YSL Loulou Medium: My 2-Year Use Review + What Fits

Why I Ordered The YSL Loulou Medium in Quilted Leather

The Saint Laurent Loulou bag was actually the first designer bag I’ve ever bought. It was really exciting for me! My collection has grown quite a bit since I first ordered the YSL Loulou a couple of years ago. 

But, I initially started my designer bag hunt I was looking for a timeless, versatile handbag that I could use for daily use but wouldn’t look out of place if I used it for a dinner date. I also wanted it to be something I could wear as a crossbody when I’m traveling and not be overly easy to pickpocket.

Size Comparison of the YSL Loulou Medium and the Small

The YSL Loulou small is 9″H X 6.6″ W X 3.5″ D. See the photo below to understand the measurements better.

The YSL Loulou Medium is 8.6″H x 12″W x 4.7″D.

At the time I ordered the medium from Neiman Marcus, the price was $2490.  And the small one from Mytheresa was $2290. So, not a big price difference in the grand scheme of things.

Please note, though, that these prices have changed over the last couple of years. The exact same medium Loulou currently retails for $3,200. And now the small Loulou retails for $2,950.

Anyways! I personally thought the small just looked kind of boxy and strange. I didn’t love this size, and for a $200 price difference, the medium just seemed far more practical. I returned the small to Mytheresa and kept the medium.

What Fits in My YSL Loulou Medium

This is everything I can comfortably fit in my YSL LouLou: a small water bottle, passport, Kindle, small hairspray, deodorant, powder compact, lipstick, lipgloss, keys, wallet, sanitizing wipe, tampons, pantiliners, and koozies (you never know when you might need one in Wisconsin!).

Now, I don’t carry all this stuff with me on a daily basis. The only time I have it this loaded is when I’m traveling; what I do is wear my camera backpack and then use the bag as a crossbody. It’s the height of fashion right there when I’m running through the airport! (See below.)

On a daily basis I’m typically just using my keys, wallet, chapstick, feminine products, koozie, and four million receipts I cleaned out before I did this blog post!

Ways I’ve Styled My YSL Loulou over the Years

This bag is quite versatile! As you can see below, I can easily dress it up with a formal dress. I’ve also paired it with some more casual dresses for traveling. It looks great with a blouse and jeans. And I’m convinced this cream color goes with absolutely every color. Super versatile.

Pros and Cons of the YSL Loulou in Medium

Now let’s talk pros and cons of the YSL Loulou Medium.

Pros:

• It’s absolutely stunning. The leather is soft and beautiful, yet it is resilient. Despite how soft it feels, I haven’t had any issues with this bag getting dented or scratched over the years.  
• I love the gold hardware, and the ability to use it as either a shoulder bag or crossbody is a cool option.
• The interior in the medium is very roomy, and the inner zipper pouch is a great feature. (this part go kind of awkward on camera, we could just cut after saying its roomy and the zipper 
• It’s quite versatile, as you can see in the various ways I’ve styled it over the years.
• It’s very sturdy, and well structured. 
• It’s holding up very well, after a couple years of use, it still looks new. Granted, though, I am not overly rough on this bag and don’t throw it on the ground or anything. It is an expensive bag, so I treat it kindly when I’m using it.

Cons:

Oh boy, unfortunately, I have quite a few cons to discuss about the YSL Loulou. These are things that are very apparent after a couple of years of using it, but it was honestly stuff I noticed right away when I first tried the bag on and chose to ignore, thinking I would get used to it, or I was just being overly judgemental because it was the most expensive bag I ever bought and I expected perfection. So, I talked myself down when I noticed these cons and went ahead and kept it…

• The first con is that this bag is an awkward length for my body. I’m 5’5” tall, and this bag just hits such weird areas when I’m using it fully extended as a crossbody. It does sit better as a shoulder bag for me. This might be less of an issue for someone who is more petite than I am.
• This bag feels heavy and uncomfortable to use. I weighed it with my luggage scale, and it weighs 2.2 lbs with nothing in it, which doesn’t sound like a lot. So I weighed a couple of other handbags I use on a regular basis, and I found that they are roughly the same weight. (See below) So, I think it’s just the way that this weight is distributed with the YSL Loulou, and the straps make it uncomfortable to use.

Cons continued…

• The snap closure on this bag is a pain the you know what to get to close when you have stuff in it. And when I’m traveling this can be super annoying. 
• I also wish it had the feet on the bottom. It’s a big enough bag where I feel it would benefit and not sit so strange when I set it down, especially when it’s full of my stuff.  

Verdict – is the YSL Loulou Worth it? Should You Buy One?

If you’re reading this post, it’s likely because you are considering buying this bag for yourself. This is ultimately a very personal decision. If you search what the best designer bag is, you’ll get a list of Gucci, Louis Vuitton, YSL, Chanel, etc., and it can be overwhelming to make this decision!

But the best designer bag is ultimately the one you will actually use and cherish for years. And this will be different for everyone.