FIVE reasons you SHOULDN’T buy the Chanel classic flap bag!
Hello friends! Today I want to do a fun (but true!) post on why you shouldn’t buy the Chanel classic flap bag! I bought this bag around seven years ago and as much as I love it, I’m not sure it’s a bag I would buy again or recommend. It’s beautiful, but it has its drawbacks, which not many people talk about… enter… me! Let’s chat! Also, I made a video, press play!
Cost
Holy moly! This bag is expensive! Like really expensive!!!! When I bought it about 7 years ago, it cost around £4,500. Todays price, it costs around £7,500. That’s a LOT of money. Whilst I don’t deny the price I paid for it was a huge amount, todays price is a lot more! If you look on the preloved market, you can pick them up for closer to the price I paid, but if you are wanting to buy a brand new version, then I would tell you to think very very hard before you part with that much money!
If you do decide to buy a Chanel classic flap on the preloved market, I would recommend eBay’s new guaranteed authentic section, Bonham’s auction house or therealreal. All of which are trusted retailers for preloved Chanel.
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It’s a heavy bag
Whilst a heavy bag is a great sign of its authenticity and high quality, on a practical level it is a lot harder work to carry it around all day! Especially if you really stuff your bag which makes it even heavier. The bag has a lot of internal compartments, a second flap and it’s completely leather lined, which really adds to the weight of the bag.
Not only that, but the strap is long, thick and made of leather and metal. It’s a really heavy chain which really adds to the weight. It’s a beautiful bag, but it’s very heavy, especially when it’s full.
It’s sometimes *too* fabulous
The Chanel Classic flap bag is FABULOUS, especially in a larger size. The only problem is, sometimes it’s too fabulous! Y’know?! It kinda walks in the room before you do and it’s the first thing a lot of people will notice about you. In many ways I LOVE that, but other times it can feel a bit embarrassing.
I have other Chanel bags I never feel embarrassed to take into Aldi or go to the dentist with, like the Wallet on Chain or the Deauville bag. They are just a little more subtle, but the classic flap is a lot more showy and sometimes, just sometimes, it’s a bit too much!
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It doesn’t fit as much inside as you might think!
My Chanel classic flap bag is the jumbo size and it measures 30cm wide by 22cm tall. That’s a good sized bag, however, because of the chunky leather lining, the internal flap and the compartments, it fits a surprisingly small amount inside. So if you are looking for a Mary Poppins bag, this isn’t it! I actually made a video about it – press play above!
The chain isn’t adjustable
This is probably a really obvious one, but I want you to really think about it and how it will fit your body. I am about 5 ft 6 inches and on my chunky frame, I find the jumbo bag is the perfect crossbody length bag, but as a long shoulder bag it feels way too long on me. If the strap is doubled over, that’s a great length, but essentially I have two ways of wearing it, not three: as a crossbody bag or a shorter shoulder bag.
However, if you are much more petite than me, you might find as a crossbody bag it’s still too big on you and it can only be worn as a shorter shoulder bag.
Similarly, the medium sized classic flap bag (arguably the most iconic) is perfect as a long shoulder bag on me and sits WAY to high on me as a crossbody bag. I’ve noticed only really slim petite girls can wear the classic Chanel flap bag as a crossbody bag, and even then it sits REALLY high, so again, it might be sold as three-ways-to-wear, but actually, it’s only really two. As a long shoulder bag or a short shoulder bag.
The only reason I mention it, is if you are a crossbody bag lover, you might want to consider getting the jumbo size bag, rather than the medium sized bag. And vice Versa. Alternatively, you might want to reconsider your bag choice altogether and consider a different bag like the Chanel Wallet On Chain bag which works better on more body types as a crossbody and long shoulder bag.
Finally, I just wanted to mentioned one more thing. In my humble opinion, it is always better to get Chanel bags in the grainy caviar leather where possible. It might not be as soft and tactile as the lamb skin, but it’s a lot more durable and hardwaring. Also, if you come to resell your bag; the caviar leather will hold its value a lot better than the buttery soft lambskin leather as it ages so much better and will show less sign of wear and tear.
Shop Guaranteed Authentic Designers bags at eBay HERE!!!
Watch the video!
Pros & Cons of the Chanel Classic Flap Bag!
PROS: Classic bag, Always in style, Great quality, Good resale value, Timeless, A wonderful heirloom, durable in caviar leather
CONS: Heavy to carry, Expensive, Chain in not adjustable, Small internal space, ‘Showy’
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I hope this post is of help! Thank you for reading my FIVE reasons you SHOULDN’T buy the Chanel classic flap bag! Post. This post contains affiliate links.
