When I was in high school in the mid-2000s, the big thing was "purse parties" where someone would come and sell fake purses for $50 at someone's house. The person throwing the party would get free items based on their sales. I went to my best friend's house thinking it was just a bigger chill session, only to find out a little version of Canal Street had opened up in her living room. I didn't really have any money on me because I had never been to one of these. I definitely felt pressure from older women to buy things but had JUST bought my first Coach bag with my own money so I was not on the market for a new bag at all. I was basically shamed for only buying the real thing and thinking I was better than them... but this was back when Coach's cheaper bags were like $100 if you caught them on sale and these "fakes" were $60.

I was then blacklisted from these "parties" which sort of sucked because they were a major social event but also good because there was no way I was going to buy a fake bag - I'd rather get a no-name brand at Marshall's.