# Looking for My First Balenciaga



## andral5

So, this year I was thinking that for my birthday I might deserve a nice Balenciaga that I’ve been loving for so long. With the money spent on many other contemporary designers’ bags, I could’ve had a nice Bbags collection by now.
I am not sure which of the City/Work Moto bags I want the most, I like many of them and the choice is very difficult. I hope to find some guidance here.

I would like to wear my Bbag on my shoulder as I like to have my hands free. I am also looking for a red one for the beginning, followed probably by a blue/teal/turquoise one. I am looking at the pre-loved ones, not a big fan of the new models I’ve seen online.

If moderators would help moving a few of the most recent posts in the authentication thread here, I would very much appreciate their help.


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## andral5

Which of the ways to wear your Bals seems the most comfortable to you? Would a medium/large Work carried on the arm be too heavy? 

Which of the hardware styles is more appealing in person: the classic or the giant? I kind of like the giant but I think it might be too overwhelming in person.


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## atlantis1982

I have a few Works and I don't find them too heavy carried on the arm (and I tend to carry a lot!).  
As for hardware, I personally prefer regular hardware, but I seem to be in the minority as giant hardware is very popular.  It's really up to personal preference.


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## andral5

atlantis1982 said:


> I have a few Works and I don't find them too heavy carried on the arm (and I tend to carry a lot!).
> As for hardware, I personally prefer regular hardware, but I seem to be in the minority as giant hardware is very popular.  It's really up to personal preference.


Thank you for the input, atlantis1982!  I know it's a matter of preference, so I might go with the classic hardware for my first Bbag, instead of being not-very-pleasantly-surprised by too large of a hardware in the Giant style.
Wearing large and very large bags on my shoulder or crossbody (for some) kinda took a toll on them, and I feel like hurting when I try now to do that, so I end up carrying them by the handles instead of using the shoulder strap.


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## andral5

What's your opinion of the suede city? I always loved suede bags and shoes but unfortunately, they don't wear as well as leather. I found a few gorgeous and in great condition suede Balenciagas but am afraid that they will get wear and tear signs pretty fast. Any thoughts on this, please?


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> Thank you for the input, atlantis1982!  I know it's a matter of preference, so I might go with the classic hardware for my first Bbag, instead of being not-very-pleasantly-surprised by too large of a hardware in the Giant style.
> Wearing large and very large bags on my shoulder or crossbody (for some) kinda took a toll on them, and I feel like hurting when I try now to do that, so I end up carrying them by the handles instead of using the shoulder strap.


I love giant HW but keep in mind it's heavier than RH.


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## Vanilla Bean

The City is not known for being a good shoulder carry bag and that was definitely my experience. It doesn't hold its shape well and the strap falls off the shoulder. I really like the Velo for shoulder and cross-body wear.


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## andral5

muchstuff said:


> I love giant HW but keep in mind it's heavier than RH.


Good point! And important to think about when choosing.


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## andral5

Vanilla Bean said:


> The City is not known for being a good shoulder carry bag and that was definitely my experience. It doesn't hold its shape well and the strap falls off the shoulder. I really like the Velo for shoulder and cross-body wear.


Oh yeah, I have a Velo on my short list! Too bad the strap falls off the shoulder; this happens to me with almost every bag (and bras too) because my shoulders are not big enough.


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> Oh yeah, I have a Velo on my short list! Too bad the strap falls off the shoulder; this happens to me with almost every bag (and bras too) because my shoulders are not big enough.


I don't find the Velo strap to be one that falls off the shoulder personally.


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## andral5

Thank you! I am still torn between Velo which is on the larger side size-wise and one of the medium sizes (not minis, I don't really wear mini bags). On one hand I love larger bags, on the other hand, that's why I'm looking for a medium size for now, because most of my bags in my collection are large or very large.


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## andral5

Would you buy a Balenciaga City without the mirror but with the strap included? Condition is great/very good but it's missing the mirror. Not that I use a mirror very often, but for the money paid, I'd expect it to have all the accessories. No dustbag either.


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> Would you buy a Balenciaga City without the mirror but with the strap included? Condition is great/very good but it's missing the mirror. Not that I use a mirror very often, but for the money paid, I'd expect it to have all the accessories. No dustbag either.


I've bought lots without the mirror, it doesn't bother me personally.


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## atlantis1982

Depends on how rare the color is and how good the price is.  
The lack of a dustbag doesn't really bother me; some resellers include a non-logo dustbag, but even without one I don't consider it a dealbreaker.


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## andral5

muchstuff said:


> I've bought lots without the mirror, it doesn't bother me personally.


Oh, that’s great! This helps me decide because functionally, I wouldn’t mind since I have a few nice purse mirrors to switch among bags. And indeed, this is a minor thing compared to the condition of the bag as a whole.


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## andral5

atlantis1982 said:


> Depends on how rare the color is and how good the price is.
> The lack of a dustbag doesn't really bother me; some resellers include a non-logo dustbag, but even without one I don't consider it a dealbreaker.


Yes, the dustbags are not really a must. I usually keep my bags in their dustbags but for those that came without one, I have some big fabric bags in which our big memory foam pillows came, and I kept them for this exact purpose. So yes, the lack of a dustbag is not a major thing.


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> Oh, that’s great! This helps me decide because functionally, I wouldn’t mind since I have a few nice purse mirrors. And indeed, this is a minor thing compared to the condition of the bag as a whole.


I tend to look at the bag itself and am not fussed if some of the accessories are missing, I can understand mirrors and dust bags getting lost/misplaced with pre-loved bags.


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## andral5

muchstuff said:


> I tend to look at the bag itself and am not fussed if some of the accessories are missing, I can understand mirrors and dust bags getting lost/misplaced with pre-loved bags.


It makes sense, especially for beauties of that age.


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## andral5

Regarding the beautiful blue I asked about in the authentication thread: now that you told me it’s a giant brief, I googled its measurements and it seems to be giant indeed. I might pass on it. But that blue!…. On the other hand, I’m afraid it looks great in photos and it might be a bit disappointing in person. The seller just got back to me about the pics: they’re in the middle of a move, and everything is packed now but she’ll have it out of storage/unpacked in a week or two. We’ll see then. Thank you again for your patience and help, @muchstuff!


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## andral5

I found a YT channel of a designer guy who has a lot of videos about Bbags. Among the features to look for in an authentic bag, he mentions the knot of the handle stitching that should be visible under the rivet. Going back to some of my faves on different websites (such as ReBag, Fashionpile, Yoogi’s Closet, etc.) I noticed that the knot is not visible in all the bags. Is this only for some bags, for a certain period?


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> Regarding the beautiful blue I asked about in the authentication thread: now that you told me it’s a giant brief, I googled its measurements and it seems to be giant indeed. I might pass on it. But that blue!…. On the other hand, I’m afraid it looks great in photos and it might be a bit disappointing in person. The seller just got back to me about the pics: they’re in the middle of a move, and everything is packed now but she’ll have it out of storage/unpacked in a week or two. We’ll see then. Thank you again for your patience and help, @muchstuff!


Good luck deciding!


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> I found a YT channel of a designer guy who has a lot of videos about Bbags. Among the features to look for in an authentic bag, he mentions the knot of the handle stitching that should be visible under the rivet. Going back to some of my faves on different websites (such as ReBag, Fashionpile, Yoogi’s Closet, etc.) I noticed that the knot is not visible in all the bags. Is this only for some bags, for a certain period?


Yeah it’s not a detail you need to concern yourself about, there are other more reliable things to look for.


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## andral5

muchstuff said:


> Good luck deciding!





muchstuff said:


> Yeah it’s not a detail you need to concern yourself about, there are other more reliable things to look for.


Thank you so much! [relieved sigh] Hope I’ll make a decision soon.


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> Thank you so much! [relieved sigh] Hope I’ll make a decision soon.


Have you looked through the reference section and the clubhouse? You can check out colours and styles there.


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## andral5

muchstuff said:


> Have you looked through the reference section and the clubhouse? You can check out colours and styles there.


Thank you, yes, I went through the references. Don’t know about the clubhouse; I’ll look over there now.


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## andral5

What’s up with so many sellers form Japan that offer Balenciagas city and variations? Are those bags even authentic? It seems as they flooded eBay, they come up in huge numbers at first, when searching, before applying any filters.


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> What’s up with so many sellers form Japan that offer Balenciagas city and variations? Are those bags even authentic? It seems as they flooded eBay, they come up in huge numbers at first, when searching, before applying any filters.


There have always been Japanese sellers on eBay, although there are some now that I don't recognize. l'm not saying you'll never see a non-authentic item but from what I understand Japan has some pretty strict rules regarding the selling of fakes.


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## atlantis1982

Unfortunately, it's a mix of real and fake (mostly real, but some bad fakes slip through.)  Like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/175221776312?hash=item28cc081fb8:g:szgAAOSwXtFiRRIa
Awful fake, and from a reseller with quite a few sales.  
I've also noticed a lot of the bags tend to be quite faded/beat up.  This poor bag!:


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## muchstuff

atlantis1982 said:


> Unfortunately, it's a mix of real and fake (mostly real, but some bad fakes slip through.)  Like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/175221776312?hash=item28cc081fb8:g:szgAAOSwXtFiRRIa
> Awful fake, and from a reseller with quite a few sales.
> I've also noticed a lot of the bags tend to be quite faded/beat up.  This poor bag!:
> View attachment 5371784


There are a lot more Japanese sellers than there used to be. I used to buy from Brandjfa (they used to be one of the main sellers) and always had good experiences with them. Bags were always better than listed, but photos were never very good.


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## andral5

muchstuff said:


> There have always been Japanese sellers on eBay, although there are some now that I don't recognize. l'm not saying you'll never see a non-authentic item but from what I understand Japan has some pretty strict rules regarding the selling of fakes.


Of course they are, from any and all countries. I was just surprised how, at a first search, there were so many coming from there. I also was not aware how strict Japan is vis-a-vis of selling counterfeit merchandise. Good to know! Thank you!


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## andral5

atlantis1982 said:


> Unfortunately, it's a mix of real and fake (mostly real, but some bad fakes slip through.)  Like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/175221776312?hash=item28cc081fb8:g:szgAAOSwXtFiRRIa
> Awful fake, and from a reseller with quite a few sales.
> I've also noticed a lot of the bags tend to be quite faded/beat up.  This poor bag!:
> View attachment 5371784


Wow, indeed, this kind of bag is good only as a restoration project... and only if it goes cheap.


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> Of course they are, from any and all countries. I was just surprised how, at a first search, there were so many coming from there. I also was not aware how strict Japan is vis-a-vis of selling counterfeit merchandise. Good to know! Thank you!


I’m only quoting what I’ve read, there are others who have said that there are lots of fakes. How you square those two circles I don’t know, one would think the laws, if strict, would apply to all.


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## andral5

muchstuff said:


> I’m only quoting what I’ve read, there are others who have said that there are lots of fakes. How you square those two circles I don’t know, one would think the laws, if strict, would apply to all.


I, personally, filtered for shipping only from the US. It’s also faster. Of course, I still need to keep my eyes wide open for possible fakes.


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## ksuromax

my 2 cents,
i have a few Cities, 2 Works, 2 Weekenders and a bunch of Days
City is hardly possible to wear over the shoulder by the handles, but very nicely is by the arm, which i usually do, or, i use the shoulder strap (just push back the weight distributing pad) if i need to be hands-free
Work fits over the shoulder, but it's not convenient, imho, as it sits very high (and from the perspective of antiperspirant, sweat, body lotion, etc) i believe it will be very prone to soiling very soon in the area where it will be in contact with the skin
Weekender fits, but it's huge and i would not consider wearing it that way, mine are usually used on weekend getaways and get packed up to the brim, so no shoulder wear there
Days are the best for shoulder wear. They have generous drop, easy to get in and out, some say they are black holes, but it really depends on your preference, i personally hate rigid bottomed-bags and cannot stand anything bulky under my arm, besides i'm using pouches and have no any problem finding my stuff in the Day bag. The handle is very comfortable, not digging, and not slipping off either.
i did a few cross-brand/cross-style comparisons, have a look, maybe some pix will be helpful for you 





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						Everyday tote S, City and Day
					

Hello :flowers:  My new Everyday tote turned out to be a very good and handy bag, perfect for work and easy to carry!  I am comparing it to the most popular bags, regular size City and Day hobo.  Personal impression is it's very close to Day because of NS layout. A bit more structured, and no...




					forum.purseblog.com
				







__





						Style - BV and Cross-brand style Comparison
					

Good day to all :)  Recently I have purchased my lovely China Blue cervo bag, and i really like it and wear quite frequently, i am getting questions about the bag so i decided to make a comparison. I've picked my most used and loved styles, Cervo hobo and Balenciaga Day. Hope you will enjoy the...




					forum.purseblog.com


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## andral5

ksuromax said:


> my 2 cents,
> i have a few Cities, 2 Works, 2 Weekenders and a bunch of Days
> City is hardly possible to wear over the shoulder by the handles, but very nicely is by the arm, which i usually do, or, i use the shoulder strap (just push back the weight distributing pad) if i need to be hands-free
> Work fits over the shoulder, but it's not convenient, imho, as it sits very high (and from the perspective of antiperspirant, sweat, body lotion, etc) i believe it will be very prone to soiling very soon in the area where it will be in contact with the skin
> Weekender fits, but it's huge and i would not consider wearing it that way, mine are usually used on weekend getaways and get packed up to the brim, so no shoulder wear there
> Days are the best for shoulder wear. They have generous drop, easy to get in and out, some say they are black holes, but it really depends on your preference, i personally hate rigid bottomed-bags and cannot stand anything bulky under my arm, besides i'm using pouches and have no any problem finding my stuff in the Day bag. The handle is very comfortable, not digging, and not slipping off either.
> i did a few cross-brand/cross-style comparisons, have a look, maybe some pix will be helpful for you
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> __
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Everyday tote S, City and Day
> 
> 
> Hello :flowers:  My new Everyday tote turned out to be a very good and handy bag, perfect for work and easy to carry!  I am comparing it to the most popular bags, regular size City and Day hobo.  Personal impression is it's very close to Day because of NS layout. A bit more structured, and no...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> forum.purseblog.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> __
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Style - BV and Cross-brand style Comparison
> 
> 
> Good day to all :)  Recently I have purchased my lovely China Blue cervo bag, and i really like it and wear quite frequently, i am getting questions about the bag so i decided to make a comparison. I've picked my most used and loved styles, Cervo hobo and Balenciaga Day. Hope you will enjoy the...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> forum.purseblog.com


Thank you much, @ksuromax, I will read the links thoroughly! This is so helpful!


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## andral5

So, for my bday I pulled the trigger and got… 2 Bbags! A red City and a blue Giant Brief. I am in heaven now but I will “receive” them as bday gifts in about 2 weeks, yay!
Thank you so much for all the advice and huge help with the authentication!


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> So, for my bday I pulled the trigger and got… 2 Bbags! A red City and a blue Giant Brief. I am in heaven now but I will “receive” them as bday gifts in about 2 weeks, yay!
> Thank you so much for all the advice and huge help with the authentication!


Which red did you get?


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## andral5

muchstuff said:


> Which red did you get?











						Balenciaga Coquelicot Lambskin Leather Motorcycle City Bag
					

Get the bag that is coveted by celebrities everywhere! This gorgeous Balenciaga Lambskin Leather Motorcycle City Bag has a chic shape that is made of beautiful distressed leather with incredible hardware stud details. It also has a detachable shoulder strap for those non-toting days and a...




					www.yoogiscloset.com
				




I was not sure how vivid it will be since I’m not familiar with their colors and shades but it is a per-fect red for how I wanted my first Balenciaga to be! The blue one came a couple of days later than the red.

Would it be too much to get them both as birthday gifts? Should I keep the blue for Mother’s Day?


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## atlantis1982

andral5 said:


> Balenciaga Coquelicot Lambskin Leather Motorcycle City Bag
> 
> 
> Get the bag that is coveted by celebrities everywhere! This gorgeous Balenciaga Lambskin Leather Motorcycle City Bag has a chic shape that is made of beautiful distressed leather with incredible hardware stud details. It also has a detachable shoulder strap for those non-toting days and a...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.yoogiscloset.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was not sure how vivid it will be since I’m not familiar with their colors and shades but it is a per-fect red for how I wanted my first Balenciaga to be! The blue one came a couple of days later than the red.
> 
> Would it be too much to get them both as birthday gifts? Should I keep the blue for Mother’s Day?


But you're going to need something for your Easter basket....


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## andral5

I have some new clothing for that  Hope they’ll work well with my new-to-me Balenciagas. Although, I usually use my bags as color accent without matching them with what I wear.


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> Balenciaga Coquelicot Lambskin Leather Motorcycle City Bag
> 
> 
> Get the bag that is coveted by celebrities everywhere! This gorgeous Balenciaga Lambskin Leather Motorcycle City Bag has a chic shape that is made of beautiful distressed leather with incredible hardware stud details. It also has a detachable shoulder strap for those non-toting days and a...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.yoogiscloset.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was not sure how vivid it will be since I’m not familiar with their colors and shades but it is a per-fect red for how I wanted my first Balenciaga to be! The blue one came a couple of days later than the red.
> 
> Would it be too much to get them both as birthday gifts? Should I keep the blue for Mother’s Day?


I had a coquelicot First from the same season, here are some pics. To my eye it skews a bit orange but others say it's a true red...


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## andral5

muchstuff said:


> I had a coquelicot First from the same season, here are some pics. To my eye it skews a bit orange but others say it's a true red...
> 
> View attachment 5374928
> 
> 
> View attachment 5374930


It might change with the lighting. Either way, it is a beautiful red.

Now, I will have to look for a burgundy/wine or at least a very dark red, which is my favorite color.

Maybe for Christmas…


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> It might change with the lighting. Either way, it is a beautiful red.
> 
> Now, I will have to look for a burgundy/wine or at least a very dark red, which is my favorite color.
> 
> Maybe for Christmas…


Pretty much every colour changes depending on lighting, drives me crazy trying to figure out what colour we're dealing with on some listings.


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## andral5

In your opinion, would it be safer to choose an Eggplant from Posh or a Raisin from one of the other well-known consignment websites? I can't remember exactly which, could've been Yoogi's or FP. I'll have to check my favorite lists on all of them; could even be on TRR. But which one do you think is more reliable? The Eggplant one is a divine color but is about 40% more expensive than the Raisin one, and maybe in a tiny bit better condition (but the pics on posh are not always the best, aren't they?).
Thank you for any input.


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> In your opinion, would it be safer to choose an Eggplant from Posh or a Raisin from one of the other well-known consignment websites? I can't remember exactly which, could've been Yoogi's or FP. I'll have to check my favorite lists on all of them; could even be on TRR. But which one do you think is more reliable? The Eggplant one is a divine color but is about 40% more expensive than the Raisin one, and maybe in a tiny bit better condition (but the pics on posh are not always the best, aren't they?).
> Thank you for any input.


Eggplant is much harder to find and if in good condition the leather is wonderfully soft. I’d run it by the AT thread though. Posh has a lot of fakes.


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## andral5

Now, that I got my bday present  from my children - the long-awaited beautiful red Bbag, I have a question: is the leather usually so thin and maybe not as soft as expected? I compared the leather of the new-to-me coquelicot red Bbag with other (contemporary) designers (some from their collection lines) bags I have and none feels so thin and paper-y. I love it so much regardless of how the leather feels if this is the way Balenciaga leather is. I guess I was just surprised. I’ve heard a lot on YT how smooshy the leather can be so not feeling it that way may be why I was a bit surprised.


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## atlantis1982

andral5 said:


> Now, that I got my bday present  from my children - the long-awaited beautiful red Bbag, I have a question: is the leather usually so thin and maybe not as soft as expected? I compared the leather of the new-to-me coquelicot red Bbag with other (contemporary) designers (some from their collection lines) bags I have and none feels so thin and paper-y. I love it so much regardless of how the leather feels if this is the way Balenciaga leather is. I guess I was just surprised. I’ve heard a lot on YT how smooshy the leather can be so not feeling it that way may be why I was a bit surprised.
> 
> View attachment 5384479
> View attachment 5384480


The feel of the leather tends to vary by season, but that being said it is very thin.  Once it gets more broken-in the leather does tend to soften up more, IME.  (And of course the real oldies with chevre take the prize for softness and smooshiness.)


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## muchstuff

atlantis1982 said:


> The feel of the leather tends to vary by season, but that being said it is very thin.  Once it gets more broken-in the leather does tend to soften up more, IME.  (And of course the real oldies with chevre take the prize for softness and smooshiness.)



@andral5 added to Atlantis1982's comments is the fact that some of the contemporary bags you're looking at may be calfskin. Agneau is thinner than either chevre or calf. But it will soften up, maybe it just wasn't used much.


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## muchstuff

.


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## andral5

Thank you both so much for explaining! Indeed, this is a 2011 in like new condition - that is why I got it in the first place, barely any signs of wear. Maybe the handles show some darkening and a couple more spots mot very visible anyway, showing some wear. So, it needs some break in! My excuse to use it exclusively for a good while


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> Thank you both so much for explaining! Indeed, this is a 2011 in like new condition - that is why I got it in the first place, barely any signs of wear. Maybe the handles show some darkening and a couple more spots mot very visible anyway, showing some wear. So, it needs some break in! My excuse to use it exclusively for a good while


Enjoy!


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## andral5

muchstuff said:


> Enjoy!


Much thanks! Will do.


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## andral5

Would it help the leather to condition it? I can take pics folding it in some areas to see if it looks dry or not.
Thank you.


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> Would it help the leather to condition it? I can take pics folding it in some areas to see if it looks dry or not.
> Thank you.


You could try Leather CPR. They give you instructions on how to break in and soften leather on the container. I've done it and it worked for me.


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## andral5

muchstuff said:


> You could try Leather CPR. They give you instructions on how to break in and soften leather on the container. I've done it and it worked for me.


That sounds great, thank you! We have that for boys’ motorcycle riding gear and they love it.


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> That sounds great, thank you! We have that for boys’ motorcycle riding gear and they love it.


I’ve always been happy with the results.


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## andral5

muchstuff said:


> I’ve always been happy with the results.


So, they didn’t name it Leather CPR for nothing.


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## andral5

I was wondering, ladies who love bigger bags and/or carry lots of stuff in your bags, did you own a First or it’s too small for you? I love how they look but am afraid my regular stuff won’t fot in it. Thank you for your input and if you also have photos wearing your Firsts.


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> I was wondering, ladies who love bigger bags and/or carry lots of stuff in your bags, did you own a First or it’s too small for you? I love how they look but am afraid my regular stuff won’t fot in it. Thank you for your input and if you also have photos wearing your Firsts.


I love big bags and have had several Firsts, only to resell. I don’t carry a ton and could probably use a smaller wallet and get rid of a few items, but that’s not the way I roll, I hate playing Tetris with my stuff. @fayden how about your opinion? You love your Firsts! Could you do a bag spill?


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## andral5

muchstuff said:


> I love big bags and have had several Firsts, only to resell. I don’t carry a ton and could probably use a smaller wallet and get rid of a few items, but that’s not the way I roll, I hate playing Tetris with my stuff. @fayden how about your opinion? You love your Firsts! Could you do a bag spill?


Ahhhh, my thoughts exactly!! 

Indeed, I could go out during the pandemic lockdown with only a Rebecca Minkoff Love (not the small) because we weren't going anywhere far or for a long time. But now, after not getting out of the RM Love for more than a year and a half, I'd rather put her on a well-deserved break and go back to how I'm used to going out, with things that I (might) need in my bag. I don't like to need something that I could've had with me but because of the small bag I don't. I almost panic when something like this happens  Besides, the superb red Love needs a looong break to let her sisters come with me as we (me and my bags LOL) used to do before 2020 - rotating bags.

So, I guess the beautiful eggplant and raisin Firsts can go to other loving homes. It was difficult for me to decide anyway.


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## CeeJay

andral5 said:


> Would you buy a Balenciaga City without the mirror but with the strap included? Condition is great/very good but it's missing the mirror. Not that I use a mirror very often, but for the money paid, I'd expect it to have all the accessories. No dustbag either.


HA! .. I’m with you on that .. it really bugs the hell out of me when things are missing, especially the mirror!!!  Well, the strap too!!  Especially if you’re paying a fair amount, then it’s gotta have the goods!  

I personally wasn’t a fan of the Vélo because it kept on smacking my hip (I wore it cross-body), but as far as fitting all my work stuff in, it was a much better choice than the City.


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> Ahhhh, my thoughts exactly!!
> 
> Indeed, I could go out during the pandemic lockdown with only a Rebecca Minkoff Love (not the small) because we weren't going anywhere far or for a long time. But now, after not getting out of the RM Love for more than a year and a half, I'd rather put her on a well-deserved break and go back to how I'm used to going out, with things that I (might) need in my bag. I don't like to need something that I could've had with me but because of the small bag I don't. I almost panic when something like this happens  Besides, the superb red Love needs a looong break to let her sisters come with me as we (me and my bags LOL) used to do before 2020 - rotating bags.
> 
> So, I guess the beautiful eggplant and raisin Firsts can go to other loving homes. It was difficult for me to decide anyway.


I like to have enough room that I can add stuff to my bag if I'm shopping for small stuff. Or picking up the mail. Or need to pack a small umbrella. Or carry my water bottle and meds. Lots of reasons for more room.


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## andral5

muchstuff said:


> I like to have enough room that I can add stuff to my bag if I'm shopping for small stuff. Or picking up the mail. Or need to pack a small umbrella. Or carry my water bottle and meds. Lots of reasons for more room.


Yessss!! Same here. Btw, since the City has only 1 interior pocket, what type of organizers do you use for it? Like small pouches, maybe? Or pretty little drawstring bags? If I place my meds inside that one pocket (where I usually keep a few make-up things for fast touchups), it may get lost inside. And, unfortunately, my meds need to be easily found by anyone else if I'm not able to (such as my children for example), and they also might get lost inside the pocket LOL. So, maybe I'll look for some small, transparent pouch.


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> Yessss!! Same here. Btw, since the City has only 1 interior pocket, what type of organizers do you use for it? Like small pouches, maybe? Or pretty little drawstring bags? If I place my meds inside that one pocket (where I usually keep a few make-up things for fast touchups), it may get lost inside. And, unfortunately, my meds need to be easily found by anyone else if I'm not able to (such as my children for example), and they also might get lost inside the pocket LOL. So, maybe I'll look for some small, transparent pouch.


I don't carry the City but there's also a zipped pocket inside. It's not a tough bag to find stuff in because it's quite shallow.


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## andral5

muchstuff said:


> I don't carry the City but there's also a zipped pocket inside. It's not a tough bag to find stuff in because it's quite shallow.


Yup, that's where I keep my few makeup thingies and the meds could get lost inside that pocket among those. I'll see what I can find.
So you usually carry a bigger bag... Hmmm, I need to reconsider what I should get next. I want Bbags for now. All my others are nicely stored in dustbags in the closet.


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## muchstuff

andral5 said:


> Yup, that's where I keep my few makeup thingies and the meds could get lost inside that pocket among those. I'll see what I can find.
> So you usually carry a bigger bag... Hmmm, I need to reconsider what I should get next. I want Bbags for now. All my others are nicely stored in dustbags in the closet.


The City is big enough for most people depending on how you like to carry your bags. I'm strictly shoulder carry and the City, IMO, wasn't built for that.


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## atlantis1982

andral5 said:


> Yup, that's where I keep my few makeup thingies and the meds could get lost inside that pocket among those. I'll see what I can find.
> So you usually carry a bigger bag... Hmmm, I need to reconsider what I should get next. I want Bbags for now. All my others are nicely stored in dustbags in the closet.


Yes the inner pocket is my "safety" pocket: spare contact lense, migraine med & asthma/eczema med.  And nail file!


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## fayden

@muchstuff @andral5 Here you go! I typically don't carry a lot of stuff with me and there's room to spare even after I place my iPhone 12 Pro in it. I'm 4 feet 11 inches tall for reference. I switch out a lot of the straps for longer ones.


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## muchstuff

fayden said:


> @muchstuff @andral5 Here you go! I typically don't carry a lot of stuff with me and there's room to spare even after I place my iPhone 12 Pro in it. I'm 4 feet 11 inches tall for reference. I switch out a lot of the straps for longer ones.
> 
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Thanks fayden, they look great on you!


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## andral5

fayden said:


> @muchstuff @andral5 Here you go! I typically don't carry a lot of stuff with me and there's room to spare even after I place my iPhone 12 Pro in it. I'm 4 feet 11 inches tall for reference. I switch out a lot of the straps for longer ones.
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Thank you so much!!   This is really helping, with proportions and all.


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## viewwing

muchstuff said:


> The City is big enough for most people depending on how you like to carry your bags. I'm strictly shoulder carry and the City, IMO, wasn't built for that.


Wow why? I love carrying my city on the shoulder. It’s perfect for me but I’m 4 11” tiny.


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## muchstuff

viewwing said:


> Wow why? I love carrying my city on the shoulder. It’s perfect for me but I’m 4 11” tiny.


Only my opinion, but the bag is too east/west to carry consistently on the shoulder without cracking the sealant along the top edge. As it softens the bag kind of scrunches towards the centre as the slouch develops. Not the end of the world and lots of people shoulder carry it. It just never worked for me personally. Every now and then I buy one only to resell it. I like a bit more depth in my bags which is why the Velo works so well for me.


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## viewwing

muchstuff said:


> Only my opinion, but the bag is too east/west to carry consistently on the shoulder without cracking the sealant along the top edge. As it softens the bag kind of scrunches towards the centre as the slouch develops. Not the end of the world and lots of people shoulder carry it. It just never worked for me personally. Every now and then I buy one only to resell it. I like a bit more depth in my bags which is why the Velo works so well for me.


Haha!  I’m the total opposite of you. I can’t find anything in the Velo and I have tons of citys and part times.. Hmm...thank goodness none of the sealant on my bags have cracked And I use them quite often.


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## samfalstaff

fayden said:


> @muchstuff @andral5 Here you go! I typically don't carry a lot of stuff with me and there's room to spare even after I place my iPhone 12 Pro in it. I'm 4 feet 11 inches tall for reference. I switch out a lot of the straps for longer ones.
> 
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You look amazing with the First worn crossbody! That emerald First (wait, is it emerald?) is beautiful!


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## samfalstaff

muchstuff said:


> Only my opinion, but the bag is too east/west to carry consistently on the shoulder without cracking the sealant along the top edge. As it softens the bag kind of scrunches towards the centre as the slouch develops. Not the end of the world and lots of people shoulder carry it. It just never worked for me personally. Every now and then I buy one only to resell it. I like a bit more depth in my bags which is why the Velo works so well for me.


I love the Velo, but then I'm crazy for crossbody. I agree with you on the City. It's difficult to wear on the shoulder, but I have about 10 of them so I guess it's not a huge deterrent for me.


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## samfalstaff

andral5 said:


> Now, that I got my bday present  from my children - the long-awaited beautiful red Bbag, I have a question: is the leather usually so thin and maybe not as soft as expected? I compared the leather of the new-to-me coquelicot red Bbag with other (contemporary) designers (some from their collection lines) bags I have and none feels so thin and paper-y. I love it so much regardless of how the leather feels if this is the way Balenciaga leather is. I guess I was just surprised. I’ve heard a lot on YT how smooshy the leather can be so not feeling it that way may be why I was a bit surprised.
> 
> View attachment 5384479
> View attachment 5384480


Beautiful red! I believe I have this color combo in a Velo. The red really pops.


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## fayden

samfalstaff said:


> You look amazing with the First worn crossbody! That emerald First (wait, is it emerald?) is beautiful!



Yup that is emerald! Thank you!


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## samfalstaff

fayden said:


> Yup that is emerald! Thank you!


A couple of months ago, I picked up what I think is an emerald First. I need to throw it up on the Identify thread at some point...


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## andral5

samfalstaff said:


> Beautiful red! I believe I have this color combo in a Velo. The red really pops.


Thank you, I love it too.  
And, regardless of how many will follow, this will always be my first.


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