Fashion

A Birkin Bag or 32,500 Pints Of Ice Ben & Jerry's?

by Miki Hayes

Sep. 15, 2014

Cindy Ord/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Previously on #RichKids of Beverly Hills, Dorothy Wang announced she had purchased a "breakup Birkin." As if the self-proclaimed #funemployed and #fabuluxe cast member needed another five-figure handbag. In season one of #RKOBH, Wang explained the cost of the elusive, Hermès Birkin: "The entry-level Birkin is probably around $10,000 and the crocodile or alligator is $60,000." Well, at least I'm a little more comfortable knowing that Wang has probably only spent five figures on each of her countless Birkins. Did I just say that? I mean, as a freelance writer, I can't imagine dropping $10,000 for a handbag, let alone doing that multiple times. But after browsing eBay, I've found plenty of Birkins going for over $100,000, with the most-expensive ones right now selling for $140,000.

You might be wondering what makes these bags so expensive in the first place. Well one thing's for sure: you're definitely paying for the name. But Ms. Wang also provided some insight as to the range of costs. Your basic-bitch-Birkin will at least be completely leather, but the better, or rarer, the skin, the higher the cost. So those six-figure bags are definitely made from unicorn hide and sewn together with wood-nymph hair. Oh they're not? Ugh, okay, maybe I don't get it.

In any case, here are some options for what you can buy instead of those entry-level, crocodile, and mythical-creature Birkin bags.