Hooray, so happy to be joining this club! I've wanted a Bao Bao for years!
I chose this particular model because I'm not too much of a tote gal, the more elaborate designs are a little expensive, and white would match a lot of my wardrobe!
This little guy is perfect for me because I can wear it crossbody for hands free days, I can double up the chain to carry it by hand or the crook of my arm for when I'm feeling fancy or my back is tired, and I can remove the chain to wear as a clutch, which looks super cool! I think it's more versatile than the canvas strap style, as it can dress up or down. Worth the $55 price difference IMHO!
The chain is uncomfortable on bare skin or a t-shirt layer, so when it's time to shed the coat, I'm probably going to buy a strap pad from Etsy so I can still wear my bag, as I usually hate chain straps! I don't have a problem with thicker layers and coats on with this bag though. Another con is that the white color is a little bit more prone to wear. There are some scuffs already from a couple of weeks of constant use, but I never get upset over wear so it doesn't bother me!
I love how much it fits (my essentials with room for more!) and how freaking cool it looks when it takes the shape of what it's holding. I know Bao Baos have been out for years now, but I'm still marveling over Issey Miyake's genius for innovative design.
Final plus, I love that this bag is vegan!! And the bag somehow feels slightly squishier than I thought it would - I thought the tiles would be made of a harder PVC but they're quite bendy!