My 10 Piece Capsule Handbag Collection - A smattering of H, C, G, LV, F, D

[MYH]

I had some time today and decided I would take out all the bags (there are only 10 LOL!) in my handbag collection. I've never seen them all together and have never taken a group picture of them. So since I had them all out, I thought I would share my collection and explain how I ended up with only 10 essential handbags. I'll do a close-up of each one and explain what I use it for, the hole it fills in my collection, and why I like it. Kind of like a mini review of each bag!

First a little about me. I live in the US in a location that's pretty much sunny all year round. I have a pretty casual lifestyle and like to travel and go out with friends and my DH to dinner and shows.

I like all brands! It's the design, leather, and color that speak to me. So that's why you'll see a smattering of Hermes, Chanel, Gucci, Fendi, LV, and Dior in my collection. Although, I will confess, as of late, I'm pretty partial to Hermes. I feel like I finally have my "perfect" collection and don't feel any need to add more bags. Although, if some beautiful bag crosses my path, I won't say for sure I would walk away. But at least I know that I have a bag to use for every occasion in my life and that makes me happy.

I'm a minimalist at heart and don't like clutter. I also have learned from past experience that when I have too many bags, I forget about them and they don't get used. So I built my collection with a quality over quantity mindset. I didn't have the number 10 in mind when I started this collection, but it turned out to be the perfect number for a handbag collection. Not too many and not too few.

I feel like paring down is what many of us strive to achieve nowadays so I wanted to share what my pared down collection looks like!

OK, a quick list of what I have:
- Hermes 32 cm Kelly Gris Tourterelle
- Hermes 32 cm Kelly Gold
- Hermes Evelyne PM Tosca
- Hermes Picotin MM Orange
- Chanel Classic Flap Jumbo Lambskin Black
- Chanel Clutch with Chain Burgundy
- Gucci New Bamboo Top Handle Bag Taupe (not sure of official color)
- LV Monceau BB Epi Crossbody
- Fendi Clutch
- Dior Clutch

OK Let's start!

 

[MYH]

First, a group shot. As you can see, I really like neutral bags because I think they go with everything. I can wear black, gray, navy blue, white, and any color with a neutral bag. I actually favor neutral bags over black bags. I only have two "pop" color bags in my collection but they serve their usefulness too, especially when I'm wearing neutral color clothes and I feel like I need a splash of color.

 

[MYH]

At the moment, the two most used bags in my collection are my kellys. Let's start with the Gris T in togo. This is my day bag for running errands, going out to lunch, meeting up with friends, etc. Sometimes, it also comes out at night with me if I'm going to a casual dinner. It's small enough to go from day to evening at 32cm but still fits a ton of stuff. I love this beigey/gray color because it goes with literally everything! And if I want to give it some color, I tie a twilly on the handle to brighten it up and to protect the handles from discoloring. The bag comes with a shoulder strap which I use often. And for some reason, the straps on my kellys stay on my shoulder, unlike many other bags that slip off. I think it's because the strap is very flexible and relatively thin so it moulds to my shoulder.

I really like the slim profile of a kelly because sometimes the bags needs to sit on the chair with me if there isn't a hook under the bar or table and the chair back has a rounded shape. That's primarily the reason I don't own any birkins. The base of the bag is just too wide for me and it doesn't have a shoulder strap. The only slightly difficult thing about a kelly is the clasp but I usually keep the straps fastened and tucked under the flap, like seen in the picture. I'm still able to reach my hand in and out of this bag with the straps fastened to take out my wallet and keys. And honestly, once you get used to the clasp, it's no biggie!

 

[MYH]

Next up is my Kelly 32cm in gold. This bag has the exact same specs as my Kelly in Gris T. It's also togo leather and serves the same purpose as my Gris T except I usually don't carry this gold color out at night. I love the color but feel it's more of a daytime color. I actually bought this gold one first and loved the usefulness of having a warm neutral. So when the chance arose to buy a cool neutral (the Gris T) I jumped at it because I could have my favorite bag in both a cool and warm neutral. IMO, this bag doesn't look that good with black so if I am wearing a outfit with a lot of black and want to carry a kelly, I will take the Gris T. But there's something about this color that makes my heart sing!

 

[MYH]

Next up is my Evelyne PM in Tosca. This one serves as my all-around crossbody bag. I'm usually not a pink gal but this color leans towards purple and I see it as a pop color that goes easily with neutrals. I made that cute little pom pom out of the trimmings of a birthday gift. It did not come with the bag. I really love that this bag is not very wide and lays pretty flat against the body. At first I didn't like the thick strap, but I have come to realize that although it's not aesthetically pleasing to me, it's very comfortable. I have done quite a bit of traveling and carried this bag around all day long and it has been very comfortable and useful. The clasp over the top makes me feel a bit more secure when walking through crowds and the outside pocket is super useful for holding my cell phone. I don't like the perforated H on the other side of the bag so I carry it with the perforations against my body. I was told by the SA this is how it was intended to be worn so that's also a plus.

 

[MYH]

Finishing off the Hermes bags is my orange MM Picotin. It's also called a 22mm sometimes too. For some reason, this size is pretty hard to find. Most picotins I see on the shelf are in the PM 18cm size. Truth be told, if I had to get rid of one bag, this would probably be it. It's purely in my collection because it makes me happy. I love the orange color and I usually use one of my twillies to dress it up. It's a useful little bag because it actually holds quite a lot. I like to use it if I am wearing a neutral outfit and want to add a pop of color. I usually will wear an orange clic clac bracelet as well when I carry this bag or wear a scarf with a lot of orange in it to tie it all together. The places I take this bag are lunch with friends, farmer's markets, or short errand trips. I usually don't take this bag to restaurants unless I know I can put it on a seat next to me. The short handles to not fit over the backs of chairs and the base is practically a big square so it doesn't fit on the seat with me. It does have feet and I don't mind putting it on the floor if the floor is relatively clean, but that's really a last option! I just love the little burst of color and the cheerful feeling I get when I see this bag.

 

[MYH]

Next up is my chanel classic jumbo in lambskin with SHW. The shine on the puffy quilts of this bag just can't be beat! I want to hug it everytime I take it out. This is my going out in the evening bag if I'm a bit more dressed up and wearing lots of black. I wish I used this bag more but I find that my outfits when going out for dinner now just don't go with this bag very often. I wish I was the casual girl in skinny jeans, flats, and a chanel jacket during the day, but I'm just not. I have a hard time working this bag into my casual wardrobe but I love it and don't think I could ever get rid of it. It's just so classic and I'm sure there will come a time when I reach for it a lot more than I do now.

 

[MYH]

My other chanel is a burgundy clutch with shoulder chain in GHW. Sometimes I wear it with the chain tucked in and sometimes I wear it on my shoulder. It's actually an awesome little bag because it holds quite a bit. I love the color and it goes well with an all black outfit. This little clutch goes out with me at night to dinner quite a bit. This clutch was love at first sight and was an impulse buy that has worked out quite well. The only thing negative about it is that it does not stand up on it's own. But luckily, it can easily be tucked away behind me on a chair or I can use the shoulder chain to hang the clutch over the back of a chair too. The GHW makes this bag look super classy and is a great contrast to the burgundy color.

 

[MYH]

I will finish up this thread tomorrow! Be back soon.

 

[polevshchikov]

Excellent collection! Quality over quantity.

 

[user448751]

Love the collection!!!

 

[hasana]

You're collection is incredibly chic! And such a variety in colors!! Just lovely

 

[Yoshi1296]

I love your collection!!!!

 

[tatayap]

What an ideal collection!

 

[AmorNChanel]

Beautiful collection! Love everything!