Bethenny Frankel has declared that she has had enough of over-priced, luxury designer handbags – and is ‘sick’ of the ‘posing status symbol’ of them.
The 53-year-old shared her thoughts in a TikTok video posted in late February, which has since reached over 518,000 views.
Over the past few years, the former Real Housewives of New York star has become somewhat of a social media guru, revealing all of her fashion, beauty and lifestyle tips with viewers.
In this clip, the Skinnygirl mogul ranted about how fed up she is with the designer handbag market right now.
‘I think my luxury handbag era is ending, I’m going to tell you why,’ Frankel announced in the beginning of the clip.
‘I’ve been thinking about this for a while, but in going today to a store in Canada, Winners, which is like a TJ/Marshalls, I saw these bags that are made from the same leather quality of really expensive bags,’ she furthered.
Frankel then showed off an array of purses that she had bought at Winners during her trip, which included a large, woven black tote that only cost $99, and an adorable heart-shaped red leather crossbody with studs.
She also showed off a few more of her bag purchases from Winners, such as a simple black leather handbag that was just $50 with ‘lots of pockets.’
The BStrong founder even raved about another woven crossbody leather bag that came with a pouch for $99, and a puffy, oversized, hand-held suitcase she had picked up at the department store.
‘If it were a brand name, it would be $3,000, and it’s so high quality – even the details and the hardware,’ she said as she showed viewers the suitcase and all of its features.
‘And I know good stuff,’ she continued.
Frankel explained that she had ‘more handbags’ than she cared to admit and wanted to end her ‘handbag era of status symbol bulls**t.’
‘I have many serious bags, and I know the quality and the hardware and the weight, and I’ve reviewed $6,000 bags that aren’t as nice as that bag,’ she maintained.
And it’s true – in the past, Frankel has shared multiple reviews and sneak peeks of her luxury handbag purchases, including showing a custom order Birkin from Hermès in December and a review this past summer of the Bottega Veneta Andiamo bag that’s over $4,000.
On Instagram, Frankel has posed with everything from a dark green Birkin worth an estimated $20,000 on some resale sites to a green Chanel flap valued at over $10,000, as she also shows some of the bags in her outfits of the day videos on TikTok.
In the video, she then panned the camera back to the $99 woven crossbody bag that came with a pouch, telling viewers that it was nicer than one that she had bought from cult-favorite brand Bottega Veneta, which also makes woven bags.
‘There reaches a point where you’re so secure that you do not have anything you have to prove with status symbols and logos, and yes, I have some investment pieces that yes, of course you’ll see me wear, I’m not throwing them in the dumpster,’ she said.
‘I’m just saying, it’s not necessary, so do not feel bad if you can’t afford it because it is hardware and marketing, that it what it is, it’s little letters and marketing,’ the Big Shot With Bethenny star mused.
She maintained that the quality on these designer bags was ‘no better’ either.
However, there was one caveat.
‘The longevity is no better, for the most part,’ she concluded.
In the comments section, many users seemed to agree with her sentiments about luxury handbags these days.
‘Luxury bags are kinda taking a back seat. Doesn’t matter the cost. Just find a good leather, trendy, classic bag. Same as clothing,’ one person wrote.
Another agreed, ‘There’s dupes for everything. You can look expensive on a budget. However, sometimes you like something different that happens to be a non designer and thats’s fine. My stuff is beautiful to me.’
‘You couldn’t be more right! I refuse to pay extra for a dumb logo to tote around as a companies personal billboard. Give me good lasting quality,’ someone else typed.
A TikTok user admitted, ‘Oh my goodness, couldn’t have read this at a better time. I was totally looking at bags I can’t even afford.’
