Review of the Balmain x H&M Beaded Velvet Jacket

Happy Veterans Day style lovers!
Where were you on the morning of November 5th? Did you witness that craziness all for the Balmain  x H&M capsule collection?  I was coveting literally everything (of course) and had my list ready to go and waiting for 5am pacific time. Then boom, the H&M web site crashed as soon as the collection dropped. 

(Ding Dong: H&M should have seen this coming, a bigger server might have averted this problem I think)

The rest is history and I promise to share the details on another post but yours truly Fashionably Idu snagged a few pieces from the collection (yay, after all, some people camped out all night and ended up with plain black bandeaus - screwed!) and today I’m reviewing one of the few most coveted pieces in the collection, the beaded velvet jacket. This jacket in all it’s pearly glory screams opulence. It’s completely covered in not just pearls but very intricate stitching. I did predict in my post here where I whet your appetite for all things #BalmainNation that these pieces won’t be living on shelves for a long time. Well, I hate to say it but I told you so (in my Larry Birkhead voice). 

This baby sold out world wide in less than one hour. Let that sink in for a minute 60..59..58..57….....5..4..3..2..1. Say it again? Ok roll your ears out, here goes: This stunning jacket was gone from every shelf in every H&M store that carried the collection within one hour. Crazy init?? 

It’s siblings aka all the other pieces in the collection also sold out but this was one of the first pieces to go. And oh, nothing from the collection will be restocked. Only place you can find it now is on ebay at triple or quadruple the price. 

This heavy hitter is very heavily embellished like I said and weighs a whopping five pounds plus. The detailing is unbelievable and makes me wonder about production time.

The jacket is double breasted and adorned with shoulder pads that add a seventies flair and boasts zippers on sleeves for an added flair, :)).

Pros

Thick enough to keep the chilly temps out

Aesthetically very appealing

Affordable compared to a similar piece at the House of Balmain

Looks no different than luxe pieces from recent Balmain collections

Very well made
It's versatile and can be worn by itself, over pants/skirts
As a staple, it will elevate and add an oomph to the most basic of looks
Embellished outer wear is in trend 

Cons

Very heavy no thanks to all the bead work

Steep pricing ($549) compared to other H&M pieces

Did you join the Balmain Nation or did you snob the collection? 

Enjoy the rest of your week, Xo.