Vera Bradley or Coach for a 15 y/o?

By Ra Nov 21, 2012

I have a 15 y/o half sister who never tells me what she wants for Christmas. I was thinking about getting her some clothes and maybe a bag. I know she doesn't have a lot of name brand stuff and would appreciate something trendy.

So, should I do VB or Coach? I found a cute (as cute as VB can be) tote on sale for $40! http://www.verabradley.com/product/Sale/Holiday-Sale/East-West-Tote/1001421/defaultColorVariantId/176779/pc/785/c/0/sc/967/p/1001421.uts (the indigo pop color).

Do you think a 15 y/o would like this? You can't beat the price, Or should I splurge and buy her first little Coach bag?

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42 comments

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Mrs. Pen
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts

Nov 21, 2012

sorry to all the VB fans out there but I think VB looks like the quilted bags my grandma makes... not like a "name-brand handbag". I got a VB bag from a boyfriend when I was 18 and had to pretend to love it because I didn't want to offend him. It was sooo ugly to me and definitely not anything like the bags my friends were carrying.

I vote Coach
littlebug
honeydew / 7504 posts

Nov 21, 2012

Personally, unless you could find a Coach bag at a similar amazing deal, I'd go with the Vera Bradley. There is no way that at 15 years old I would have a) respected the Coach name or b) taken good enough care of it.
Cupcake
apricot / 495 posts

Nov 21, 2012

Vb for sure. Insider tip: call your nearest outlet store and order from them. 40% off for bright Friday, and 30% off Saturday and Sunday. I think the outlet price for that tote is around $40.. So you'll get the discount on top!
Ra
honeydew / 7586 posts

Nov 21, 2012

@Mrs. Pen: I am also not a VB fan but I feel like I always see high school/college kids carrying them so I figured they must be popular.

@littlebug: That is my concern! It is a huuuuuggggeee price difference.
Ra
honeydew / 7586 posts

Nov 21, 2012

@Cupcake: I just looked and there is no outlet nearby Thanks for the tip though!
Mrs. Pen
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts

Nov 21, 2012

@rahlyrah: for real?! omg as a teenager I was sooo embarrassed to carry the bag my ex-BF had bought!! I never see teens carrying them and as soon as the ex and I broke up, I gave the bag away

Well if price is a big contender, maybe find a more neutral brand between the two price ranges? I would have loved coach as a teen but I was way into style and fashion too.
mrsmenow
persimmon / 1479 posts

Nov 21, 2012

Neither, she is 15 and won't appreciate the name enough-send it my way instead:)
Ra
honeydew / 7586 posts

Nov 21, 2012

@Mrs. Pen: I actually have a barely-used Coach bag that I never wear because it has the logo all over it (I prefer their leather bags). Would it be awful to give her that as well as clothes and whatnot?
Mrsbells
squash / 13199 posts

Nov 21, 2012

Yeah I vote neither too. I don't like Vera bradley now and definitley wouldnt have liked it as a 15 year old. Personally if I was 15 I would want something more practical than a designer handbag
Ra
honeydew / 7586 posts

Nov 21, 2012

@mrsmenow: Lol. Just send me your address...
Meridian
pomegranate / 3716 posts

Nov 21, 2012

My younger sister graduated from high school back in 2009, so this might be slightly outdated info... But she went to a hoity toity HS with a lot of rich kids. Apparently Vera Bradley was all the rage with the trendy girls!

But I personally think they look grandma
Ra
honeydew / 7586 posts

Nov 21, 2012

@Mrsbells: So would I. She lives in a snobbish area though where most of the kids at her school have money and designer goods. My father, on the other hand, is broke. So, I thought it might help her keep up with the other kids. I know it sounds awful but high school girls can be pretty cruel!
oliviaoblivia
pineapple / 12793 posts

Nov 21, 2012

My 15 year old cousin had her birthday last month and all she wanted was a pair of frye boots and a longchamp bag. She got both.
If your half-sister is anything like my cousin, I vote Coach.
Cupcake
apricot / 495 posts

Nov 21, 2012

@rahlyrah: they can ship!! It's $8
HLK208
pineapple / 12234 posts

Nov 21, 2012

Coach!
yoursilverlining
eggplant / 11824 posts

Nov 21, 2012

I vote Coach. If you live near an outlet they have 30% off sales almost all the time. You can get a wristlet for under $40, and larger bags for like around $100ish.
autumnlove
hostess / wonderful watermelon / 39513 posts

Nov 21, 2012

Coach!
T-Mom
honeydew / 7488 posts

Nov 21, 2012

My coworkers daughter requested a vb backpack as reward fr good grades . She is 14, cute , and popular so I'm sure it's not
that grandma...

Eta : I think vb is only cute in small doses... Tote bag may not be so cute on her
DillonLion
GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts

Nov 21, 2012

Coach for sure! Everyone had one when I was 15 (went to a rich school)
spaniellove
honeydew / 7916 posts

Nov 21, 2012

I vote definitely Coach! VB always struck me as kind of grandma...and a few years ago I sold my barely used smaller Coach bags to a mom for her teenage daughter, whose comment was "they're so tiny!" OMG girls these days.
PurplePumps
pomegranate / 3809 posts

Nov 21, 2012

Coach! Sorry, but I hate VB for handbags.
spaniellove
honeydew / 7916 posts

Nov 21, 2012

@Mrs. Pen: Another brand might be a good idea...IMO Coach isn't always the most sought-after brand for the price. MbMJ?
loveisstrange
pineapple / 12526 posts

Nov 21, 2012

Why not try Juicy Couture or something? Those are much more teenager appropriate, IMO.

Of the two, Coach. VB is totally grandma to me.
Sweet T
pomelo / 5321 posts

Nov 21, 2012

I'm so sad at all of the VB hate. I really like their hipster purses.

@rahlyrah: I would go with VB. It's affordable and I don't think a 15 year old needs a designer handbag. I think I would go with a smaller bag for her though. Like I said, I really like the Hipster. It's a small crossbody bag. There also have several "sale" patterns to choose from.

http://www.verabradley.com/product/Category/Crossbody/Hipster/1001054/defaultColorVariantId/177353/pc/638/c/0/sc/883/p/1001054.uts
chopsuey
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts

Nov 21, 2012

I've never heard of vera bradley!
I would get her coach or juicy.
PinkElephant
grapefruit / 4584 posts

Nov 21, 2012

Are you intending for her to use it as a bookbag, or an actual handbag? When I was in high school/college, everyone carried their books in VB totes. I didn't carry a handbag to school at 15, but I definitely knew Coach by that age. Maybe a little wristlet she can tuck into (or clip onto) her schoolbag for makeup, cash, etc would be most useful?

Oh and I see nothing wrong with regifting your bag to her along with the clothes - maybe don't wrap it up since its obviously not new (no tags), just casually give it...or present it as "vintage"!
aprk
pomegranate / 3452 posts

Nov 21, 2012

Vera Bradley was really popular when I was younger - I loved their stuff, and actually still covet a few select pieces.

I personally couldn't imagine getting a Coach or other designer bag for a teenager, but that's just me.

Could you take her shopping for a bag sp she can pick and you can spend time together?
Mrs. Bee
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts

Nov 21, 2012

i would say coach. if i had a coach bag when i was 15, i would have loved it! but not the ones with all the logos all over it... the classic ones so they will literally last a lifetime if well taken care of!
Trailmix
nectarine / 2152 posts

Nov 21, 2012

VB was def sooooo popular at my waspy undergrad college, I have the large duffel! I wonder if something like the duffel would be better if you the Vera Bradley route...
I think the other thing to consider is her personal style...if she veers more towards preppy, than I vote for VB....if she dresses more trendy, maybe coach, Juicy or Longchamp might be more appreciated?
Either way, very thoughtful gift!
lavender
grapefruit / 4554 posts

Nov 21, 2012

VB is very popular in my region. Everyone school age carries the tote.
SugarplumsMom
bananas / 9227 posts

Nov 21, 2012

@Mrs. Pen: Your grandma doesn't happen to be from Kansas, is she? Because there's an Etsy seller named Cheryl from there that makes the most awesome purse organizers! One of the designs on the VB site looks exactly like what she had up before.

@rahlyrah: I vote for Coach.
Mrs. Pen
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts

Nov 21, 2012

@Crumbs: haha no. We always tell her to start an etsy shop but she's not tech savvy enough. My aunt even offered to run it for her..
immabeetoo
honeydew / 7687 posts

Nov 21, 2012

I'd go with Coach - maybe a wallet or wristlet? I had never heard of Vera Bradley until "deal" sites featured their stuff. It's bright and fun but looks like handmade/Etsy stuff to me.. with a bigger price tag. Can you poke around her facebook page and see what it looks like her friends are carrying in pictures? Maybe it is hip there.
Freckles
honeydew / 7444 posts

Nov 21, 2012

@chopsuey119: i have never heard of VB either! Am i just old??

I vote Coach. I think that brand is more suited to teenagers anyway. If i were a teenager i would totally be thrilled with something Coach, but then again it was way more expensive back in the day.
holdonforonemoreday
clementine / 826 posts

Nov 21, 2012

Coach for sure! I love the fun colours.
prettylizy
GOLD / papaya / 10206 posts

Nov 21, 2012

For a 15year old, if you're going coach, go logo because that is what they care about. I would get her the VB because they are easier to care for (wahsable) than Coach and 15yo's tend to be less gentle on their things.
sunny
coconut / 8430 posts

Nov 21, 2012

There's a Vera Bradley store at the mall here and I totally thought it was a Grandma store! Haha!

I distinctly recall seeing a bunch of teenage girls on the subway in Toronto with Coach bags. I remember because I thought back to my own teenage years and even $40 was a lot to spend on an Esprit purse!
tororojo
grapefruit / 4669 posts

Nov 21, 2012

I vote Coach over VB--more versatile and my little cousin loves her Coach bags! I don't think a 10 yr old needs multiple Coach purses but hey, not my kid. I also think a little Longchamp bag would be cute and very handy/versatile.
lemondrop
bananas / 9118 posts

Nov 22, 2012

I have a younger cousin in the midwest that is all about VB. For me, growing up we couldn't afford any of it, I would have lived either!