New in my Wardrobe: Celine Small Phantom Cabas Tote

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Introducing you to the newest beauty in my wardrobe: my Celine Phantom Cabas Tote.  I hit a milestone in recent months and decided it was time to check another bag off my wish list.  With my heart set on the small size, I was determined not to go for another black Celine bag this time round and expand my horizons with another colour.  While I thought it would be a straightforward decision, if you follow me over on Instagram, you’ll know that I had been agonising over the colour and being annoying indecisive in the process!  Who knew that all the shades of grey would leave me stumped for choice?!

After three visits to the store over the course of a few weeks, I finally bit the bullet a couple of weekends ago – opting for a greyer grey than the greyish-grey that I was deciding between (not before eliminating the sorta-kinda-greyer-grey before that 😜). I thought it would be worthwhile to share some photos that I took while I was in store trying the bag and address some FAQs in case you’ve been on the hunt.  

If you’ve been a long time reader here, you’ll know that I have an annual wardrobe budget.  And while I don’t have a separate budget for handbags, (I’ve used up a substantial portion of this year’s wardrobe budget on my Gucci loafers and some post-lockdown wears…), I do allow myself to purchase a bag on my wish list when I’ve hit a significant milestone – either career or financial.  I also have a “one in, one out” rule when it comes to my handbags so I’ll be looking to sell one of them very soon.  

Small Phantom Cabas vs Medium Phantom Cabas?

The Cabas style comes in two different variations – the Vertical Cabas (a compact version of the tote bag which I own and have reviewed here) and the Phantom Cabas (a wider version of the tote bag that expands on the sides with adjustable straps that can be tightened or loosened).  The Phantom Cabas comes in two sizes – small and medium. I’m 5’2” or 158cm, and while I originally thought the medium size would be a go-er because of its capacity, I found it a tad too large on my frame.  

Small Phantom Cabas in Light Charcoal vs Medium Phantom Cabas in Grey

I didn’t actually think the small size would fit my laptop (which is a key consideration when buying a tote as I have to take one with me to and from the office), but as you can see below, my 14” laptop for work fits comfortably with ample room to spare for the other usual suspects.

Small Phantom Cabas in Light Charcoal

Which colour?!

Seriously, I’m useless in this department! (Which probably explains why I have so many black bags…)  But I’m so pleased with the Grey that I ultimately chose.  I would have happily settled for the Taupe or Light Charcoal versions as well (the Taupe being the clear winner in all my Instagram polls), and narrowing it down to just one colour was a tough decision. The neutral tones are very similar, and the reason why I agonised over the colour for so long ultimately boils down to the fact that it’s a big ticket item and I wanted to make sure the colour I chose would work for my wardrobe.   

Clockwise from top: Medium Phantom Cabas in Grey, Small Phantom Cabas in Taupe, Small Phantom Cabas in Light Charcoal

Here are some shots so you can see how the colours compare: 

L: Grey vs Taupe; R: Light Charcoal vs Taupe

As is the case with my handbags, I will share a comprehensive review once I have a chance to use this properly.  In the meantime, you can have a read of all my other handbag reviews here.  

Thanks for stopping by!

P.S. The top 5 handbag styles for work and my designer bag inserts of choice.