LM Leather Goods – Wentworth Purse Tote, Unboxing

Check for it here:  Wentworth Purse Tote

Wentworth Purse Tote, Unboxing

It’s been nearly a year since I last did a review for LM Leather Goods (Vendue classic clutch, anyone?) and it’s been even longer that I’ve been coveting the Wentworth Purse Tote!  The size and style of this tote just spoke to me.  Most bags that can house my laptop for work are just way too big for me to want to tote around on the weekend so I end up downsizing.  This bag is unique in that it can do double duty – big enough for my laptop, but not so big that I need to switch it out for weekend carry.  Plus, it’s just formal enough for office days, but not so stuffy that I won’t tote it around on weekends.  Anyways, it’s here and it’s gorgeous and this (not so) little beauty was well worth the wait.  I see why it sells out and out and sells out and sells out…

I’ve been a nerd this weekend and periodically cruise around the house with this on…and empty.  Yup, I just like the feel of it.  The leather is soft and it just feels comfortable.  My husband caught me wearing it empty, in the house and looking in the mirror.  Whatever, he doesn’t get it.  Strange to some, totally normal to me.  I mean, hey, if you like it, why not wear it?  It can also go crossbody, not super cross body (remember I’m only 5’2″), but sort of cross body the way I wore the Col Littleton No. 25 Drifter crossbody.  I also put my laptop in there and it works great.  I don’t even need a sleeve when it’s in there.  Ah, the merits of this bag.   Plus, you can feel great about supporting American made – – not just American made today, but three (3) generations deep American made.  That’s commitment.

Stay tuned for my full review!  I’ll take detailed bag measurements and show you what fits.

RELATED VIDEOS:

  • LM Leather Goods Vendue Classic Clutch, Unboxing:  https://goo.gl/cn8ZHb
  • LM Leather Goods Vendue Classic Clutch, Review:  https://goo.gl/LaugG5
  • LM Leather Goods Wentworth Purse Tote, Review: Coming soon!
  • Saddleback Small Tote Review: https://goo.gl/wof77f

__________________________________________________________________

BUY IT HERE:

  • My Amazon Shop:  https://www.amazon.com/shop/SoniaShepherd
  • LM Leather Goods Wentworth Purse Tote:  https://goo.gl/BHaab7
  • LM Leather Goods Vendue Classic Clutch:  https://goo.gl/7NU1Ys
  • Saddleback Small Tote: https://goo.gl/NmsuWb

__________________________________________________________________

  • MY AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/shop/SoniaShepherd
  • MY WEBSITE: https://www.justalittlereview.com
  • MY INSTAGRAM: @justalittlereviewforyou
  • MY CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/c/soniashepherd
  • MY FACEBOOK:  fb.me/justalittlereview

__________________________________________________________________

FTC Disclaimer – This is a sponsored post.  All opinions are 100% my own.  Some links provided above are affiliate links.

 

 

Colonel Littleton – No. 36 Trekker Review Part I

Check for it here (Customizable!):  No. 40A Leather Campaign Bag*

*The No. 36 Trekker is no longer for sale, but the Leather Campaign Bag is the most similarly styled bag.

No. 36 Trekker Review, Part I

The Great American Leather Company

This video is everything I love – leather and coffee and animals plus husband and kiddo.  Remember my first review of the Colonel Littleton Drifter where I made my husband stomp around to get rid of the snakes?  Well, he got me back!  Let me just say that he knew the goats would come after me, but encouraged me to take my coffee out and shake it, knowing they would mistake it for food.

This is such a great weekend bag for medium carry!  I love that the long front flap means it’s perfectly secure, but still easily accessible (especially, since I never snap the strap closed).  Plus, it’s got great organization and is just so comfortable to carry.  I had it on all day – during the coffee roasting, goat mauling and dog mauling and just about forgot that it was on.  The capacity is very surprising! I didn’t get to showcase all the features of this bag (as to be expected when a goat is trying jump on you), so stay tuned for a more serious Part II review of this amazing bag!

So, if you fall in love with this bag, I gotta say – I’m sorry! This bag is no longer available on Colonel Littleton.  Out with the old and in with the new.  The bag that I’ve found that most closely resembles it (including some amazing upgrades – removable pocket, hello?!) is this one.  Hopefully, that’s the next bag in my arsenal because I can use that one for weekday carry also since it will fit my laptop!

 

RELATED VIDEOS:

Col. Littleton No. 25 Drifter

A Day in the Life of Col. Littleton

Colonel Littleton Play List

__________________________________________________________________

BUY IT HERE:

No. 40A Leather Campaign Bag*

*The Trekker is no longer available, but this new bag is very close!  It’s upgraded in size and is the work version of my Trekker as it can house a laptop up to 14”.

No. 25 Drifter

__________________________________________________________________

MY AMAZON SHOP

MY INSTAGRAM: @justalittlereviewforyou

MY CHANNEL

MY FACEBOOK

__________________________________________________________________

FTC Disclaimer – This is not a sponsored post.  All opinions are 100% my own.  Some links provided above are affiliate links.

 

 

Moose Leather Adjustable Tote – How’s it Wearing?

Moose Leather Adjustable Tote (Customized) – Get it here!

Happy Saturday, All!  Is anyone else doing the Orangetheory Fitness Hell Week?  If so, “Thigh-Day the 13th” was brutal (kudos to whoever was clever enough to come up with that name!).  Typing is about the only thing I can do because my fingers are the only thing that’s NOT sore.  So, time to get caught up a little.  Somebody asked for more photos of my  Moose Leather (aka The Leather Shop) customized Adjustable Tote.  If you saw my earlier unboxing vid, then you know there was some controversy on the sizing of this bag.  So, on my unboxing post, I took photos with the measuring tape so you could decide for yourself if this is the right size for you.   Long story short, I took a ton of photos.  So, I was tickled that somebody asked for MORE photos….finally, there’s somebody else out there that obsesses (really obsesses) over a bag before they purchase it.  Basically, I’m a purse stalker and I’m glad to know I’m not alone.  So, you know who you are and I applaud your crazy.  If ever you want to see MORE PHOTOS of any of my bags, hit me up and I’m all too happy to oblige.  Welcome to Crazy Town; I’m the Mayor.

HOW’S IT WEARING?

It’s wearing quite well!  I was a little nervous because the info sheet it came with said something to the effect of – Store the handles inside the bag so that it doesn’t scratch the exterior.  That gave me a bit of pause because if the dangling handles might scratch the bag, how badly might it get scratched from my use and abuse.  In general, I don’t baby my bags (though there’s always a few exceptions!) so I was concerned that it would look really beat up. I’ve been carrying this thing Monday through Friday for about three (3) months and on the daily it’s holding:  a laptop, hard sided sun glass case, hard sided glasses case, essential oils pouch, my giant clunky keys, phone, laptop cord, phone cord, and  a lunch purse with my wallet and other non essential essentials.  Did I mention I ask a lot of my work bags?  A few days, I even had some presentation type stuff to do so there was also a bunch of files.  Well, I’m pleased to report this bag came out the other side looking no worse for the wear.  I really can’t see any deep scratches, just a bit of wrinkling here and there.  The bag basically still looks really new.  One thing about this bag – – I never NEVER put it on the floor.  Not to say that it couldn’t handle being placed on the floor, I just don’t like the idea of it. Plus, I didn’t pay up for the “feet” so it would literally be the leather just resting on the floor – no thanks.  So, that step alone probably saves some wear and tear on the bag.  I also only carry it to work so I don’t have it on my person for very long either (vs. my weekend bags, which I might carry for hours at a time).

WORK BAG OR WEEKEND BAG?

Weeeell, a LOT of people say they got this bag and have forsaken all their other bags and this is their weekend and their weekday bag.  It’s a nice bag for sure and it’s got enough interesting features (and colors!) that I can see why you’d carry it on the daily.  For me, however, this is strictly a work bag for a few reasons:

1.   It’s very structured.  I like my weekend bags to have a bit of give to them.  I relax, I mean really relax (like no makeup, sweats / “athleisure”, uncombed hair type relax) on the weekends so for me to carry this bag would be like someone wearing high heels with their cut off shorts.  Again, this is just my personal opinion and if you want to rock this bag seven (7) days a week, more power to you.  I like my bag to match my mood and mentally this bag says work to me so I tend to pick a more slouchy and / or small bag for weekend wear.

REDS, YELLOWS AND BROWNS, OH MY!

You can customize a ton of feature on this bag.  I chose this yellow/ orange / natural for the main body and the brown for the side / bottom and topped it with red handles. I saw that someone else did all black with red handles and I thought it made the bag look very sharp and sophisticated whereas my bag is more whimsical.    All that said, the person requesting the photos wanted to see some shots of the colors of my bag.  That said, all these photos were taken rapid fire on the same day in about seven (7) minutes.  You can see it really depends how the light hits it.

The body of the bag is darker than this photo would lead you to believe, but I still like this photo because you can see all of the good detail on the front.  The front and back exterior panels have no pockets.

The way the main color of the bag is shown in this picture is closest to how it looks in real life.  It’s got an orange undertone that I think will continue to darken.  The brown sides are also pretty true to life in terms of color.  I love that the snap is permanently affixed to the brown panel instead of the orange / main panel. That way, if you have a tall water bottle in there that won’t allow you to snap the pocket shut, the snap doesn’t get in the way at all – smart design!

Ok, the main body is not nearly as dark as this photo, but it’s still a nice shot of the back of the bag. No pockets, just a bit of branding and some rivets and contrasting stitching. Overall, a very clean looking bag for something that has a ton of organization on the inside.

I wanted to show you how bright the interior is. The contrast of the unlined bag with the dark pockets and red trim makes it really easy to find things.  There’s pretty much a pocket for every conceivable need though I wish I had made one side of the bag a laptop sleeve since I don’t need quite so many pockets.

I wanted to show you an aerial shot so you could see all the pockets in their glory.  There’s even pockets on the interior sides of the bag. I have a red tote bag stuffed down in the center just for depth purposes.   The side pockets are designed so they don’t get in the way or take away from the full use of the bottom of the bag…if you didn’t hear me the first twenty (20) times, this bag is really smartly designed!  You can also see the placement of the key fob on the side so your keys dangle out of the way.

A close up shot so you can see how all the stitching is a double row.  I’m not an expert on sewing, but I think it just speaks to how everything on this bag is built to last.  Why sew once when you can sew twice?

Here’s a close up of the key fob.  You can just hang your keys from the D-ring directly or you can use the other end of the dog leash which is an actual key ring and then just unsnap this when you want your keys.  The other side of the bag also has an identical D-ring.  People seem to be obsessed with D-rings these days so I guess the more the better, For me, one is plenty.

Here’s what it looks like if you use only the short straps.  Basically, if you’re using the short straps, the long straps MUST hang on the outside of the bag.  Looks fine to me, though I may have some Version 2.0 suggestions when I finally get around to doing my full video review of this bag.  I’m always a shoulder carry gal, but this bag changed me.  I carry it almost exclusively by the short handles. It feels like a feminine version of a briefcase to me and I love that!  

For what it’s worth, I get compliments on this bag from a wide cross section of the population (hipsters, lawyers, business people, receptionists, etc.).  It’s just a bag that speaks to a lot of people.  Hope this helps you understand this bag a bit more!  Happy shopping!

Ranchlands Chico Tote, an Unboxing

Check for it here (Customizable!):  Chico Tote

Ranchlands Chico Tote, an Unboxing!

 

Hey Guys!

Sorry I’ve been away for  so long…life has been keeping my busy in the best way possible. Work is a challenge, but I’m glad to be a part of a great team.  My kiddo’s getting older (sniff, sniff) and so we’re exploring all sorts of new things together to see what interests her.  As for me, I’ve recently become super excited about NON city stuff. I’ve always had this insanely urban existence – think, it doesn’t even get dark at night because there’s just so many city lights that even night has a permanent soft glow.  For some reason, a few recent trips have really sparked my interest in more rural / country / nature type existences.

Today’s unboxing is an offshoot of my newfound interest in everything NON city.    I think it’s my own personal City Slickers moment (if that dates me, great because I’m loving this age).   Enter….Ranchlands.  They have the most thoughtful website and I’ve literally spent a few hours poring over it and reading about their connections to the land, how they’re caretakers of it and stewards of the animals.  Honestly, I’ve also secretly thought – how can I talk my husband into a working ranch vacation in the country side of Colorado?!  I’ve got to go.  Soon.

So, how do you get from a working ranch to a leather artisan? Aside from the literal access to cows, I thought they had the most thoughtful answer to this question – – they want to bridge the gap between urban settings and their connection to the land.  After my trip to Tennessee and then The Ranch in Laguna Beach, I really just want to spend more time outdoors and experience the land so this is like the mother ship calling me home.    Long story short, they have bridged the gap. In the search for the perfect bag, I’ve inadvertently learned about their ranching, and more importantly, their larger mission for education and conversation.  

I continue to try to be more a conscious consumer by knowing who made my bags and where they were made.  I watched the video on Madi Hester carefully crafting her leather pieces and I was sold on them.   So, here I am unboxing their Chico Tote in two – tone black.  I came home last night and it was waiting for me.  I did the unboxing video the same night and took the bag with me today – – it’s that alluring.  I’ve already gotten a bunch of compliments on it…. it’s just that kind of bag. It’s a thoughtful, unique design with lots of finishing touches that I haven’t come across before.   Can’t wait to do the video with my full review!  Fingers crossed that I’ll find myself in Colorado at Ranchlands starring in my very own City Slickers.  Cheers Ranchlands; thanks for taking care of our land.

MEET THE MAKER

TAKE ME ON A WORKING RANCH VACATION

FTC Disclaimer:  This bag was sent to me for my review.  All opinions are 100% my own.

The Leather Shop Adjustable Tote

Check for it here (Customizable!):  Adjustable Tote

The Leather Shop Adjustable Tote, an Unboxing!

Ok, fellow leather crazies….it’s been a while since I posted, my apologies!  I have been busy traveling, doing videos (and videos and videos) and keeping busy working out.  Anyways, I’m glad to be back on the website and this leather tote is the perfect excuse to do a little article.   Plus, I got some great questions and comments from my Facebook group and YouTube subscribers that I wanted to address here.

Here’s what I’m loving so far about this adjustable Leather Tote!

1. Very thoughtful design – It’s got two (2) options for carry and the shorter straps fold perfectly into a square shape to lay flat on the interior of the bag, taking up no room.   I did the unboxing video at the end of the long day and, although I had the thought that maybe those suddenly square handles could transform, I didn’t give it a shot.  Luckily, one of my fellow FB group members was kind enough to point this out.  In addition to the clever handles, it’s got pockets on all four (4) sides of the interior of the bag, not to mention the two side pockets on the exterior.  Talk about organized!  I’m running out of excuses on why my bag gets so messy.

2. Customization – You can alter the height, the width, add a cross body carry strap, add feet to the bottom, customize the color (or three!).  There’s not too many leather artisans that give you this kind of leeway. I previously commented that I wasn’t crazy about the idea of a magnet closure and Ken suggested the snap closure instead – great solution!

3.  Uptown – This feels like the uptown version of a lot of my other work bags that are more velvety in nature since the leather is more polished / smooth.  Granted, the colors I chose are whimsical, but I’ve seen it in all black w red straps or very dark tan with black straps and I think any of those color combos would fit right in at even the stuffiest of offices.

Lastly, I had someone ask for measurements and I thought, sure, I can tell you the measurements, but we know the “exact” measurement of a leather bag can be a bit controversial so I thought I’d just show you instead and let you see for yourself.    There’s no exact measurements – are you talking about the interior, the exterior, the bag when it’s empty (or full), etc.  Long story short, I decided to capture pics of the measurements that I would want to know.  Apologies for the crooked tape measure, my arm was getting exhausted holding the bag and tape measure out there.  Fear not, however!  I literally ran out to the mall and bought this silly thing (you’ll see it in the next video!) to help with measurements for when I do the full review so they’ll be more even.  Without further ado – the measurements!

I measured just the front panel length at the top of the bag (12″).  Reason being, to me this is the true length of the bag since the leather on the sides is meant to be for depth, rather than adding to the length.  Although, as you can see, it’s not 100% structured, so you do gain a bit of room because of this….

Hence, why I also chose to measure the full length of the bag, meaning edge to edge, including whatever portions of the side depth are naturally visible from the front.  This measures 16″.   Although it looks like the left corner is not anchored, that’s just an optical illusion.

I wanted to also measure the true length at the bottom of the bag, which is often different from the top in a tote.  Here, the front panel measures 13″, 1″ wider than at the top…just perfect for my laptop!

This measurement is the full length of the bottom of the bag, including whatever portions of the side leather naturally are visible from the front, since it does add to the width.  This measures about 14″.  Keep in mind, the bottom of the bag joins the side of the bag at an angle so the lower you go, the smaller the measurement gets.

This is the “resting width” (totally made that up, but sounds appropriate) of the bag – – meaning, with the bag empty, how wide does it expand when you’re just holding the bag?  That’s about 3″.

I also wanted to measure what I consider to be the full width of the bag, which, to me, is the width of the bottom panel.  That comes in at about 5″.  The bag was “smooshed” (again, another very technical term) for packing purposes so I had to push out the crease with my hand to take this measurement.  My guess is that after some use, this measurement will expand to 6″ once the crease is fully ironed out.

Lastly, the drop length and the height of the bag are bag basics, so not to be forgotten! The drop length is a very comfortable 13″ and the height of the bag (not including the brown part that’s technically the bottom, though visible from the front) is 11.5″.

FTC Disclaimer:  This is not a sponsored post.

Love 41 Wanderers Backpack Review

Check for it here (A full size backpack that’s comfortable!):  Love 41 Wanderer’s Backpack!

Wanderer’s Backpack

It took me FOREVER to do this video!  Why?  Because I was struggling to find suggestions for Version 2.0 of this bag and, you know, I always have suggestions for improvement.  This bag gave me a run for my money, it’s just about perfect the way it is!  Here’s what I love about this bag:

  • Comfort – Despite being a full size bag, it still manages to be a comfortable wear.  They’ve added padding to the straps, the straps are just the right thickness and don’t slide off whether the bag is full or empty.  Additionally, even if it’s empty, it still retains it shape, making for a comfortable wear because the leather is juuuust right.
  • Security – This is really the main feature of this bag!  Each opening has two options for closure – the zipper and a strap secured by a nipple rivet closure  If you don’t need that kind of security, just secure the strap to the nipple rivet closure, but leave the flap hanging and then you just need to work with the zipper.  Even the zipper placement on the main opening (bucket bag style), means that even if it’s fully open, nothing is falling out the sides the way it might if it was your traditional zipper opening on a backpack.
  • Hidden Pockets – Two hidden pockets lie behind the two side zippered pockets.  This means convenient access for phones, keys, hotel key cards or simple wallets.
  • Organization – The size pockets (both zippered and hidden) take care of easy access items (wallets, pouches, cords, etc.). The main interior pocket has another pocket that features an open area as well as a zippered area – perfect for your passport!
  • Size – I can fit their Saddleback 15″ laptop case in here!  This bag is big, but floppy enough that if you don’t stuff it to the gills, it sinks down a bit, the perfect mix of not quite floppy, not quite structured.  It looks just fine empty or nearly empty and how many backpacks can you say that about?

Version 2.0 Suggestions – Ok, there’s not much here, but here we go:

  • Shoulder straps length – This bag generously accommodates multiple heights and if you’re on the shorter side, the excess strap might dangle at the bottom.  Consider flipping the straps so the adjustment for length happens at the top so even if the excess length dangles, it’s not dangling past the bag and swinging around.  You can also add a nipple rivet to the strap so that you can secure any excess to the strap itself.
  • Open side pocket – This bag has plenty of options for keeping your items secure so why not sacrifice one zippered side pocket and substitute in an open pocket to hold your water bottle?

Really folks, that’s IT for suggestions and, you know, I usually have a ton of suggestions, even if I love the bag.   Aaah the wanderer’s backpack, this backpack is such a nice find!  I think you’re going to love it!

 

Colonel Littleton No 25 Drifter Handbag

Check for it here (Gorgeous!):  No. 25 Drifter Handbag

No. 25 Drifter Handbag!

I love the search for that elusive “perfect” mid sized purse.  I used to think there wasn’t one (see my Best of the Best Review where there was previously NO CONTENDER for this category), but after today’s unboxing I think the search might be over. I’ll need to test drive this beauty for the next few days before I can bestow such an honor, but first impressions are very positive, not just for the purse itself, but the thoughtful packaging.   Here’s the standouts:

  • Packaging – Purse is tucked into a sweet little pouch and they include a moon pie (!) along with two informative cards sharing their story and the handwritten name of the employee who inspected it.  They include a full catalog tucked into an envelope for safe keeping.  Everything about the packaging is thoughtful.
  • Rich buttery soft brown (almost mahogany / cherry) leather with lots of depth and variation in color.
  • Soft chocolate brown suede interior.
  • It hits in the perfect spot! Almost all my purses are too long (granted some might say I’m too short…), but this one hits at just the right place and somehow it can also be worn cross body (maybe not if you’re tall, though).
  • Easy access front pockets are just perfect for keys and phone.
  • Customer service – I’ve read about their rave reviews on Facebook and then I witnessed it first hand.  What can I say?  They’re courteous and responsive.  Doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it is…this is a rare combination.
  • Personal Touch – Not a mass produced item.  It shines through in their packaging, their motto (“The Important Things in Life – Good Friends, Good Health & Peace of Mind) and the quality of their product.  This is the retail equivalent of “Farm to Table”.  This is “Creator to Consumer”.  I love being close to the designer, the producer and not part of a huge machine of middlemen.