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I had plans ya’ll for my big 3.0.
I had my tickets ready to jet off to Iceland and England to celebrate the big day with my family.
However, Rona had other ideas for us all, and I found my self having a much more relaxed 30th birthday at home.
Since it was still a big occasion for me, I decided to treat myself to some luxury items that I’ve had my eyes on for a while since I was able to get a full refund on my tickets (I canceled very early on).
I didn’t feel comfortable sharing my birthday haul a year ago while so many were struggling with the impacts of the pandemic and trying to figure out what would be happening to them next. Many are still in that situation now to be honest, however y’ll have shown a lot of interest in some of these pieces, so I figured that now was a good time to share.
That, and my birthday is also a month away at this point, so I’ll have more things to share with ya’ll then too.
Many of these pieces are a little difficult to find, so I’ll try mu best to link the items when I can, or similar and dupes if I can’t find the exact match.
And while I did shop round at other houses, I figured that it would be nice to split this post into two, that way, I would be better able to highlight each piece.
How I Saved
There is nothing cheap about luxury house prices. That said, I was able to save a bit by shopping around. I shopped around at a lot of trusted online consignment stores such as Fashionphile and Yoogi’s Closet and got a considerable amount off on some of these pieces. For other things, I used eBay’s authenticate service.
While I didn’t get anything from The RealReal this time around, I did want to share with ya’ll that they are now up on Rakuten and you can earn up to 2.5% back on your luxury purchases with them. Not a member? Sign up today and receive a bonus $25 for joining the service.
But for any item that was still in stores, I shopped the house first. Typically with seasonal pieces, there’s a markup you pay once it hit the pre loved market. Often times, you can find them cheaper in stores.
Le Boy
My biggest purchase for my 30th had to be my Chanel large Le Boy bag in light pink calfskin with rothium hardware and chevron quilting with reflective chainmail over the stitching.
This bag is stunning. Honestly, pictures hardly do it justice.
When caught in the right lighting, the chainmail shines like tiny rhinestones and its just beautiful to look at.
And I find this bag to be just as practical as it is beautiful. While I know most people prefer the medium size for the Le Boy, the large size fits pretty much everything I need for the day the some room for a few extras. And since it’s only one flap, the weight it very comfortable on my shoulders (a must for me since I do have some shoulder issues).
This particular bag is hard to find, but Fashionphilel has many beautiful iterations of this design. Even better, most are below the retail price of $5300. I’ve listed some similar ones down below.
Alternatively, Karl Langfeld, Mr Chanel himself has some amazing similarly designed for flap bags at a fraction of the cost. Rebecca Minkoff also makes some beautiful bags the mini the look of the Le Boy.
Iridescent Chanel WOC
The Chanel wallet on chain (WOC) has been on my dream list for years, and I’m so happy to now have my hands on it. And in the beautiful rose iridescent color from the 19s collection to boot too.
Just like the le Boy, pictures don’t properly do this bag justice. The finish on this bag is just addictive to look at. And the caviar texture makes it durable, so I’m not worried about the finish wearing off.
I have to say that this has quickly become one of my most used bags as well. I know that it’s not technically a bag–but it holds just about as much as any of my mini bags do since I have no need for wallet or card holder when I use it.
While the color platte for this bag is definitely playful and summery, I’ve also been able to pair it with a nice black dress for a bolder, more colorful statement for the rare night out.
This is by far my favorite WOC in my collection, and currently, my only from Chanel. And the good news is, I was able to find a few of them still available too. From what I’ve been able to find, the original retail price was around $2900. I ended up paying $3350 on Fashionphile, and the ones available now range from $3650 to $4200.
Of course, It wouldn’t be me if I didn’t offer up few dupes to try out as well. All of these are available at a fraction of the cost.
Chanel Flat Card Case
I’m pretty sure that this was the first 19s rose iridescent piece that I found and was so excited to snap it up. I have always been a big fan of card cases over wallets because of my preference for smaller bags. So having this option to go with my new Le Boy was an awesome bonus.
The Chanel flat card case is not much different than any other card case on the market–luxury or otherwise. In all honesty, they all share the same basics, so you really don’t need more than one in your collection.
And for the item that it is, it is way over priced (and it being a part of this collection didn’t make the price any better either).
I say all that to say; this purchase was totally worth it for me.
I used this piece for months straight, with little to no wear. It’s gorgeous to look at and most importantly, functions just as it should.
I bought mine for the slightly inflated price of $650 from eBay, though they are currently selling for a bit more now when you find them. I’ve linked some options down below for you.
And of course, if you’re looking for a dupe, here are some listed below.
I may not have been able to keep my original birthday plans for my 30th, but I’m still so thankful that I was able to pick up some new and lovely pieces for my collection and really get introduced to Chanel as a brand.
This birthday haul has actually kicked off a new love I have for the brand, and in the past year, my collection has grown. Now that my love for them is solidified, I’m excitedly awaiting my first in store experience.
Which item was your favorite? Is there an item from Chanel that you’re looking to add?
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