This one is too good to miss!

My first excursion into the world of Vera Bradley was to take advantage of the free shipping offer I told you about last week.  I have heard from many women who love Vera Bradley, but had never seen the bags myself.  I suppose my previous impression was that the bags were a bit…er…homespun for my taste, but upon closer inspection, I think the prints are actually quite wearable and even a little whimsical.

I decided to go for something in a retiring fabric, since they are on sale at 40% off.  I chose the Villager in the Pink Elephants pattern.  As an added bonus, 10% of the proceeds from Pink Elephant items goes to the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer and other breast cancer projects and services.  Way cool.

My package arrived in record time, and I was surprised to find my item sweetly wrapped with tissue inside a lovely apple-green Vera Bradley storage box.  What impressed me immediately was the quality of the cotton fabric and grosgrain ribbon zipper pulls as well as the sheer attention to detail–even to the point of making sure the print lines up perfectly on the pockets and shoulder straps.  This would ordinarily be an expensive way to make a bag, with a lot of waste from cutting off excess for pattern match, unheard of for a bag this affordable (Regularly $72, on sale for $43.20).

The Villager is a very usable size at 16″ x 12¼” x 4″ with a generous 11¾” strap drop and sturdy removable insert to keep the base flat. Not only does it have two handy pockets on the outside (one zips, one slips), the entire inside is ringed with six additional slide pockets, so there is a place to organize everything. The top zips closed for security, a must for me.  (I have to know that the contents of my bag won’t end up on the floor of the car to roll around underfoot when I brake suddenly, which is more frequently than I like to admit.)

The best part is that the bag (except for the card insert) is machine washable, which makes it a great everyday carryall that won’t have to be babied.  There you have it ladies, value for money, functionality, and fun–I no longer wonder why Vera Bradley has such a huge following!

After seeing and holding one for myself, I can definitely recommend Vera Bradley, and I will be back for more.  Click the banner to see for yourself!

The Marc by Marc Jacobs Totally Turnlock Quinn is my latest surprise from the best husband on the planet.  It’s offered on eLuxury in Nero (black), but mine (pictured below) is Elderberry–a sumptuous, deep-yet-neutral purple reminiscent of a juicy ripe plum or a perfect eggplant.  (The color for this fall, I’m assured.)  Both options are fitted with polished silver hardware.

The grained leather is buttery soft and supple, with a 9″ strap drop that allows it to be comfortably worn over even larger shoulders.  It’s one seriously “smooshy” bag.  It’s not a heavy bag, yet it feels solid enough to withstand the average day’s knocks.

Roomy enough for even my needs, it includes two interior patch pockets, an interior zip pocket, and two exterior side pockets with turnlock closures.   The flap top closes with a turnlock–but, of course! The Marc by Marc Jacobs logo engraved on the hardware is mercifully subtle and unpretentious–a plus for you gals tired of serving as walking billboards.  The Quinn is lined in a funky logo print with scrambled “MARC JACOBS” letters, and sports four protective metal feet on the bottom.

13.5″ (at base) x 11″x 7.25″   $468.00

Check it out at eLuxury

Oh, and here is the Elderberry in the partial sun of my patio:

Elderberry Quinn

Valid Sept. 2 – 7, 2008

It’s a good time to order before retiring prints are gone!

Through August 31, enter code FREESHIPS08COLLECTION at checkout to get free shipping on the Vera Bradley Limited Edition Seaside Collection. Hurry before it’s over!