Full disclosure: this post is sponsored by Bag, Borrow or Steal. They were kind enough to loan me this bag for 30 days to test their borrow services for free. All opinions are my own and I will definitely borrow a bag on my own!
You might remember Bag Borrow or Steal from Sex and The City: The Movie. Carrie Bradshaw’s assistant, Louise (played by Jennifer Hudson) is a handbag fanatic who regularly swaps designer purses through Bag Borrow or Steal, also known as Netflix for handbags back when Netflix let you borrow DVDs for a small fee.
I’d been looking for a bag for an event that would be a bold statement and large enough to carry a notebook, water, snacks, and my Nikon camera. The Louis Vuitton Monogram Infrarouge was spotted on the Spring 2015 runway, and I remember swooning over it then, but seeing it in 2019 made me weak at the knees. I started obsessing over it like I always do. Google searches, Instagram hashtag holes, looking for it on Pinterest… you get the idea. The bold black and red Monogram was recognizable but shocking and unexpected. It makes a statement.
Look, I am just not a Louis Vuitton Monogram kind of girl. The idea of carrying around a bag with a logo so loud and visible never excites me. Sure, I love designer handbags, and I do definitely have a Gucci Marmont bag with that huge gold GG… but I only carry it sometimes, for special occasions, when I know I’m being photographed, etc. I also just don’t like wearing brown.
But I could neverrrr afford it: it sells for over $2000 on the luxury resale market.
In comes Bag Borrow or Steal, a service that lets you borrow (rent) a luxury handbag for a monthly fee (!!!).
Thanks, I’m Borrowing It!
Bag Borrow or Steal was kind enough to send me a Louis Vuitton Black/Red Monogram Infrarouge Soft Dora BB to borrow for a month. Once I picked the Dora BB, it took about 5 days to arrive from BBOS.
How Bag Borrow or Steal Works
You select a bag to borrow and BBOS ships it to you to be rented in one-month periods. If you’re still enjoying it when the time is up, simply keep it for longer. They renew your rental automatically if you don’t return your bag by its ‘renewal date.’ BBOS includes a free postage label to return the bag and you can schedule a pick-up through USPS.
Borrow from Bag, Borrow, or Steal
Why I Loved Borrowing A Designer Bag
For starters, I got to carry an incredible bag for a month that I would never be able to purchase otherwise. I realize it’s not feasible to rent a bag all the time, but for special occasions like a wedding, event, or even a photoshoot, I love the idea of borrowing a designer bag. If you’re looking for a very specific bag to try out before you buy, their product assortment ranges features both classic bags and trendy/runway styles.
Additionally, it’s also a really good way to try out a bag you’re thinking about buying. For example, you can rent a Gucci Soho Disco bag for $125/month prior to buying a new one for $1190, or a Louis Vuitton Alma BB for $150/month prior to buying a new one for $1230. Their borrow inventory is always changing so if something you want to borrow isn’t available now, it likely will be soon.
BBOS has rentals ranging from $50/month (bags by Kate Spade, Tory Burch, Coach), all the way up to $600/month for a Chanel Classic Medium Double Flap bag.
You can also buy from Bag Borrow or Steal through their Outlet.
I’m thinking about borrowing the Saint Laurent Sunset Shoulder Bag next. Stay tuned on my Instagram to see!
Cheers,
Becca
