Purseonals: Proenza Schouler Crocodile PS1

Many of you have heard me mention my coveted and beloved Proenza Schouler Crocodile PS1, and I’ve long promised to bring you the story of how I nabbed it for such a great price and how much I love it.

Part of me thinks I’ve avoided sharing the story because I keep waiting to wake up and realize it was all just a dream. The truth is, I somehow scored the sickest deal known to Proenza Schouler-kind and got the one crocodile PS1 that landed on THE OUTNET. (I’ve heard it was an accident).

THE OUTNET is celebrating its 5th birthday, and I wanted to share a story of my best purchase from THE OUTNET (and probably my best purchase ever).

A couple years ago, I woke up and was doing my usual morning routine, browsing some of my favorite shopping sites. When I clicked on the new arrivals at THE OUTNET, I saw something my eyes couldn’t believe – a Proenza Schouler Crocodile PS1 in a classic tan color, marked 70% off: down from $14,500 to $4,350.

I clicked purchase before my brain even processed the deal I was trying to nab, and when it did process, I called THE OUTNET to see if my dreams were really about to come true.

I still didn’t believe it until the bag arrived on my doorstep, but this exotic beauty is mine, and it’s more lovely than I ever imagined.

With the leather version of the large PS1 running around $2,000, this is the deal of a lifetime that I will never forget, on a bag I still can’t believe I own. Now that you have the story, let me break down this bag for you in our Purseonals.

Here is how my Proenza Schouler Crocodile PS1 scores in our PurseBlog Purseonals ratings:

Aesthetics

I have a hard time naming my favorite bag of all time, but I can easily say this is one of the top five in my personal collection. From the moment the PS1 was released, I was hooked, but although I’ve always been a girl who loves exotic skin bags, I never saw myself splurging on an exotic PS1 for almost $15,000. The discount made this my favorite bag ever at a price that is incredibly hard to beat.

The PS1 has a school bag feel, which plays well into my wardrobe of mostly jeans and comfy tops. I love the utilitarian touches, and the smooth, matte croc only makes this bag more of a beauty than the design already is.

Another: major other plus, when I saw this bag on THE OUTNET, the coloring was light (almost like a creamy caramel), but in person, it’s a richer tan hue that makes it that much more wearable.

Usability + Functionality

I have to be honest, this bag is a bit hard to get in and out of. Having the double front straps with slots isn’t that big of an issue, but after you remove the straps you have to open the front flap. The flap is long and as the bag sits on your shoulder you need to scrunch it up or fold it behind the bulk of the bag so you can reach inside easily.

Also, I like letting the PS1 hang low on my body, like a true messenger style, and that means when I want to get in to get things out, I need to grab the bottom of the bag and lift it up a bit. But that is a personal choice, you can easily adjust the straps so it doesn’t hang as low.

There are a few additions that make this bag easier to use. There is a back zip pocket that I always keep my phone and keys in which is easy to access. Once you open the bag there is another zip pocket and a pouch pocket along with the large interior compartment. The inside has plenty of room without having too much wasted space, which I appreciate greatly.

Once you have the bag open, the aspect of usability skyrockets, the problem for me is when the bag is closed and I have to open it.

Quality + Construction

I wish I could let all of you touch this bag, because upon touching it, you will feel the absolutely divine crocodile skin. The outside of the bag is lovely, but it’s the inside that takes it to the next level – the backside of the croc skin is one of the smoothest things I’ve ever felt.

I’ve had no issues with the bag’s durability – it holds its shape well and all of the materials are of the best quality I’ve seen. In fact, I’ve owned this bag for almost three years and it still smells brand new. Truly, if you smelled it, you would think it just had its last stitch sewn.

Value

The value for me was great, because I got the bag 70% off. For that, I obviously have to give it five value stars. For anyone who might buy this bag full price, the value rating goes down, because I don’t think many would spend nearly $15,000 for a crocodile PS1.

I find the PS1 to be priced fairly well in general. Many bags have exceeded the $2,000 barrier, but the medium PS1 still costs around $1,700, and the large, just under $2,000.

The ‘It’ Factor

Some worried that the PS1 would go out of style, but the bag continues to maintain its favor among fashion insiders and handbag lovers alike. The design is now easily recognizable while not being too played out, and for this reason, I give it 4.5 stars.

Total Score

Like I said, this bag is one of my best purchases ever and one of my favorite bags in my collection. I still can’t believe I ended up getting it at such an astoundingly great deal; in fact, sharing the story with you makes me want to pinch myself again.

This bag will always hold a very special place in my heart and will always be top rated for so many reasons. You can buy a variety of Proenza Schouler PS1 bags for $785 – $30,000 via Proenza Schouler.