing 😊

Thank you so much for sharing your personal experiences. I'm so sorry for what you had to go through, but I can relate to how buying handbags "helps" getting you through difficult periods (it'sthe same for me and I'm currently at a difficult point in life and I'm doing kind of a similar "self therapy" right now 😅). I'm glad that with all you went through you found stability in your life and joy in what you're doing. I'm looking forward to many more videos.

I loved this Julie. Thanks for going so deep and being so transparent. Xoxo 😘

Thank you for sharing your handbag journey with us - so interesting and relatable, for sure.

Thanks for sharing this! I too can identify when buying bags became self medication. Such a crazy, interesting journey we're all on! 🤷‍♀️❣️🌻

Aww Julie, I love this video, thank you so much for sharing some personal stuff in your life. It's good to hear your bag journey and the story behind it.. Btw we are the same age 😄 I started my bag journey in 2017, I was also obsessed with LV it was also around that time, my partner and I started trying for a baby, it has been a hard journey and unfortunately still no luck 😢 Your story really resonates with me. I'm going to keep track this year and not buy many bags as I did last year. Thank you again for sharing ❤😘😘

TFS your journey with us and getting personal! ❤

Hi Julie! Wow what a journey and so many people can relate. I’m sorry about your baby. 😢. Thank you for sharing such personal stuff and where you are now. The journey is not over and your right no one can unbox forever. Great video 🥰💕.

Great eye opening video! Tfs🥰🫶🏾

Thanks so much for your sharing. I discovered your channel on your Coach Cary crossbody review. Your advice is so useful, I bought my Cary in black after that. And I still enjoy it very much. Also, I found that your taste for handbags is very good and similar to me. You always share valuable comment as well. 🌸 As long as we spend our time & money on bags sensibly, we could still enjoy bags (watching new bags, discuss about bags, etc) occasionally😊Finally, hope you have a joyful 2024!

Thank you for being so transparent about your journey! You shared a lot. I’m glad you have found joy! That was really nice to hear. Marquita LV Luxury on KZfaq also got into luxury bag collecting due to a loss. Although she was not in midlife at the time, she dealt with it by spending over $350,000 at LV in one year. (Not certain of the exact amount) she quickly became a VIP of Louis Vuttion. She said she always experienced such great treatment from them. It never occurred to her that is why. Anyway, every one deals with grief differently. Im really glad you found joy!

Yes, yes, yes. I so identify. The roller coaster. The therapy. Reaching contentment with my collection and prioritizing other parts of my life. Thank you for this video.

Interesting topic. I think retail therapy has definitely played a role in how big my collection has grown the last few years. Starting January 1st I started keeping track of what bags I’m using and I’m trying to shop my closet to see what is still working for me. I want to sell a few of my contemporary bags. I’m going to try not to add anything to my collection for now. I have a good mix of luxury and contemporary and really need to make sure I’m using what I have. Thanks for sharing. I love handbags and have definitely used them to celebrate highs and to feel better during my lows.

Thank you for sharing & opening up about your journey with us Julie. I’m also very sorry about your loss. It’s a hard thing to go through something like that. I hope you’re doing good girl. I remember when I first met you. It was when you reviewed your rogue 25 & we were both very excited about the bag. I’m very happy to have met you Julie ♥️ you’re an amazing person & your videos are always so honest. You’re doing an amazing job. I only wish the bestest for you & your family ♥️

Hi. I watched this and can completely understand you. I am the same, but now i only buy after extensive research.. It took me 5 years, after passing the Loewe stand in Selfridges, to finally start picking up and investigating further, and then KZfaq research - led me to buy my first Puzzle bag - I now have two. Totally smitten. I keep focused, watch reviews like yours, and f I feel it, I then I buy it. We all need something, and as long as I feel it is still part of who am, I will continue x

I am so sorry for your losses. Getting through grief is so difficult and we do what we need to do to go forward. I have always been a purse lover and when my older son died in 2007, I lost interest in everything. It took a lot of introspection to heal myself. I am in a much better place. I enjoy your videos keep up the good work.

Great video. Thank you for being so vulnerable and transparent with your personal life and how it impacted your handbag journey. I’m so sorry about your loss. But Im glad your marriage ended amicably. I’ve never had a bad break up in my life lol. The Neverfull was $1260. Trust me I remember because it was my very first new luxury bag. $1373 with tax. I will never forget that 😭.I’ve never cared for Vera Bradley but I can see how the pretty bright colors and florals would be appealing during a dark period in your life. I think you warned me earlier not to feel like I need to do unboxings all the time to get views, and I appreciated that. And you were right 😃. I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts on other topics.

Thank you for sharing your back story. I’m here for the other topics and comparisons videos or whatever you decide to show. Peace and Love...SuzWhat ☮️💛

Hi Julie! Your video about the personal journey with handbags really resonated with me. As a luxury goods aficionado, I understand the emotional connection and the evolving relationship we have with these items. It's fascinating how our tastes and preferences in handbags reflect different stages of our lives, much like you described transitioning from Coach to Vera Bradley, and eventually to LV. It's not just about the brands or the material value, but more about the memories and experiences they represent. Your honesty about finding comfort in handbags during challenging times in life is something many can relate to. It's a reminder that our passion for luxury items often intertwines with our personal stories. Looking forward to more insightful discussions on your channel!

Thank you so much for this video! So much of what you shared resonates with me - almost to a “T.” I’m just a year younger than you so our timelines for some big life events are pretty similar and am also a Realtor which is its own journey particularly in the ups and downs the last couple decades. Bags are for sure an escape, but like you….i chose to scale things back and remember that I was just as happy with far less and am tired of the buying and selling. Will I stop, no. But will I be more realistic moving forward and curate what I purchase and own, yes. Again, thanks for sharing your journey 🫶🏼

Thanks for sharing your story with us - your experiences in life are so valuable and will resonate with so many people. Your honesty and integrity are truly inspiring ❤

Good morning Julie looking forward to this video ,got my coffee ☕️ and comfy

TFS your journey.🥰

Great video! For me bags were something that always FIT! Being a chubby teenager and plus size women, fashion is always a difficult, love Claire’s but they don’t always fit me right. Bags always fit me and made me happy! Now I am at a point where I do realize having too much of anything gives me anxiety and want to downsize. Shopping is definitely a good form of therapy!

Hi Julie! Luv your channel!! I have a contemporary and Luxury collection! I really enjoy handbags and changing them based on what I’m wearing and time of the year! But I started in high school lol young!! I do have a lot of bags I put myself on ban island. I will probably sell them to lessen my collection because I do realize I don’t need this many but I just really enjoy them! For humor I have 2 girls and they both luv handbags😊❤😊❤

I love watching your videos. After your review, I bought a bag Ruby satchel 25. I got it today, it's beautiful. Thanks ❤

Hi Julie. Thank you for sharing such intimate and heartbreaking moments of your life. I’ve also had 2 ectopic pregnancies and it is so difficult. So sorry you had to go thru that. I was really thinking about this topic and bags make me feel better during hard times. I guess it makes sense that some of us may using as a coping mechanism, but there times that I just love the artistic part of it. I am 49 now, and I see pics of me as a little girl and I always carried handbags. So I guess I’ve always had a love for them. All my best to you and your family always.

thank you for honest I love my coach bag as man you get point for me you think you need everything I love LV but can get one everyweek I used get sad when miss out on coach bag I really want rouge 39 I keep missing out but that ok thank you for sharing

I’ve watched a few videos of yours in my efforts to see reviews of bags that I’ve been interested in, but I wanted to let you know that I admire your courage and vulnerability so much that I just subscribed to your channel. I loved hearing how your journey with bags paralleled the highs and lows that you navigated in life. Thank you so much for your transparency. Although our life circumstances differ, I’m the same age as you are and listening to you made me reflect on how my personal experiences shaped how I viewed purchasing the bags I’ve loved. ❤ Oh, and while I also don’t want to offend anyone, I, too, moved away from Vera Bradley bags for the same reasons you mentioned, lol!! Again, many thanks for your thoughtful and lovely video. 🥰

Thank you for sharing your story and I love watching your videos. I started my channel and I feel that something I have to buy and buy so I can put out a video. This is one of my favorites videos of yours. ❤😊

Thank you for this video, it takes alot to be able to talk about such a big loss..definitely that is very brave of you to put yourself like that out there. maybe you dont like Vera Bradley because it somehow reminds you of such a dark and sad time in your life so I can see where it might trigger your subconscious... I love your channel and enjoy all the bag reviews you do :)

Hi Julie, thanks for being so honest. I’d sorry for all you have been through. I can relate. I’ve been a handbag lover since I was a preteen when Le Sportsac was first available in the late 70’s. I started buying luxury in the late ‘90’s, not just bags, but shoes, clothes, and jewelry. It got old after a while and I lost interest at some point around 2010 or so. There was no social media when I started. So I come from that mindset. I really hadn’t bought anything significant until 2017, some months after I lost my mom, and it did lift me up for a bit. I started my KZfaq channel in 2021, a year and a half after I lost my dad and six months after I finished chemo. I have no family of any kind. My friends aren’t interested in luxury. This was a way for me to share what I loved with other people. I have always bought what I loved and don’t think about getting views or what people want to see. It’s not sustainable for me to do constant unboxings. I don’t think it’s realistic for most people. I love hearing people’s views and opinions, and what drives their purchases. That’s interesting for me to watch. And I cherish the connections I have made with people. That’s the best part!

Hey Julie! I know a little more about you. I remember when Vera Bradly was real popular. Your right a lot of middle schooler had them. I went thru a divorce and it sucks. I felt like I had to inbox when I first stated KZfaq as well. Oh yes I remember when you had Balenciaga bags. There were beautiful. I enjoyed hearing your story. I did some shopping when I was going thru a dark time as well. ❤❤

Julie- I think that as human beings, we can all relate to your journey regarding filling up empty spaces in our souls with material things, especially at stressful times. It was very sweet of you to share with us these very personal situations and I truly sympathize and appreciate it. On the subject of YT channels, I don't find constant unboxings interesting, and I don't watch videos with this kind of content. I look for different content, be it everyday life, cooking, decorating, thrifting, shopping, travel, etc. etc. you name it. Regarding handbags, I've always loved purses and shoes, ever since I was a teenager! I seldom get rid of my carefully curated collection of many years. I still have my beloved Coach leather tote; made in the USA that I treasure, she's almost 40 years old!! BTW- I missed seeing our blue PS in the "Winter blues" handbags you just posted. Still looking for the green with gold hardware you got a year ago or so! Thank you and have a wonderful week.

I still love Vera Bradley, but I use it primarily for travel.

Hi I’ve been directed here via Aaryn. Thank you so much I’m going to subscribe to your channel.

I believe it comes to shopping addiction, the dopamine hormone. Is like when u eat yuumy food or drink delicious beverages your dopamine spikes up but for you and all other handbags lovers are more on materialistic hence when u want a bag your dopamine keeps getting higherr and higher until u actually have it- then when u received the bag . It spikes down slowly and so u want to be happy sgain so u hol or another bag again.. It's an ending cycle. I used to say that materialistic stuff doesnt bring happiness but i also spend my money on materialist stuff now... bcus i am too scared to travel by myself so i somtimes end up using my money on food haul or shopping. For me, memory last for a lfetime than materialistic items. Hence why so many rich people , they have richness and wealth they succumb to mental health.

Not at all what I was “expecting “ you to talk about, Julie. 😢 I would never have guessed that happened to your family.

I can totally relate..im almost the same age as u😊