I bought into the hype of the small CF but honestly I wear and love my medium more! It's the perfect size for me personally!
Medium classic flap questions/discussion! How often do you use yours? Anyone able to wear it crossbody?
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I love medium size but true I rarely use it. Probably only a few times years ago. But I won’t sell it even I don’t wear it a lot. It’s still my best decision.
I love my medium classic flaps. But I use my 22s way more. I love 22 so much more that I expected to like it. It’s so practical and comfortable. I with that said, I am happy to have my classic flaps and do lot plan on selling them. I say if you can afford to get 22 and keep classic flap, I would say do it. However, if you can’t afford both bags, I would say sell classic and get 22. 22 can be so low key and it’s so casual and comfortable.
The classic is a very beautiful bag - especially in lambskin with gold. I was so obsessed with that bag, but after 10 years, I realised my style had changed, that bag was no longer part of my aesthetic. It also did not really fit into my lifestyle. One could always keep it as an investment, or 'rarely used bag.' Nothing wrong with that, but it depends on your wardrobe space and willingness to look after these things properly.
I live in a small London flat, with limited wardrobe real estate and I have to be very careful with those 'rarely used' only for special occasion items. one or two are fine - but easy to get into the imaginary lifestyle wardrobe. You know, the sort that's full of expensive, beautiful things, but nothing to wear for real life chic.
I live in a small London flat, with limited wardrobe real estate and I have to be very careful with those 'rarely used' only for special occasion items. one or two are fine - but easy to get into the imaginary lifestyle wardrobe. You know, the sort that's full of expensive, beautiful things, but nothing to wear for real life chic.
I completely relate to this and for a lot of the reasons already covered by others- I had a black medium flap with silver hw, never used it, and sold it to buy one with gold hw last year. Barely use it. I use my extra mini coco every day. I also have a black caviar mini flap from 2018. I rarely use that but do use it more than the medium. I’m planning to sell the medium and thinking of replacing it with a 22.
This is an interesting question re new v preloved. I think this question will come up more and more given the price increases.
My personal experience is also interesting in that I sold my medium flap with silver hw I bought in 2018 last year. I bought it direct from the boutique. I made a decent profit. The person I sold it to got a complete bargain compared to the current boutique prices. It looked amazing still other than the inside stitches were loose but that was about it. I hadn’t used it much. The quality was excellent.
I sold it because I wanted one with gold hw and couldn’t justify having two.
For myself, I pondered for a while buying one preloved. I was told that for one in unused condition it would be about £1k less than boutique and for one more used about £2k less. For me the extra £1-2k was worth it to have peace of mind of authenticity personally. This bag is so popular and has been around for so long that there are extremely good dupes out there. For me with this being a special piece in my collection I wanted peace of mind it came direct from the boutique and came with the usual full set and was in pristine condition. Also as I didn’t plan to sell it any time soon, with the price increase I thought I could get my money back at least if I did sell it in like at least 5 years and then I can vouch 100% for its authenticity. That was the other issue for me - if I want to sell it I didn’t want any questions raised about its authenticity given the price. I also thought in like 1 year or so it will be £10k. So I bought the bag in the boutique. I have to say I think the leather of the 2018 was better, but it still looks great and there are no defects and overall I’m pleased I know I have a genuine one.
Having said all that I am not sure this is a bag that works for me. I feel too “obvious” when I wear it like I’m only wearing it as it’s “the” bag to have, stiff and formal and bling- people know the price so you feel vulnerable.
And now if I want to sell soon I expect I will make a loss, unless I hold onto it for a few years.
So that’s another consideration for you- if you did want to sell quickly if you didn’t like it I expect you would make a loss on it if bought from the boutique. Hence why I was told I could get one for £1k less than current boutique price. But for the one I bought in 2018, the buyer of that (in 2023) paid a lot more than I paid in 2018.
My personal experience is also interesting in that I sold my medium flap with silver hw I bought in 2018 last year. I bought it direct from the boutique. I made a decent profit. The person I sold it to got a complete bargain compared to the current boutique prices. It looked amazing still other than the inside stitches were loose but that was about it. I hadn’t used it much. The quality was excellent.
I sold it because I wanted one with gold hw and couldn’t justify having two.
For myself, I pondered for a while buying one preloved. I was told that for one in unused condition it would be about £1k less than boutique and for one more used about £2k less. For me the extra £1-2k was worth it to have peace of mind of authenticity personally. This bag is so popular and has been around for so long that there are extremely good dupes out there. For me with this being a special piece in my collection I wanted peace of mind it came direct from the boutique and came with the usual full set and was in pristine condition. Also as I didn’t plan to sell it any time soon, with the price increase I thought I could get my money back at least if I did sell it in like at least 5 years and then I can vouch 100% for its authenticity. That was the other issue for me - if I want to sell it I didn’t want any questions raised about its authenticity given the price. I also thought in like 1 year or so it will be £10k. So I bought the bag in the boutique. I have to say I think the leather of the 2018 was better, but it still looks great and there are no defects and overall I’m pleased I know I have a genuine one.
Having said all that I am not sure this is a bag that works for me. I feel too “obvious” when I wear it like I’m only wearing it as it’s “the” bag to have, stiff and formal and bling- people know the price so you feel vulnerable.
And now if I want to sell soon I expect I will make a loss, unless I hold onto it for a few years.
So that’s another consideration for you- if you did want to sell quickly if you didn’t like it I expect you would make a loss on it if bought from the boutique. Hence why I was told I could get one for £1k less than current boutique price. But for the one I bought in 2018, the buyer of that (in 2023) paid a lot more than I paid in 2018.
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Congrats on your great sale and rebuy of the classic! The reason I think you could sell your 2018's one and made profit was, the huge price difference between the one you bought and recent years price increase. such as say 2018 you probably bought your MCF at $6,500 after tax, 2022, 2023 retail prices were about $9,000, assume you sold for $6,500 directly to the buyer and pocketed all profit, the buyer might considered it was a good buy since she paid $6,500 for a like new recent made bag and without extra tax.
If you bought it at very recent price, after tax probably over $10,000, I think in order to make money or not lose money when resell, we may have to wait Chanel price increase at least 50% more, and that's if you sell directly to buyer again, otherwise, after commission if selling through third party, probably hardly make money and you will have to pay tax on the gain.
If we hold on the bag long enough, say, if we are 40 now, hold on the bag for another 20 years, sell it when we are at 60 years old, or we are now 50, sell it when we are 70, that's a lot betting nothing changes other than the continued price increase on Chanel classic flap.
My point is, when comparison wise, the retail price is so high, I think it is worth to take a look at second hand market. I had bought a couple CMF in New in box and in very good condition from second hand market for great prices, it's not I can't afford the retail prices, but I'm not young enough to bet such big pot of money on one bag, haha. buy from second hand market gives me freedom to resell anytime I want to.
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Which 2 did you keep?
I have 2 vintage CFs (both lambskin) and want to buy 1 or 2 more. I want to make them count, because the prices are a little out of hand now
Considering a medium caviar in black and a light 23P neutral bag, because all of my bags are black.
I love my two medium classic flaps (a chevron black iridescent with ghw and a quilted So Black). Over the years, I found that I always pick a crossbody bag over a shoulder bag. I only wear my mediums on special occasions because I can’t wear them as a crossbody. I would never sell them as they are my favorite bags (even though I don’t wear them often). They are beautiful pieces. I do wear my WOCs, minis, and seasonal flap crossbody more than my medium classics.
I switched to reissues long ago. Since covid SIP, I wore a mini more often than other styles. But, I usually grab an Hermes bag bc I love chanel RTW and don’t want to wear one designer head to toe. If you are really a chanel bag girl, it’s up to you to decide if it’s worth keeping a medium for occasional future use. I will say, as I get older, I do prefer lighter,smaller bags 
There is really no right or wrong decision. It’s however you feel !
ETA: since I do regret releasing some bags, I now keep some as placeholders (against the day, I discover the perfect replacement). This cuts down on impulse purchases that may not be as nice as the item I am contemplating replacing
There is really no right or wrong decision. It’s however you feel !
ETA: since I do regret releasing some bags, I now keep some as placeholders (against the day, I discover the perfect replacement). This cuts down on impulse purchases that may not be as nice as the item I am contemplating replacing
My black M/L in caviar shw is the last M/L in my collection right now. I bought it in 2013 and I probably used it only a handful of times. It still looks brand new! It's like a relic sitting in my closet hoping to get used one day but every time I plan to, I end up reaching for another purse. I would never rehome it though for sentimental reasons.
I never wear mine. I think I used it a handful of times and I purchased it back in 2018 or 2019. I can’t seem to part with it, because it is too expensive to buy again. It sits in my closet. I use my mini square or Chanel seasonal bags more.
I never wear mine either. The more expensive it gets, the less I'm inclined to use it. I get too self-conscious when I wear it out since it's such a recognizable bag nowadays! I mean.. even my husband can recognize a classic flap and he normally has no awareness! 
I sold my WOC and pink medium CF last year but I'm still holding onto my medium black CF in lambskin ghw since I won't be buying it at current prices.
I sold my WOC and pink medium CF last year but I'm still holding onto my medium black CF in lambskin ghw since I won't be buying it at current prices.