I realize I'm occupying a strange space where I love and want to promote ethical clothing brands but at the same time I (somewhat irrationally) love expensive luxury hand bags. I'm the girl who shops at Barney's and Goodwill on the same day (yes I've done that before). But hey, if I love a handbag and use it for years and years then (like I said before), at least it counts as slow fashion. Unfortunately I cannot say that this Gucci chain wallet falls under that category (but fortunately I have a lot of interest from people who are willing to take it off my hands). But anyways I'm getting ahead of myself here. Today I'll be reviewing the differences between my tried and true Chanel Wallet on Chain (WOC) and my relatively new and trendy Gucci Chain Wallet.
First up, the workhorse of my bag collection, the Chanel WOC. This bag is the best compact bag I've ever used. It fits a set of unbulky keys, some lipstick, your phone, and maybe a slim wallet. But it also has card slots and a zippered pocket if you want to go sans wallet (and if you have a non-plus size iphone, you can fit it into the zippered pocket which is a really secure way to carry your phone--especially in a crowded Vegas nightclub where theives literally will steal your phone out of your flap-type bags. Seriously it's happened to 3 of my friends on separate occasions). Though the bag looks tiny, there's a fairly wide gusset (maybe about 1.5 inches or so) and so there is enough space to fit the essentials. There is also a slim pocket near the front that I use to hold tickets or other flat items that need to be readily accessible. I would say the best thing about the WOC is the deep flat zipper pocket that runs the whole length of the purse (which can be accessed by the zipper right above the Chanel emblem). Also if you don't want to wear this cross body, you can slo double up the chain so that it fits neatly under your arm.
I've taken this purse everywhere and it's really held up well. Partially I think because this is caviar leather without the quilted diamonds (lambskin will wear faster since it's more delicate and the quilted diamonds will eventually deflate, making it look more used).
As for the Gucci Dionysus Chain Wallet, well it was an impulse purchase of the worst kind--from overexposure to trends via instagram and blogs. The bag itself isn't bad and in fact it's larger than the Chanel WOC so it does fit quite a bit. There's more card slots than I know what to do with and there's a zippered pouch as well for your phone or other small valuables.
I guess what it comes down to is that I'm not even a fan of Gucci style (usually a 70's over the top kind of style). But I kept seeing it everywhere and that made me want it. And I had a bit of credit so I decided I "deserved' a splurge. But well I never really loved it so I never really used it. And now I know when it comes to bag choices I need to be aware of why I want certain items. I have to ask myself, "do I want this because it fits my style/ fills a gap in my closet/ I have a real need for it/ I can use it in a multitude of ways?" Well that's how it would work in theory anyway, lol.
Ah well, lessons learned I guess. My head still gets turned by bags daily, but at least I'm on this self-imposed shopping ban so I have to slow my roll. I definitely need this spending detox!