June 29, 2021

Chloe Woody Tote Review

When searching for the newest addition to my bag collection back in spring, I realized I did not have a summer tote bag. Big problem to have you’d say but me being a mom of a 6 year old and a 4 month baby, I wanted to find a tote that could fit the whole house and more.

So I stumbled upon Chloe Woody and it was love at first sight

Or so I’d thought. While the bag definitely has that “It” factor to it, after having it for 3 months, I’m ready to share my honest opinion on its practicality in everyday life. I don’t know if you share the same thought, but for me, if there’s a chance to get a designer purse at a discount, I wait around to buy it on with some kind of an incentive. Of course, this doens’t apply to brands such as Louis Vuitton or Chanel, but Chloe is one of those fashion houses that you can easily wait to buy on sale. When I was doing my research, there was barely any reviews available, just mod shots and I absolutely loved the look of the bag so I made the plunge when I could score it for 25% off. It was the last one in the store, so the adrenaline rush definitely kicked in. Hehe

Product Details

“This handbag is made from a woven fabrication adapted to leather goods requirements. A water-repellent treatment was applied to the fabric, but rain exposure should be avoided. Avoid rubbing this material against color-contrasting materials and shield it from humidity, light, heat, liquids and greasy substances” -The official Chloe Site
Measurements

- Width: 17.7" (45 cm)
- Height: 13" (33 cm)
- Depth: 5.2" (13 cm)
- Strap drop: 19.7" (50 cm)

Do you need this bag?

Don’t let me influence your decision! You do you! However, as for me, this isn’t my daily go-to. I don’t regret buying it but it also didn’t transform my life. I’d said earlier that I was looking to fulfill the purpose of finding a bag that is more on the casual side - a bag I could take with me on park strolls and looking tres chic on the patios, I don’t find this bag that comfortable to be able to do that. It’s not a bad purchase but definitely, an impulse buy. Would I recommend it? Depends on what your need is. It’s a great-looking summer tote if you’re not planning on carrying a lot. I also think that maybe if I got a medium size over the Large, it would probably be more versatile…unless you’re going for that “oversized” look. I’ve seen a lot of fashion bloggers taking this tote as their travel tote…re-reading the care instructions for this bag, I’m not sure this would be my number 1 choice for a travel tote :))

Pros

Very in style - the “It” bag of the season
The color combination make it pretty easy to match up with anything
Quality is admirable. The leather details make the bag stand out, the canvas is very well made - you can really appreciate the craftsmanship behind it.
Great for its price point.

Cons

Narrow Design - because of the structure of the bag, the canvas isn’t as easily expandable as it is on the LV Neverfull. This is a problem since the whole point of a tote bag is to pack your whole life in it, isn’t it?
Heavy…and when you start loading it up, it gets much heavier making it really dig into your shoulder.
Coated canvas still gets dirty! I guess this is on me, I assumed that coated canvas would be less prone to collecting dirt? I feel like I have to be mindful when I wear it and I can’t just put it down on the ground without it getting it dirty. So it does make it harder to find the use for this bag. Unless you’re not trying to preserve it…then this isn’t a con for you!
Speaking of putting it down….as structured as the bag might seem, it doesn’t “stand”. I’ve tried maneuvering the things inside so that it creates some kind of engineered structure to stand on its own but it is a real problem. It’s a paradox in a way - the bag is structured but not structured to stand on its own. It’s nowhere near being slouchy like the Celine Cabas Tote but it won’t stand on its own as a tote bag should
The handle drop isn’t the most comfortable. I wish that the handles were a bit longer. When you carry a bag full of stuff, to offset the weight, I rest my hand on the straps near the shoulder to make it easier to wear.

Mod Shots