Please help me make a decision on the Shocking PINK!

inesyi

O.G.
Oct 3, 2008
199
0
thanks for all the inputs in the previous thread, you really confirm my decision to get my first Veneta bag!

http://forum.purseblog.com/bottega-veneta/help-newbie-to-choose-her-first-veneta-bag-724589-2.html#post20763713

Today I finally went to the boutique, but I got some really bad news:

I tried both medium and large, and I like large better, even though I am only 5'4 and 105 lbs....and SA also says Large would slouch into a better shape compared to medium, is it true? Unfortunately, they only have Shock in medium size, and I tried Bergdorf, barney's and the website, no where to find....I am so upset and confused, I don't know whether BV does not make this color in large at all or just the U.S stores don't carry it. Is there a way for me to find out?

I did see an orange one in Large in Bergdorf, I think would be my second choice to Shock. It seems pure orange and is similar to OPAL-FIRE, but not sure about the color code, it just says orange on the tag. SA says it is from the previous season but got extended to spring/summer. I still heart Shock way better, but medium size I think makes this bright pink a little TOO CUTE, so I have to make a decision:

1. Search globally to see if there is a Shock in Large size and order it over the phone, if it does not exist(most likely I think it does not) , go with medium, which I consider as a compromise.

2. Get Orange in Large, I have seen several Orange Large Veneta listed on resellers' website New with Tag, pretty close to the Orange I saw in Bergdorf. can someone tell me why orange is easier to find but not PINK?

3. Wait and search around on bays and other websites, to see if there would be any other PINKs available, might be from previous seasons, but it can be risky since I can not see the color IRL.

4. Wait for the boutique to get new colors, SA says there would be a violet one coming out for S/S, but no PINK in anytime soon, not sure if violet would be a good substitute to PINK!


I am really bad at making choices, and I don't want to regret for making the wrong decision since it will be my first BV, please give me some advice! Many thanks!!!
 
thanks for all the inputs in the previous thread, you really confirm my decision to get my first Veneta bag!

http://forum.purseblog.com/bottega-veneta/help-newbie-to-choose-her-first-veneta-bag-724589-2.html#post20763713

Today I finally went to the boutique, but I got some really bad news:

I tried both medium and large, and I like large better, even though I am only 5'4 and 105 lbs....and SA also says Large would slouch into a better shape compared to medium, is it true? Unfortunately, they only have Shock in medium size, and I tried Bergdorf, barney's and the website, no where to find....I am so upset and confused, I don't know whether BV does not make this color in large at all or just the U.S stores don't carry it. Is there a way for me to find out?

I did see an orange one in Large in Bergdorf, I think would be my second choice to Shock. It seems pure orange and is similar to OPAL-FIRE, but not sure about the color code, it just says orange on the tag. SA says it is from the previous season but got extended to spring/summer. I still heart Shock way better, but medium size I think makes this bright pink a little TOO CUTE, so I have to make a decision:

1. Search globally to see if there is a Shock in Large size and order it over the phone, if it does not exist(most likely I think it does not) , go with medium, which I consider as a compromise.

2. Get Orange in Large, I have seen several Orange Large Veneta listed on resellers' website New with Tag, pretty close to the Orange I saw in Bergdorf. can someone tell me why orange is easier to find but not PINK?

3. Wait and search around on bays and other websites, to see if there would be any other PINKs available, might be from previous seasons, but it can be risky since I can not see the color IRL.

4. Wait for the boutique to get new colors, SA says there would be a violet one coming out for S/S, but no PINK in anytime soon, not sure if violet would be a good substitute to PINK!


I am really bad at making choices, and I don't want to regret for making the wrong decision since it will be my first BV, please give me some advice! Many thanks!!!
Neiman Marcus has the large Veneta available in Shock on their website...
 
Yay! If you like the large, go for it. I have a friend who is 5'6", and quite thin. She rocks the Maxi. Please post some pictures when your bag arrives.
 
Get the large in Shock--it sounds like it's around and that it's your first choice by far. When you're spending this much money on a bag, why compromise on the size or the color?

As for your question about whether it is true that the large will slouch into a "better shape," it's a matter of opinion. I am 5'2" and slim (though not as rail-thin as you--I'm about 110 right now), and I carry both the medium and the large, and I love them both. They both slouch nicely, but due to their sizes, of course they look different. The medium is more dressy for me because it sits higher on the body, so I can wear it with business attire. It's a more ladylike shape for me, but I've also used it on weekends with jeans. The large is strictly casual for me because it's more hip-slung on my petite self--it wouldn't look as good on me as the medium if I were wearing a business suit or a dress (would be different if I were taller, I guess).
 
I have not placed the order yet, just curious, which size holds it shape better? I don't think an extremely slouchy one would be a good showcase for bright pink, that's the only thing I worry about the Large size. I actually like how it looks like when it is new, a bit stiff but structural around my shoulder.

Get the large in Shock--it sounds like it's around and that it's your first choice by far. When you're spending this much money on a bag, why compromise on the size or the color?

As for your question about whether it is true that the large will slouch into a "better shape," it's a matter of opinion. I am 5'2" and slim (though not as rail-thin as you--I'm about 110 right now), and I carry both the medium and the large, and I love them both. They both slouch nicely, but due to their sizes, of course they look different. The medium is more dressy for me because it sits higher on the body, so I can wear it with business attire. It's a more ladylike shape for me, but I've also used it on weekends with jeans. The large is strictly casual for me because it's more hip-slung on my petite self--it wouldn't look as good on me as the medium if I were wearing a business suit or a dress (would be different if I were taller, I guess).
 
I have not placed the order yet, just curious, which size holds it shape better? I don't think an extremely slouchy one would be a good showcase for bright pink, that's the only thing I worry about the Large size. I actually like how it looks like when it is new, a bit stiff but structural around my shoulder.

In my opinion, there's not a simple answer to your question. I think that how much a Veneta slouches/holds its original shape depends on a few different things:

1) how much stuff you put inside your bag: regardless of size, a Veneta will be weighed by its contents, softening the leather. If it's a large and you don't put much weight in it, it might hold its shape better than a medium would (because the medium would be proportionally fuller--this is just a guess). There are some on the forum who like to exaggerate the slouch right away and deliberately weigh down their bags with soup cans, etc., but I don't do that. I let my bags soften naturally.

2) how often you carry the bag, age of the bag: if it's nappa, it's going to soften. That's its nature--it's a very soft leather with little structure. This is considered an asset to many--you might read of some bags "puddling" to the floor because they have softened with use. Please do not expect a nappa Veneta to have the same like-new stiffness for very long if you intend to carry the bag on a regular basis. Whether it's a medium or a large Veneta, it will eventually show softening of the leather if you use it. But again, if you don't heavily weigh down your bag or don't carry it every single day, you might be able to avoid having "extreme" slouch happen to your bag.

3) whether you apply leather conditioners to the bag: my BV SAs tend to discourage applying anything to the leather, anyway, but I mention this if you're accustomed to conditioning your bags often. Just like hair conditioner can make the hair limp, nappa will become limp, too.

(4) characteristics intrinisic to your particular bag: in my experience, some of my nappa BVs seem softer than others when brand new. This could be due to how the leather reacts with certain dyes, or due to merely being different pieces of leather. It's been luck of the draw.

5) whether you use a purse insert, such as the Purse to Go: I find that these help balance the contents of the bag and gives the bag some structure, so no sagging occurs.

For what it's worth, I've had my medium Veneta for about 2 years or more, I've used it well, but I don't carry a ton with me. It's soft and has a slouch, but it's not saggy at all and still looks great. I've had my large Veneta for less than a year, I think. It started out stiffer and it remains stiffer, I guess because it's newer but also because I fill it with proportionally less stuff than with the Veneta (same contents carried in each bag, but because the bag is bigger, it takes more weight to cause a slouch, and I just don't carry that much).

Hope this helps, and good luck!
 
I don't carry a lot in my bag, I don't even think I can fill the medium size. but I am still more partial to large simply because it looks nicer on me for it is more "Plump", Lol~~but I know neither would keep its shape, I assumed Medium would hold better because it is smaller, it would tend to balance the weight of contents given its limited space, maybe I am wrong, as you said large takes more weight to slouch.

In my opinion, there's not a simple answer to your question. I think that how much a Veneta slouches/holds its original shape depends on a few different things:

1) how much stuff you put inside your bag: regardless of size, a Veneta will be weighed by its contents, softening the leather. If it's a large and you don't put much weight in it, it might hold its shape better than a medium would (because the medium would be proportionally fuller--this is just a guess). There are some on the forum who like to exaggerate the slouch right away and deliberately weigh down their bags with soup cans, etc., but I don't do that. I let my bags soften naturally.

2) how often you carry the bag, age of the bag: if it's nappa, it's going to soften. That's its nature--it's a very soft leather with little structure. This is considered an asset to many--you might read of some bags "puddling" to the floor because they have softened with use. Please do not expect a nappa Veneta to have the same like-new stiffness for very long if you intend to carry the bag on a regular basis. Whether it's a medium or a large Veneta, it will eventually show softening of the leather if you use it. But again, if you don't heavily weigh down your bag or don't carry it every single day, you might be able to avoid having "extreme" slouch happen to your bag.

3) whether you apply leather conditioners to the bag: my BV SAs tend to discourage applying anything to the leather, anyway, but I mention this if you're accustomed to conditioning your bags often. Just like hair conditioner can make the hair limp, nappa will become limp, too.

(4) characteristics intrinisic to your particular bag: in my experience, some of my nappa BVs seem softer than others when brand new. This could be due to how the leather reacts with certain dyes, or due to merely being different pieces of leather. It's been luck of the draw.

5) whether you use a purse insert, such as the Purse to Go: I find that these help balance the contents of the bag and gives the bag some structure, so no sagging occurs.

For what it's worth, I've had my medium Veneta for about 2 years or more, I've used it well, but I don't carry a ton with me. It's soft and has a slouch, but it's not saggy at all and still looks great. I've had my large Veneta for less than a year, I think. It started out stiffer and it remains stiffer, I guess because it's newer but also because I fill it with proportionally less stuff than with the Veneta (same contents carried in each bag, but because the bag is bigger, it takes more weight to cause a slouch, and I just don't carry that much).

Hope this helps, and good luck!
 
I don't carry a lot in my bag, I don't even think I can fill the medium size. but I am still more partial to large simply because it looks nicer on me for it is more "Plump", Lol~~but I know neither would keep its shape, I assumed Medium would hold better because it is smaller, it would tend to balance the weight of contents given its limited space, maybe I am wrong, as you said large takes more weight to slouch.

I still think you should get the large simply because it is the one you want. Yes, maybe the medium can balance the contents better, and yes, maybe the large would take more weight to slouch. An argument can be made either way that one could possibly hold its shape better than the other--but really, what does it matter if you don't absolutely adore the bag even when it's brand new?

It sounds to me that you're trying to choose based on what might possibly happen, but I see it this way. You're either going to get the bag you love right now (the large) and might regret it later if (a big "if") it doesn't end up slouching to your liking. OR you're going to get the one you don't really like as much on yourself (the medium), and you still might regret it later if it doesn't end up slouching to your liking.

The way I see it, you might as well be happy with your choice now, and don't fret so much over how it might look over time. Yes, treat your bag with ordinary good care (don't trash it or anything!), but what will happen with time will happen. What's the use spending that kind of money on something that's already not quite what you really want? Either get the one you really want, or just save the money for something down the road that gives you more confidence in your decision. I do think you might be making this harder than it needs to be ;) Good night!
 
....and one more thing. If you can manage it, perhaps the best way is for you to try out the bag from Neiman Marcus online, if none of your local stores have it--make sure that you can return it if you don't like it. There are some bags that look better to my eye in the medium versus large, and vice versa, depending on the particular color.

Then you can assess for yourself whether you'll be happy with the shape now, and over time.
 
I think you're over thinking this a bit. I suggest you look through the BV celebrity thread. You'll see how BV bags in general hold up to use (and abuse) and many instances of Medium and Large Veneta being carried in various states of slouchiness. Renee Zellweger is pictured with a large veneta on post #3, Reese Witherspoon with a (newish) Medium on post #19, and Sarah Jessica Parker with a hot pink bag on post #25, and that's just the first two pages. These women probably are close to your build so you'll have an idea how the bags would look on you. As you're in Manhattan, I would bet you encounter quite a few in your daily life as well.

Also since you want "plump", soft but not too slouchy, did you try the Belly Veneta? The store displays are usually nicely softened from customer handling. When you tried the bags on, did you put your things in there?

Here is the medium veneta on Reese Witherspoon:

when it was fairly new, i would guess
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and broken in
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I think I was over-thinking a bit and now I realize I craved for a large one so much is because it was not where to be found in Shock when I was so ready to purchase.

Today I went to Bergdorf again and I know they would get both sizes in Shock soon, I would wait to see them both and make a decision. And I tried again today, now I am leaning to medium for my build, though large one is "Cooler"~~I have been swaying back and forth, hope I can make up my mind when I see the Large IRL~~~

....and one more thing. If you can manage it, perhaps the best way is for you to try out the bag from Neiman Marcus online, if none of your local stores have it--make sure that you can return it if you don't like it. There are some bags that look better to my eye in the medium versus large, and vice versa, depending on the particular color.

Then you can assess for yourself whether you'll be happy with the shape now, and over time.
 
I think I was over-thinking a bit and now I realize I craved for a large one so much is because it was not where to be found in Shock when I was so ready to purchase.

Today I went to Bergdorf again and I know they would get both sizes in Shock soon, I would wait to see them both and make a decision. And I tried again today, now I am leaning to medium for my build, though large one is "Cooler"~~I have been swaying back and forth, hope I can make up my mind when I see the Large IRL~~~

I'm sure you'll know it when you see and compare them both. Really, I'm sure it will be a lot easier than agonizing over it sight unseen (I get this way sometimes, because I don't have much access to BV where I live).

My last words of advice when you go: wear an outfit that represents what you'd wear when using the bag, and try putting your own things inside the bag to see how the leather drapes. Good luck!