Paper Bags – The New Fashion Statement?

A while ago, I wrote about my observation about eco bags and why I doubt they will ever become cool or be carried around by the masses. I reckoned paper bags, especially those emblazoned with the name of the brand are fast becoming “branded goods” themselves.

Recently The New York Times ran an article about paper bags and here are some snippets that resonated with me:

• Still, the Tokyo Girl insists on having fun, and that has manifested itself in the trend of carrying paper shopping bags in lieu of backpacks and briefcases. And not just any bags, but ones marked with brand logos — the more upscale or upbeat the better.
• “For me, shopping is a special occasion,” she says. “The bag will be a reminder of that day, how I felt when I bought the dress, the whole experience.”
• In the early 1980s, teenagers used to carry their school things and sports gear in designer shopping bags, mainly to broadcast their social standing (showing that they could afford these boutiques).
• “I don’t really like carrying eco-bags,” says Asami Harada, 24, who works at a bookstore in Shibuya. “I’m concerned about the environment and all that, but I’m not interested in promoting myself as a nature-lover.”
• Akiho Mizuta, a part-time waitress in her late 20s, says: “I think most women have their own personal paper bag hierarchy. The really good ones are for holding personal belongings, the ordinary ones are for holding groceries, the cute ones for using as gift wrappings, etc.”
• If you can’t afford to shop, the best approximation seems to be the memory of having done so and, failing that, even the pretense will do.

Two hundred bucks later…

Last Friday, I spent a hundred bucks each on:

1. hair washing products; because my hair is so dry and tend to defy gravity when short, lamented my hairstylist
2. a new bag; because the old one is torn and thus fluffy on some parts, which is a rather unglam item to carry around while sashying down the street

As a thinking and reflective consumer, I realized that on both occasion it was the charm of the salesperson that motivates to reach out to my wallet. I arrived as wary, and cynical consumer, but I left with a self-confidence that my purchasing decision is worthwhile and my money well-spent. There was a heightened level of trust in the salespersons the moment they speak. I listened attentively and engaged in what I called a “temporary and willing suspension of scepticism”. The rest, is history.