handbag reviews


Mansur Gavriel Circle Bag review

mansur gavriel small circle bag

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Pictured: For outfit post, click here / handbag: Mansur Gavriel Circle Bag in small / wallet / phone charger (similar) / phone charging cord (similar) / lipstick / sunglasses

The new Mansur Gavriel Circle Bag is a fresh take on the emerging box satchel trend. As satchels become more, and more structured, we are seeing box bags emerge as the ultimate in structured handbags. Thankfully, Mansur Gavriel always thinks outside of the box, and ahead of the curve. The circle bag is the most groundbreaking handbag silhouette to hit the market, and the street.

The circle bag takes it’s inspiration from the popular hat boxes of the mid-1900’s. This vintage style has sat dormant in the handbag world for several decades, resurrected, and modernized, only by Mansur Gavriel. Of course! Who else can take a classic design, add a small modern twist, and launch a handbag into iconic handbag status? No-one else-that’s who!

When I first laid eyes on Mansur Gavriel’s collection of circle bags, I fell in love. They are simple, and minimalist, yet completely different from your everyday handbag. I love the vintage vibe, and original styling.

The Mansur Gavriel Circle Bag comes in two sizes; large and small. I chose the small size since I felt like the large size would overwhelm my 5’4″ frame. I am happy I chose small, because it is quite roomy! The small circle bag holds my sunglasses case, wallet, keys, lipstick, phone, portable charger, and there is still plenty of room left over for whatever random items my kids may ask me to hold; all the moms out there know what I am talking about!

The handle on Mansur Gavriel’s circle bag is structured, yet feels soft, and comfortable; whether being hand-held, or draped over the forearm. This handbag does not have a detachable shoulder strap, so when you wear it, you need to be ready to always hold your handbag, or drape it on your forearm.

The small circle bag has a canvas interior lining. The larger version, offers a suede interior. I was surprised the interiors on the two sizes are different. I have to admit, I wish mine had suede interior. Suede interiors always feel more luxurious. That being said, the canvas is extremely durable, and high quality. I am happy with it nonetheless.

Inside the circle bag, there are two identical pockets. The pockets are slim, perfect for an iPhone, receipts, and a charging cord. They are not wide enough for lipstick, or keys. I just let my lipstick, and my keys, float within the roomy interior of the bag. It is easy to find things inside the handbag since you have to lay the bag down on its back to open it. This allows a full view of everything inside the bag. No lost keys! Love that!

The handbag is very easy to open and close. Mansur Gavriel’s Circle Bag needs to be paid down on its back when being opened, or closed. There are two zippers which can be used as you choose. The zippers are extremely smooth, and durable.

I would not classify the Mansur Gavriel Circle Bag as an everyday bag. I see it as a great bag for occasions; both casual and dressy. I find it practical for activities such as meetings, (when I don’t need my laptop), church, eating out (fits nicely on your lap underneath a napkin), the theater, etc. I would not recommend it for attending your child’s baseball game, the supermarket, or an amusement park.

All in all, I rate the Mansur Gavriel Circle Bag five out of five stars. I am in love!

You can find the new Mansur Gavriel Circle Bag online here, here, and here. More choices below.

mansur gavriel circle bag feature image


Tory Burch Mercer shoulder bag review

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Pictured: Tory Burch Mercer handbag in ombre / wallet  / coin purse (old, also love this one) /  phone charger / charging cord (similar here)  / lipstick / ring / nail polish

I love a beautiful handbag, so when I spotted the Tory Burch Mercer shoulder bag in ombre yellow, or “Sunbeam Degrade” to be exact, I knew I needed to add it to my collection. I love the ombre finish, the classic chain straps, the size, and the ease of use.

The Tory Burch Mercer shoulder bag offers so many handy features; it is amazing for the price! Priced under $400, the Tory Burch Mercer handbag offers a lot of bang for your buck. The strap is adjustable; like the Chanel 2.55, it can be worn long, or doubled up for a shorter, under the shoulder look. This allows the Mercer by Tory Burch to be worn with various hemlines, as well as different types of attire. Versatile = Love!

Inside the Tory Burch Mercer, organization resigns supreme. There are open pockets which are great for small items you need to be able to find quickly. In addition to the open pockets, there is a roomy zipper pocket which is perfect for protecting small items, or if you are like me, and need a place to put receipts, it is a great place to organize receipts, and small pieces of paper.

The interior compartment of the Tory Burch Mercer offers ample room for everyday purse essentials. I can easily fit my wallet, phone, lipstick, keys, phone charger, and charging cord inside the handbag. Although the interior is roomy, the handbag itself is small in scale, so it is easy to dress up for dinner, fundraisers, or the theater.

To add to the versatility of this shoulder bag, there is an exterior pocket which is perfect for storing tickets, or other slim items you want to easily access without having to open the turn lock on the saddle bag style flap. The turn lock, by the way, is extremely easy to use, and it is sturdy. Love that!

I am thrilled with my first Tory Burch Mercer handbag. It is a classic handbag which is easy to use, and offers so much versatility; I am a sucker for adjustable straps! In addition to ombre colors, Tory Burch offers her classic Mercer shoulder bag in solid colors. This is a great shoulder bag to collect! Love!

The leather on the Tory Burch Mercer also needs a shout-out. It is pebble leather which is really easy to keep clean. With the swipe of a soft, damp cloth, you can easily whip off marks, and dirt form the surface. This is a key feature when you have three kids like me! I never know when a chocolate covered, or pizza sauce covered, hand will reach inside my purse looking for my iPhone! If I can’t clean a handbag, how can I use it daily? Thankfully, the Tory Burch Mercer can be used on a daily basis. Love that!

The Tory Burch Mercer shoulder bag can be found online in ombre here, here, here, and here. It can also be found in solid hues here, and here.

Tory Burch Mercer handbag online:


tory burch mercer handbag


Chloe Jodie camera bag review

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Chloe Jodie camera bag in navy blue suede for spring 2016

The Chloe Jodie handbag is the ultra cute, and casual, camera style bag first revealed on the spring 2016 Chloe runway. This cute little bag offers style, function, and sassy, casual style. Love it!

Denim, athleisure, and military are all hot casual trends for the spring season. With a trend towards casual attire, comes the need for a trend towards casual handbags. The Chloe Jodie meets that need with it’s camera styling, chain detail, small tassel, and overall look. It is the perfect handbag to grab-and-go on a daily basis.

Although small in stature, the Chloe Jodie is big on style. This handbag offers one main, large interior compartment which has a slim pocket on the back. The exterior offers three pockets; one of which is covered by the flap closure in the front, and two on the sides which have their own flap closures. These pockets are handy for storing small items you may want to grab without fiddling with the main compartment. The bag is very user-friendly!

I purchased the suede Chloe Jodie for spring since I don’t really own a full suede bag. I have a couple of bags with suede on them, but the main body of those bags is smooth leather. The Chloe Jodie is full suede; I love the soft feel, and casual look, this gives the handbag.

The Chloe Jodie looks great with denim, summer shorts, casual skirts, flared pants, wrap dresses, casual mini skirts, casual maxi skirts, and athleisure ensembles. I love how this handbag elevates an otherwise casual, everyday look into something fabulous. It is perfect for turning jeans, a tee shirt, and flip flops into something special. It really is perfect for hot summer days; and weekends in general.

The interior capacity is small. The Chloe Jodie can hold a wallet, lipstick, keys, and iPhone with a little bit of room to spare. I can put my glasses in the bag, as long as they are not in their case. The case will not fit. The front pocket is perfect for receipts, or any folded paper I want to bring with me, or keep. I haven’t used the side pockets, but they seem perfect for holding gum, chapstick, or any small items I do not want getting lost inside the main compartment of the bag. The slim pocket can be used for the iPhone, or for a passport, folded paper etc.

This is a great bag for casual days when I don’t need to carry a lot of things with me. It has become my casual go-to bag!

The strap on the Chloe Jodie offers a split between chain and leather. The leather, or in my case suede, portion of the strap is on top; flanked by a chain strap on the sides. This is really comfortable to wear and the strap stays put on my shoulder without sliding off. Love that!

As far as weight goes, the Chloe Jodie is lightweight when empty, so when I add items into the purse, it is still a comfortable weight, and feels fairly light. It is a lighter bag than the Faye. I would compare it’s weight to the Drew.

The Chloe Jodie is a new handbag style from Chloe for the spring 2016 season. This beautiful, casual handbag is showing longevity, and will be a part of Chloe’s ongoing collection. It is the ideal casual handbag; especially with the move towards casual trends for fall such as altheleisure, moto, western, and the continuing 1970s influence.

I am looking forward to wearing my Chloe  Jodie camera bag for many seasons to come! I rate the Chloe Jodie handbag five out of five stars!

You can find the Chloe Jodie online here, here, and here.

Chloe Jodie online: