First Chanel, I need Advice...

[superstar]

Ok ladies, so I've decided to get my first Chanel bag before the next increase. The bag I want is the GST in black . So first I don't know if I should get it in the gold or silver hardware? Second where should I get my bag from? I live in CA so should I go to the Chanel boutique at South Coast plaza, or the one in Beverly Hills? Or should I get it from a department store like Bloomingdales, Saks, Nieman or Nordstrom? If you have a great SA you work with I would like to know. Next question is what wallet should I get for this bag? Is there a matching wallet for the GST? Also do I have to waitlist for this bag.
Any pictures, prices, and comments would be great. Thanks for any advice.

 

[Swanky]

choosing gold or silver depends on YOUR needs. I prefer silver as I wear white gold and platinum jewelry most often.
I like purchasing from the dept stores since they offer perks/points for doing so. NM has a deal right now where if you spend more than $500 you get a $200 gc or something like that.
Call the stores and inquire about stock before you go. The GST is permanent but easily their most popular tote so I know they run low on stock pretty often from selling out.
Any wallet is fine, look when you go if you want it to match, stock changes SO often. But there should be a coupl of choices in matching black caviar if you're wanting a matching wallet. Be prepared though, it'll run you another $600+ depeding on teh style you choose.

There's a LOAD of photos in the Reference Library
Also, there's a thread in Chanel SHopping about which SA's have been recommended by tPFers, skim through if you don't get a few quick recommendations.