Chanel Boy Bag Review – Mad about the Small Boy? | Unwrapped

Chanel Boy bag or the Classic Flap? That is the question…

Even though the Boy was only introduced in 2011, the style has quickly achieved the status of an icon. Designed by Karl Lagerfeld and named after Boy Capel, the now legendary love of Coco Chanel’s life, the bag encapsulates masculine chic conveyed through rigid structure, boxy shape and sharp corners.

Chanel bag lovers are divided into devotees of either the Flap or the Boy. I am definitely in the latter tribe, but this has not always been the case.

Unsurprisingly, my first Chanel bag purchase was the Classic Flap, which at the time seemed like the epitome of luxury unparalleled by any other design. This love affair continued for some years during which I had very little appetite for adding a Boy to my collection. To begin with, the style seemed too ostentatious and I was rather unconvinced by the loud and ornate chain design. On top of that, I was somewhat unimpressed by the front flap covering the entirety of the bag’s fascia which, to me, created quite an angular and manly look.

The reason why I bought my first Chanel Boy bag was a sheer accident. I only got it because a Classic bag I wanted to purchase at the time was not in stock and I was reluctant to leave the shop empty handed. Even then, I was questioning my sanity, wondering what I would do with such a showy piece and whether it would ever see the light of day.

Predictably, even though I had no intention of liking the bag, the Boy started slowly winning me over. The loud aspects of the design stopped being so bothersome, perhaps because I no longer had to look at the bag when wearing it, and instead, I could just focus on enjoying its function. This certainly marked the beginning of my journey with Chanel Boy bags which happily continues to this day.

In the same way as Classics, Boy bags come in different dimensions but the size I am the fondest of is the Small Boy. Accordingly, I am going to dedicate this post specifically to the Small Chanel Boy bag and share with you my thoughts on why I believe it is one of the best crossbody bags out there.