For me, the Polene Cyme mini is that girl. She is a tote that is large enough to fit everything you might need, but not so large that it becomes overwhelming. With only one small little indication on the bag that it is Polene, it is very much an if you know, you know type of bag.
I first encountered this bag over the summer, when I saw someone at the Farmer’s Market have it on. I loved how it looked in person, and I knew I had to add it to my own collection. I did some research (aka go down a TikTok and YouTube rabbit hole to see what other people think about the bag), and added it to the wishlist. Fast forward a few months later, where it had finally arrived from theRealReal. Since unboxing it, she has become a bag that has been in my frequent rotation.
The Polene Cyme comes in two sizes: the mini and just the regular Cyme. The mini currently retails at $490 and the regular $560 (as of January 2026). Both bags come with a removable pouch, and have a huge variety to choose from, such as multiple colors of pebbled leathers, raffia, and fleece. All pebbled leather options have an interior of microfiber.
My personal Polene Cyme mini is the pebbled leather camel colored, and so far, I have been reaching for her quite a bit. I’ve carried it to work, and it carried all of my daily essentials without an issue. I also have carried it on a day where I had a few appointments, and needed to take a bunch of stuff with me, and I really enjoyed doing so.
What I love about the Cyme Mini is that it may look like a simple tote, but at the same time, it’s slightly elevated than another other totes that I own. With the two different strap options, I like that I can either sling it over my shoulder or just carry it hand held. And as a side note, the straps are a perfect size to be able to clip on a Jellycat bagcharm to add a hint of whimsy.
I also really love the size of this bag. I love that it’s a bag that fits everything without being too big. It can’t fit an iPad Pro (at least when I’m carrying my other stuff), but I have found that it can fit a water bottle if needed, a book, and of course, a Kindle. I carry a lot, but I don’t like to carry bags that are so big that it’s overwhelming. This bag definitely is one that fits that bill.
Furthermore, I really love how this bag was made. I love the pebbled leather, because it’s a material that I can wear in any type of weather and not have to worry about it getting destroyed. In a New England winter, this is key. The inside, too, has the same type of worry free. I took it to get my hair done, and somehow the hair clippings got into the bag. However, I was able to wipe it out and the bag was as good as new.
This bag is something that I’m going to continue to reach for over and over again for years to come. I love the size, the pouch it comes with, the color I chose, and the fact that it’s made to just be a workhorse for my day to day life. Polene, you did an amazing job with this one, and I’m sure one day I’ll be adding the black to my collection, because I’m a huge fan of this one.
*please note, there are commission links on this post that if you use them to purchase, I make a small commission.
thenutmegmillennial.com 