The Hermes Constance Bag

Today I’m reviewing a new addition to my closet – the Hermes Constance bag.

The Constance is a bag that I have been looking to add to my closet for the longest time. For more than three years I’ve been looking for the perfect one – there have been a few candidates, but nothing that I loved enough to take home. I was super picky with the requirements – I knew I wanted Epsom, because otherwise I would get tons of scratches all over due to the clasp, I knew I wanted black, so that I wouldn’t worry about it rubbing on dark jeans, and I knew I wanted the 24 size, so it could fit more. Actually originally I wanted the Elan size, until a friend kindly modeled it for me and then I realized it would be too long.

Then, Hermes started coming out with rose gold hardware on the Constance so I knew I wanted that as well. This was a combination that I might have a passing chance at, if I placed an order long in advance and begged extra hard, at my “local” store, but as my local store is actually overseas and I’m basically chained to my home until elementary school, I knew it would be an impossible mission. Until I mentioned, in passing, my long unrequited Constance dreams to a dear and wonderful friend. This friend, who wished to remain anonymous, I can only describe as someone who would be listed on Hermes customer profiles as “valued client” whereas I remain somewhere around or below “peon”. And somehow, she made magic happen.

Yes my perfect Constance bag – black Epsom, 24cm size, rose gold hardware. Yay!!

Epsom is kind of a controversial leather in Hermes world (is that a ridiculous sentence? Probably). Some don’t like it because it feels a little “plasticky”, artificial. But a great thing about it is that it withstands scratches more easily than smooth leathers. The clasp on the Constance is such that I knew I would end up scratching the bag everywhere with my keys, fingernails, etc – and I wanted it to be a grab and go and throw bag, one which I wouldn’t have to baby. This is my first Epsom bag and I’m happy to have gone with the leather.

As you can see above, the interior has two compartments (double gusset) which gives you more space to store your goodies, but also means the bag is a little bulky.

And finally, a few shots of the bag on, so you can see how it hangs on my frame in various formats. Just for reference, I’m 5’1. Please note that these photos are purely for others who are considering the bag and how it might hang on them – I didn’t even attempt to pretend that I was going out in some glamorous outfit for these. I’m wearing a variation of what I wear each day, a loose shift with Birkenstock slides. Yeah!

First, we have the most traditional way to carry the bag – double strapped, by the shoulder.

Next, single long strap. I kind of think I’m a tad too short to pull this off but I would do it in heels.

And finally, crossbody. I think the strap is a wee bit too short to do crossbody for long periods, but it’s definitely doable, and a nice option to be able to have when out running around. I included the photo of the bag in my front just so you could see how it looks – I think I would rarely wear it like that, I much prefer it towards the back like in the last photo.

Thank you for reading along, and I’d love to hear from any fellow Constance lovers!