Last year I was on a different kind of Hermes journey: one where I tried a bunch of secondhand and vintage bags from the brand. The thing about not being able to try on bags before buying them is that you’re going to make a lot of mistakes. And with Hermes, there has been a lot of trial and error since I couldn’t try most of these bags in a store (now I know a bit better and will try things out in store at The RealReal if I’m contemplating an Hermes purchase). There have been a handful of Hermes bags that never got a full review on my blog because I disliked them almost from the moment I got them. I also have to say even though Hermes makes quality items, their bags are not the most functional (maybe rich women don’t concern themselves with function). Anyway these were my many Hermes bag mistakes:

Tried & Sold:

Jige Clutch 29 in Box leather: I found this Jige clutch in box leather for a great deal so I snapped it up. But only when it was in my possession did I realize that I’m not really a clutch kind of gal. Clutches are such a fussy thing. Plus the Jige is such a flat clutch that I couldn’t really fit anything in there (in the pic above it’s empty). There’s no gusset so there’s no space for anything bulky. Anyway as much as I like the look of this Hermes classic, it just wasn’t for me.

Victoria 35 in Clemence leather (used once): I used this once to carry my usual essentials plus my daughter’s iPad and ear phones, and my shoulder was so sore the day after that I decided to sell it. I probably should have taken at least one outfit photo with it, but I was so over the bag that I wanted to get rid of it ASAP. The 9” handle drop was just long enough to carry it over my shoulder but it wasn’t comfortable (I was wearing a coat though). Overall the size of this bag (35cm across) and the fact that it’s made of Clemence (one of the heaviest leathers IMO) made it one of the heaviest bags I’ve ever owned. From what I remember the Victoria II 35 can fit a 13” laptop without any sleeves or case, but it has to be tilted inside. But I’m not sure you’d want to do that since it would make an already heavy bag even heavier.

Picotin 18 Lock in Clemence leather (used a couple times): I also used this a couple times before selling it (and again I forgot to take an outfit shot with it 🤦🏻‍♀️). But I found the smaller 18 size to be just a tad too small for my needs (I’m a mom that carries a little bit of everything and then some). So my Picotin 22 (my review of that here) really is the one for me. It can fit everything I need it to, and yes it’s heavier than the 18 but I can live with it. I think the Picotin (and the similarly sized In-The-Loop 23) are the only bags I would get in Clemence, since anything bigger would make for a really heavy bag.

Berlingot GM in Buffle Skipper leather: Of the items I sold, I think this Berlingot GM is the only one I kind of regret. The design is so simple that most people wouldn’t know that it’s an Hermes. Yet the construction is of course excellent and the Buffle leather was gorgeous (its one of my favorite vintage leathers—I talk more about it in my Buffle Vespa review here). And that Rouge H color is so gorgeous. I also loved the strap design where you can make it either a shoulder carry or cross-body bag. I guess I ended up selling it because I never really used it. I found the stiff base to be a bit awkward when carrying it crossbody and the thin strap was a tad uncomfortable when the bag got heavy. But I think if I found a Berlingot PM for a good deal I’ll give it another try.

Plume 28 in Rouge H Chamonix: And this is another bag I regret not taking a picture with, so I’m using the pic from Fashionphile above (which is a much nicer version than the one I had) to show how short the handles are. They measured about 6.5 inches, which are just a bit too short to go over my shoulder (I do not have slender arms). Also the one I had in Chamonix leather was quite scratched up (it was kind of like Box leather). However since then I’ve purchased a Plume 32, which I love. The Plume 32 can fit my 13” laptop and I find it the perfect casual, under-the-radar Hermes bag.

Returned:

Bolide 31 in Clemence leather: I got this bag from Fashionphile for a really great deal and have always wanted a Bolide 31 after selling my Bolide 27 (my Bolide 27 review here where I found it just a tad too small for my daily essentials). But in the end I returned this Bolide 31 because: 1) the Clemence leather made it super heavy, 2) the bag itself was quite worn, and 3) it didn’t come with the shoulder strap (though I could have just purchased a third-party strap from Etsy). I’m not ruling out a Bolide 31 completely, but I definitely want to get it in a lighter leather (maybe Epsom). I did like the classic shape of the bag as well as the rolled handles, which made it very comfortable to carry. [After writing this review, I purchased a Bolide 35 in chocolat Epsom leather and I love it. The 35 can fit my laptop (while the 31 can’t), and the Epsom leather makes it feel much lighter than the 31 in Clemence. I’ve used my Bolide 35 a couple times and as much as I love the structured look of it, I think I still might want to add a slouchy 31 like this one. I kind of regret returning it.]

Trim II 31 in Epsom leather: I love the idea of this Trim 31 because I’m very much into shoulder bags now. However the Epsom leather was so stiff that it didn’t really hang the way I wanted to. It also seemed very large at the time. However, this one was such a great deal (sub $1k) that I kind of returning this one as well. I’m still on the hunt for a Trim bag, but preferably in Togo leather (or even better Buffle).