FashBlog.com

By: Lindsey Rawson-Lin

What is it about handbags that drive women absolutely hysterical? If you have read the Confessions of a Shopaholic books, and empathize with the main character, you know exactly what I mean when I say handbags can drive women into frantic crazed states of mind.

There is something about the right handbag that transforms your entire outfit. You can go from sweats and simple t-shirt, sling a Balenciaga bag over your shoulder and you have suddenly become a princess. Not only is it the bag that makes you feel that special something, it is the designer that you are wearing. It can be as simple as a small black bag by Marc Jacobs if you are going for the power bag and cool sophistication or a Bottega Venetta bag if you are going for the ultra cool and hip look. But how do us girls that do not have the cash to fork over thousands of dollars on designer bags for every season and every occasion get a piece of the action? Shouldn't we all be able to feel like Princess Diana or Jennifer Aniston with our own Prada bag slung over our shoulder, if only for a day?

We all know how much handbags can cost, and for most of us normal girls it is a pipe dream to own something so luxurious. With the platinum of elite handbags running anywhere from $1,000-$10,000 us normal girls with good jobs end up getting about as close to purchasing these bags as getting promoted to CEO of our corporation.

While complaining about the injustices of expenses related to all things couture, I came across a very innovative company that has come up with a solution to our handbag woes. For those of us that love expensive (very expensive) handbags, but cannot afford to buy every season's best, there is hope for you.

The company is called Bag, Borrow, or Steal. For a monthly fee you can borrow bags, return them and borrow a new one. You do not get to keep the bag unless you want to pay for it, but you can stay on top of the fashions and you will not have to max out your credit cards or take out a second mortgage on your home to stay in good fashion standings.

There are four echelons of membership that you can buy into: Couture, Diva, Princess, and Trendsetter. Each membership is priced differently and has a different selection of designer bags. The Couture category will offer the most expensive in season bags, followed by Diva, then Princess, and finally Trendsetter.

One of the great things about their website is that it is easy to use. You can search by membership level and then narrow your search by designer or type of bag (whether it be an evening bag or an everyday bag you may be looking for). Bag, Borrow or Steal makes it easy to find the right bag for you. They have the classics that Burberry and Coach offer. They have the fun couture bags that Fendi and Christian Dior design. Check out their list of designers, they have just about every bag designer you can think of. This company is truly a handbag lover's paradise.

So how does it all work? It works much like Netflix does. You pay a monthly fee and keep the bag as long as you like, when you return it you have another ready in queue that will be shipped to you upon receipt of the one you are returning. If you do not return a bag you just continue to pay the monthly fee until you are ready for your new bag.

Membership fees vary a great deal and can be costly if you are looking to be in the Couture category. The Couture membership starts at $175 per month. Diva memberships starts at $90 a month. Princess membership starts at $40 a month. Trendsetter membership starts at $15. If you subscribe to the Diva membership you can also borrow bags from any lower category with no additional charges.

So are you committed to a year long membership? You are only required to sign up for a three month membership, and then you can go month to month. During the first three months of membership you can borrow up to three different types of bags and after that you can borrow up to five bags at once.

Given how much money it takes to keep a closet full of designer bags rotating for the whole year plus different types of bags, formal, semi-formal, and everyday bags, you are getting a stellar deal. And if you love the bag so much check out the Outlet section of their website.

Subscribing to the Outlet section is free of charge, all you have to do is enter your name, a password, and an email address and you can shop for slightly used designer bags. My search of the outlet section came up with a BCBG Custard Leather Bag Original Retail $298, lightly used for only $149.90 (50% off). Bag, Borrow, or Steal's Outlet section offers Kate Spade, Coach, JLO, and many more designers for approximately 25%-50% off the retail price. Now those are some steals.

Changing up designer bags is fun. If I do not like one, I just return it and go for another. It is great. No commitments to keep it. What a concept! So, if you are in the market for multiple designer bags, check out Bag, Borrow, or Steal, I think they may have just the bags you have been dreaming about.