Hermès Herbag Zip 31: Why It's Our Favorite Size

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The Hermès Herbag Zip 31 is the one we would choose. Not the smallest, not the one that asks you to plan your whole day around what fits. Just a beautiful canvas-and-leather bag with enough presence to make jeans and a sweater feel considered.

Red canvas top-handle bag - Hermès Herbag Zip 31 — Red canvas top-handle bag – Hermès Herbag Zip 31. **Shop here**
Photo credit: Hermès

Navy mini canvas bag - Hermès Herbag Zip 20 — Navy mini canvas bag – Hermès Herbag Zip 20. **Shop here**
Photo credit: Hermès

Pink canvas top-handle bag - Hermès Herbag Zip 31 — Pink canvas top-handle bag – Hermès Herbag Zip 31. **Shop here**
Photo credit: Hermès

Blue canvas top-handle bag - Hermès Herbag Zip 39 — Blue canvas top-handle bag – Hermès Herbag Zip 39. **Shop here**
Photo credit: Hermès

We love the Birkin, the Kelly and the Constance. Of course we do. But there are days when the bag needs to feel a little more relaxed: lunch somewhere casual, a weekend away, a coffee stop that turns into an afternoon out. That is where the Herbag makes sense. It has the house’s familiar straps and shaped flap, with canvas taking some of the formality out of the picture.

If you are thinking about a holiday gift to yourself, this is the one we would put on the list. Choose the size for your actual day, then have fun with the color.

Why the Herbag Zip 31 is our pick

Hermès describes the Herbag as inspired by the Kelly. You can see the family resemblance in the trapezoid shape, leather flap and strap closure. The canvas body changes the mood. We would wear this with straight-leg jeans, a knit and loafers just as easily as a simple dress.

The 31 gives you more room than the mini without moving into travel-bag territory. It is our choice for the person who wants to carry a bag, rather than edit everything down to the smallest possible pouch. Check the measurements on the exact listing, especially if you carry something that needs a precise fit.

A red canvas top-handle bag makes the simplest outfit feel intentional. A pink canvas bag has a softer, playful feel. If your wardrobe already has plenty of color, the taupe canvas bag is the quieter choice. These are pre-owned individual listings, so condition and included accessories matter as much as color.

The trade-off is the closure. This is a strap-and-clasp bag, not an open tote you can reach into without looking. We like the shape enough to make that choice, but it is worth thinking about if you are in and out of your bag all day. The exterior zipped pocket on the Zip versions is a useful detail; check the exact listing for the removable pouch, strap, lock and keys rather than assuming every pre-owned bag includes them.

Which Herbag size should you choose?

Herbag Zip 20: the little bag, not the everyday compromise

The 20 is tempting because it is small and lovely. We would choose it for a casual evening or a light day when the plan is a key, a card and a lipstick. We would not buy it expecting the space of the 31. Hermès lists the mini at approximately 20.5 by 16.5 by 7 centimeters. Measure your own essentials before deciding whether the small canvas crossbody bag is enough.

It is not that the 20 is the wrong bag. It is the wrong choice if you really want an everyday bag and are hoping a mini will somehow do the same job. For that, we prefer the 31.

Herbag Zip 31: our everyday favorite

At roughly 31 centimeters across, the 31 is the middle ground we keep coming back to. It has the look we want and more space than the mini. One current Hermès version measures approximately 12 by 10 by 4.3 inches, but handmade pieces and listings can vary. For a first Herbag, this is where we would start.

Herbag Zip 39: more room for longer days

The 39 is the choice when you want a larger canvas top-handle bag. We would consider it for a day with more to carry or a relaxed travel outfit. Do not assume a laptop will fit just because it is the larger size. Compare the device with the exact bag’s interior and opening measurements.

Herbag Cabine 50: the travel-size choice

The Cabine 50 is a different proposition. This is the large canvas travel bag, not our everyday handbag pick. Hermès lists a current Cabine at about 50 by 34 by 22.5 centimeters. We like the idea for a short escape when the luggage is part of the look, but check your airline’s rules rather than treating the name as a cabin-baggage guarantee.

Herbag Messenger 39: a separate shape to know

The Messenger 39 is not simply the regular Zip 39 with another name. It has a horizontal format and a strap attached at either end of the opening. Hermès lists a current version at approximately 36 by 28 by 9 centimeters, with hand, shoulder and crossbody carry. The beige canvas messenger bag has a wider, more horizontal shape than the 31. We would choose it for a more relaxed shoulder-bag look.

Orange canvas top-handle bag - Hermès Herbag Zip 31 — Orange canvas top-handle bag – Hermès Herbag Zip 31. **Shop here**
Photo credit: Hermès

Taupe canvas top-handle bag - Hermès Herbag Zip 31 — Taupe canvas top-handle bag – Hermès Herbag Zip 31. **Shop here**
Photo credit: Hermès

Green canvas top-handle bag - Hermès Herbag Zip 31 — Green canvas top-handle bag – Hermès Herbag Zip 31. **Shop here**
Photo credit: Hermès

Canvas travel bag - Hermès Herbag Cabine 50 — Canvas travel bag – Hermès Herbag Cabine 50. **Shop here**
Photo credit: Hermès

The colors we would look at first

A bright red Herbag is the one we notice first. It gives a navy coat, gray knit or simple black outfit something to work around. The orange canvas bag feels equally confident, with warm leather making the color easy to wear with denim.

Pink is the choice for someone who already knows she will use it. Green adds color without feeling precious. Taupe is the option we would choose if this needs to work across most of the wardrobe. And the blue 39 has the relaxed, larger-bag feeling we like for days out.

The point is not to buy the color that sounds sensible and leave it in the closet. Choose the one you want to pick up. Each photo below opens the exact pre-owned bag shown; availability can change because these are individual pieces.

And yes, we still love the Kelly, Constance and Birkin

Kelly: the shaped top-handle bag

The Kelly’s appeal is its architecture: the trapezoid body, top handle, flap and two side straps. Robert Dumas designed the original strapped handbag, and that clear shape still makes an outfit feel finished. We would choose a structured top-handle bag when the day calls for something a little more polished than canvas. The blue Kelly 28 brings color without needing anything else in the outfit to compete. For a roomier choice, the black leather top-handle bag in the 32 size has a different feel: more daytime bag, less compact accessory.

Constance: the crossbody we would wear from lunch to evening

We love the Constance for its sliding strap and compact shape. Hermès describes the strap as letting the bag sit at the hip or on the shoulder. It was named for its designer’s daughter, which is a lovely detail behind such a recognizable bag. The small coral crossbody bag is the playful choice; the light neutral shoulder bag is the quieter one. Check the individual strap drop for how you want to wear it.

Birkin: still the holy grail

The Birkin is the holy grail for a reason. A spacious leather holdall with rolled handles, a flap and saddle stitching, its story began with a conversation about what a useful bag should hold. The practical idea became something much more coveted.

Finding the right one is another matter. Size, leather, hardware, color and condition all narrow the search. We would rather choose the right pre-owned leather top-handle bag than buy one simply because it is available. The gold Togo Birkin 30 has the warm, classic look we love, with a shape that does not need a complicated outfit. Prefer something smaller? The olive-green leather top-handle bag in the 25 size has the same holdall idea in a more compact format. We would choose the 30 for more room and the 25 when a smaller bag suits the day.

Blue leather top-handle bag - Hermès Kelly 28 — Blue leather top-handle bag – Hermès Kelly 28. **Shop here**
Photo credit: Hermès

Coral leather shoulder bag - Hermès Constance 18 — Coral leather shoulder bag – Hermès Constance 18. **Shop here**
Photo credit: Hermès

Gold leather top-handle bag - Hermès Birkin 30 — Gold leather top-handle bag – Hermès Birkin 30. **Shop here**
Photo credit: Hermès

Neutral leather shoulder bag - Hermès Constance 24 — Neutral leather shoulder bag – Hermès Constance 24. **Shop here**
Photo credit: Hermès

What to check before choosing a pre-owned bag

Read the condition notes and look through the actual item’s photos. Check corners, handles, hardware and the interior, then confirm what comes with it. A missing strap or pouch changes how you will use the bag. For a gift, inspect the listing’s exact included packaging rather than assuming a box is part of the purchase.

The Herbag is our pick for low-key days, and the 31 is our favorite size. Choose it because you love the canvas-and-leather combination and the way it fits your life. It does not need to be a stepping stone to anything else.

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