Buying Your First Chanel Bag That You’ll Love

Confused about buying your first Chanel bag? We’ll give you a clear sense of direction on where or what to spend your hard bucks on. A little chic style here and there never killed anybody. This guide will be your mantra to purchasing your first Chanel bag, but first, here’s what you should know:

What Does Buying Your First Chanel Bag Represent To You?

The authenticity of quality and class a man or woman can obtain from buying his/her first Chanel Bag is the first step to making both a fashion statement and fashion investment, Yes! It’s always double-sided with Chanel, just like the “C’s”.

Deciding On The Hardware, Leather And Size

A Chanel Bag never goes out of style, market, or class. Chanel offers a whole range of sizes, leather, and hardware of bags. A Chanel classic flap exists in mini-square, mini rectangular, small, medium, large/jumbo, then Maxi.

We do wonder; where does the authenticity of Chanel bags come from? Well, we’ll let you in on a little secret, don’t tell anyone, “why?”, because it is a secret!!! – The authenticity of a leather Chanel comes from…guess it, the leather!!!

Chanel uses Caviar skin for durability. A bag made of Caviar skin can remain brand new if properly kept. They also use lambskin, which gives a very soft feel to the bag.

Chanel bags are genuine leather bags. Did we mention the Chanel bags that were made before 2009 containing hardware of an alloy of 24k gold? Whoo! That’s a little bit of chemistry and confusing, isn’t it? Here’s what we mean – Chanel bags that were in the “before 2009” era were adorned with gold-plated hardware (the metal symbol of Chanel was mixed with gold (a pure gold of extremely bright yellow color). That is definitely going to cost some thousands of dollars, but luckily we’re here to guide you on which bag you should go for.

Which Style Suits Your Lifestyle

You might be a business person just trying to invest in the fashion world, or a model making a statement, or a fashion lover. There is a Chanel Bag for every lifestyle. From a Chanel 2.55 (the history of this bag is interesting) to a Chanel classic called (11.12), channel classic and a host of bags with history and meaningful purpose to help you identify with a “lifestyle”.

What You Should Know – Shopping Tips

• What leather should we get? It is critical to choose the kind of leather that is ideally suited to you and your lifestyle. Caviar and lambskin are the two most popular types of leather you’ll come across on a Chanel Bag. Caviar leather has a pebbled texture. Lambskin leather has a very smooth buttery touch and has a distinctively glossy look.

• Which Chanel Bag will be the best investment? If you’re looking to start off your investments in Chanel handbags, we’ll suggest pieces like; the classic flap, 2.55 reissue, or wallet on chain, these bags have a low-risk purchase factor. Also, aim for classic shades like black, ivory, or tan.

• We should also consider the purpose of buying the bag; do you want a work bag? An evening bag? Or simply a big bag to stuff a lot of things in? It’s important to know this so you can make the rest of your decisions appropriately.

• Another thing you should consider is the style of Chanel bag that you’re looking for; there are the classics, the flap bags, the boy bags, the seasonal pieces, and many more.

• Selecting the strap and size for your first Chanel bag, you want something that is simple enough to be worn on your evening out, to work, and as a casual bag. We suggest the classic flap bag, make sure to get it in medium size. The smaller ones might not hold all your essentials and the jumbo size are just difficult to style and doesn’t look great with everything. You can adjust the chain strap to complement your looks.

• Choosing the hardware is another thing you should carefully consider. What type of jewelry do you wear? What colors of shoes do you wear the most? Choosing the hardware should complement your aesthetic look and should be determined by your choice of colors in other accessories.

How To Buy A Chanel Bag

If you want to purchase a bag from Chanel, you have to make the trip in-store or call up the store directly. If we decide to make the trip in-store, knowing what to look for might be another burden, especially if you’re buying your first Chanel bag. 

With a brand as shrouded in mystery as Chanel, it’s no wonder that it can feel hard to connect with a sales associate, which is why you need to know what to ask and how to speak before shopping for your first Chanel bag. So buckle up. We’re going to be learning a whole new kind of language. Let’s call it “Chaneleure”, yes! It’s French, we’re a little biased.

When you’re conversing with your sales associate, the first thing you need to do is be on time, cause how can you hold a conversation if you’re not there? Also when your SA sets up a designated time for you, understand that they’re running on a schedule and must prepare for your visit and visits from other clients.

Attitude is never acceptable, we mean that applies everywhere, but still a little “please” will go a long way in establishing a good relationship and communication with your sales associate.

However, establishing a good relationship and speaking to your sales associate is not truly enough, if you don’t understand the language of “Chaneleure”, how will you know the right things to ask? Don’t worry, we’ll guide you on that as well.

Ask for contact information before ringing up any inventory. The more opportunities to capture contact data, the higher the chances of a good customer relationship being built.

Track interactions as much as you can; more data makes it easier to send authentic and honest clientele messages: first, last name, contact information.

How do you check for authenticity in a Chanel bag? That is the question most shoppers face when looking to purchase their first Chanel bags.

Buying A Chanel Bag Online

Are you shopping based on the price selection or the ease? There are a bunch of online stores you can buy your Chanel bags from. So we know you can of course purchase on places like therealreal.com.

What Should You Look For When Buying A Chanel Bag Online?

As fashion lovers, we’re often concerned by how fitted we look in our outfits and what we’re dressed in, particularly its originality and authenticity. Buying a Chanel bag is a little different than clothes shopping, it always fits, but you need to know what to look out for to get the best-suited style and bag for you, so you don’t end up with a crooked “c” Chanel bag or a “fake skin” instead of a “lambskin”. Some key areas we should take into consideration are the types of leather. Chanel has a variety of different materials they use in making their bags, such as; caviar, calfskin, lambskin, iridescent calfskin, and goatskin. You should be very careful not to get “fake skin”.

For an everyday bag that will go through wear and tear, we recommend caviar and calfskin. However, do not place your lighter Chanel caviar bags next to anything too dark, the leather hues color from darker fabrics.

Size And Maintenance

If you want something versatile enough to be worn many ways, we suggest the classic flap bag in size medium. The size is perfect with anything from jeans to dresses and everything in between. Maintenance is easy, scratches aren’t as noticeable in caviar or iridescent calfskin.

The Strap

Chanel bags often offer the strap availability, where you can adjust the chain strap size for different looks. Hardware choices such as gold and silver look elegant and should be determined by your choice of colors in other accessories.

Who You’re Buying It From

If you’re buying a brand new Chanel bag, the only available option is to purchase one directly from the brand itself. Chanel has boutiques across the world and you can find them in luxurious department stores. Chanel does not offer their items for sale online, if you want to purchase an item from Chanel, you have to make the trip in store or call up the store directly.

Return Policy

Chanel exercises a slight forgiving and understanding return policy. It has 14 days return policy, which says that you’re able to return all or part of your order within 14 calendar days from the date of shipment or purchase.

Which Should You Go for? Vintage, Classic Or Modern

Having trouble choosing one? Here’s what you should know….

Vintage Chanel Bags

These bags are relatively nice and are available in most retail markets. You will most likely find it in all streets and avenues in Paris. They also guarantee a better price over the modern bags but also in quality. Due to pressure in meeting demand, the quality of Modern bags is not always consistent. Vintage Chanel bags are also a sustainable way to shop luxury.

Classic Chanel bags

These bags stayed true to the original form while giving it a decadent flair signature of the decade. The most noticeable change came in the form of the updated lock, now featuring the iconic “cc”. The classic Chanel is very popular among celebrities, with a good chance of it always being an 11.12, just in case you’re shopping in this section. It has a very high demand amongst celebrities and fashion lovers that just wants to turn heads. The classic Chanel is not that difficult to get, as there are always an availability in most of their boutiques and stores. 

So if we’re considering the classic Chanel bags, remember “fashion may come and go, but a classic remains evergreen.”

Modern Chanel Bags

These bags feature the modern interwoven shoulder strap and “cc” logo on its front. A magnetic snap button closure. It is readily available to get as it can be found in available stores and boutiques and also has a high demand due to its versatile looks and uses.

Chanel Bags That Are Great For First Time Shoppers

Chanel Classic Flap: The most recognized bag from Chanel is their classic flap. They also transition well from day to evening.

Chanel WOC (Wallet on Chain): It can be used both days and evenings as a mini-bag, a cross-body or as a clutch.

Chanel Coco Handle:

Chanel Boy Bag:

Going New Or Preloved: Which Should You Choose?

Preloved Chanel Bags

There’s a common misconception that these bags are only available in the vintage style, but that isn’t so. Preloved Chanel bags may be one or two seasons old too. Shopping with any boutique that has a resale section of authentic Chanel bags, offers you a great investment value. You will have to check the authenticity of these bags and if the reseller offers a lifetime authenticating guarantee.

We have more choices of bags in the Preloved market. We also get to choose between vintage and more recent styles on the preloved market.

Brand new Chanel bags however are usually found in the more expensive price ranges, as such their investment value is much higher than the preloved. These bags also come with an authenticity guarantee, having distinctive features such as; a brand stamp embossed directly onto the lining or an attached leather patch. The brand stamp should be the same color as the bag’s hardware.

Is Buying A Chanel Bag An Investment?

Chanel Bags are definitely investments and fashion statements. The genuine materials of a Chanel handbag not only make it difficult for it to ever wear out or tear but also gets more expensive with time. Isn’t that what an investment should be? We definitely think so.

Chanel Bags We Recommend

If you’re looking to start off with just a minimal amount of money, then this list will aid you in making the right decision.

Wallet On Chain (WOC) Chanel

Chanel Square Mini

Chanel Rectangle Mini

Chanel Flap Bag