balenciaga

Balenciaga City Bag review

 in General Fashion / Handbags  tagged balenciaga / handbag reviews / vintage styles by

pictured: Balenciaga Le City Bag vintage circa 2009 (formerly known as the Balenciaga City Tote) / nail polish / iPhone case /

It’s back! Demand for the original Balenciaga City Bag exploded in 2025, and as we land in 2026, demand is still skyrocketing. Is it possible to revive an IT bag from yesteryear? It sure looks like it!

The Balenciaga City Bag was iconic in the early 2000’s. I snapped up mine in 2009. It was originally a light, denim blue but has faded to more of a grey-blue. Colored leather is always susceptible to fading and color changes. For a more stable color, I recommend natural colors and also black. That being said, I still love the color it has become over the years.

Now, let’s chat a little bit about Balenciaga itself. The design house was popular for decades going back to it’s founding in 1917. Nicolas Ghesquiere launched the city bag collection, and it exploded to IT status rather quickly. Unfortunately, when Demna took over, the brand’s vibe became dark; and let’s not start in about the advertising scandal. It’s too shameful.

Thankfully, Balenciaga has parted ways with Demna and now they have Pierpaolo Piccioli and the brand is once again, out of the dark.

This may have led to the renewed intereest in Balenicaga’s handbag collection as well as designs as a whole. For now, the City bag collection is exploding once again, just like 15-20 years ago. If you have one in your archives, it is time to pull it back out and rock it on casual days.

If you do not already own one of these soft and squishy, delightful bags, what are you waiting for! Look at the squishy and soft leather!

I love the whole moto-chic vibe of the Balenciaga City Bag and how it can be worn by the top handles or the attached shoulder strap. My bag is from 2009, and it has been worn A LOT! The leather is in amazing shape, minus the faded color. The craftsmanship, quality, leather, and style are impeccable. If you don’t already own one, I highly recommend investing in a Balenciaga City Bag for your collection. It is well worth it!

The interior features a zipper pocket and there is a mirror attached to the bag you can move around. I keep mine tucked inside the bag. There is also an exterior zipper pocket, which I never use.

I plan to wear mine a lot this spring and summer seasons. I am so happy this bag is back in style. It is one of my all-time favorite bags! Love!

Shop the Balenciaga City Bag online:

What do you think of the Balenciaga City Bag? Do you love it too?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

The 2000s bag trends that are hot now

 in General Fashion / Handbags / Trends  tagged balenciaga / chanel / chloe / dior / hobos / saint laurent / shoulder bags / summer 2022 by
2000s bag trends hot summer 2022

Pictured: oversize tote (hot IT bag for 2022) / Balenciaga City Tote (new version here) /

Remember those bags you coveted back in the early 2000s? They’re back! So crawl into the back of your closet and pull out your archives, because they are hotter than hot this year!

There are a few late 1990s, and early 2000s IT bags which are back with a vengeance this year, in addition to overall handbag trends. Remember the Balenciaga City Tote aka “moto bag?” It’s back, and if you cannot get your hands on a vintage one, Balenciaga has a new version with slightly inverted sides you can purchase now, and rock as if it were the original.

Remember the Dior Saddle bag? It has been popular again for the past few seasons, and it is holding steady as an IT bag to own now. If you don’t have one from back in the day, Dior has a few sizes, colors, and fabrications to choose from today. The common complaint I hear from Saddle bag owners is that everything in the bag falls to one side, if you don’t mind that, this could be your bag.

In addition to specific IT bags from close to twenty years ago, the early 2000s gave us several handbag trends which are hot again this year. Remember oversize handbags you could carry a small child inside? They are back, and the hottest one on the streets this year is from YSL. See above graphic.

The other trends to watch for include nylon bags from Prada, Bowler bags (I love Dior’s version), all types and sizes of hobos bags, baguettes (doesn’t have to be Fendi), classic Chanel bags (think flap and 2.55), and the Chloe Marcie in any style; saddle or satchel. Love!

Shop handbag trends from the early 2000s online:

What was your favorite handbag trend from the very late 1990s and early 2000s? My favorites include the baguette, Chloe Marcie, hobo bags, and nylon bags.

Quick shout-out to nylon bags; they can be worn in the rain! Love a bag I don’t have to worry about during inclement weather.

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

Balenciaga Hourglass top handle bag review

 in Handbags  tagged balenciaga / cross body bags / handbag reviews / satchels / shoulder bags by
balenciaga hourglass top handle bag review
balenciaga hourglass satchel top handle small satchel lady bag

Pictured: Balenciaga Hourglass top handle bag in small /

Balenciaga is having a moment, and it’s more of a grown-up moment than back in the day when the moto bag was all the rage. This time around, Balenciaga is sophisticated, tailored, and offering us a handbag with classic and avant-garde fused together into a design that is both fabulous and practical. Say what???? Yes, yes, I put fabulous and practical in one sentence about that same bag. Let’s dive in…

This structured little handbag was debuted by Balenciaga a few seasons ago, and handbag fans such as celebrities, Bravolebrities, street style stars, and style setters around the globe took notice. Slowly, we have started to see this little bag pop up on television, street style photos, and around town on the streets. This is the emerging IT bag of the moment, and I am here for it!

Balenciaga is giving us a few versions of the Hourglass bag to choose from. This top handle satchel version comes in micro-mini (nano), small, and medium. I purchased the small which is just the right size for me to rock the small bag trend without sacrificing internal capacity. There is also a wallet-on-a-chain version which is also popular, and available in both classic and trendy hues. I had a hard time choosing between the two styles, but ultimately went with the top handle because I felt like the wallet-on-a-chain was too similar to other bags I currently have on rotation.

I love the Balenciaga Hourglass top handle bag because it can be worn in a few different ways; offering versatility. The strap is detachable, so it can be worn as a satchel on the forearm or handheld. With the strap, it can be worn as a cross-body bag or shoulder bag. I notice most people wear it as a shoulder bag.

The Balanciaga Hourglass top handle bag in small offers a magnetic closure, opera ticket pocket on the backside (this pocket does not fit a phone-it’s good for receipts and tickets), there is a zipper pocket inside the bag, and I can fit my wallet, iPhone, lipstick, and keys inside. Sunglasses or glasses do not fit inside with these items present. Remember, I purchased the small. If you want to fit more inside, consider the medium size version of the Hourglass bag. The dimensions for the small size are 8.75″ x 6.25″ x 4″.

The stamped croc gives the bag a luxurious and dressy look which I love. It’s a nice contrast to the smooth leather, soft leather, and polished leather we are seeing from other designers. Of course, stamped exotic is a huge trend in 2022, so this fits right in, and yes, other designers are stamping their leather with exotics too. That being said, stamped exotic is timeless anyway, so trend or no trend, it’s always in fashion. Love that!

Shop the Balenciaga Hourglass top handle bag online:

I’m excited about this no-fuss, structured bag from Balenciaga. It is a nice contrast to the hobo trend which is hot right now. When you are not in the mood for a hobo, this is your bag!

Thanks for stopping by! Stay tuned for my 2022 IT bag trend report coming up next week!

XOXO
Cathy

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