Cuyana Crossbody Pouch Review

Lately my blog has become all things Everlane all the time, so I'm working on getting some variety here. Today's review is for Cuyana's Crossbody Pouch in Stone.  If you're looking for a high-quality minimal crossbody without spending a lot of money then this bag might be for you.  This bag reminds me of Celine's trio bag, but of course this is just a single.  I had the Celine trio before and I loved the chic simplicity but at the same time it was hard to swallow the over $1050 price tag.  In the end I sold my trio because the leather was fairly delicate, it didn't suit my needs, and I felt like I could have spent that $1000 more wisely somewhere else.

But anyway, onto the review!  The pros:

- This beautiful bag is made from high quality Italian leather but in the U.S. Yay for supporting local American manufacturing.  And just like Cuyana's mini saddle bag and their Classic Leather Tote, the leather is soft and smells wonderful.  Also the pebbled leather seems a lot more durable than the Celine leather, and is probably less likely to scratch.

- The size of the crossbody is fairly decent, measuring 7"H x 9.25"W x .25"D.  I was able to fit my sunglass pouch, wallet, phone and keys with a little bit of room to spare.

-The strap is adjustable as well as removable.  So you could use it as a pouch within a bag or a clutch, and then convert it to a crossbody when you want a minimal handsfree purse.

-For $110, this beautifully well-made purse is a pretty good price (even a Madewell leather purse, made in China goes for $138).

And then there are the cons:

- That 0.25" depth is kind of a deal breaker for me.  Even if I could over-load it with a lot of things due to the decent height and width, I don't like the look of a bulging purse.  And if you don't put relatively flat things or have a couple bulky items in your purse, then the crossbody starts looking lumpy.  So this bag is definitely for people who just carry the essentials with them (or it would be a great simple going out purse).

- No lining on the inside.  Again, it's not a big deal but I just like to have some kind of lining on the inside.

-The strap ends up being a little too long for me.  If I were to keep the purse, I would just pierce another hole in the strap to shorten it.  (The strap is at the shortest in the pics below, and though the length is alright, I just prefer if the bag hit a little higher up the hips).

In the pictures above I'm wearing Everlane's microstripe u-neck shirt in a small, Paige Verdugo Crop jeans (similar here), and Everlane Modern Loafers.

In the end, I returned the purse since I already have too many going out purses and really don't need another one.  Currently Cuyana is out of their Crossbody Pouches in all colors except mint, but if you sign up for email notification they will email you when they get more in stock.  As usual this post is not sponsored and if you're interested in other products from this brand, check out all my Cuyana reviews here.  

Cuyana Mini Saddle Bag Review (and Comparison to Mansur Gavriel Crossbody) {March 2018 Update}

Hi guys, thought I would switch it up a little today by reviewing something other than Everlane or Mansur Gavriel.  The last time I reviewed a Cuyana bag it was their Classic Leather Tote.  That was the first time I tried out a bag from Cuyana and I found their leather and bag quality in general to be pretty awesome.  So I was eager to see what their new saddle bags were like, especially since I've been wearing out my Mansur Gavriel crossbody (review here) with daily use.  

First, a note on the two sizes of the Cuyana saddle bag.  The regular Cuyana saddle bag measures 9.5" H x 10.75" W x 3.5" D; while the mini saddle bag measures 6.5" H x 7" W x 2.5" D.  So the regular saddle bag is 3 inches higher and almost 4 inches wider but only an inch deeper.  I went with the mini version because the regular just looked too wide for a compact crossbody that I would use daily.  But the regular size is just $100 more so I would say it's a really good value (which seems to be evidenced by the fact that the larger sizes are always sold out).

Now onto the review of the bag.  First the pros:

- The leather, as expected from Cuyana, is really awesome.  Soft and buttery, it's what you would expect good Italian leather to feel like.  

- The price on this bag ($195) feels totally reasonable too.  If you look at Everlane's Italian made crossbody, they go for $365 while Mansur Gavriel's saddle bag crossbody goes for $495-$595.

- I love the gold bar detail at the magnetic clasp.  It makes a boring old saddle bag a little more interesting.

But in the end I didn't keep it because:

- It was just way too tiny.  I don't need to carry a lot on a daily basis but the bag could only hold my phone, keys, and wallet (and my wallet is pretty compact as it is).  I couldn't really fit sunglasses with a case in there (and lately I need to carry around sunglasses since there's sunshine all the time in San Jose-- so different from foggy SF).  I think it might feel smaller than it actually is because the opening of the bag is quite small.

- Also the bag is not lined on the inside and I like my bags with cotton lining, but that's just a personal preference.

(And there's those Adidas slides I talked about, the ones that my husband think are hideous, but give me 90's nostalgia, lol.  They're not quite blog-worthy shoes, but hey that's just what I was wearing at the time).  Anyways in these pictures, the mini saddle bag doesn't look that small, but I guess I'm so used to the size of my Mansur Gavriel crossbody so it felt tiny.

For reference the (regular) Mansur Gavriel crossbody is 7"H x 9.25"W x 2.25"D {and Cuyana's mini saddle bag is 6.5" H x 7" W x 2.5" D}.  So Cuyana's version is deeper but the shorter width and small opening at the top make the bag feel smaller.  Also I ended up sticking with the Mansur Gavriel version because it's lined and its larger magnet makes opening and closing the bag really quick and easy.  

Anyway if you're looking for a super high quality leather saddle bag that's reasonably priced and you don't need to carry a lot of things (or conversely if you do need to carry a lot of things, you might want to try the regular size), then I think Cuyana's bags might work for you.  Currently these bags are sold out on Cuyana (all sizes and colors but I've seen them do periodic restocks-without fanfare so make sure you sign up for restock notices if you're interested).  As usual this post is not sponsored and if you're interested in other products from this brand, check out all my Cuyana reviews here.  

{March 2018 Update: So it's been 2 years since this review and things have changed. I loved my MG crossbody bag and wore it consistently for 6 months, after which the leather where the handles attached to the bag got all crumbly and disintegrated.  I cannot stand by MG's calf leather quality and I am not the only one.  Read this eye-opening post here.}

Mansur Gavriel Mini Lady Bag Review {Updated December 2020}

This is it guys, this is IT!  And by IT I mean this is Mansur Gavriel's IT-bag, or at least the IT-Lady Bag.  And I should know because I'm the Goldilocks of Mansur Gavriel Lady Bags.  First I tried the regular lady bag in calf-skin (review here), then the large lady bag in veg-tanned leather (review here), and finally the regular lady bag in veg-tanned leather (review here).  Today I have the mini lady bag in brandy veg-tanned leather (avion blue interior) and it's my favorite by far.

Mini Lady Bag vs. Regular Lady Bag

The above pictures show the the size difference between the regular and mini lady bags.  The mini lady bag measures: 9"H x 10.5"L x 3.5" depth while the regular lady bag measures 11"H x 12.5"L x 4.5" depth.  So it's about 2 inches shorter both in height in length but only 1 inch less deep.  So it can't hold a 13" laptop but it can hold a full-size ipad with case.  The mini lady bag works best as a day to day bag to hold all your essentials but might be too small to be a work bag.

Inside my bag in the top pic: My old Ipad in a Dodo case (I love these cases, even though they can make the ipad a bit heavy to carry), makeup case, wallet, phone, and sunglass case.  So not a whole lot of stuff but all the essentials and then some.

Another difference between the mini and the regular lady bag is the drop of the top handle.  The mini lady bag has a 5" drop while the regular has a 7" so that means for the mini lady bag, I can't get the strap around my arm if I wanted to carry it tucked under my armpit (which I sometimes did with the regular lady bag).  But I think the 5" handle drop is a good proportion for the mini. 

Strap out or tucked in?

Also the drawstring closure on the mini is a lot stiffer than the closure on my regular bag.  So the drawstring stays cinched and secure (but to be fair it might be because I've overloaded the regular lady bag in the past and it might have worn out the closure).  But this helps my mini bag to stay closed and secure, which wasn't always the case with the regular lady bag (thus my need to carry it under my armpit, especially in crowds).

Anyways I can tell this is going to be my favorite bag in the next few months!  If you want to get your own mini lady bag nab one at the Mansur Gavriel restock this month [edit: it's going to be on March 29th]!  And in the meantime here are my other Mansur Gavriel reviews!

P.S and this is for reader Svy showing a 13" macbook and the mini lady bag:

{March 2019 Update: They also have had a Mini Mini Lady bag out for a bit now. I can see that size being the best for going out and/or carrying just the essentials. Also since MG has been around for awhile now, you can score some really great deals on secondhand mini lady bags. Check out my favorite consignment sites Fashionphile (their selection of mini and mini mini lady bags) and TheRealReal (their selection of mini and mini mini lady bags).}

{December 2020 Update: I purchased and reviewed the Mansur Gavriel Mini Mini Lady Bag. Check out the post for a size comparison of the Lady Bag, Mini LB, and the Mini Mini LB}

Mansur Gavriel Mini Mini Bucket Review and Mini Bucket Review

I finally got my hands on a Mansur Gavriel mini mini bucket bag so now it's time to do another review (all other Mansur Gavriel reviews here).  I've done a review comparing the MG classic bucket bag to the mini bucket bag, but unfortunately I sold the classic bucket so I can only compare the mini to the mini mini.  I guess if you read this review and that review you'll get an idea of the sizing since both reviews include the mini size (the old review has a royal blue mini bucket).

Also, if you were wondering the difference between the cammello color and the brandy color, the mini is brandy (with cleo interior) and the mini mini is cammello (with rosa interior).  As you can see the brandy color is quite a bit more reddish in color.  My personal preference is cammello, though with the lighter color, water spots and other marks will probably be more visible.

As for the size, you can see that the mini mini is quite a bit smaller than the mini.  I think they probably should have named the mini as regular and the mini mini as just mini (since the classic size is really a large).  The mini measures 9.5"H x 8"W x 4.5"D while the mini mini measures 8"H x 6"W x 3.75"D.  Though it's only a 1.5" difference in height, the extra inch or so makes the mini bucket feel a lot deeper.  I personally prefer the extra depth so that items feel more secure (though really with an open bucket bag your items aren't going to be that secure to begin with).  Neither bucket bag comes with the wallet (that's only available for the classic size).

The mini mini is perfect for those who don't like to carry a lot of things in their bag.  It can fit the essentials like phone, keys, wallet, sunglasses but if you're someone who also like to carry a water bottle or ipad mini then the mini size is the way to go.  I prefer the mini size over the mini mini.  But since I prefer the cammello color over the brandy, I might try my luck during the 2-minute frenzy that is the Mansur Gavriel shop relaunch happening on Tuesday December 8th at 11AM EST (so 8AM my time).  But we'll see, I might save my pennies for their Spring 2016 launch and try to get a mini lady bag.

The picture below shows the mini mini with my iphone 6s and wallet while the brandy mini bucket is carrying a mini ipad.  Both bags are really gorgeous so I can't go wrong with either of them, but I think my vote is for the mini bag since the size just works better for my everyday needs.  Since I prefer the cammello color over the brandy, I might try my luck during the 2-minute frenzy that is the Mansur Gavriel shop relaunch happening on Tuesday December 8th at 11AM EST (so 8AM my time).  But we'll see, I might save my pennies for their Spring 2016 launch and try to get a mini lady bag.  But if you're participating in tomorrow's relaunch good luck and hope you get the bag that you want!!

Madewell Transport Tote vs. Cuyana Classic Leather Tote vs. Mansur Gavriel Tote vs. Everlane's Petra and Day Market Tote {Updated January 2021}

I was unfortunately not able to compare these two very similar totes side by side since I ordered the Madewell Tote first, didn't care for it so returned it and then purchased the Cuyana Classic Leather Tote.  But here are some of the similarities and differences I noticed between the two bags (also you can read a whole reddit forum discussion here).

First the dimensions: The Madewell Transport Tote (in black, with tan handles) measures 14.25(h) x 14.25(L) x 6(w) inches with a 8.25 inch strap drop.  The Cuyana Classic Leather Tote measures 13(h) x 18(L) x 5(w) inches with a 9 inch strap drop.  So the Cuyana tote is a a little shorter, but a lot wider.  However, since the leather on the Cuyana bag is so soft and smooshy, it's quite easy to fold in the sides a bit to make it less wide (like the picture below).

source

Though the totes are really similar, here are the reasons why I think the Cuyana tote is better:

-First off, the leather on the Cuyana tote is amazing.  It's super soft and smells wonderful. The smell reminds me of the leather of Balenciaga bags, even though the textures of the leather are different.  The leather on the Madewell tote is stiff and feels and smells like cheap leather.

-The difference in the leather is probably due to the fact that the Cuyana tote is made in the US while the Madewell tote is made in China (plus Cuyana is a brand all about producing top quality items).

-The strap of the Madewell tote is a just a tiny bit shorter, but it can make all the difference when trying to wear a tote bag over the shoulder when wearing a winter coat.  I think the Cuyana bag might fit, while the Madewell tote most definitely wouldn't.  

The Cuyana tote also comes in 3 different variations: the classic, the tall tote and the zippered tote.

So as you can see, my vote clearly goes to the Cuyana tote over the Madewell tote.  But if we were to have a broader discussion about all the totes that I own (including the Mansur Gavriel Tote —reviewed here—and the Everlane tote), I would have to say my favorite is probably the Everlane tote.  I love the smaller shape, the adjustable straps, and the two deep interior pockets with snap closures.  The Mansur Gavriel is good for just piling things in, and it holds its shape really well.  I think in general I'm just not a soft tote kind of gal.  But if I were to choose one, it would definitely be this Cuyana tote.  

Have you guys checked out Cuyana before?  I'm in love with their products and their site

I personally purchased all of these totes and were not paid in anyway to make this review (just trying to help fellow-tote lovers!)

{Feb 2019 update: Things have changed in the 2.5 years since I've written this review.  The leather on the Everlane petra tote stiffened up and became rubbery, which I really disliked so I sold it.  I also did not keep the Cuyana and Madewell totes because in the end I wanted to limit the number of totes in my closet.  I have a friend who used a Cuyana tote consistently for 1.5 years and the strap broke on her.  Also I had the Cuyana Leather Travel Bag for a brief time but also sold it because I found the leather quality on that to be not as great—it was very thick and pebbly.  So what totes am I currently using?  I love my Celine small cabas tote (reviewed here) and my Everlane Day Market Tote (reviewed here—which is very different and better made than the original line of heavy Petra totes IMO even though the leather is of a thinner quality. You can see how the Everlane Day Market Tote wears even after 100 uses here). I also love Cuyana’s Classic Structured Tote since it has an extra layer of microsuede on the inside to allow the bag to stand up on it’s own and make the bag overall less floppy. If I were to get a tote bag to replace my Celine one I would probably go for this one. However if you’re in the market for a lightweight, slightly floppy tote then Cuyana’s Classic Leather tote is the one for you.}

P.S. My friend has Cuyana’s small Carryall tote in stone and has been using it almost daily for at least 4 years. The long crossbody strap broke in year 2, but the bag itself is still going strong, which I think is a good testament to the quality of the leather Cuyana uses as well as it’s durability (well except for the strap). She replaced the strap but here she is modeling her very well used Cuyana tote for me: (also she’s tiny so the small bag looks huge on her fyi)

{January 2021 update: For those of you guys on a budget, Quince (also known as onequince) has some very similar totes for about half the price. Quince is an ethical company that contracts with the factories directly in small batches at the best possible prices (thus also preventing waste by not overproducing a certain item). My review of the Quince leather tote is here (where I also compare it to Cuyana’s leather). I would say Quince’s tall tote is like Cuyana’s structured tall tote and not the floppy one I reviewed here. Quince’s selection of totes can be found here. But if you’re looking for something like the Cuyana structure tote, unfortunately they don’t have anything like it anymore.}

Mansur Gavriel Bag Leather Quality {Updated Feb 2018}

There has been a noticeable difference in the quality of the calf leather before and after the summer restock.  Any calf leather purchased before April, was a high quality smooth leather with a sheen to it.  But calf leather bags purchased after April, mostly those made for the June restock is a seemingly lower quality leather that feels spongy/rubbery, is matte and smells a bit like chemicals/bleach {this was my major complaint with the navy lady bag from the first Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag Review}.  The picture above are all my calf leather bags.  The navy blue Lady Bag and sand Crossbody are from the recent restock while the royal blu bucket is from earlier in the year.  You can't see the differences there, but the picture below shows the difference.  The older, better calf leather is on the left while the newer and but lower quality calf leather is on the right.  It's only a subtle difference, but in-person the differences are huge.  

via from frankiextah

Another comparison shot with the older, better calf leather on top and the newer calf leather on bottom.

If you are new to the Mansur Gavriel market, stay away from the calf-leather and stick with the veg-tanned leather bags.  The calf-leather is more expensive and at the current quality, it's not worth the money.  Meanwhile the veg-tanned leather seems to be of the same quality and at a lower price point, it's just a smarter purchase.  If you did end up already getting a calf-leather bag from the last restock, don't despair.  The smell does go away after awhile.  Also by using a leather conditioner, like Chamberlain's leather milk, Leather Honey, or Black Rock the smell fades much quicker {and it makes your bag look better}.  If you're interested, I reviewed different leather conditioners and protectants for Mansur Gavriel bags.

MG calf-leather bag owners, is your leather like mine?  Or I wonder if it was just a bad batch?

Feb 2018 update: I feel compelled to update my post even though this is several years old with this review I just found.  It seems that MG leather quality isn't as good as I initially thought it was.  Also I can attest to this because my calf-skin crossbody leather began disintegrating where the straps met the body of the bag.  

Mansur Gavriel Large Tote Review

It's becoming almost a regular Monday with Mansur Gavriel on the blog here.  Here are past MG posts if you're interested: Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag Review Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 and the Mansur Gavriel Bucket Bags Review.  But since I have the large tote bag as well, I might as well review it here.  I don't use totes very often, but I did occasionally use the Louis Vuitton Damier Neverfull GM {the largest size} for the times I traveled.  But I found that the Longchamp Le Pilage was so much more useful {and light} for traveling and so I sold my LV {having a tote that can zip up at the top is pretty clutch for traveling}.  Then when the MG tote came out, I decided to try it out as a work/school bag.  I also have Everlane's Petra Tote, but that's quite narrow and doesn't work as well when you want to carry bulky things {it's perfect for laptops and textbooks}.

Pros:

-The veg-tanned leather is amazing!  Smells great and feels super durable.

-The coated pink color on the inside is the perfect pop of color to a normally boring black tote. And since there is no closure at the top, the pink is really easy to see.  I also learned that the coated interior gives the bag more structure so it won't become super slouchy with time {which is great for a tote}.

-It comes with an attachable wallet, perfect for the small things that might end up lost in a big tote.

-The large tote size is perfect as a work bag or even an overnight bag, since you can really pile things into it.  

-Also the minimal hardware and the veg-tanned leather choice means this bag is super light!

The cons:

-Since there's no closure to the top of the bag, you not only can see the pink interior but also everything else that's in your bag.  So I wouldn't recommend using this bag if you're going to be traveling or in crowds.  It might be too tempting for sticky fingers.

Here are some other great reviews of the MG tote bag: a cammello/rosa tote bag, a black/flamma tote bag, and a review of the small tote bag.

Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag Review part 3 {Updated December 2020}

So if you've been following my Mansur Goldilocks problem with my Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag review and Mansur Gavriel Large Lady Bag review part 2, you know that I've purchased 2 different lady bags and still haven't found the right one. Well my search is finally over!  Last week at the Mansur Gavriel shop relaunch I was able to pick up a regular veg tanned lady bag in black and oro {gold}. And this is it, no more lady bag purchases!

What I love about this bag:  

- the veg-tanned leather: it smells amazing and it's super structured which works out perfectly for this bag style. I've been consistently using the calf-skin lady bag and I've been finding it too slouchy, which makes closing the bag through the loops much harder when carrying it from the top handle. But I find I don't have those minor inconveniences when using the veg-tanned version 

-the size is perfect. I can even fit my dslr and extra lenses, which I did on my recent trip to Chicago. It was the perfect travel bag with the ability to carry it from the top handle or cross body. 

-and that pop of gold whenever you open up the bag.  Yes, it is kind of flashy but that's okay since it's just flashy on the inside.

One thing to be aware of for this bag:

-the gold interior is just a coating on the leather so from reading other people's experience with the metallic interiors in the bucket bags, I know that the coating can scratch and fade.  So I'm taking precautions and putting my keys and any other sharp objects in pouches.  Also, since there is only one pocket on the inside, it can't hold much {I just put my phone in there so it's easy to reach}.  But you can always do a pro-bag lady trick and use purse organizers {which also makes it really easy if you're constantly switching which bags you use}.

{December 2020 Update: Since writing this post I’ve reviewed the Mansur Gavriel Mini Lady Bag (where I’ve compared this bag to the Mini) and I’ve reviewed the Mansur Gavriel Mini Mini Lady Bag.}

Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag Review Part 2: the large lady bag

I've already done a Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag Review Part 1 and a Mansur Gavriel Bucket Bags Review, but this is to introduce/review my newest addition, the large veg-tanned Lady Bag.  If you read Part 1, you know my main gripe about the smaller calf-leather lady bag was the funky smell.  {And an update on that, after a couple weeks it still smells if you put your nose close to it.  But at least it doesn't smell up the whole room anymore--yea for the first week it was that bad.  I had to "quarantine" my bag in an unused room in my house because the smell was so strong.}

I purchased the large lady bag from The Line, and it was an easy and painless transaction.  The bag shipped the next day and I got it 2 days after that (and there was no tax!) so The Line might quite possibly be one of my new favorite online stores.

Without further ado, here's the review:

Pros:

-Smells perfectly fine.  No strong smells, and in fact it has a good leather smell.

-The veg-tanned leather works really well for this bag.  I would say the veg-tanned leather is way better for the shape of the lady bag than it is for the bucket bags.  Since the bucket bags are so round, the stiff leather makes it too bulky.  But the lady bag doesn't have any of that bulk.  I even prefer the veg-tanned over the calf leather because for the veg-tanned the flap doesn't pucker like it does for the calf leather one {see pic above}.

-Cute contrasting interior.  This one is Ballerina on the inside {though you can't really see it when it's closed.}

-The classic style and the ability to securely close the flap.

Cons:

-The size!  This bag is so enormous! (I'm 5'4" for reference) It's 16.5 x 6.5 x 12.75 inches and it's just too large for me to carry.  Plus I just don't have that many things I need to carry on daily basis.

-I don't think it's The Line (the shop I purchased this from) that did this, but my lovely MG bag came pre-scratched.  I don't know how it already got so many scratches, but I've read else where that someone else had this problem.  So I'm wondering if it's a problem somewhere along the distribution channel.  For over $1000, you'd hope your bag wouldn't have large gouges all over the body.  

So the final verdict on Mansur Gavriel Lady bags?  Not to sound like Goldilocks here, but I'm still having trouble finding the right one.  I think the one that will best suit my needs is the regular size, in veg-tanned leather.  Will I be able to get one during this Tuesday's Mansur Gavriel relaunch?  I have my fingers crossed!

{Some tips about the relaunch on the Mansur Gavriel website: it's on Tuesday 7/28 at 11AM EST, so that's 8AM for us Californians.  And I would say get on the site around 7:45AM, already have the bag you want picked out and just keep clicking refresh from 7:55AM or so.  And if you're lucky enough to snag the one that you want, go to checkout asap.  You only have 5 minutes to complete the purchase once you get it into your cart.  Also, they have a limit of one bag per customer.  If you don't get your first choice, you probably won't be able to get your second unless it's a tote or backpack but it doesn't hurt to try.  I predict the regular Lady Bags are going to go first followed by the bucket bags.  So good luck y'all}

{9.24.15 update: if you're interested, I've decided to sell my MG tote.  Details here on how to buy.}

Mansur Gavriel Classic and Mini Bucket Bag Review

Last week I did an impromptu Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag review, so this week I wanted to do a review on Mansur Gavriel's Bucket bag, which is their most well-known bag.  

{Update 12.7.15: I managed to get my hands on the mini mini bucket bag so here's a review of the Mansur Gavriel Mini Mini bucket bag compared to the Mini bucket bag.}

It comes in 3 sizes: The classic or large (which is the largest, and the one in cream canvas below), the mini (which is the royal blue one in the pictures), and a mini mini (which I don't have).

The measurements:

Classic Bucket bag: 12.25” H X 10” W X 6” D

Mini Bucket bag: 9.5” H X 8” W X 4.5” D

I've used the larger canvas bucket bag for traveling and though there's no way to fully close the bag, I felt my items were safe since the bag is so deep.  Also it was really awesome to be able to open up the top and overload the bag with stuff when we went shopping.  The mini bucket bag is not that much smaller and fits a lot of items as well.  I used to have the veg tanned leather one, but it's very stiff and requires some breaking in.  I don't really have the patience for that breaking in period so I rather like the calf leather version (the mini one) and the canvas one.  Both are malleable and easy to carry from the get-go.  However the veg tanned classic bag has fun interior colors and comes with a detachable pouch (these two versions of the bucket bag doesn't come with the pouch).  The straps are adjustable so it's easy to carry it over the shoulder or as a cross-body.  

I used the black canvas one here for traveling and it held up like a champ.  The white canvas one got dirty after the first time I used it (some black scuff marks and color transfer from my jeans).  Even though the cream canvas with natural leather is a cute combo, it's not worth the maintenance.  

You can still find these bags sporadically at various small boutiques.  I got the royal blue mini and the black canvas bucket bags at Mohawk General Store in LA, and the white one at ShopBazaar.  If you want to buy one of your own, the Mansur Gavriel site is going to have a restock in August (but be ready for it, because bags sell out in less than a minute), or just sporadically check Google shopping for stores that might have it in stock.

Not everyone loves a bucket bag, but if you like the style, Mansur Gavriel is the new classic.

{update: I have also written up a new post on how to care for the leather of your Mansur Gavriel bags.}

Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag Review {Updated March 2019}

Hi fellow purse fanatics!  This post is for you!  I usually try to keep my review posts to Wednesdays but I just got this bag and since they haven't been shipped in the US stores yet, as far as I know, I thought I would go ahead and give all the deets for those thinking of buying it.

So this is the Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag Review.  I think the Lady Bag is their next hit after their bucket bags.  I got this one online at the French shop Colette, and lucky for me the Euro is at a fairly low point so I got the bag for only $12 more than if I had waited to buy the Lady Bag at Barney's (which not only doesn't have this color but is also shipping out in October).  $12 more is a small price to pay for next-week gratification.

This is the lady bag in the smaller size (only comes in the small or large size), and is the calf leather, not the veg tan leather.  So that means it comes lined instead of the contrasted coated color inside and it also means the leather is softer and doesn't require a breaking-in period.

The measurements:

10" x 13"x 4.5" 

The long strap is adjustable and goes from 18-20.5" and the short strap is about 6.75 inches (which is just enough to fit my arm in the summer, but definitely wouldn't fit under my arm in the winter when wearing a thick coat).  The bag can be worn over the shoulder or cross body when using the longer strap.

Like I said, this one is lined on the inside with a beige canvas (kind of boring, it would have been cooler if they had gone with different colors).  Inside there's two pockets on either side.  The bag closes using their signature drawstring.  The string can be passed through a loop on the flap and/or a loop on the front of the bag to secure the flap in place.

The pros:

-Love love love the style.  I'm particularly partial to this style of bag with both a handle and a long cross-body strap (see the picture below of the lady bag and the Givenchy pandoras-they're quite similar).  But the simplicity of the lady bag makes it look even more classic.

-Thick durable calf skin, with a canvas lining on the inside

-Ability to close the flap securely using the loops on the flap and on the bag.  This is actually fairly well-designed so that even if you have something heavy that's pulling the flap forward, the flap stays in place when holding it by the short handle.

-Fits a lot of things inside!  I was able to put in my 13" macbook, an old iPad with a bulky case, and still fit my essentials (phone, wallet, keys, sunglasses).

-The bag itself is not that heavy.

The con (wish I could say this bag is perfect, but unfortunately its not):

-My biggest gripe would be the quality of the leather.  Mansur Gavriel is supposed to be all about quality so I'm kind of shocked that the leather on this is kind of funky.  It smells.  It kind of reminds me of the leather in car upholstery.  So in a way it has that "new car smell" except I don't want my bags smelling of car interiors.  Even my Everlane petra tote, which feels like it's made from a similarly thick durable leather, doesn't smell like this.  If I didn't know any better I would think that Colette is selling a fake (especially since the MG stamp is also not perfect on this bag and it didn't come with the usual pink tag, just the white one).  But it's a bit early to be making fakes of a bag that hasn't even been available yet (plus its Colette, a really reputable store).  Also I read that the tumbled leather bucket bags also had a smell so maybe it's just a problem with some of their bags.  I know MG is in a rush to capitalize on the MG craze but if they're not careful they might lose some support.  I'm going to wait and see if the smell goes away, and if possible (and it's a big IF) get my hands on the veg tan one (which is the one I really wanted anyway).  But if anyone has any tips on getting the car leather smell to go away I would really appreciate the help!

Knowing what I know now, would I have still purchased the bag?  Yes, I really love the style of the bag and I'm willing to see what happens with the smell.  I'll keep y'all posted.  Below are various comparisons with other bags just so you get an idea of the size.

For other MG fans, if you were wondering about the measurements:

Classic Bucket bag: 12.25” H X 10” W X 6” D

Lady Bag: 10" H x 13" W x 4.5" D

Mini Bucket bag: 9.5” H X 8” W X 4.5” D

{08.13.15 update: So I've had the bag for about a month and a half now and the bag still slightly smells.  It doesn't smell up the whole room but I can smell it when I put my nose to it.  I also got an MG cross body in calf leather and that smells too, though not as strong.  So I'm thinking it's an issue with their batch of calf leather in general.  I used Chamberlain leather milk on the whole bag and it did help the smell some (I plan to write a whole review of that process soon).    For now here is the rest of the story of my search for the perfect lady: Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag Review Part 2 (the large lady bag) and Part 3.}

{3.25.16 update: And now I have a Mansur Gavriel Mini Lady Bag Review up!}

I also now have a post up about how to condition and protect your Mansur Gavriel bag.  And find all my other Mansur Gavriel reviews here.

{March 2019 update: Wow I can’t believe it’s already been almost 4 years since I wrote this early review and I’m glad to see the MG is still popular and their styles are still holding people’s attentions. Since the MG craze has died down a bit, you can find quite a few wonderful deals on secondhand MG lady bags. My favorite consignment sites for preowned bags are Fashionphile (find their selection of lady bags here) and TheRealReal (find their selection of lady bags here). If you can score this bag secondhand, you’ll get way more bang for your buck!}