Review on Yves Saint Laurent Cabas Chyc Tote Bag as seen on Sooyoung.

The YSL Chyc Tote is beautifully crafted from sturdy black leather and the famous “Y” gold hardware for an added polish. As some may know YSL is now changed to Saint Laurent Paris and this is the last bag in their collection that engraves the name “Yves Saint Laurent”. What comes with the change of branding is that Chyc Totebag has the detailed “Y” stitching on the bag itself and the “Y” hardware is shinier and smooth surfaced as opposed to the old one that has a blunt shine. Also the new Cabas Chyc bag comes with a long strap where you can convert the bag into sling. I still prefer the old design that the new one because it gives off a more vintage vibe that it does not really look dated but still modern because of its details.

I had to privilege to try this bag out for sampling along with the mini Cabas Chyc version. I really wanted to have more but designer bags are a bit of a splurge but I still prefer bags out of bovine leather, for the reason that it is lighter and is practical for everyday use. But I think one needs to invest in at least one designer bag in their closet. I like this bag because it really gives a vintage yet sophisticated look. It does not over power an outfit and I really love the intricate “Y” detailing across the bag that gives is an edge and it can put a touch of elegance to every outfit. That really draws me to the bag is the details and the stitching that is really worth its price. I think I good designer bag is worth the investment because it lasts for a long time with proper care.

Sooyoung here has the Cabas Chyc Bag in the medium size. The bag is made in Italy out of calfskin leather and it’s height is 11″, it is 15″ wide and 6 1/2″ in dimension. The leather has a pebble-like finish that is really chic and vintage. The sophisticated “Y” for Yves tab displayed in the front is a magnetic closure. The bag has a structured body in a sense that it’s not as flimsy as and it can still hold its shape. Though its leather is quite soft, the sturdy base contribute to the re-shaping of the bag and it prevents the bag from having bulges on the bottom of bag from things that are heavy such as a laptop or a tablet.  The drop of the handles is  5 1/2″ that can be worn over the shoulders or at the crook of your elbow. The interior of the bag has a zipper and a small cellphone pocket. Above the zipper is the label “Yves Saint Laurent” in the new one it is labeled “Saint Laurent Paris”.

To open the bag you lift the tab and it shows you 2 zippers that open in opposite directions, which is super convenient to those who like the zipper on one side of the bag. So the placement of the opening of the bag is to your taste and it opens until either ends of the bag that can be detached so you can lift it to close the zipper easier.

What comes with buying the bag is a swatch of the leather they used, (this could be handy if you are going to repair the bag) and instructions on how to care for the bag. I think it is important to read the care instructions that comes with the bag because there are certain surfaces the calfskin leather is not compatible with that can destroy the exterior of the bag. Actually I know some places around my country, the Philippines, that is like a cleaning service specially for handbags that gives it a unique coating and shine so that if ever you scratch the bag or someone accidentally passes a ball pen across it, it only touches the coating and not the actual surface of the bag.

Drawbacks:

What comes with designer bags like this is the weight, even without your belongings inside, it already weighs like you have a bottle of water inside. Thus, the  bag gets too heavy is you put too much stuff that can lead you to carrying it like a plastic grocery bag. Even wearing it over the shoulders can be bothersome because it can feel heavy after a while. I don’t really like heavy bags and I walk a lot so the weight of my bag really matters because I don’t want to feel like I’m bringing a luggage.

Rating 3.5/5

Tote bag can be brought here.