Written by BopTalk Celebrity StylishSheba
Has anyone else looked at their Birkin 35’s recently and thought “my goodness, that thing looks the same size as the hand luggage I’d carry on an international flight!” Don’t worry, you are not alone. The constant daily influx of pictures on Instagram of fashionable bloggers touting their tiny micro Peekaboos, their box shaped little Chanel’s and their Nano Celine Luggage Totes has got me turning my nose up at my bigger bags and declaring that small is the new big.
One of the first items I was ever offered in Hermes was a micro Birkin. I thought it looked absolutely ridiculous. This thing wouldn’t even fit my phone in it and it came attached to a $5,000 price tag. I said I would wait for a “Birkin sized Birkin” thanks very much. Seeing that they are now featured on many reseller websites for around $14,000, I sorely regret that decision!
Irresistible, but Unattainable
So just how hard are these tiny bags to come by? I had previously requested a Birkin 25 from my Sales Assistant, and she greatly discouraged me from purchasing one. Firstly, the competition for them was fierce with them only being offered to their VVIP clients. Demand was very high and supply was very low. She also said that she had customers order them and once they realized that they were unable to get their hands under the handle to carry them, they were very unsatisfied with their purchase. She urged me to be sure that I would be happy to solely carry this bag by it’s handles or to consider a Kelly 25 instead so that I would be able to rely on the strap as well. The wait then began to see if something would come through that could be allocated to me.
The First Arrival
In January, my SA emailed me to let me know that they had received a Kelly 25 and to ask if I would be interested in coming and having a look at it. The only “problem” if you will is that it was an Ostrich bag. I sent the email to my husband and we both agreed that there wouldn’t be a problem investing in an Ostrich bag as long as it was in a knockout color that I truly loved. Given the news and our consensus, he almost expected me to be crying with excitement when I left the store. The specifications detailed were Bleu Iris, Sellier style with gold hardware. I am always flexible on the hardware color and the Sellier shape rules supreme in my eyes over Retourne as structure is paramount for me. So far, so good. I wasn’t familiar with this colour but a quick Google revealed it to essentially be navy. I am really not a navy girl, so whilst I was almost certain it wouldn’t be going home with me, I couldn’t resist going in for a look at it. As I suspected, it was a beautiful and very sophisticated bag, I felt it was better suited for a lady who lunches in Chanel suits, not a lady like me who spends most of her days chasing a two year old around.
Getting Closer
As I have well documented here on PurseBop, I have been constantly pestering my SA to find me a pink bag. They took their time to show me the recent colors that were coming through the stores such as Rose Azalea (although I still believe that this colour isn’t being offered in Birkins and Kellys) and Rose Candy, which I felt was very similar to Rose Jaipur and I said as much. The store manager asked me what my thoughts were on Rose Jaipur. I said that I would be interested in the color as I had considered it as a possible combination with Bleu Electrique in Epsom Leather for my Special Order. Although I don’t really consider it to be a true pink, it is still a fun, bright colour.
A few weeks later, I was in store checking out the new stock that had arrived when the store manager walked past with a little box and said “something for you to consider”. My first thought was “shoes” as this tiny box looked far too small to me to contain a Birkin or a Kelly. Imagine my delight when she peeled back the layers of tissue paper to reveal a tiny Sellier Kelly 25, Epsom Leather in Rose Jaipur. I pranced around the store with her flung over my shoulder and didn’t hesitate, I would be taking her home.
Experimenting with Size
Once I got the bag home to play with, the more practical question arose of what would actually fit in this tiny bag. I immediately tried to jam my Kelly Wallet into it. This was a non-starter. There was no way it would fit. The same went for my iPad, it would also no longer be coming anywhere with me. It can however, comfortably fit my Calvi, some make up essentials such as lipstick and a compact, keys, my iPhone and sunglasses with some room to spare. Having road tested it for about a week now, I couldn’t be happier with this smaller sized handbag. It is light, elegant and versatile with the strap making it very functional for day use. The removal of the strap then turns it into an elegant little evening bag by night.
So, I have now definitely caught the mini fever. Hopefully, next on the agenda for me will be a Birkin 25. I would love the compare the two and see if I can truly use a bag that is only carried by it’s handles. Only time will tell, so watch this space!
With Love,
StylishSheba
Read her other BopTalk celebrity features below:
Hermes Special Order Story from BopTalk Celebrity StylishSheba
Hermes Asia: Travel Haul from BopTalk Celebrity StylishSheba
Read up on everything Hermes mini:
Irresistible, yet Unattainable: Hermes Mini Bags
From Mini to More: Hermes Birkin Sizes
PurseBop Joins the Birkin 25 Club
Not All Mini Bags Are Created Equal
Updated: May 18th, 2017
Comments
3 Responses to “Does Size Really Matter? The Quest for a Mini”
Looooved gour story and your new Kelly StylishSheba ?????? what a beauty!!!! Congrats on your new baby and thank you for sharing her with us ❤️❤️❤️???
Love the Kelly! It looks perfect especially the size. Do you highly recommend the Alma BB?
hi whats the size of the green kelly?