I am so excited to share this post today because it’s all about my journey with buying preloved luxury items. And really, making one of the most exciting purchases from this year. And I shopped quite a bit this year. I managed to score a great deal for my very first preloved luxury item. And truth is, I am immensely proud of this purchase! So welcome, grab a cup of coffee or tea and tag along for my deepest and most honest thoughts on shopping preloved or secondhand, alongside the beautiful Chanel quilted ballerinas review.
Before getting any further, there’s two major things I want to dive in. First, I have to say, I haven’t been a ballet flat kind of girl in the last few years. This is actually my first pair of ballet flats in probably 10 years. I wore them a lot during my high school and university era, and I liked them a lot. But towards the end I also kind of thought that because I have a wider foot they don’t look that good on me. So in recent year, my flat shoe of choice has been the loafer. Chanel ballet flats have remained a classic though, and in the last couple of years, they caught my eye several times. I also tried them on a few times at the Chanel store over the past two years and I was surprised to see how well they fit, even my wider feet. And really, that’s how they grew on me. On top of that, ballet flats are having a moment now so well, everything was going for me.
Second, I will admit that buying preloved or secondhand is damn hard. It takes a lot of patience – which, I don’t have much of, especially when it comes to shopping. And I’ll be honest, it’s time consuming. Let me dive a little deeper into this, before we continue with the beautiful Chanel quilted ballerinas review.
My Experience Buying Secondhand
Over the last few months when I took it a bit more seriously, and made it a goal to shop preloved more, I spent countless hours scrolling on Vinted and on Vestiaire Collective. It’s a rabbit hole and it wipes you out. I’ve probably gotten better at it, but I’ll say it again. It’s damn hard. And I commend everyone who is truly dedicated to buying mostly preloved. To this, I also add the fact that it’s even a bigger challenge to buy preloved luxury items. The market is pretty hot right now, and there are a lot of scammers but also a lot of overpriced items (especially compared to the condition). So finding a good balance between the often steep price tag, item condition, potential counterfeit risk, and the amount of patience you’re willing to put in, well that’s one fine game to play.
The Silver Lining
With all that said, I will also admit that it’s truly rewarding when you find something preloved. You contribute to the circular economy, you save up some money and are a little more sustainable in your choices. Plus, it really takes a lot of work so you feel like you can truly enjoy the results of it. So I’ll say it again, it’s definitely worth it. But beware of the fact that it takes work and persistence and patience. I want to be honest about that part. There were months and months when I was completely disappointed for not finding anything suitable from my wishlist despite spending a lot of time on the preloved apps. That’s why for me, buying luxury items preloved, is a bit of a game of luck. You have to search for the right thing, at the right time.
Over time, I’ve learned to adjust my expectations, search for things better and more efficiently, cast a wider net and not only look for luxury items etc… And I’m by no means an expert, just an eager student with a few goods strikes of luck. Anyways, once you embark on this journey make sure you’re prepared. It’s a very rewarding experience with a lot of benefits, but it takes work.
First impressions
Now, let’s get back to the beautiful Chanel quilted ballerinas review. I cannot express how excited I am to have snatched them for less than half the price (I even managed to negotiate a bit) and in pristine condition, with absolutely no signs of wear and tear on the leather. Not a single scratch. Add to that the mint condition of the insole, and they’re practically new. Only the soles show some light wear which is normal and I don’t mind at all. Anyways, once I resole them, they’ll be like new too. You can also see the unboxing I did on Instagram in this reel to see for yourself the absolutely pristine condition they were in.
While I am now waiting to pick them up from the cobbler, I have to admit I already sneaked in a quick wear. Since the sole was already a little worn, I thought no harm would be done. Comfort level for me is okay, given that they are ballerinas. I did put on a couple of compeed to protect the back of my heels and that made the first wear pretty good. I am hoping that with a few more wears I will fully break them in. Sizing wise I went for a 39, which is also my loafer size. They do fit a little snug but not that much that they are uncomfortable. I am also assuming they leather will give in a little over time.
How I bought them
I usually monitor on Vinted or Vestiaire Collective, though realistically I’ve only bought off Vinted so far. I like that they have a buyer protection as well as verification services for luxury items, which makes me feel much more at peace. As far as I know, Vestiaire also offers similar benefits but I haven’t used it so far, so I can’t say exactly how it works.
This year I’ve been trying to buy more preloved, and I’ve really dedicated myself to it and spent hours and hours browsing. And many times without any success. Truth is, I am not yet mastering the technique of buying preloved, but I am trying. Though, what I learned these past months is that you have to basically be in the right place at the right time. Some items come and go very quickly. You either see them and make an offer quickly or they’re gone.
So, I will say that finding and getting them was also a strike of luck. I wasn’t actively browsing for the Chanel ballet flats, I was simply searching for them maybe once a month or so to see what’s out there. They were on my wishlist yes, but a bit more in the back of my head. I’ve spent quite a bit on fashion this year, so I didn’t really need to add to it. But, there I was, a beautiful sunny Sunday (probably?) browsing to see what’s new on Vinted. And then I saw them. In my size, pristine condition and reasonable price.
What about the price?
The seller listed them at 500 euros. They didn’t come with original box and receipt but they did come with both dust bags. I negotiated the price a little (hurrah to me for managing that since I am really bad at it) and after some back and forth, the seller accepted my offer for 420 euros. Now, the price tag is still significant of course, but shaving over 50% off the retail price (I believe this model is at 920 euros) for a few scratches on the sole, well that’s a great deal. Of course with the Vinted buyer protection, shipping and the soles protection I ended up adding, it cost me around 470 euros. But that’s still half of the price. So I do think I got a good deal.
Closing thoughts
Would I buy more luxury items preloved? Absolutely! Both luxury and non luxury items. I feel that finally all the work I put in these past few months, it’s starting to pay off. I am getting a little better at finding good pieces and it’s truly exciting and rewarding to buy preloved. There is a long wishlist that I have and keep an eye on, on the secondhand platforms.
I did share a lot of thoughts around how difficult I find it to buy preloved luxury items. And listen well, I do not want to deter anyone from doing so. But I did want to share the realities behind this massive score. You need to be armed with a good dose of patience and persistence. If you do so, you’ll be just fine!
Thank you for reading so far and do let me know you thoughts on my Chanel quilted ballerinas review in the comments. Now, I am curious to know, did you buy any luxury item preloved? Or what has been your favourite secondhand purchase?
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