The Truth About My Chanel Splurge in Paris

The first Chanel hat boutique was located at 21 rue Cambon in Paris. I’ve known that fun little trivia fact since middle school. Back then I would use my allowance money to buy issues of Vogue magazine and dream of the day that I could own designer pieces.

I’ve been to Paris a handful of times and I didn’t even bother to go to a store. Please, just save me the heartache and just drop me off at Target. But, this time was different. I saved all year for my December Paris trip and I was finally going to get my first Chanel bag. At the first Chanel couture boutique, 31 rue Cambon, exuberantly.

And I couldn’t do it.

The cheapest bag in the store was five thousand. I was well aware of that before entering. However, what I wasn’t aware of is how it would make me feel in the moment. Seriously Daphne, five thousand on a purse?! I just couldn’t do it. Five thousand is the price of a used Honda!!

The crazy thing is, is that I might have done it – if the process of the store didn’t give me time to deliberate on my decision. Making a purchase in the Chanel store is a whole ordeal. Before you can even touch the door handle to enter, it’s two intimidating security guards asking if you have an appointment. I did not. I had to state what I was there before I was let in. Once inside, I met with an associate and told her what I was there for and then I was put on a waiting list behind ten other people. Inside the boutique you can’t wander too far, can’t take photos (I snuck in a few), can’t go upstairs alone and you have security in the store watching you like a cat playing with a red laser toy.

Now that I think it about it months later, maybe it’s that way because they don’t want tourists coming in and treating it like an amusement park.

While waiting for a hour to be seen, I had plenty of time to think and people watch. The clientele at the store that day was mostly women around 40 or so. Most were with men, I assume their husbands, and I noticed the men paying the invoice. I thought to myself, “Daphne just wait until you find a nice husband to buy you a Chanel purse.” Ha Ha. Like that’s going to happen anytime soon. I also noticed how all the sales associates are so thin and petite. I see why they call us fat Americans. Maybe I shouldn’t eat so many macarons while I’m here. Hmm.

And then I thought of that old saying, that if you have to save you up for something then you really cannot afford it. But, I don’t believe that to be true – what about how we save up for down payments on homes and cars? Parents saving up for their children to go to college right? I also thought maybe I’m just not there financially there to buy a Chanel purse. I do own a home and a decent car and I feel like i’m doing ok in life at the moment. But, something in me would still not let me let go off all that money. Maybe there are more milestones I that need to be met before I can justify it.

So, in terribly sad news – I left the store with no purse.

I did however, buy some earrings. Two pair that I do not have buyers remorse about, even though they are the most expensive earrings that I own. So I guess I kind of did splurge?

During the process of getting the first pair of earrings, they actually were not in stock at the 31 rue location. The sales associate was able to call a guy at another store to bring them over. I was able to sit back and drink champagne and be surround by art until he arrived thirty minutes later . Overall my experience in the original store was good, just being inside was truly enough for me. I hope to write another post in the future in which I actually do splurge and purchase my very first bag.

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Have you ever had second thoughts with making a big purchase? How do you justify large purchases? Am I just poor and crazy. Let me know below in the comments lol.