Hi there! I’ve never done a handbag review so this post really excites me! This time of year has people making investment purchases more than any other time of year. Maybe you have a Holiday bonus arriving in the next few weeks (great job!) or want to gift something special to yourself or heck, forward this onto your hubby who needs a hint. Maybe you’ve been saving your hard earned money for a splurge worthy bag for months now and are ready to make a decision! I’m hoping this post will help you! The way I purchase handbags is like this…I dream, research, pin and drool over them for months. Sometimes years. Sometimes I go for it and sometimes (like the case with the Gucci Marmont), I hit the pause button. The actual handbags I love and would consider investing in is really small (what can I say…I’m picky!). When I got my YSL bag over the Summer, I only considered 2 other handbags before I made my decision.
Step one is to know if you’re a bag WEARER or COLLECTOR (read that online the other day and a light bulb went off for me). This matters for several reasons. If you’re a WEARER, you’re actually going to utilize the handbag on the regular. You’re also not as attached so you may sell a handbag to purchase your next one (sell to buy). I fall into this category. I’ve sold lots of handbags online, don’t get attached to things and have never regretted any of those decisions. There are certain handbags I will NEVER sell that are special to me but for the most part, I’m willing to let go if I’m not wearing something and haven’t for over a year. There are “it handbags” that I REALLY wanted to jump on board with (Chloe Drew, Gucci Marmont) but in my gut I had a feeling they had a shelf life and it turns out they did- and it was really short in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong, if you have the funds and love the bag, who cares if it’s trendy? That’s just not the case for me. I try to be really thoughtful and save for a long ass time to buy my handbags in the hopes that I’ll carry them for years. The Givenchy Mini Antigonia is a perfect example of that. I loved it for YEARS before I actually bought it. It was on my wish list back in 2015…and I didn’t buy it until 2018. I do regret not buying it sooner because it has stood the test of time and held it’s value.
Speaking of value…if you’re a COLLECTOR, you hold onto your investment bags (probably smart because they always come back around- case in point, the Christian Dior saddle bag and all things Fendi). You cherish them. They stay in their boxes in dust bags. My Mom is a collector. She has a museum of handbags that are absolutely DROOL WORTHY. She does her homework. She has sales people all around the country. She rarely purchases the “it bag” but sticks to classics that will last for decades –anything Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Celine. Chanel is a brand that will truly hold it’s value and can legitimately be considered a wise investment! In fact, this article speaks to it’s value and the fact that it’s risen over 70% over the last 5 years (surpassing both the stock market and housing market). BTW, that article was from 2016 so it’s probably even crazier now! The medium classic Chanel flap retailed for $4900 in 2016. It now sells for $5800. CRAZY.
So let’s break down my two favorite bags: First, let me start by saying, the SIZE of bags that work for your lifestyle is the most important thing to determine. I wanted something that offered a cross body option, big enough to use day to day but small enough to take out at night. At this point in my life, if I’m spending over 1k, I need it to function for BOTH day and night. Both of these bags do just that.
Givenchy Mini Antigonia– 9″ x 7.5″ x 4.5″ I tried all of the sizes of this bag. I hemmed and hawed over them for years as you read above. I STRONGLY debated the small size but still felt like it was a TAD bigger than I wanted to take out at night (for date nights and such). So I opted for the mini. Anything over the small felt like it took over my body (I’m 5’4 for reference). Here’s what I LOVE about this bag. As with all things I buy, I like the option to dress them up or down. Wearing this bag cross body looks casual, fun and laid back. But take off the strap and carry it with the two handles and you’ve got yourself a fancy little outfit. I opted for the goatskin leather (the other option is calfskin and is very shiny) which was a no brainer as I knew it would scratch less and be much more durable. I still love this bag just as much as I did the day I got it!
YSL Leather Camera Bag– 9” x 7″ x 3″ This bag was not on my radar! I was in Nordstrom shopping with my Mom and the black hardware on black leather immediately caught my eye. The size was exactly what I was looking for and I loved the chevron detail in the leather. Once I tried it on, I knew it was the one. Considering the size similarity of the Givenchy, the price of this one is excellent in my opinion! There is one size smaller (retails for under $1000) but I could barely fit anything in it. The quality of the leather has really impressed me and similar to the Givenchy, I love that it can be dressed up or down. It comes in some amazing colors like this nude (swoon). I cannot say enough great things about this bag and highly recommend it!
So like I said earlier in the post…I only like a handful of bags at any given time (DROOLING OVER THIS TOTE FOR OVER A YEAR). The bags below would all make me squeal in delight if I were surprised with one! I hope this helps if you’re on the fence with one of these bags or considering any investment bags right now! As always, thank you so much for following along!
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