I originally wasn’t going to do a post on my Chanel Wallet on Chain (WOC) but I have had a bunch of requests on the topic and one of the most popular search terms to find my blog is something to do with the handbag.  I was seriously debating on whether or not to do a post on this but it’s been requested a few times and truth be told, Chanel does not provide a ton of information on their website and really the only place to get up-to-date factual info is on the Purse Forum.

Alright, so the Chanel WOC comes in a variety of different styles, colours, leathers, and price points.  I’m not going to put prices on here, if you want to know current prices for WOCs check out the Purse Forum or please send me a message.  The most inexpensive WOC is the Sevruga and the most expensive is the quilted (I believe and this is not including exotic leathers.  This is based on permanent items in Chanel’s collection, not limited edition items).  Other WOCs are the Camellia, Half Moon, Cambon, Reissue, and Timeless, which is the one I got.  There may be a few more WOCs out there but I believe these are the ones that are in the permanent collection.

Now onto the leathers, Chanel has a variety of different leathers you can choose from. Some styles are only available in a certain kind of leather and others you can choose which leather is most suitable for you.

Caviar Leather – This type of leather is the most durable and is more susceptible to wear and tear compared to lambskin.  Caviar leather typically has little bumps and ridges as displayed below. Lambskin – Lambskin is a very delicate, smooth leather that shows scratches very easily.  The Camellia and Quilted WOCs (Quilted is also available in caviar) are available in this leather.  I chose to personally not get a lambskin WOC because I’m the kind of person who will spill cranberry juice on a white shirt.  Stuff happens and I don’t want to constantly worry about ruining the leather on a very pricey handbag.  I wanted to enjoy wearing the bag, not constantly worry about it to the point where it just stays in its box forever.

Patent – The easiest way of describing patent leather is basically it’s shiny and feels like plastic rather than leather.  Whenever I see anything patent it’s always plastic, but in Chanel’s case, it’s leather.  When it came down to the style I wanted it was between the Timeless and Brilliant (from the spring or summer 2011 collection I believe) which was the same as the Quilted but in patent leather (and the CCs are a bit bigger).  I like the look of patent but I feel that it could be a seasonal thing; something that can go out of style.  I preferred a bag that was essentially “timeless”, hence the name of the style I got.

Other than the leather, Chanel bags usually come in either gold or silver hardware (aka the chain).  All the WOCs I have seen have had silver hardware.  I’ve never seen a gold one, unless it was a Petite Shopping Tote (PST), Grand Shopping Tote (GST), or the double flap, but those are different styles of bags altogether.

Finally, WOCs come in a variety of colours, everything from the basic black, white, and cream, to hot pink, royal blue, green, etc. all depending on the season.  For my first Chanel (and probably my only one) I wanted basic black, a colour that is always in style.

Now onto the bag…

As with most Chanel items (if not all) they come in their own special box with the style number, where it’s made, and a barcode on the side.  When you open the box, the WOC is wrapped in felt to protect it from dirt and dust.  Unfortunately, Chanel does not provide a dust bag for small leather goods, which is such a rip off if you ask me. A dust bag costs Chanel, what, like a dollar, and for the price of these purses, you would think they could provide the dust bag.  I tried to get one at the Chanel boutique at the Wynn but they said I would have to try Neiman Marcus because that’s where I bought the bag.  I think they only make a certain amount of them so that they aren’t easy to get.

Aside from that, the bag also comes with an authenticity card, an authenticity sticker somewhere on the bag, and information about the product in a variety of different languages.

Once you open the felt there is also a piece of felt under the flap to protect the inside leather. The Timeless WOC (like most of them) has a pocket on the front panel when you open it, a zipper pocket for change, another zippered pocket on the top of the inside flap (which is very deep, it reaches the bottom of the purse), and a pocket behind the zippered compartment.  In addition to this, it also has six card slots.  The back has no pockets unlike the older version of the Timeless which had a back pocket and a rounded flap (the new Timeless has a rectangular flap as seen on this blog).

As for where it is made, mine was made in Italy, but others are made in France (I prefer France, but all they had were Italian-made bags).  

The bag itself measures 7.5 inches wide, five inches in height, 1.5 inches when it is expanded, and the chain drop is 24 inches.  As for the chain, you can wear it a variety of different ways.  You can rock it as a cross body or just hanging on your side, you can double the straps to wear it as a shoulder bag or you can tuck the straps in and wear it as a clutch.

So how functional is this bag?  Very!  I can’t think of an instance where you couldn’t wear it. You can use it to run errands, when you want to be hands free, a special event, etc.  I personally get sick of carrying a large, heavy handbag around with me all the time, it’s nice to have something small which carries the essentials.  It may be a small bag but I can fit my iPhone, keys, car keys, lipstick, and money very comfortably in here.

I purchased my bag from Neiman Marcus at Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas.  I actually called all the Chanel boutiques about 20 days before my trip and they said they were sold out of all the WOC styles and didn’t know if they would have any by the time I was in town. Feeling somewhat defeated, I tried Neiman Marcus as a last resort and they had all the styles there in stock.  So basically I bought the bag ahead of time and then when I was in Vegas I just picked it up.  I highly recommend that if you are travelling and plan on buying a bag while on vacation, call a few weeks ahead of time to see if they even have the bag in stock.  It was the same kind of deal when I got my Louis Vuitton in Montreal, they were sold out of them and then got one literally the day I got there.

Is there a big difference between buying Chanels at boutiques or department stores? Not really, it’s the same bag, however, if you buy it from a Chanel boutique you of course get all the fancy packaging.  I have heard though that the exchange/refund policies are better at department stores so that is something to keep in mind.  Also, once or twice a year Bloomingdales has 20 per cent or something like that if you sign up for a credit card and often in the past that has included Chanel, so keep your eyes and ears open for that if you are interested in a Chanel bag.  I think there are three Bloomingdales that sell Chanel in the United States, check out their website for more information.  Keep in mind that Chanel rarely goes on sale (the sale items are usually seasonal items that don’t sell, permanent items never go on sale).  Instead of marking down their prices, Chanel increases them a few times a year, and I’m not talking about a couple bucks, I’m taking several hundreds of dollars.  It’s crazy.

Another tip I have is if you are travelling internationally, call to see what the price of the bag is in the country you are travelling to and see how much it is at home. In Canada, the Timeless WOC is actually cheaper by about $150 but the SA in Calgary said that they are sold out cross-country and it is so high in demand that they literally don’t have the leather to make more.  She said they would probably have some by Christmas but I mean I thought by the time that rolls around the price may go up and besides I had the money for it for my trip to Vegas.  I literally saved up the whole summer to purchase this item.

Another tip, if you are travelling internationally (especially in European countries) make sure you get your VAT tax back, all you have to do is ask for a form and then a few weeks or months later you can actually get the tax back.  It’s the same thing for some States as well, unfortunately not so for Nevada.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed all the information on the Chanel WOC.  If you have any other questions please send a message or comment below.  I did a ton of research on the product before I bought it and unfortunately Chanel is very tight-lipped about their products online and when you call the stores, well you can get a very uninformed SA or just someone who is too busy to talk.  There are a few blogs out there that have photos and information but info on Chanel is very limited unless you go to the Purse Forum, which I highly recommend.

So you guys should know by now how obsessed I am with Yves Saint Laurent’s (YSL) Rouge Volupte products. Everything about them I love.  I could seriously just have one stick of these bad boys and no other makeup and I would be happy.  Well, maybe not… I don’t think I could live without foundation.

Anyways, when I was in Las Vegas at the end of August I of course had to pick up a few of these because I don’t have a YSL counter in my city (my local Sephora just sells the Faux Cils mascara – review to come soon!).  Anyways, I stopped by Neiman Marcus at Fashion Show Mall (after I bought my “first daughter”, my Chanel bag) and instantly fell in love with one of the shades in their new Rouge Volupte Perle line.  The colour, dear readers, is called Celestial Mauve (product number 108) and it is the prettiest lilac purply-pink I have ever seen.  Of course I had to have it. The Perle shades are a bit different in formula from the regular line.  This is what YSL has to say on their website:

The ultimate accessory, this creamy and nourishing lipstick is enveloped in a luxurious gold case with the timeless YSL logo that speaks elegance. Lips instantly feel soft and supple and are drenched in gorgeous color with a satiny-pearl finish. The secret—a perfect blend of nourishing and soothing ingredients, and voluptuous pearls (transparent crystal pearls and colored pearls) that caress lips with a sensual yet sophisticated shine that’s utterly irresistible. Long-lasting and highly comforting formula, leave lips looking smoother, fuller and more radiant. SPF 15. Alright, so the one thing I noticed about these sticks (other than the to-die-for colour) was that you have to really layer this on to get the colour you desire.  In comparison to the regular Rouge Voluptes, which go on perfectly first swipe, you have to go over your lips with this product numerous times before that gorgeous lilac colour is radiating from your lips. I don’t mind layering it so many times, but these things are expensive ($34 USD) and the longer wear I can get from it, the better.  Like all Rouge Volupte products, the consistency of them are quite creamy and glide on your lips so you can tend to use the product up quickly with the Perles.

Another difference is the shine. I find Rouge Volupte to be quite shiny already, but the Perles really bring it to another level.  These lipsticks are glossy!  And I’m talking glossy as in a wet way.  Now I’m not complaining here, I actually really do like the effect, it’s like a lipgloss but 100 per cent better.  You get the same colour payoff as a lipstick but the shine of a gloss.

So my final thoughts?  Well, I wish that the Perles would be like the regular line in terms of colour payoff at first swipe, but I really do love this colour.  It’s so pretty, really the perfect lilac colour.  Now with that being said, I actually ended up giving this to my mom. She really wanted #8 Fetish Pink from the regular line but I couldn’t find it anywhere (I got it as a birthday gift), so when I couldn’t find her the one she wanted I knew she would love this one (we have the same taste in lipsticks).  I unfortunately didn’t have time to go back to Neimans to buy myself one and Sephora didn’t have the Perle line.

Have you tried YSL’s Rouge Volupte Perle in Celestial Mauve?  Or any colours from the Perle line?  What were your thoughts?

One way to take advantage of a crazy windy day.

I love big hair.  Honestly, for me, the bigger the better.  Unfortunately though, voluminous hair isn’t always attainable.  Due to the powers of gravity, my hair can tend to fall flat (especially if it’s straightened) or going on second or third day hair.  There is just something so glamourous about tresses with sky-high volume, it’s 50’s glam Brigitte Bardot, Farrah Fawcett from Charlie’s Angels, heck even Snooki from Jersey Shore. 

There are numerous ways to get your hair from fall flat to filled with volume, but here are my top five.

Number One: Volumizing Mousse

I have to start off by saying that I’m not a mousse girl.  For me, mousse is for curly haired gals, but with that being said, a little volumizing mousse at your roots after you take a shower doesn’t hurt.

Start off with freshly washed hair and after towel-drying it, apply a small dab of mousse (less than a palm’s full, remember, mousse grows in your hand after you spray it) to the roots.  Massage it in for a few minutes then blow dry your hair.  It is best to do this with a round brush (or throw in some large rollers) to get your roots up, but if you don’t have one, try blow drying your hair with your head upside down.  By doing this you are drying your roots a certain way and it will instantly add volume to your hair.

Number Two: Mattifying Powder

These products may look small but they give big results.  Dust some of the powder (I use Schwarzkopf OSiS Dust It Hair Mattifying Powder.  Kevin Murphy makes one too) on your roots (I usually will separate the hair right off the crown of my head and dust some on there) then mess it up!  The starch in the product adds volume to your roots, thus resulting in bigger hair.  If your tresses fall flat throughout the day just get back in here and mess it up some more.  This stuff will last in your hair until your next shower.

Number Three: Root Lifting Spray

Sorry for the bad angle, my brother took the photo. Hey, I only have two hands!

I can’t speak for all root lifting sprays, but I love Matthew James’ Root Lift Spray. Just separate your hair starting at the back of your crown, spray it on, then tease with a teasing comb.  Repeat on either sides for sky-high volume.

Number Four: Hairspray

This one is pretty basic.  Basically repeat the same steps as the root lift spray but with your favourite hairspray then tease.  I honestly prefer the root lift spray, but I figure mostly every girl owns a bottle of hairspray.  Just don’t forget a good teasing comb!

Number Five: Curls

Last and not least, try curling your hair.  You can either curl the fronts to give you that Kim Kardashian hair or curl your whole head.  Just a tip, after you curl your hair, release it from the barrel then wind it back up and bobby pin it to your head.  Repeat until you are down your whole head and then hairspray it and release the curls.  The curls will be a bit more defined that way because they had longer to set.  What are your tips for voluminous hair?

Oh, and one more thing.. It’s been a while since I posted a picture of these rascals. 🙂