I feel it’s pretty common to see threads of first time buyers a little insecure about their purchase - I myself was one not long ago! And since I’m a writer on a rainy friday night just contemplating my brand new pre-loved metallic reissue, my 3rd Chanel bag in 4 months, here’s what I’d like to say to my fellow Chanel first timers.
1. This may be the bag of your dreams but it is still "just" a bag. An expensive bag.
For those who dreamed about their first and maybe only Chanel for years you have a lot of expectations about it. And when you finally get to take your dream bag home you realize that… well it’s a bag. An amazing, dreamy, historical bag. But a bag nonetheless. And a very expensive one! So it’s OK to have second thoughts or a little guilt. Just give it a few days. Sill don’t feel joy? Return it. It’s OK to have second thoughts but it’s not OK to feel unhappy!
2. If you really want a specific bag do not settle for another one just because your dream bag isn’t available at the time
I always dreamed of a true red M/L classic flap with GHW but that’s a rare find so my first buy ended up being a pre-loved burgundy jumbo GHW. Wrong on so many levels right? And why did I do that? Because I didn’t want to wait. Which is silly, why the hurry? If it’s your dream bag don’t give up on it because it’s not available.
However it wasn’t all that bad of experience because it helped me with the next item.
3. Holy grails may change over time and maybe that's what is happening to you!
I dreamed of the golden CC logo for so long but now it was there and it was just… too much. For me, obviously, is not a rule nor a critic to anybody else. That was when I realized that a true red M/L classic flap was not my Holy Grail. Even if I had bought my HG I’d still feel it was a little too flashy for me and my lifestyle. So my HG had to be more subtle like a Boy or a Reissue. Dreams change and sometimes you have to actually own the bag to understand that. Returned the jumbo obviously.
4. Take your time to understand what your new HG really is.
“Maybe a red Boy will be my Holy Grail then! Still red, but more subtle" I thought buying it even before I returned the first one. Again… why the hurry? Look I adore the bag and I’ve been using daily ever since. But then come to think about it… well maybe I should have waited a little more to consider that before taking the plunge again. Kept the bag but kept thinking maybe that was not my HG. So, basically your HG might change but take the time to understand what exactly your new HG is.
5. Guts + brains = it's a match!
I’m very much a neutral colors person and I love my black YSL WOC with gold hardware. In fact I love my Mansur black bag so much as well. So all this time I was like “my next bag HAS TO be a Chanel red” but… erhm there’s no rules about how many bags you’re entitled to in the same color! So I understood that even tho I love my red Boy, in the end I should have just bought a black bag.
Was a black Boy my HG? Hmm… nop. I knew I wanted something a little more subtle than the CC logo but I guess I still wanted that classic Chanel feels. Enters black reissue. No gold hardware thought so I could feel more comfortable wearing it daily without feeling too flashy and out of my comfort zone (YSL WOC is my dressy bag, not my everyday bag).
So... now I have 2 Chanel bags, a large red Boy and a black reissue. All in the span of 4 months. And I do love my Boy, but I know I’ll probably put it up on a Rent the Runway type of site soon because... well I do like it but now I won’t be using it as much since the reissue is here and I feel weird about such an expensive bag just sitting in my closet (I know we're talking Chanel here but I consider myself a bit of a minimalist LOL).
TL;DR:
Feeling guilty about such an expensive bag? That’s ok!
Guilty enough not to feel any joy even after a couple days? Not ok, return it.
Holy Grails change!
Take your time to understand what your new HG based not only on what makes your heartbeat faster but also on how this bag will fit into your lifestyle.
And most importantly: should I have been less impulsive during these 4 months? Absolutely.
1. This may be the bag of your dreams but it is still "just" a bag. An expensive bag.
For those who dreamed about their first and maybe only Chanel for years you have a lot of expectations about it. And when you finally get to take your dream bag home you realize that… well it’s a bag. An amazing, dreamy, historical bag. But a bag nonetheless. And a very expensive one! So it’s OK to have second thoughts or a little guilt. Just give it a few days. Sill don’t feel joy? Return it. It’s OK to have second thoughts but it’s not OK to feel unhappy!
2. If you really want a specific bag do not settle for another one just because your dream bag isn’t available at the time
I always dreamed of a true red M/L classic flap with GHW but that’s a rare find so my first buy ended up being a pre-loved burgundy jumbo GHW. Wrong on so many levels right? And why did I do that? Because I didn’t want to wait. Which is silly, why the hurry? If it’s your dream bag don’t give up on it because it’s not available.
However it wasn’t all that bad of experience because it helped me with the next item.
3. Holy grails may change over time and maybe that's what is happening to you!
I dreamed of the golden CC logo for so long but now it was there and it was just… too much. For me, obviously, is not a rule nor a critic to anybody else. That was when I realized that a true red M/L classic flap was not my Holy Grail. Even if I had bought my HG I’d still feel it was a little too flashy for me and my lifestyle. So my HG had to be more subtle like a Boy or a Reissue. Dreams change and sometimes you have to actually own the bag to understand that. Returned the jumbo obviously.
4. Take your time to understand what your new HG really is.
“Maybe a red Boy will be my Holy Grail then! Still red, but more subtle" I thought buying it even before I returned the first one. Again… why the hurry? Look I adore the bag and I’ve been using daily ever since. But then come to think about it… well maybe I should have waited a little more to consider that before taking the plunge again. Kept the bag but kept thinking maybe that was not my HG. So, basically your HG might change but take the time to understand what exactly your new HG is.
5. Guts + brains = it's a match!
I’m very much a neutral colors person and I love my black YSL WOC with gold hardware. In fact I love my Mansur black bag so much as well. So all this time I was like “my next bag HAS TO be a Chanel red” but… erhm there’s no rules about how many bags you’re entitled to in the same color! So I understood that even tho I love my red Boy, in the end I should have just bought a black bag.
Was a black Boy my HG? Hmm… nop. I knew I wanted something a little more subtle than the CC logo but I guess I still wanted that classic Chanel feels. Enters black reissue. No gold hardware thought so I could feel more comfortable wearing it daily without feeling too flashy and out of my comfort zone (YSL WOC is my dressy bag, not my everyday bag).
So... now I have 2 Chanel bags, a large red Boy and a black reissue. All in the span of 4 months. And I do love my Boy, but I know I’ll probably put it up on a Rent the Runway type of site soon because... well I do like it but now I won’t be using it as much since the reissue is here and I feel weird about such an expensive bag just sitting in my closet (I know we're talking Chanel here but I consider myself a bit of a minimalist LOL).
TL;DR:
Feeling guilty about such an expensive bag? That’s ok!
Guilty enough not to feel any joy even after a couple days? Not ok, return it.
Holy Grails change!
Take your time to understand what your new HG based not only on what makes your heartbeat faster but also on how this bag will fit into your lifestyle.
And most importantly: should I have been less impulsive during these 4 months? Absolutely.
