Some girls love shoes and some girls love jewellery, but for me, it’s bags. I have a bit of an obsession when it comes to bags, and I can fully appreciate the shape and construction of a nice bag. It’s the one thing I often notice in people’s outfits, and it’s safe to say that many fashion bloggers often give me serious bag envy with their gorgeous collections of bags!
I’m a bit of a bag hoarder, but crazily enough I actually do use them all. While I really love designer bags, I also own a lot of cheaper ones too. The designer brands I usually go for may not be deemed as true “designer” to some, but I love brands such as Karen Walker, Michael Kors, Rebecca Minkoff etc. Personally, I’d never ever spend thousands on a Prada or Louis Vuitton bag as you really are just paying for the name, but I can appreciate spending a little more on a bag to ensure you are getting a good quality product. A bag from Kmart is likely to only last you a year or so, whereas investing a couple of hundred into a quality leather bag means you’ll likely have it for years to come.
Eventually I’ll do a full overview of all of my bags, but for the time being I want to do a short review of one of my favourites – The Karen Walker Veronica Tote. I love reading bag reviews as I often do my research before making a new purchase. Even if a certain style is no longer stocked, it’s great to see how various brands wear and how people found their bags months on. I hope you will find this review useful if you are looking to purchase a Karen Walker tote.
I purchased my Karen Walker Tote about 18 months ago from Sisters & Co (back when they used to stock KW bags). This particular bag was part of the Garden People collection that came out in Spring/Summer 2015 (Northern Hemisphere) and is a collab between Benah and Karen Walker. The bag originally retailed for $550 NZD, however I managed to pick mine up on a major sale as it was last season. I purchased the colour Terracotta which is a bright vibrant orange shade. It’s not usually something I’d go for, but I’ve found it to actually be a really wearable colour and I’ve had so many compliments on it. The leather is a mixture of smooth and textured leather, with “Benah for Karen Walker” printed in gold lettering on the front. The hardware is all a bright gold, which compliments the orange perfectly. The lining of the bag is a tough canvas in a cream and orange floral print, and there are two pouches for your phone or keys. There’s also an internal zip compartment and a cute little matching zipped pouch that’s attached to the bag. This is awesome for putting things like keys in as it’s super easy to find. The bag has double handles and a longer detachable strap, so it can be carried in many different ways. I find the shorter handles feel just a little too short for comfortably putting over the shoulder, so I often use the longer strap if I wish to carry the bag like this, otherwise the shorter handles are perfect for carrying either by hand or in the crook of your arm.
The bag is a very structured design which hasn’t lost its shape at all, thanks to the firm leather. The top is closed with a magnetic closure, and there is no top zip. This means that you have to be careful about losing things out of the top of the bag if you overfill it. It’s a great size for carrying all of the essentials as well as a drink bottle or cardigan, or a spare pair of shoes. I can take this bag to work as I find I can fit all my necessities in as well as my smoothie and my lunch and the bag still closes easily. The firm leather and structured design make the bag a little heavier than other bags of this size, so when it’s loaded up with stuff it can actually be quite heavy. I’ve found that even after months of use, the handles are still in perfect condition and there is no sign of the leather stretching or starting to rip. In fact, the bag has worn really well and it still looks almost new. The only thing I have noticed, is that since it’s a fairly light colour the leather has been ever so slightly tinted blue on the side that falls closest to my body. I’m guessing this is the colour rubbing off my jeans as I walk. It’s still hardly noticeable, and now I just make sure I always carry the bag with the KW logo facing outwards to ensure that only one side will ever become discoloured.
Overall I love my Karen Walker Tote, and if they re-released it in either black or brown I’d jump at the chance to get another. It’s a great size for taking to the office, and I love the structured shape. I’m really happy with how well it’s wearing and I can see myself loving this bag for years to come.
Do you own a Karen Walker bag? I’d love to know which one and what you think of it!