My latest foray into the world of designer bags brought me to a timeless classic: the Dior Saddle Bag. The standout silhouette gained fame when Carrie Bradshaw carried a saddlebag on Sex and The City. You can recognize the shape and Christian Dior hardware from a mile away – this is a signature bag for sure.
I was looking to treat myself with a new statement bag this past winter, and fell in love with one of the newly released designs for Dior’s Saddle Bag – the black & beige ornamental embroidery pattern. I wear a lot of monochrome color palettes (all black, all denim, et cetera). Although the embroidery pattern has a lot going on, I knew this bag would instantly elevate any of my outfits – and the simpler, the better (to make the bag stand out!)
I went to check the bag out in person at Dior’s SoHo location (I always recommend this before buying a designer bag. What if you absolutely hate the way the bag fastens, or it’s a different size than you anticipated? The return policies on these things are not particularly friendly…I know from experience.) The SoHo location only had one floor model in stock, which was lucky for me! After trying the bag on, taking photos from every angle imaginable, and falling hopelessly in love, I went home to sleep on my decision.
Rule of thumb: If you still want to buy the bag 24 hours later, its worth it – when I don’t follow this rule, I tend to fall victim to impulse buying.
I love, love, love, LOVE how the gold Christian Dior hardware looks from behind. So chic.
When a full day passed after my initial try-on and I still couldn’t stop thinking about it, I ordered the bag online. It was delivered to my apartment within three days.
Personally, I always opt to order my bags online, rather than buy the floor model after trying it on, because I am always nervous about the slim possibility that there may be a flaw or scratch on a floor model that multiple people have already touched.
Other than how it looks on my shoulder, there were a few more things I wound up loving about my saddle bag:
- The embroidered fabric exterior is super durable and forgiving, so I’m not overly protective or worried about this bag getting a scratch on it. I’ve had the bag for a few months now (even carried it to a whole host of honky-tonk bars in Nashville…) and it still looks brand-new
- It’s actually quite spacious, and very deep. There’s honestly a lot more room than I need (I travel relatively light with just my phone, cardholder, AirPods, a lipstick, and sunglasses)
- The magnetic closure is very simple, so I’m not fiddling around with clasps and hooks
How to wear the Dior Saddle Bag with a cross-body strap:
I knew wanted to attach a crossbody strap to my saddle bag: it provides way more versatility (especially when you are traveling with limited luggage space and only want to bring one purse for both day and night looks).
You would not believe how hard it was for me to find a single article online about attaching a crossbody strap to a Dior Saddle Bag. I wasn’t sure how the mechanism was supposed to click on (do you attach it to the C? or to the D? On the inside? Or the outside?) So, having struggled through the process on my own, I am happy to share the deets – keep reading!
Given the embroidered pattern, I thought my saddle bag had enough going on to begin with, so I was looking for a relatively thin and simple strap in the same color family as my purse (black and beige).
I opted to buy the strap secondhand. Primarily, this was because the straps in stock at Dior (at the time I was looking for one) were thicker than the ones I wanted. However, it also made me feel a little bit better about the overall price I was spending on the bag (like hey, at least I got the strap on sale!). I purchased the strap on Fashionphile. I have been both a buyer and a seller of luxury bags and accessories with this retailer in the past, and I have always had a good experience.
The crossbody strap has two metal-snap hooks that can be attached on the gold CD hardware on either side of the bag. Personally, I like to attach the straps to the D (it feels the most secure). The strap is adjustable, allowing the bag to be worn over the shoulder or crossbody, and also allowing you to change the length of the strap if you are wearing a bulkier coat underneath.
I love adding the strap for a hands-free daytime option, and you can still carry the saddle bag by the top handle if the long strap is attached.
For evening looks, I generally prefer to wear the bag without the crossbody strap.
All in all, I can’t recommend the Dior Saddle Bag enough. It comes in a ton of classic colors, materials, and even sizes (check out the mini!). Dior is also constantly innovating and releasing the bag in new patterns (for example, my bag’s pattern is an exclusive style from the 2023 winter collection). This bag is sure to elevate any outfit and make a statement anywhere you go.
Let me know what you think!
