VN/ chamonix lovers - Should I or shouldn't I bring this baby home with me?

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#32
Fabfashion said:
I love the look of VN and chamonix but am very faint hearted when it comes to scratches. I got a vintage chamonix Drag last year that was practically new with not a scratch, carried it once and has stored it away ever since for fear of scratching it. This Kelly is beautiful and if you don't mind how this leather wears then go for it! I believe Docride has a thread on VN/barenia and how to care for it. Also, may be H spa can help?
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Totally understand! If this Kelly is in better condition, I would be even scarer to use it ><"

I think for the current scratches, H Spa can help but maybe not with the water mark drops. For the drops maybe need to wait until they turn to beautiful patina I guess :)
 
#33
ouija board said:
This is a gorgeous little Kelly, and I can tell you really like it. Based on that, I'd say get it, but that's just my crazy rationale, lol. The voice of reason asks, will you love the look of a small sellier Kelly (quite dressy no matter the leather) once it has started to darken unevenly and looks a bit "Western", like a well worn saddle? Even without scratches or water spots, it will darken over time (faster with use), and not usually very evenly. That's what I love about VN and Barenia, and that's why I prefer these leathers over Togo or Clemence, which look the same no matter the age. Nothing wrong with that, just not as exciting to me.

As for waterproofing, I guess if that will set your mind at ease about using the bag, then it's worth doing. Personally, I think this Kelly is small enough that it would be simpler to just carry a folded up plastic bag in the pocket, and then tuck the Kelly in that should you be caught in a rain storm. Even with waterproofing, it's not ideal to have the bag exposed in a downpour.

If you have other bags to wear on a daily, workhorse basis, then it might be nice to have this unique and ever changing Kelly for events when you don't want to be carrying the same bag as every other woman in the room. Good luck!
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svenesaes said:
I think ouija board brings up a good point, which is that this 25 sellier Kelly is an inherently dressy bag, so I am not sure that well-worn VN would be a good look in the long run *for this particular bag*. I love the saddle leathers myself, but always ask myself whether the leather choice suits the shape and function of the bag.

For example, I have barenia...in a 35 cm barenia and toile retourne Kelly. I would be less inclined to buy a, say, 28 cm sellier Kelly in barenia. For VN, I think jyyanks' VN Bolide is a perfect combination. Or a VN HAC. All bigger, more casual, "workhorse" bags...for carrying lots of stuff, grabbing to run errands, etc. OTOH, I had a chance to buy a 23 cm VN Constance at a good price, and ultimately declined. The leather did not suit the form and function of the bag, in my mind.

For a cute pristine 25 cm Kelly, I personally would be inclined to stay away from the saddle leathers, and stick with one of my other favorite leathers, box. I also tend to like brighter colors for smaller bags, but that is my personal preference.

In any case, good luck making your decision! :smile1:
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catsinthebag said:
Lots of really good points here. You have to think both about whether you love this combination of leather and style, and also what you will use the bag for. Personally, I love the saddle leathers more on birkins and bolides than Kellys, which always look a bit fancier to me. That said, I own a 32 Kelly in Natural Chamonix. I fell in love with the color, the vibe, and the yellow canvas strap it came with. I also liked the fact that the bag came with some flaws (it's from 1992). I knew if it was pristine I'd be afraid to use it. I have a casual lifestyle and it goes great with jeans. :smile1:



As much as I love that Kelly, there are still many places in my life that I won't bring it, like the animal shelter where I volunteer, and hockey games. If the bag was Togo, I still wouldn't bring it to the shelter, but I might bring it to the occasional sporting event. Maybe.



Like svenasaes said, I personally would rather have a small, dressy Kelly in box, and save the saddle leather for a larger model (32 or 35). But if you love it and will use it, that's all the matters.



Good luck and let us know what you decide!
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Thanks ladies for pointing these out! Very good points here. Never thought of that. Now I need to think harder. [emoji23]

Ouija board, you have a very good point here. I'm not certain if I would love an unevenly darken small sellier. The previous owner seldom use it so the color of the bag now is quite even. And I ve never thought about this issue before. Thanks for pointing this out! I will think about this also. As for the waterproof, I usually carry plastic bag inside as well for the rain, just I'm afraid of the water drop from my drinks or food when carrying this bag so I think maybe waterproofing might help me use it without worrying much. What do you think?e

Svenesaes and catsinthebag, I plan to use this bag as my everyday bag. Do you think it's not suitable? I'm super petite like 4 feet 11 with about 95 pounds so this size on me will look like 28 sellier on most people. I have never had Kelly before so this bag would be my first. I wear lots of jeans as well and prefer if I could use this bag with jeans. I didn't plan to use this as my dressy bag only. What do you think? You think this bag could be my everyday bag for both formal and casual style?
 
#35
Hms_nnttee said:
Thanks ladies for pointing these out! Very good points here. Never thought of that. Now I need to think harder. [emoji23]

Ouija board, you have a very good point here. I'm not certain if I would love an unevenly darken small sellier. The previous owner seldom use it so the color of the bag now is quite even. And I ve never thought about this issue before. Thanks for pointing this out! I will think about this also. As for the waterproof, I usually carry plastic bag inside as well for the rain, just I'm afraid of the water drop from my drinks or food when carrying this bag so I think maybe waterproofing might help me use it without worrying much. What do you think?e

Svenesaes and catsinthebag, I plan to use this bag as my everyday bag. Do you think it's not suitable? I'm super petite like 4 feet 11 with about 95 pounds so this size on me will look like 28 sellier on most people. I have never had Kelly before so this bag would be my first. I wear lots of jeans as well and prefer if I could use this bag with jeans. I didn't plan to use this as my dressy bag only. What do you think? You think this bag could be my everyday bag for both formal and casual style?
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I think it depends on your style and how much you carry. If I'm out and about for a day, I often bring a water bottle and the Kelly doesn't accommodate that very well. A 25 is very small, especially in a sellier, so it will only work for every day if you carry very little. If your style is casual with lots of jeans, I think saddle leathers look great with that. I'm not sure what you mean by formal, but I wouldn't do saddle leathers for very formal events, regardless of the style of bag. Others may disagree, however!

The thing with any Kelly as an every day bag is you have to get used to the clasp. It is fiddly even if you don't do up the straps, so if you're used to, say, an open tote bag for every day, the Kelly can drive you batty, at least at first.

There is a thread on here somewhere called something like Do You Use Your Kelly as an Everyday Bag? I'm sure you can find it if you do a search. It might help.
 
#36
etoupebirkin said:
Though I like Clemence and Togo, my Barenia 35 cm birkin is my most go-to bag. It's not dressy, the more scratches and dings it gets, it looks better with age and use. Textured leathers (like Togo or Clemence) age differently if the corners get worn or they get visible scratches or marks--it looks older without the patina that box or the saddle leathers acquire. I'm more careful with those bags. My collection has both textured and smooth leathers and I use them differently.



I hope this answers your question.
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It does. I can see a bigger picture now. Thank you :)

I'm still in the learning phase. Earlier, all the leathers I had seen and experienced are Togo, Clemence, and Epsom. Now I'm trying to experience new leathers :D
 
#37
LOUKPEACH said:
Go for it!!!
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I'm tempted! Lol

ForeverInPink said:
The way these bags patina is just so divine. Like people and fine wine, they gain depth and dimension as they age, and all the sags, wrinkles and scars tell a story of where they have been and what they have seen.... If only in my imagination, but it is enough :)

Barenia Bolide 31
View attachment 3095438

Chamonix Plume 32
View attachment 3095439
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Beautiful bags! I needed to look at them 3 times! Beautiful.
 
#38
Hms_nnttee said:
Thanks ladies for pointing these out! Very good points here. Never thought of that. Now I need to think harder. [emoji23]

Svenesaes and catsinthebag, I plan to use this bag as my everyday bag. Do you think it's not suitable? I'm super petite like 4 feet 11 with about 95 pounds so this size on me will look like 28 sellier on most people. I have never had Kelly before so this bag would be my first. I wear lots of jeans as well and prefer if I could use this bag with jeans. I didn't plan to use this as my dressy bag only. What do you think? You think this bag could be my everyday bag for both formal and casual style?
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I think for casual style, yes this bag would certainly work, as the more "casual" vibe of the saddle leather would balance out the formality/dressiness of the size and shape. As the VN ages, the color might become more uneven and perhaps "weathered" looking, which might not be suitable for a truly formal occasion.
 
#41
svenesaes said:
I think for casual style, yes this bag would certainly work, as the more "casual" vibe of the saddle leather would balance out the formality/dressiness of the size and shape. As the VN ages, the color might become more uneven and perhaps "weathered" looking, which might not be suitable for a truly formal occasion.
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I agreed!

juliet827 said:
I love this bag! So rare! I vote yes!!!!
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