2018 was a crazy year for me: We moved from an Airstream to a larger trailer to a house to an apartment, we sold our business, we got pregnant, and then I went in and out of the hospital a couple times and had several pregnancy scares. So that might also explain my temporary insanity when I impulse-purchased this very expensive handbag. I walked into the Hermes store in Palo Alto (just to browse lol) and picked up a Bolide 27 bag in epsom (a black one and not this one I’m holding) and just fell in love with the lightness of the bag, the usability, but also the gorgeously smooth interior leather and the hardy epsom exterior leather. I also loved that it wasn’t flashy and you wouldn’t know it was an Hermes unless you knew bags. I might also have been influenced by Shoko over at simplytokyo who loves her non-flashy Hermes bags and styles her Bolide 27 so beautifully.

Well whatever the reason (and this was before my one lengthy hospital stay and before we had discovered FIRE in December), this bag is in my life now. To be completely honest I still have mixed feelings about it because even though I love it, it’s also uber expensive and I really don’t need to be adding money to my bag collection right now (I should actually be liquidating and putting that money into ETFs and mutual funds lol).

This bag is the definition of understated luxury and there are several other brands that make a bag like this, from Louis Vuittons BB Alma to Linjer’s Crossbody Purse for much less than Hermes’ Bolide retail price of $6300 (I know, ridiculous right?!). No, I didn’t purchase this brand new, instead I got a used one that’s 9 years old and at less than half the price over at Fashionphile (in Epsom leather and in the color Bleu de Prusse). But still, I wonder if it’s worth it considering the more frugal lifestyle that my husband and I are going for these days.

On one hand, it’s a great bag that can fit all the essentials (wallet, keys, sunglasses, coin purse, lip balms, a reusable bag—though with all of that it’s quite full and causes some puckering because the bag narrows at the top). And I love it everytime I use it. Also it’s an Hermes classic that will retain its value over the years and hold up beautifully (even at 9 years old, this bag looks just as great as the new one I saw in the store). But on the other hand, I could get the same look for much much less.

I think the true test will be how often will I carry this bag in my new life post-pregnancy with a baby. I have a feeling not much, and if that’s the case I’ll probably sell it back to Fashionphile using their buyback program (TBH I’m getting more wary of ebay buyer scammers these days, especially when I’m trying to be frugal I can’t be out thousands of dollars). But until then (the buyback offer at 70% of the cost ends after 6 months), I’m going to use this bag a ton and keep trying to decide if I want to keep it. If you’re interested in this classic bag, I highly recommend purchasing it used from a reputable source instead of new. You can find a selection of Bolides at Fashionphile or TheRealReal.

So what do you think: keep or not?

{August 2022 Update: So I did sell this bag and I 100% regret it. Lol, I still miss it from time to time and tbh i was probably the best deal I would have gotten on the bolide. True, it didn’t fit everything but man, it was a beautiful bag.}