I'm in a bit of a silly dilemma and am hoping to get some advice.

I have a vintage black box sellier Kelly 28 GHW. I had thought that it would be THE ONE, as I do not believe in owning more than 1 of the same bag. But on a trip overseas, I notice many women carrying retourne Kellys and fell in love with the slouchy look. I like but am not in love with my own vintage black box kelly the way I am with my Chanel reissue. I know that box leather is supposed to age beautifully, scratches and all. Mine is really pretty compared to many that I see around me, but somehow, I can't stop thinking about the possibility of owning a retourne version.

Today I walked into a reseller shop and saw a chocolate togo kelly 35 PHW. The price is not too bad as it is a year 2005 bag. It comes with everything. I was almost losing my sanity, but managed to walk out to think about it.

Some considerations:

1) I am 5"2 and slim. Would anyone think size 35 is too big on me? Sorry, no modelling pict. I would have bought it if it was a 32, but the saleslady assured me that it doesn't make too much difference from a 32. What do you think?

2) Would you keep the vintage black box GHW AND buy the chocolate togo PHW? Or sell the black box? I am concerned as to the former's "sellibility" due to the size and the fact that it is box leather. I think there are not too many box fans where I live.

Pls advise, TIA!!!

Darling personally if box is involved I very much prefer sellier because of the way the bag ages retorne is wonderful on soft grainy leathers but the Kelly retourne effect on box is odd they get a very prominent pull because on the Kelly the turnlock is the stress point this softens the bags middle point leather and so the bag looks strong from the sides but not from the middle, that plus the fact that you want 35 cm I think it would fit you perfectly as I prefer 35cm but I would not make my next Kelly especially returnee box! try finding a retourne maroon fonce in T.C or Togo or fjord and then decide, so to sum up I would keep the sellier in black and look for a grainy leather for the retourne !! And 35 cm .hope it helps doll .birkel

To me, a Kelly collection is incomplete when there's a Sellier, no Retourne. Retourne is still the best casual Kellys and Togo is still one of the best hardy leathers.

It's easy to get influenced based on what we see around us and in this forum. Most importantly, it must suit you. There's a reason why in the beginning you bought the 28 Noir Boxcalf Sellier Kelly GHW. Maybe try to recall back and you may fall in love again. Ultimately, I feel that it's good to own both retournes and selliers. Though the sellier don't have to be Noir Boxcalf if you're not in love with her again. A Chocolate Togo Kelly 35 is a perfect match. At your height, you won't be overwhelmed.

The two bags are totally different. If you can afford both, go for it. They are so different that it is not really like owning 2 of the same bag. As for size, I have a sellier Togo 32 and a retourne clemence 35 and from the outside, they appear almost the same in size, the difference is on the inside. Good luck!

personally the sellier is THE kelly to own. Its shape and design --the quintessential trapezoid--has never been replicated by any other house in a meaningful way. The retourne is lovely but its a modern kelly. I also think it is limited to a sportier more casual look. the retourne 28 is fantastic with jeans and a suit....

If you can afford to get the retourne bag you saw, grab it and keep both for now. Then in time, if you find you aren't using the Sellier bag sell it. Nothing wrong with not being as fond of a Sellier bag as Retourne, both have different vibes and some find Retourne far more versatile and easier to wear than the rigid Sellier. I have both styles and love them but tend to lean more towards Sellier as my preference.

Sellier box Kellys just aren't for everyone, no reason to feel bad about that. They are very prevalent and relatively affordable on the resale market, so they are often purchased as a first Kelly or first H bag. I did that, only later to realize that the formal sellier style and high-maintenance box leather wasn't for me. Although the bag was a beautiful vintage piece, and I could appreciate the workmanship/rarity of the box leather, I rarely carried it. So I sold mine, and in the future I hope to acquire a retourne Kelly in a softer leather like Togo. For me, that would so much easier to wear--and love!

I started with a sellier and then fell in love the slouch of a retourne. I kept both. The sellier is great for formal (but also casual) and the retourne goes anywhere and everywhere. Kepp them both if you can.

It's funny people say its easy to get a box Sellier as every vintage bag I have seen is a box rotourne (usually too small too) . I have had to order a BB Sellier. I would say that a 28 Sellier and a 35 rotourne are very different bags and could easily justify both.

I would get both if you are able to swing it financially. They are very different bags, you would use the retourne on a daily basis. But don't give up your 28 it makes a lovely classic bag for the evening, it is something that you will enjoy the rest of your life.

I am very close to your height, maybe half an inch taller, and I personally find the 35 does not look good on me. Each person's proportion is different. On me, when I hold a Kelly 35 hanging naturally in my hand (not in the crook of the elbow), the bag hangs down so low near the floor that I feel it makes me look short and my arms really long. If I wear heels on a regular basis this would not be much of an issue, but I often run around in flat shoes or boots. I also find the 35 quite heavy and I never carry that much on a daily basis. My daily bags are Kelly 28 and occasionally 32, both in retourne.
As for a Kelly 28, I prefer it in retourne. I know that a Box Kelly 28 sellier is a much preferred Kelly for many people, but I personally find it difficult to use. It just doesn't hold very much and it's hard to get my hand in and out of it. I like much better, and use on a regular basis, Kelly 28 retourne (in both Box and Togo) and Kelly 32 (both retourne and sellier).
I disagree with the salesperson who said that a Kelly 35 isn't much different from a Kelly 32. I really like a 32 both in retourne and sellier. I can't say the same about a 35.
Visually, there is a huge difference between the two sizes.
If you like the 35 and it looks good on you, I think you will find it a more useful bag than the Box Kelly 28 sellier that you have already. The two bags are very different and I think you can keep both.

Your black box Kelly sellier especially with GHW is a classic IMO. I have a 28 Kelly retourne with PHW that makes it more of a casual look and would be completely different than sellier.
If you are comfortable financially, I'd recommend having both. Perhaps your can use the Kelly sellier for more formal outings and everyday use/travel for the retourne?
Also, I believe if you can see size 32 and 35 side by side, you'll notice the difference quite a bit. My recommendation based on your body size description is size 32. The 35 might look a bit too wide to your proportion. HTH. Good Luck!

I could definitely see having both in your collection. First, they are different colors. The black with GHW is a classic and a bit dressier than the retourne. The chocolate is a different leather and a more casual look. As far as the size, I am your height and thin and think that a 35 looks great as well as being practical. I would keep the black and get the chocolate. Especially if later on you might be disappointed that you'd passed up such a great bag. Good luck with your decision.

Thanks so much for the advice, everyone! I re-thought the Chocolate togo 35 PHW over the night and think the size is just a tad too big for my liking. The leather strap somehow did not sit as comfortably on my shoulder as my vintage BB. So I think I will put the chocolate togo on hold, until I find the perfect size. I want a 32, but it seems impossible to get the right one, with right price on the resale market! Maybe one day, when I hit Paris...

Anyhow, I wish I could use my vintage BB more often, but I haven't done so in the past 2 months that I have had it. It is just not as carefree and versatile as I had hoped it would be. I suspect a retourne style, non-box material is better suited for my lifestyle. And I am leaning more towards PHW cos GHW is somehow a bit too loud for my style. I am a 1 design, 1 bag kinda girl so I suspect I may end up selling my sellier BB in the end, if the price is good!

I agree that a 32 would be a more versatile size than 35. It will come to you one day. Then you can decide if you want to keep the 28 sellier.
Meanwhile, you might want to take out the 28 and keep using it. You might find that you actually like it. I did this with my 32 sellier and ended up using it a lot more later. I kind of beat it into submission.