Disclaimer: I no longer own this handbag. For my up to date luxury collection you can click here.
Oh this bag. This bag has been on my wish list forever. Seriously, it’s a classic style, an investment piece that won’t go out of fashion, and I’ve wanted it for years. That’s really what investment bags are, bags that have been around for years and continue to soar in popularity and style. The Sac de Jour epitomises that.
Once I was in a lucky enough position to be able to introduce one of these beauties to my wardrobe, I had some decision making to do. The Sac de Jour is available in so many different colours, leather textures and sizes. The majority of my bags – in fact all but this one, are in grained leather – therefore I decided to go for the smooth leather option, just to have a bit of variety in my accessories. However, if you’re the kind of person that doesn’t always put too much attention into looking after your handbags, grained leather is much more durable – smooth leather will show up any scratches etc more, but if you’re like me, and you take good care of your bags, you don’t really need to worry. Plus, a bag like this, that’s an investment piece, it is designed to last… that’s a big one for me when putting my money into a handbag, it’s not something I take lightly and I want to ensure that the bag can stand the test of time. I also knew I wanted a neutral colour, I wanted a style that would go with everything and that could be used for all situations – socialising, dining out, shopping, you name it – I’m getting my wear from this bag.
Initially, I did have the classic size, and to clarify, the Saint Laurent Classic Small Sac de Jour is not small. At least I don’t think it is? The bag goes up another size, so that one must be huge. The “small” option is your regular tote handbag size (12.5 x 9.8 x 6.4 inches to be precise) and will fit so, so much in there. It has three compartments, including a huge zip closure one in the middle, and even has a zip pocket at the back. However… I just wasn’t getting the wear out of it, due to the size. For a work bag, it’s perfect – but when taking it shopping etc, I found it was just getting in the way, and it was probably too big for a nice evening meal out – when you want to get dressed up a little bit more. A fantastic bag, but just didn’t get the use where I wanted it. Really, I prefer smaller bags that can fit over your shoulder, that you don’t have to worry about carrying and getting in the way.
So over to the Baby SDJ… The bag is super structured, I have no worries about it ever losing its shape, is very durable and not heavy at all – apparently the older styles were suede lined and this made them very heavy, the newer ones don’t have that problem. Dimensions come in at 26 x 20 x 12 cm; and it can be worn cross body, as a shoulder bag, or even just be carried as a tote. It does lack the more secure aspect of the bigger sizes, as it doesn’t have a proper closure, nor an inner zip pocket – so that is something to think about – but the accordion sides do offer a widening and narrowing option that adds privacy to your belongings – just don’t ever wear it on a rollercoaster!
In my opinion, this is the perfect investment bag. Yes, expensive; but the style will last for years (serious years), the price is also likely to increase annually on them and so if you decide to sell in a few years, if you look after it you might even be able to make some money on the sale, and there’s no worries regarding damage and durability.
The Saint Laurent Classic Baby Sac de Jour is currently priced at £1725 brand new, but check out places such as Vestiaire Collective, which offer second hand (authenticity confirmed) designer handbags. Bargains can also be sometimes found on eBay, but you need to be really careful here, as these aren’t authenticity guaranteed, and there are so many fakes around – some are quite deceptive, too; please take good care here, you don’t want to put your hard earned money into a fake, plus there are so many unethical reasons that fakes are wrong too (unethical labour to meet demand, cruel factory and working conditions etc). If you do chose the eBay option, I would recommend first sending pictures (PRE PURCHASE) to an online authenticator; I’ve used Authenticate4U.com before and for a very small fee (I think last time it was £5), they will authenticate the bag and send you a detailed report. If you have made a purchase without getting pre authentication, and it does turn out to be fake; the reports from this company are also accepted by Paypal worldwide and will support in getting your money back. This company have ex brand employees and experts that really know their stuff; that way if you do think you’ve found a bargain, you can purchase with ease.
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