I’m probably in the minority here, but I just recently purchased the reissue in size large. I’ve used it almost daily and decided to sell my puzzle bag because I hadn’t used it for almost a year - the opening is so small and cumbersome so I just never reached for it. Also, it’s too boxy for my liking, it just sat weirdly on my body.
Help me decide between Chanel reissue 227 or Loewe puzzle
- Thread starter Raerae0518
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If you live in a cold weather, you can use Reissue comfortably as it won't dig your shoulder 'cuz you're wearing a jacket/coat 
I would say get both! I would get the 225 or 226 for crossbody wear. 227 would probably be a bit large and bulky to wear as a crossbody unless you‘re quite tall. If you do think you’ll get both then get the Chanel first....so you don’t end up paying more for it in the future.
If you don’t think you’ll eventually want both ,then get the puzzle. I have two small puzzle bags and two reissues and I love them all, but I use my puzzle bags much more frequently than any other bag in my collection. The style is just so comfortable to carry and wear crossbody!
If you don’t think you’ll eventually want both ,then get the puzzle. I have two small puzzle bags and two reissues and I love them all, but I use my puzzle bags much more frequently than any other bag in my collection. The style is just so comfortable to carry and wear crossbody!
What color puzzles do you have? Curious how they do with color transfer and general wear and tear ?
I have a stone blue one and a tan one. I haven’t had any issues with color transfer and I wear them with both dark and light denim. These are probably my most durable bags. My youngest baby has scratched it, drooled on it and chewed on the strap of the stone blue one, but there’s no way you would know by looking at it! I was going to condition the leather but never got around to it and somehow the light scratches just faded away. I wear this bag when it’s raining without thinking twice about it. I love the look of the smooth calf leather and the durability of it too! The only downside is that it’s a casual bag...I wouldn’t wear it out to a nice dinner like I would my reissues.
Thank you for the response! I live in an area with a lot of rain and am also family planning so very happy to hear it holds up so well !!! I found a great deal on a pre loved 227 reissue in black with ghw. price wise though I love the size of the 225 or 226 I'm just not sure if I want to spend the couple thousand more that I am finding them at pre loved . I do have a black classic flap in medium for nice occasions. I do like the more understated style of the reissue and hoped to be able to use it maybe a bit more during the day . I am either thinking now the 227 with ghw that i found and because it was quite a bit less than the other i found with the rhw get a tan puzzle and or kind of tempted to just get two puzzles and go with tan and black and forego the 227 though it is an amazing purse since I do already own a classic flap.
I’m late to the party but I am so curious to hear what you ended up getting. Both are great bags and you really can’t go wrong, but if I had to pick I’d vote for the reissue (assuming you like big bags...the 227 is definitely on the bigger side). Chanel is simply timeless.
I actually had a medium puzzle in black that I liked but ended up selling for a couple reasons...
1. I picked a bad color (in my opinion). One of the best parts of the puzzle bag is the contrast between the leather pieces and the “seams” between them (usually black), creating the look of puzzle pieces. But my black bag had black seams which ultimately defeated the purpose a bit - it looked great up close but from a distance it all blended together and just looked like a solid rectangular bag. So unless you’re really into a minimalist look, I wouldn‘t get the puzzle bag in black. The tan is the most popular and really does show off the design of the bag brilliantly.
2. I got sick of it. Even though it’s been around for a few years, it really is more of a trendy bag and I simply grew tired of it after a while. On the other hand, I never seem to tire of Chanel.
If you do end up going for the Loewe, I would also echo the sentiments of the person who recommended the medium over the small puzzle bag. The opening of the small is really tiny and awkward. And if at first you are worried that the medium bag might seem too big (initially it does kind of feel like you’re carrying a giant rectangular box), the top part of the bag relaxes in fairly short order giving the bag a more manageable, less structured look and feel. Most people (myself included) think the top sag enhances the look and character of the bag.
One more thing...if you think you may want to sell your bag down the road, chances are the reissue will hold its value better than the puzzle bag. Because the puzzle bag isn’t a classic, at least not yet, it may actually end up looking dated in a few years, which would definitely impact the resale value (take a look at the resale values for the Celine trapeze bag or the Fendi monster peekaboo, as examples - their resale is a small fraction of the original price tag. The Chanel classic flap seems to hold its value better than most other bags (excluding Birkins and Kelly’s, of course), but the reissue isn’t that far behind, so if you tend to rotate your collection over time, Chanel is a safer bet.
But like I said, you really can’t go wrong as long as you love whatever it is you buy. Please post pics of your final decision...new bags are such fun! Enjoy
I actually had a medium puzzle in black that I liked but ended up selling for a couple reasons...
1. I picked a bad color (in my opinion). One of the best parts of the puzzle bag is the contrast between the leather pieces and the “seams” between them (usually black), creating the look of puzzle pieces. But my black bag had black seams which ultimately defeated the purpose a bit - it looked great up close but from a distance it all blended together and just looked like a solid rectangular bag. So unless you’re really into a minimalist look, I wouldn‘t get the puzzle bag in black. The tan is the most popular and really does show off the design of the bag brilliantly.
2. I got sick of it. Even though it’s been around for a few years, it really is more of a trendy bag and I simply grew tired of it after a while. On the other hand, I never seem to tire of Chanel.
If you do end up going for the Loewe, I would also echo the sentiments of the person who recommended the medium over the small puzzle bag. The opening of the small is really tiny and awkward. And if at first you are worried that the medium bag might seem too big (initially it does kind of feel like you’re carrying a giant rectangular box), the top part of the bag relaxes in fairly short order giving the bag a more manageable, less structured look and feel. Most people (myself included) think the top sag enhances the look and character of the bag.
One more thing...if you think you may want to sell your bag down the road, chances are the reissue will hold its value better than the puzzle bag. Because the puzzle bag isn’t a classic, at least not yet, it may actually end up looking dated in a few years, which would definitely impact the resale value (take a look at the resale values for the Celine trapeze bag or the Fendi monster peekaboo, as examples - their resale is a small fraction of the original price tag. The Chanel classic flap seems to hold its value better than most other bags (excluding Birkins and Kelly’s, of course), but the reissue isn’t that far behind, so if you tend to rotate your collection over time, Chanel is a safer bet.
But like I said, you really can’t go wrong as long as you love whatever it is you buy. Please post pics of your final decision...new bags are such fun! Enjoy
Hello! Thank you for your response! I did end up going with the Chanel 227 and have been very happy with my purchase. I size 226 probably would have been perfect but I couldn’t find any on the pre loved market for a price range I was willing to spend right now and I do really like that there is such a size difference between my 227 and my classic medium flap whereas I think the 226 would have been very similar size wise. I have ordered and returned the puzzle 3 times now. The latest was a pre loved version in black but you are right about showing the puzzle pieces and each time I took a pic with it with an outfit to see if it was something I would want to keep, it did just look like a big black rectangle without the pieces standing out. I do agree that the tan color would be perfect for the bag. I had tried the medium and small as well but the medium just felt huge, however, I hear a lot of people saying the small opening is fussy so if I do ever end up getting a puzzle, I will consider the medium size again knowing it does slouch. I actually had another thread about the puzzle or a boy bag because I again found quite a good deal on a pre loved boy I’m navy with rhw and I again went chanel. I guess I’m just draw to their bags but do still a puzzle potentially in the future ! Here is a pic of the 227 I purchased,
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Congratulations! Your bag is absolutely gorgeous and totally timeless. I love it. EXCELLENT CHOICE!
It’s funny that you had the identical experience as I, with the black puzzle bag looking like a big black rectangular brick from afar and in pics. I understand the minimalist appeal, but I think there are many other colors that showcase the features of the bag so much better. i think you were smart to return it. And I also think you’re smart to source the puzzle bag from the pre-loved market - I’ve noticed prices are starting to come down on them, often times at about 1/3 off or more for a brand new bag. But the fact that you returned it three times already is pretty telling. It’s an intriguing bag for sure, but there are a lot of intriguing bags out there. At least you figured out that it wasn’t for you (at least in that moment) within the return window...I took a beating selling mine in the aftermarket, and it was practically brand new. Oh well, I guess that is all part of the game in the world of a bagaholic!
Congrats again on your new beautiful bag (and the boy bag too!)
It’s funny that you had the identical experience as I, with the black puzzle bag looking like a big black rectangular brick from afar and in pics. I understand the minimalist appeal, but I think there are many other colors that showcase the features of the bag so much better. i think you were smart to return it. And I also think you’re smart to source the puzzle bag from the pre-loved market - I’ve noticed prices are starting to come down on them, often times at about 1/3 off or more for a brand new bag. But the fact that you returned it three times already is pretty telling. It’s an intriguing bag for sure, but there are a lot of intriguing bags out there. At least you figured out that it wasn’t for you (at least in that moment) within the return window...I took a beating selling mine in the aftermarket, and it was practically brand new. Oh well, I guess that is all part of the game in the world of a bagaholic!
Congrats again on your new beautiful bag (and the boy bag too!)
Hello, could you please post a photo while wearing the 227? I am so curious how to looks on the body.