Most of us carry bags everywhere we go. Gen Z seems to gravitate to a classic staple: the Coach purse. Two students open their bags to explain why they love them.
By Callie Burch
Vintage Coach bags are known to be as reliable, if not more so, than luxury designer brands — and for half the price. You can find many pre-owned bags online for $200 or less. That’s why you might see Gen Zers walking around with the bags on weekends or even any late night.
University of Minnesota third-year film student Kaeleigh Brantner, carries a black, crescent-shaped Coach purse. The bag has the double “C” logo monogrammed across the front, with a vertical silver buckle to close it. The bag is what she uses when going out during the weekend with friends.
She has only had the bag for a year, but it has been in her family for decades.
“It’s ancient,” Brantner said. “I know that my mom used to use this when she would go out, which is probably like 20 years ago.”
What’s in Brantner’s bag? Her most prized possession is a weed pen, she says, tucked right into a small compartment so nobody can steal it. The bag is also the perfect size for all of her night-out essentials, she adds; her pepper spray, gum, and various lip products to reapply throughout the night.
Dleta Al Attoza, University of Saint Thomas nursing student, carries a small, dark brown over-the-shoulder leather Coach purse with silver hardware.
Al Attoza said that she got her bag from an outlet version of the Coach store. While she bypassed the vintage-store experience, the outlet store gave her a reliable way to find a newer Coach purse for half the retail price, she said. An outlet purse is typically $100 to $300, compared to a regular store purse being priced anywhere from $200 to $2,000.
What’s in Al Attoza’s purse? The first essential she pulled out was a travel-size Valentino Born in Roma perfume that she doesn’t leave the house without. Some of her other purse essentials include her mini lotion, sunglasses and her many cards.
No matter what you keep in your purse, it’s nice to be able to find a bag that’s more budget-friendly and reliable than higher-end options.