Gucci bags are timeless and one of the most recognizable handbags in the world! With a hefty price tag, they are also one of the most counterfeited. If you are thinking about buying a pre-loved Gucci bag, here are a few tips to tell whether your bag is the real deal!

Gucci bags made in the last 30 years or so have been created with an interior leather flap that includes the copyright "Gucci" on the front and the serial number on the back. The serial number will be across two rows, with no more than 6 numbers per row. There should be no letters! This tag should be sewn on straight and the numbers should be embossed straight and with consistent pressure.

When "Gucci" is printed on the bag it carries a very consistent font. The "G" and "C"s should be very round, as if they would be O. 

One of the reasons for a high price tag is because Gucci uses very high quality materials. The bag should smell of leather, not chemicals. I have a vintage Gucci bag and it still has this smell! The material should be sturdy and heavy. If it feels thin or scratchy it is probably not legit.

These bags go through stringent quality control, so stitching should always be straight and consistent. There will be no loose threads, or stitching that has gone back and forth over itself.

Many Gucci bags will contain hardware, including the classic horse bit seen on many of their bags. This hardware should be heavy and not easily scratched. It should not appear shiny or painted.

Hope these tips are a help in your future secondhand Gucci purses! Below I've rounded up a # of preloved Gucci bags from reputable resale sights, all under $300. 

​Thanks so much for visiting!

Makeup and beauty items are something that very rarely go on sale, and you definitely don't want to buy secondhand. Here are some ways I try to maximize rewards and benefits to rarely pay for these pricey items!

I love using the Fetch rewards app! Essentially how it works is you scan receipts (any kind!) and you get points for them, which you exchange for gift cards. You get more points depending on what you buy. Certain products and brands pay Fetch to offer more points for their items in order to promote their products and sales. There are a lot of stores you can exchange your points for gift cards at, including Sephora! If you are interested in checking out Fetch you can use my CODE HERE to get 100 extra points!

My Platinum Amex card offers $100 in Saks store credit ($50 Jan-Jun and $50 Jul-Dec) 99% off the time I have used this for beauty products! I'll usually stock up on my favorite tinted moisturizer from Nars! If you are interested in learning more about the Amex Platinum card I have a post HERE and you can read more about it + all the perks!

Many major department stores have rewards points programs. When you spend money with them you earn points towards rewards towards future purchases. You also may get coupons or discounts for your birthday! My favorite I like to use for beauty products is Nordstrom notes. When in doubt always sign up for the rewards programs!

Most major credit cards have points programs you can exchange for gift cards and credits towards different stores. It makes sense to utilize these credit cards for big expenses to take advantage of these points programs (but always make sure to pay it off right away of course!)

Makeup and beauty items are also a great gift idea to give for birthdays and holidays! Perfumes are fun but crazy expensive, so when I want to try out a new one I usually add it to my list.


If you have other methods of getting free and discounted beauty let me know down below!

These are the pride of my jewelry box! My husband got them for me secondhand as a gift and I wear them every special occasion. When buying secondhand designer anything you should always take caution to ensure the item is authentic. Keep scrolling for some tips to authenticate Chanel earrings!

Stamp On The Back

Chanel jewelry will have a stamp on the back of the item for authentication purposes. They have changed over time (and some older pieces have none at all) but look similar to this:

Stamps Have Changed

As time has gone on Chanel stamps have evolved. Some now have date codes and can be Googled to help with authenticity.

Engraving

Chanel earrings often have the stamp engraved into the metal on the back, but some jewelry pieces may have plaques vs being engraved. These plaques can come in a variety of shapes (oval, rectangular, circular).

All Caps

All lettering on the stamp should be uppercase. "CHANEL" & "MADE IN"
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Consistent Weight Of Engraving

All areas of the stamp should be equally weighted and even. It should not appear that some of the stamp is more "into" the metal than other areas.

Made In France & Italy

Most jewelry items of Chanel are made in France or Italy. Seeing a stamp with any other country, especially China, is a red flag.

The Hermes Oran sandals are such a status symbol! They are notable without being too flashy with logos, well made, and an easy piece to throw on in a hurry and still look put together. I was on a hut for awhile to find a secondhand neutral pair in my size that still had some life in them without breaking the bank. On that journey I accidentally bought a counterfeit pair (oof that seller was nuts - I got my money back though!) but eventually ended up finding a great pair in black for $265 on Mercari. 

Luckily when you buy through a reputable marketplace (eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, etc) you are covered in the even that you buy a counterfeit item, but it still a pain to not get what you were expecting and to go through the return process. Here are a few tips for authenticating Hermes Oran sandals!

Insole
- Insole logo should be properly font weighted and consistent
​- Logo photo should be detailed, not blurry and fuzzy

Outersole
- Outersole text should all be at the same thickness and font
- "semelle cuir" is lowercase while "MADE IN ITALY" is uppercase
- Brown outersole should be dark and consistent and not lighter than the sole

Around Shoe
- Thin short stitching on the top "H" is indicative of counterfeit
- Stitching should be consistent and even, also should not include any chunky stitching where they sewed back and forth
- No grainy/bumpy/low quality leather should be used

Dust Bag
- Dust bag / box/ authentication card/ receipt does not mean necessarily mean real! - Authentic dust bags have the logo printed in black ink and include a thin (not thick!) "H" 
- Material is thick and stitching is straight and consistent
​- Logo picture is detailed and not fuzzy

Airport lounges are a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle of a busy airport, enjoy a complimentary cocktail and bite to eat, and just relax before your flight. Lounge offerings and size vary by chain and airport, but most standard lounges have free drinks (including alcohol!) and food along with nice and comfortable seating to relax and charge up. Bigger lounges I've seen offer extensive food menus, showers, massage and nail services, and even rooms to nap in! From what I've seen, lounge entry prices range from $45-$100 depending on amenities.

 I'd never stepped foot in one before getting a credit card that offers free lounge access (you can read about that credit card and ALL its perks HERE) and now I always try to get to the airport a little early to enjoy one. While you can pay your way into one, here are a couple ways to get into a lounge for FREE!

This is how I can now get into airport lounges for free! My credit card comes with a free membership to Priority Pass, which is essentially an airport lounge membership. There are a number of credit cards that offer a complimentary Priority Pass membership, including Amex, Chase, and Capital One.

Many airlines (including Delta and United) provide lounge access for their top tier, frequent flyers. It really pays to book directly through an airline and stay loyal to one! 

I know I know, if you are already paying up for a business or first class ticket you probably wouldn't bat an eye at paying to enter an airport lounge, but if you got a free or cheap upgrade you are still eligible to enter the lounge for free so make sure to advantage of that perk!

A variety of brands of lounges offer free access to military members. Some lounges offer free access to dependents while others only offer to active duty members in uniform for the complimentary access but it never hurts to ask for their policy!

A lot of credit cards offer airline credit where you are credited back a certain amount of money per year when you pay for amenities directly with an airline (baggage, seat upgrades, drinks + food onboard, etc). If the airline you select to receive credit from has lounges you can get credit back for buying a lounge pass through them! 

A lot of people with credit cards that allow them to enter lounges are allowed to bring two complimentary guests with them into the lounge. If you are flying with others, see if they have this perk! Chatted with a stranger at bag drop off and see them entering the lounge? Maybe they'll accompany you in as their guest. You never know!