You all know I love my bags, and as a Balenciaga collector, I don't often stray from the City and First style. The Rodeo (pronounced like Rodeo Drive) really caught my eye. It gives off a slouchy Hermes Kelly vibe, but way more practical to use.
For reference I'm 4 feet 11 inches tall.
The Rodeo can be carried a few ways. It comes with a crossbody strap that is not adjustable but it is removable. Not sure why anyone wouldn't add a few extra holes to make a strap adjustable these days. Come on Balenciaga! Do better! The top handle is a bit too long for this to work anyhow, I feel like the top handle gets in the way. It sticks out and doesn't sit well in my opinion. I wouldn't carry this bag crossbody unless it was an unforeseen emergency and I really needed my hands free.
The leather is made of soft smooth calfskin. It has a beautiful sheen to the leather. It's supple and soft to the touch, I really do love how it feels when I run my hands over it. Since the leather is smooth, it will get scratched up with use, but that's part of the beauty of the bag! The photo below of Mary Kate Olsen is iconic. Her Kelly bag was obviously well used and loved and you can tell how worn the corners are but she still wears it. It's become a piece of art. I'm sure that bag has seen a lot of action.
Absolutely love how chic it looks here. So effortless!
Technically, this handle drop can fit over my shoulder, but because it's a little boxy it feels a bit awkward to wear this way. Maybe once the bag softens and slouches more it might be an option. But brand new, I wouldn't carry it over the shoulder.
(3.9" D x 11.4" W 7.9" H)
Let's take a look at the details of this bag. This is the size small. It features a turnlock that opens up into two compartments. The smaller compartment has a zippered pocket. The bag is completely lined in leather which adds to the luxurious feel of the bag.
I found it very interesting that the flap has intentional creasing in the leather. It is part of the design and the purpose is to keep the bag slightly open when tucked inside the bag to give it a slouchy vibe. When I first did the unboxing video, I was very surprised to see the crease because I didn't expect that at all, but now I think it's very clever.
Love that the bottom has four feet. The back of the bag has two generous deep pockets that can fit any phone size with ease. No issues fitting an iPhone 15 pro. The thoughtful design of this bag makes me very happy.
This bag just keeps getting better because these are working snaps that allows the bag to expand to hold even more items if need be. While this bag is small, it is mighty!
Final Thoughts
I absolutely love this bag! The design, the feel, the look, the quality is 5 stars. With that, the price is high at $3,290 plus tax which brings it closer to $3,500. Is it worth it? All depends on how much you use the bag. For me I think it IS worth the price and is worth considering if you want a Kelly bag but the price is out of reach. A Kelly 28 bag sells for an average price of $15.000 on Fashionphile and it's not even brand new! The Rodeo bag is far more practical in price and easier to use. This definitely has my vote and the Kelly bag is officially off my wishlist. That said, while I would love to keep this bag, but $3500 is a bit much to stomach for me at this time. I am going to hold off until I find it on a resale site for hopefully $2000 or so. I don't mind it being used at all, I actually prefer it used. I would say 90% of my bags in my collection were bought pre-owned and this has saved me tens of thousands of dollars. I will definitely purchase this bag for keeps in the future since I know size small is perfect for me. I'm sure Jared is also happy that I no longer want a Kelly bag!
That's it for me! I hope you enjoyed my review and don't forget to watch my YouTube video to see what fits. Have a wonderful start to a brand new week!
Shop:
The bag is beautiful. Sadly it’s far outside my budget. But if I ever win the lottery, it’s on my list.
ReplyDeleteI hear you, I have so many bags on my wish list!
DeleteThat’s a good size on you! Will watch the video later when I get the chance. The flap creases are an interesting design feature, maybe you’ll go into detail in the video.
ReplyDeleteHi AC! I do go into the creases in more detail in the video. Definitely a unique design, never seen that before. Let me know what you think if you get a chance to watch the video.
DeleteWow that bag looks so fancy and luxurious! It definitely elevates any outfit but subtly.
ReplyDelete-Janessa
Hi Janessa! Yeah it is lovely isn't it. Sigh. Where is my money tree...
DeleteBeautiful bag ❤️ Can I know whats behind the zipper of this bag? Its riri or BB?
ReplyDeleteI don't think there's anything behind the zipper. I do see Balenciaga on the pull itself spelled out.
Delete