Not to be midwestern, but there are certain things in life you should never pay full price for. Louis Vuitton monogram print is one of them. There are OCEANS of them available on resale for a fraction of the price. Plus, the patina makes them look way cooler.

My first LV bag was a gift from my mom for my 18th birthday. She bought it from a local resale store called Worn (highly recommend if you’re in Des Moines) during Black Friday at an additional 20% off. I think it was $120?

I’ve had the strap repaired since, but it actually might be the most-worn bag in my closet. Here are some guiding principles to help inform your search before we get started: