B30 or K28???

[kudlaty]

Hi everyone!
I’m new to Hermes so this will be my first quota bag. Please help me decide my wishlist: Birkin 30 or Kelly 28? Which one is more comfortable and practice to carry around? Which leather is the lightest? Is one of them easier to get? Thank you so much!

 

[jenayb]

For me, the biggest variable here is - would you prefer to have a strap, or do you prefer to hand-carry most of the time?

 

[880]

B30 holds a lot more than K28
I used to adore my B30s. Now I’ve gravitated back to K28, K25, or B25
But, with a K, I keep my phone and cc in my pocket. With a B, you can just chuck everything
plus an iPad in the bag.

Also. If you are petite, IMO, both look better hand carry.

I may be a wimp, but neither is light

 

[sunnylove806]

I might be biased but some time I prefer K to B because it gets a bit less attention if I want that

 

[Grande Latte]

I'd go for a Birkin 30 because this is happens to be the Hermes piece I carry the most. I can literally put everything in the bag and I love the capacity. And Birkin 30 doesn't look big.

Kelly 28 is pretty but I hate fussing about with the straps and trying to get my phone or my wallet out while someone at the counter is waiting behind me.

 

[topglamchic]

I have a K28 and I loooove taking my time at the counter and having everyone wait for me to pull out my wallet from this beauty.

 

[Veritybelle]

Obviously both are gorgeous! I think the functional decisions will tell you which bag would suit. My assessment would run something like this:

If you prefer a shoulder or cross body carry option - K
If you like the bag to be securely closed - K (you can close a B fully of course but I don’t know anyone who does, it’s a total pain to deal with! )
If you want a slightly more “grown up” ladylike look - maybe K (but see thread about wearing a K casually)
If you need capacity and want to throw everything in and not deal with a fiddly closure all day - B (I don’t like the look of a K left hanging open and I don’t think it’s great for the structure of the bag)
If you want a slightly more ostentatious piece - B (although I don’t think there’s much in this - both are equally iconic IMO)

Good luck with the decision!

 

[hermesgeek]

I don’t think you can go wrong with either. But, I voted the kelly 28 just for versatility. Kelly’s are more versatile than birkins in my opinion. They transition way better whether from day to night and/or appropriateness for casual days to dressier events(of course not black tie). Plus, there’s more ways to carry it than the Birkin, from handheld, shoulder, crook of the arm, shoulder, to crossbody depending on your strap/height.

Both are classics but a Kelly in my opinion is a great first quota bag to have given its history and its legacy. In terms of difficulty when getting offered, it’s kinda insinuated before in my home store that for every 4/6 birkins they get, they get 1 kelly but as with Hermès, it’s a mystery.

Btw, I’d like to mention I use my birkins more than my Kelly’s just because birkins suit my lifestyle better. I first got a kelly before I got a birkin and I wouldn’t change that for the world. If I could only have one bag though, it would be a kelly.

Good luck on your decision and enjoy the process!

 

[tinkerbell68]

My vote goes to the Birkin which might be surprising if you looked in my bag closet...almost all of my bags are either shoulder or crossbody (or have the option to be)! And yet I LOVE my Bs...the ease of access, the capacity, the slightly more casual appearance, etc. I do have a vintage Kelly but I find that I don't reach for it quite as often as my Birkins.

However, both bags are beautiful and you can't go wrong with either...and you'll probably end up with both at some point

 

[WhiteBus]

Obviously both are gorgeous! I think the functional decisions will tell you which bag would suit. My assessment would run something like this:

If you prefer a shoulder or cross body carry option - K
If you like the bag to be securely closed - K (you can close a B fully of course but I don’t know anyone who does, it’s a total pain to deal with! )
If you want a slightly more “grown up” ladylike look - maybe K (but see thread about wearing a K casually)
If you need capacity and want to throw everything in and not deal with a fiddly closure all day - B (I don’t like the look of a K left hanging open and I don’t think it’s great for the structure of the bag)
If you want a slightly more ostentatious piece - B (although I don’t think there’s much in this - both are equally iconic IMO)

Good luck with the decision!

This is the perfect answer to your type of question.
No other person's preferences are directly applicable to you.
Veritybelle has given you the set of criteria that you have to answer
and she has also explained the implication of each of your answers
and your answers will make your choice clear

880's comment 'neither is light' is good to flag up: good quality leather will not be light; the bags are also leather-lined; there is a lot of metal hardware that is a feature to both designs

From your questions it seem that you need to do a lot of research and there is plenty to read on here.
It is what you pick up from general comments rather than answers to specific questions that really informs you.

 

[forgetmenot301]

My first Hermes bag was a Kelly 28 followed by a 32. Sold them years ago (deep regret on the 28). Mainly because the closures bugged me and it was before the interchangeable straps were a big thing. I own 2 Birkins now 25 & 30 and I’m a Birkin girl at heart. However I do see myself adding a mini Kelly, Kelly 25 or a Kelly 28 again one day. I always longed for a Birkin even when I owned my Kelly. Just go with whatever makes your heart sing! Life is long, you can always add the other one down the road. There is no right or wrong choice imo. Both are staples

 

[tensgrl]

Several years ago, on a visit with my SA, I mentioned how I really liked the new color Gris Asphalte. She asked me to wait for a few minutes and then reappeared with a Kelly 28 in GA. I had never mentioned a Kelly as I'd always preferred the Birkin. I was completely surprised but ended up taking it. Unfortunately, as much as I love the color, the Kelly isn't a bag I love. The Birkin functions very differently from a Kelly. Yes, the Kelly may be "hands free" as it has a strap, but it's a pain to constantly open and close it. I have to hold the bottom to open the sangles and turlock. As others have said, the Birkin is so easy to just throw things in and then pull things out. The moral of the story is that you should really think about what you find annoying and also what you like about using your bags and how you really want them to function. I'm at the age now where life is too short for me to fuss with a bag. Yes, the Kelly is beautiful. But in the end, when I'm getting ready to head out, I always grab the Birkin. Lesson learned.

 

[Tonimichelle]

My vote goes to Birkin 30. The idea of the Kelly having a handsfree option is all well and good, but the reality for me (with a K32), was a strap that was too long on one shoulder, too short to comfortably cross body (although this could obviously be rectified with a different strap) and arm / hand carry means a lot of hopping about on one leg to close on the go!! .
Aside from the fact I love the Birkin 30 more from an aesthetic point of view, it is just soooo much easier to grab things out / drop things in. You can grab that ringing mobile before you miss the call.. it also fits far more! The weight depends on different leathers and what you have in it. My swift B30 was pretty light, clemence not so much but worth it and has never caused me a problem.

 

[showgratitude]

Both are nice bags. I prefer a Birkin in general. However, if I will only have 1 H bag..I'd choose a Kelly between the two..because K is easier and faster to secure, in my opinion. And if you use it for travel, being able to use it as a shoulder bag is a better option if you need to keep your hands free.

 

[QuelleFromage]

For me, the biggest variable here is - would you prefer to have a strap, or do you prefer to hand-carry most of the time?

Obviously both are gorgeous! I think the functional decisions will tell you which bag would suit. My assessment would run something like this:

If you prefer a shoulder or cross body carry option - K
If you like the bag to be securely closed - K (you can close a B fully of course but I don’t know anyone who does, it’s a total pain to deal with! )
If you want a slightly more “grown up” ladylike look - maybe K (but see thread about wearing a K casually)
If you need capacity and want to throw everything in and not deal with a fiddly closure all day - B (I don’t like the look of a K left hanging open and I don’t think it’s great for the structure of the bag)
If you want a slightly more ostentatious piece - B (although I don’t think there’s much in this - both are equally iconic IMO)

Good luck with the decision!

I can't vote because the above are so true, and also because you didn't say which style Kelly you are considering.

Personally, have both/love both but the K28 retourné to me is just an ideal bag. Shoulder strap, closes up (I don't have any issues with the turnlock), holds a decent amount, and is elegant enough for dinner.
The K28 sellier is a bit different, feels larger and can feel more formal - which style are you considering?

B30 is great, holds more because it's bigger and is a tote, but JMO, if you live in a walking city, a Birkin gets to be a drag to carry around allllll day long. Not because it's heavy but because it's arm or hand carry. Birkin is less formal, also bc it's a tote, so to me just a bit less versatile.

One bag will "sing" to you, pick that one