Coach vs. Coach Outlet - Why I Prefer One Over the Other

I know nowadays it’s all about Bottega, Hermès and with this luxury movement among influencers, but please remember that “luxury” is subjective. I won’t pretend that I don’t love the Louis Vuitton Alma Bag or the Chanel Classic Flap but neither will I stress my credit card utilization rate by purchasing either handbag. I’m fine with the classics brands of handbags such as Coach and Dooney & Bourke.

I’ve been spending more time on the website of the former and adding to my collection when I can. I won’t bore you by rehashing why I love Coach when you can read that previous blog post here. Also in that post, I shared a few of the items I’d purchased from Coach Outlet over the last few months. What I forgot to mention on the difference between Coach and Coach Outlet.

Years ago, consumers were lead to believe that items at outlet stores were simplify merchandise that didn’t sell at the main store. Well, after several investigations from credible sources (or maybe you were made aware while trying to return an item) that proved to be false. Items in outlet stores are designed specifically for outlet stores only and are often made from lower quality materials.

Even with such knowledge, I still prefer Coach Outlet over Coach and here’s why: Coach Outlet, in my humble opinion, is a bit more eclectic and playful than its big sister Coach. Hmmmmm…think of it this way: Coach is Beyoncé and Coach Outlet is Solange and this is in no way a diss to Ms. Hadley Street Dreams. Honestly I’m more of a Solange fan because her artistry and always being her unapologetic authentic self speaks more to me than anything that of Queen Bey.

The only caveat I find when shopping at Coach Outlet is that you have to keep a close eye on any items you’re interested in. For example, I knew I wanted the Clip High Top Sneakers as soon as I saw them on the site. The are the perfect mix of designer meets the silhouette of Converse Chucks. I checked the site daily, as sales change quite often, only for me to wait too long and they sold out in my size. Talk about devastation! My sisters, however, took it upon themselves to be on the look out for the restock and gifted me the sneakers for my birthday! Moral of this story: If you see something you want at Coach Outlet, don’t wait too long.

Lately I’ve been drawn to smaller, almost miniature, handbags. I’m also loving brightly colored bags for the summer season. When I saw the Sydney Satchel in Miami Red, it was an instant “Add to Cart” moment. Is it just me or are red handbags a rarity? The mustard yellow version was also eye catching so I opted to order them both. Once I had them both in front of me, I would choose between the two which color would take residence in my closet.

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Fast forward to yesterday and my package arrived! Unfortunately the Sydney Satchel in Miami Red was more of a tomato red and not a M.A.C. Ruby Woo type of red (IYKYK). It’s still a beautiful color, just not what I was looking for. The Sydney Satchel in Mustard Yellow, however, is more beautiful in person than online. This one is definitely is a keeper!