Thank you to continue amazing BALENCIAGA chat threadContinued from here: The Bbag Chat Room!
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I wear the Gris Aluminum with blacks, grays, blues, reds, pinks, etc. -- it is a RH City and that combination really seems to go with everything, plus adds just the right amount of pop. Anthracite is another great color and it seems to change depending on what you are wearing or what light it is in.
s.tighe thank you! I first fell in love with Balenciaga in 2004 and the neutrals were what caught my eye. It took me nine years to get my first Bal and she's definitely my most prized possession. Even though she was loved for seven years before I got her, I have always been very delicate with my city as if she were brand new. A year later I bought my white twiggy (now she's looking more cream/ivory than white) thinking that would be more of a workhorse but to my surprise, I found that I don't wear her much either for fear of getting her too dirty.
Just a few weeks ago I made a resolution to wear my black city every day so I can start wearing my "heart on my sleeve". If I just leave her at home to oogle over privately and wear some cheap crossbody then no one will know how much I love my Bal.
I'm continually drawn back to the browns like your cigar fonce. Perhaps because I feel like brown leather in general looks great with little wear and with a lot of wear. There's something about brown leather that gets more character as it ages. It probably also has to do with the fact that the browns were the first Bals I lusted over.
I think your comment about feeling comfortable is so important. Even though I carry the most beautiful bag ever created IMO (the RH City of course), I still appreciate understated elegance. I think if I go bright it might be too flashy and thus cause some level of discomfort. I think that a true brown or a brown with red undertones must be the way to go. For the true neutrals, perhaps noix, seigle, cigar fonce or truffle. For the reddish ones I'm thinking sienna, chataigne, 08 charbon or camel/cognac.
Now the search begins! Any thoughts on these colors?
Just a few weeks ago I made a resolution to wear my black city every day so I can start wearing my "heart on my sleeve". If I just leave her at home to oogle over privately and wear some cheap crossbody then no one will know how much I love my Bal.
I'm continually drawn back to the browns like your cigar fonce. Perhaps because I feel like brown leather in general looks great with little wear and with a lot of wear. There's something about brown leather that gets more character as it ages. It probably also has to do with the fact that the browns were the first Bals I lusted over.
I think your comment about feeling comfortable is so important. Even though I carry the most beautiful bag ever created IMO (the RH City of course), I still appreciate understated elegance. I think if I go bright it might be too flashy and thus cause some level of discomfort. I think that a true brown or a brown with red undertones must be the way to go. For the true neutrals, perhaps noix, seigle, cigar fonce or truffle. For the reddish ones I'm thinking sienna, chataigne, 08 charbon or camel/cognac.
Now the search begins! Any thoughts on these colors?
LOL Vintagejess, no sooner do I write that message to you does a Coquelicot GSH in excellent condition pop up on TheREALREAL and suddenly I'm trying to heed my own advice and I'm fretting and wondering if this is a good investment!
The caveat is that I recently bought a 2012 Holiday Hamilton in Coquelicot to replace the RH coquelicot I sold....
Is it too much to have TWO red Citys? Is this bag still a good investment? Can anyone offer advice? Arrggh. Help!! LOL.
Below are pics of the 2011 coq GSH City I'm considering, and the Hamilton Holiday I'm just using for the first time today (looking slightly orange under the office lights... none of us look our best in the office lighting! LOL).
The caveat is that I recently bought a 2012 Holiday Hamilton in Coquelicot to replace the RH coquelicot I sold....
Is it too much to have TWO red Citys? Is this bag still a good investment? Can anyone offer advice? Arrggh. Help!! LOL.
Below are pics of the 2011 coq GSH City I'm considering, and the Hamilton Holiday I'm just using for the first time today (looking slightly orange under the office lights... none of us look our best in the office lighting! LOL).
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Hi! Gosh it's funny I posted the post below before reading your response to my post, and your post is helping me to put things into perspective on the red bags.... my reservation on the 2011 Coq is the hardware. I've always been a RH girl because Balenciaga's understated "rocker" look has always been what appeals to me. I don't care for bags with their brand splashed all over the place. But I'm devastatingly in love with 2011 Coq and most of the ones that come to market have well darkened handles, which I just can't handle (no pun intended!). You seem to think very similarly to me, I would value your input! BTW, I first fell in love with Bal in 2005, but didn't get my first one until 2012, so I completely understand the delayed gratification and the tendency to fawn over these prized possessions. I waited a long time.
Now, on to your next bag! There is currently a very nice looking 2006 Truffle RH City on TheRealReal that has been sitting there for quite some time. It looks to be in nice condition and with a little love and conditioner (either leather honey or balenciaga conditioning creme are my preferences) it could look beautiful at a nice price. The link is here: https://www.therealreal.com/products/women/handbags/satchels/balenciaga-classic-city-39
IMO you can't beat black and brown Balenciaga for the way they wear compared to all other colors. My Cigar Fonce, which was my 2nd Bbag and was used daily for nearly a year, has the prettiest leather of any of my B bags, despite it being from 2013 which was a year a lot of people said they didn't care for the leather. The handles have worn very nicely. I get bugged by overly dirty handles, so I'm super deliberate about the consideration of lighter color bags (btw like your twiggy, my white city has mellowed to a more Ivory color.. I think that's inevitable. I don't use mine too much either, but I like to have it).
It sounds like you're thinking along the right lines! Keep us posted on what you do!
I finally pried this pretty little thing out of my own hands and let it go... would one of you lovely TPFers pretty please buy it so I can stop obsessing? I need it to be gone!
Your Hamilton Holiday is beautiful!! Look at that leather! It looks divine. I would find it hard getting any work done if I had that bag to oogle at. I realized that I have a Wilson-esque relationship with my City like Tom Hanks in Castaway or Wil Forte in Last Man on Earth. I haven't actually started talking to her but I think it probably isn't healthy how frequently I find myself gazing lovingly
Do you have any favorite styles other than the City? I'm wondering about venturing into Part Time territory but I'm afraid it may be too long. I love my twiggy when I'm carrying it on my arm but sometimes I feel that it gets smushed when I use the shoulder strap and I think the PT is actually longer than the twiggy.I finally pried this pretty little thing out of my own hands and let it go... would one of you lovely TPFers pretty please buy it so I can stop obsessing? I need it to be gone!
Ah thank you... I have to say I've been won over by the new Chèvre. So much so that I am saving up for a ME City or (if I can find one) the same 2012 Holiday in black (of course). It has more structure than the Agneau or original Chèvre, but I find it a nice happy medium because I am NOT a structured purse girl. I think it has a really nice weight to it too.
Your reference to Castaway is epic. So true. My purse is always strategically positioned *behind* me in my office. But several times a day I turn around and gaze. I seriously don't know what it is about these bags that goes straight to my brain and just bathes my dopamine receptors. No other handbag has ever done that (thank God it doesn't happen with Hermes or Chanel... I'd be on the street with a few nice bags!).
W/ regard to other styles, my other favorite "carryall" besides the City is the Day. First because I just love hobo style bags. The Day is crazy comfortable to carry on the shoulder and fits A LOT of stuff. Second, for me the Part Time, Work and even Velo are too big. I don't carry that much stuff, and I'm not very tall so I feel they're difficult for me to pull off (though PLENTY of petite gals rock all those styles beautifully, so there again you have the whole comfort thing). My only occasional frustration with the Day is that it can be a little bit tough to find stuff in there because it gets all jumbled up (as with any Hobo style), but I love how nicely it drapes and is a nice hands-free option.
It's actually kind of a relief for me to know my style comfort zones as well as my color comfort zones... it allows me to eliminate bags that might otherwise be tempting!
You are full of great advice! I'm also really glad to hear I'm not the only one with the Wilson-complex. I have so many follow up comments. I hope I'm not bothering the readers on the board. I'm constantly searching things and finding old closed threads so it's great to be having a fun conversation on here. First, I'm also petite so the Day advice is great. My City is definitely my biggest bag by volume so if your thoughts on the PT, velo and work really help. Second, you mentioned leather honey and the bal moisturizer and I know they have been discussed before but I'm curious if you have used both on chevre and agneau or if one is better for one type of leather. I had a wonderful cobbler repair a vintage chanel mini flap for me and he recommended Cadillac conditioner for it and for my balenciaga. Nordstrom said the same thing and honestly the SA at my local Bal boutique was not helpful at all when I was asking of their moisturizer would work on my chevre city. What are your thoughts? Sorry, I have lots of questions!
Hi love! quickly bc I've got all kinds of kids stuff to tend to...
Conditioning is a case by case thing. I try not to use anything at all if possible... I'm a purist and I fear the chemicals in most conditioners. That said sometimes it's inevitable. I've used leather honey in Chevre and the bal creme on agneau. The Chevre bag was badly faded and LH brought the color back beautifully... But it was a dark colored bag and I would use caution it on any brights for fear it would darken the color. The bal creme cleaned up my black city beautifully even though I fear what's in it bc it smells like shie Polish... It IS great for those faded corners and gave my city a nice shine. Neither one left any stickiness or residue which is awesome. A lot of people also seem to love apple garde, but I've never tried it.
Hi all, a question please...I'm looking at a Velo (pre-loved but in great shape). The owner has had the strap shortened, which would actually work to my advantage as I'm only 5'1". How badly does an alteration like that affect value, assuming it's been done well? She's asking $1300, says the bag's been worn only a couple of times...TIA!