Vendula London Le Bicyclette De Vendula Box Bag Review*

*AD- This post features a bag I was sent in exchange for a review. As always, all words, thoughts and opinions are my own and have been written 100% honestly.

When it comes to fashion, I've always had a weakness for handbags. Some women adore shoes, others love diamonds, but for me, it's always been about the bags. I love all kinds of different styles, but, as I'm sure most of you will know by now, I have a particular fondness for novelty designs and anything colourful. The quirkier the better.

One brand I have long admired for their quirky bags and purses is Vendula London, the British brand known for their iconic shopfront bags, so when they recently got in touch and invited me to review a bag from their new season collections, I couldn't have been more excited. Of course I said 'yes!'

Vendula London sent me the beautiful La Bicyclette de Vendula Box Bag* from my short list of favourites, and when the bag arrived on my doorstep a couple of days later, I was instantly blown away by how stunning it was. It was even more beautiful than I had imagined it would be, and it unsurprisingly attracted much jealousy from my Mum and sister who both keep trying to steal it! I can't say I blame them, but they won't be prising this bag from my hands any time soon- I love it too much to let go!

The La Bicyclette de Vendula Box Bag is a beautiful sky blue and cream vegan-leather bag featuring one of Vendula London's brand new shopfront designs for 2019- a charming bicycle service and repair shop! I thought there couldn't possibly be any shops left for Vendula London to immortalise in to handbags, but they've gone and proved me wrong with this wonderfully unique design. A bicycle service and repair shop bag?! I really have seen everything now!

Like Vendula London's other iconic shopfront bags, whose handbag establishments include everything from post offices to pubs and chocolateries to toy shops, the bag has, obviously, been designed to look just like the front of a shop. The top of the bag has been made in to the shop's awning in scalloped stripes of blue and cream, but the pièce de résistance is the shop's window display which is filled with amazing detail that has to be seen to be believed. I notice something new every time I look at it.

If you peek in the shop's window, you'll be transported to the sweetest bicycle repair shop you ever did see. On the left, there are shelves filled with storage boxes, cans of oil, and a blue bicycle helmet hanging above a red applique air machine. To the right, is a work station with tools hung on the wall above a table with a pink bike helmet sitting on top, and a couple of stools and storage boxes sitting neatly underneath it. Best of all, hanging from the shop's ceiling in the centre is a cheerful yellow bicycle and a sky-blue penny farthing, both with black trim, complimenting the pink applique vegan-leather bicycle with a wicker basket full of greenery parked on the pavement in front of the shop. The colourful bikes are easily my favourite parts of the design- they're so darn cute!

The detail doesn't stop there; look closer still, and you'll see a sign for 'service & repairs' in the window, and find the shop walls are painted cream with a sea of cogs outlined in sky blue faintly embossing the lower half of the shop. If that wasn't enough, the arch of the window is framed with a garland of colourful flowers sewn on to the leather, and beside the bicycle on the cobbled-grey pavement is an embroidered pot plant with an applique pot.

To the right of the window, the black and cream door is filled with colourful signs advertising 'REPAIRS DONE WHILE YOU WAIT!', 'SAME DAY REPAIRS', 'BICYCLES FOR RENT', and 'FREE AIR & OIL.' And hanging from the wall above the door by two little black plastic chains, is a crimped circular sign proudly advertising the shop's name, La Bicyclette De Vendula, in black, white, and pink so you know where to go for all your bicycle maintenance needs. The amount of detail that has gone in to this bag is just incredible.  

If you thought the attention to detail was reserved for the front and outside of the bag, think again; Vendula London have given the back and inside of the bag just as much care and attention.

On the back of the bag, you'll find a bright yellow and black tandem bike parked in a bike rack, just waiting to be taken out for a spin, and there's also a small zipped pocket large enough to store your phone or keys safely away from pick-pocketers against your body.

The inside of the bag, in both the main compartment and the back pocket, has been lined with a fun London print, which is made up of iconic British paraphernalia like red telephone boxes, the Queen's guards, black cabs, post boxes, double decker buses, London Underground signs, penny farthings, and more on a cream cotton background. The print compliments the outer design perfectly, and if you're anything like me, you'll find yourself admiring it each time you reach in to the bag to grab something. It's almost as pretty as the outside!

You'll also find a zipped pocket for keeping valuables secure, and a generously-sized mobile phone pocket that should fit even the largest of today's smartphones sewn in to the lining in the main section of the bag. 

The bag itself has been handcrafted from high-quality vegan-leather which looks and feels just like thick, good-quality leather, but with one simple difference- no animals were harmed to make it, which is fantastic! I admit I do buy leather products from time to time, but as a big animal lover, I prefer buying cruelty-free alternatives as much as possible because I hate the thought of animals suffering for fashion. It's so unnecessary when there are amazing cruelty-free options to shop from, like this one, and it's just one reason why Vendula London's products appeal to me. 

Aside from the design and the quality, what I love about this bag is that it is the perfect size for every day use. It's neither too big or to small, and has more than enough room for the essentials. I can fit everything I need in it for a day on the go- including my chunky bridge camera and a book- with room to spare! I judge a good day bag on whether there's room for a paperback and my camera along with my other essentials, and the box bag definitely passes the test! It's the ideal size for everything from shopping trips to work, and sight-seeing to just doing the food shop in style.

Another detail which attracted me to the box bag is that it has an adjustable shoulder strap which can be worn on the shoulder and across the body, depending on your mood, outfit, and needs. I love having the option to sling a bag over my shoulder when my arms are tired, or I just need my hands free for other things.  The best part is the vegan-leather strap can be adjusted to seven different lengths, and it's long enough to wear comfortably. I'm 5'6" and if I wear it on the shortest notch on my shoulder and the longest notch across my body, the bag sits comfortably on my hip and top of my thigh respectively. Whether you're short or tall, slim or plus size, this bag should fit almost everybody comfortably, which is fantastic. There's are few things I hate more than finding a beautiful bag and then discovering the strap isn't long enough to be comfortable or practical. Well done, Vendula!

Now, it's unlikely that I will put this bag down long enough for it to gather dust, but if I do, I won't have to worry about it getting dusty because like all Vendula London bags, it comes with its own bright pink dust bag to keep it looking its best when its not in use. They really have thought of everything.

The Le Bicyclette de Vendula box bag retails for £78, which I personally think is really reasonable for a handcrafted bag of such high quality, especially with all that applique and embroidery detail which takes time and skill to create. I couldn't be more impressed with it; it's stunning, it's quirky, and fantastic quality, and I know I'm going to be using it for many years to come. You can find it on their website here or if you're in London, why not check it out in person in their Covent Garden store?

If the box bag isn't your style, the Le Bicyclette de Vendula design comes in a wide range of different styles, with another six bags and seven wallets and purses to choose from, all featuring this beautiful blue and cream bicycle repair shop. The collection includes Vendula London's coveted grab bag, an interchangeable backpack, and the loveliest little coin purse, with prices starting at just £19. You can shop the full collection here and of course, browse the rest of their fabulous designs on their website now. I promise you won't be disappointed.

What do you think of the design? Will you be buying anything from the collection this spring?

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Vendula London Russian Dolls Cross Body Bag Review

*AD- This post features a bag I was sent in exchange for a review. As always, all words, thoughts and opinions are my own and have been written 100% honestly.

Vendula London Russian Dolls Cross Body Bag Review

A couple of weeks ago, I finally treated myself to a beautiful novelty bag which had been on my wish list for about a year- the Russian Doll cross body bag from Vendula London.

I'm head over heels in love with my new bag, so I just had to give you a peek at it and review it for you today. I know many of you will love it as much as I do.

The Russian Dolls cross body bag is a beautiful little bag in the design of a black, red, and cream Matryoshka doll, which you'll probably know better as a Russian doll; a painted wooden nesting doll traditionally from Russia, The wonderful thing about this bag is that it features stunning embroidery and applique detailing, and has been handmade from high-quality vegan leather.

It looks like real leather; it feels like real leather; but no animals were harmed to make this lovely bag, which is fantastic. While I do buy leather bags from time to time, I will always prefer a good- quality, cruelty-free alternative because I hate the thought of animals suffering for fashion. It's so unnecessary, especially when there are great, fashionable faux-leather alternatives out there, like this funky little bag from Vendula London.

I mean, look at this amazing bag; the design is perfect! I just couldn't resist it- even though I already had a Russian doll novelty bag in my collection. This bag is just so pretty.

Her beautiful round face is Geisha pale with rosy pink cheeks, wavy black hair, perfectly embroidered red lips and long embroidered black eyelashes, with a crown of cream and burgundy dots above her head. The best part? Her face doubles up as a little zipped coin purse, which I think is a cute and ingenious little feature. With it, there's no need to carry a separate purse, so it leaves you more room in the main compartment for your other essentials- something that's definitely appreciated when it comes to novelty bags, which only give you a small space to fill.

Below the coin purse, the Matryoshka's body is a deep shade of red, and is decorated with applique vegan-leather flowers and foliage, along with beautiful embroidery in shades of black, red, and khaki green.

I have to say, I'm really impressed with the quality of the stitching, which was all done by hand- it's so neat and carefully stitched. I've attempted hand-embroidery myself, and let me tell you, it ain't easy; it takes real skill to embroider like that. The craftsmanship and quality of their work is wonderful, and it was something that attracted me to the bag in the first place. You just don't get the same quality and attention to detail with mass-produced bags on the high street.

The rest of the bag is plain black, apart from the two peach hands resting at her sides, and the pretty navy and white floral folk print cotton lining of the bag. It's not often I say this about the lining of a bag, but it's almost as pretty as the outside, with roses, flowers, chevrons, and dots running along it in stripes. I love me a good folk print.

Inside the bag, there's a little open-top pocket sewn in to the lining for holding your mobile phone, and the main compartment of the bag is just about big enough to carry the essentials. I can fit a small purse, phone, keys, lip balm, medication, camera, and a little make up in it with room to spare. It's the perfect size for those times when you don't want or need to take the kitchen sink with you, such as for shopping, going out to dinner, or for nights out. I can't carry a heavy bag around anymore, so it's the perfect size for carrying what I need. (If you love the look of this bag but like to carry more stuff with you, I'd recommend checking out the larger backpack / cross body bag, which has at least twice as much room inside. I originally purchased it, but swapped it for the smaller cross body as it was too big for my needs).

The bag has a zip fastening to keep your belongings secure, and its gold zipper is decorated with a pretty iridescent mint green vegan-leather tassel. 

It has a slimline faux-leather cross body strap that can be worn on the shoulder or across the body, and has seven notches and a buckle fastening for adjusting it to the desired length. I'm 5'6'' and at its longest, it sits on my hip across the body, and at the top of my thigh on the shoulder. It's a little shorter than I prefer, but not uncomfortably so; I just like my cross body bags long. If you're shorter or slimmer than me, you should find it a little longer. The straps are also removable, so you could even use the bag as a clutch if you wanted to. It's so versatile!

Another little detail I was pleased to discover was that the bag came with its own bright pink dust bag to protect the bag, and keep it in top condition when it's not being used. Hopefully this will help prolong its life and keep it in my bag collection for decades to come because I can see myself using this bag again and again for many years to come.

I'm so happy with my beautiful Russian Doll cross body bag, and I'm glad I finally got my hands on one. I snapped it up for just £23.50 (down from £47) in Vendula London's sale, which was an absolute steal, but I can honestly say, I would have happily paid full price for it. The Russian doll design and the quality of the bag are both amazing. It's one of the best novelty bags I've ever seen or handled, and worth every penny!

The good news is, the Russian Doll cross body bag is still available to buy online in both black and red, for the bargain price of £23.50, so snap one up now before they sell out! You won't be disappointed.

I'm so impressed with my Russian Doll cross body that I'm now tempted to treat myself to the equally gorgeous Russian Dolls tote bag. I'm trying to restrain myself from shopping, but I have a feeling I won't be able to resist it much longer! It's just too beautiful.

Have you ever purchased anything from Vendula London?

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My Novelty Bag Collection 2015

My Christmas Novelty Bags

Matalan Fruity Novelty Clutch Bags

My New Look Novelty Clutch Bags

My Novelty Christmas Handbags

Move over Christmas jumpers, step aside bauble earrings, there's a new way to inject a bit of festive cheer in to your outfits this Christmas- with festive novelty handbags!

The novelty handbag trend has taken its quirkiness to a whole new level this Winter, with many high street brands featuring festive bags and purses in their Christmas collections. Being both a novelty handbag addict, and a huge Christmas geek, I couldn't love this trend more!

In fact, I've added two novelty Christmas bags to my wardrobe over the last couple of weeks and the best part is, neither of them broke the bank. I thought I'd give you a quick peek at them both today, while there's still enough time to snap them up before Christmas.

First up is the New Look red stripe bauble clutch bag, which is the best Christmas accessory I think I've ever seen! The bauble design is so fun, and so different to any other novelty bag in my collection or on the high street, so naturally I'm all over it! It's a real statement piece, so it's the perfect accessory to complete Christmas party outfits. I'll be using it for all my casual Christmas ensembles, too! (Well, I have to get my money's worth!) It's a guaranteed conversation starter, and it's the kind of bag that will attract attention wherever it goes.

For a clutch bag, it's surprisingly large, and it has enough room for the essentials..The best part? This clutch is only £12.99 and currently on sale for just £10.00! I managed to snap one up on Black Friday for less than a tenner, but even full price it's not going to break the bank!

The newest bag to my collection is this TU at Sainsburys Christmas pudding bag, which I treated myself to with some Christmas money on Tuesday, as a post-hospital treat. (Thanks, Nana!) It's not every day that you find a bag in the shape of a Christmas pud! (How cute?!) I actually first saw it a couple of weeks ago, but I couldn't afford it at the time, so it was the first purchase that came to mind when I was given some early Christmas money. I'm pleased I managed to get one before it sold out. I love it!

This bag is far more casual than the bauble clutch, and I'd say it's much more convenient with its cross body strap; it's ideal for Christmas shopping when you need both hands to carry all those heavy shopping bags! It has slightly more room than the clutch bag, too. It obviously won't fit the kitchen sink but you should get your purse, phone, keys, lippy, and iPod in here no problem.

I'm pleased to say this was another bargain-priced find; it retails for just £12!! It's inexpensive enough that you don't have to feel too guilty about giving yourself a pre-Christmas treat! Sadly Sainsburys still don't have a website for their clothing range (what's up with that?), but you should still be able to find it in your local Sainsburys if you hurry!

Will you be treating yourself to one this Christmas?

Pretty Pastel ASOS Bags

Over the last few months, I've been lucky enough to add a few lovely new bags to my ever-growing collection, and it was about time I gave you all a little peek!

Since the start of the year, I've acquired four new bags, and the best part is that none of them left so much as a dent in my bank balance. I purchased them all through ASOS while they were on sale, on promotion, or / and with a discount code and got myself a little cash-back, too, through using Quidco. You could say, they were practically free. Okay, I'm exaggerating just a little bit... but only a  little.

Let's start with the prettiest and newest additions, because I know they're being coveted by a lot of people at the moment...

Aren't these sugary sweet pastel scalloped satchels beautiful? (Try saying that three times fast!) I think they're so lovely.

I purchased them within days of each other a couple of weeks ago after coveting them since they landed earlier this year. The lilac version was high on my wish list all Spring and Summer last year, but I was never able to treat myself and I missed out. So, you can imagine my excitement when I saw it had made a reappearance a couple of months ago, and I promised myself that this year I wouldn't let it get away. Soon after the yellow version made an appearance, and I fell in love with it, too. I decided to wait until a discount code appeared.

The bags were originally a very reasonable £22, and a few weeks ago the price was lowered to £18. I then found a discount code which lowered the price even further, and at just over £14 each, I didn't feel too guilty treating myself to both colours in one week. 

Both satchels are lovely and if you love pastel-coloured bags, they're well worth a purchase. My favourite is the yellow, which is a bright and cheerful shade of lemon. In the stock photos, it looks more mustard, but the colour is a delicate pastel yellow, and I'm so pleased it is. It will be the perfect bag for brightening up any outfit, I guarantee it; just looking at it makes me feel more cheerful! Gah, I love yellow!

The lilac is a very soft and pale shade of lilac, and it's as pretty as I'd imagined it would be. It's going to go so well with the yellow polka dot dress! (Yes, I'm still obsessed with that dress!) I think this is the first lilac fashion thing I've owned since the nineties, when it used to be my favourite colour. I've since shied away from most pastel colours, preferring bold colours, and it's only really over the last few years that I've began to love them again.

The satchels are medium-sized with enough room for a few essentials, and have an adjustable shoulder strap for wearing across the body or on the shoulder. My favourite part is the pretty scalloped edging.

The colour of the lilac satchel is best shown in the photo above. 

The inside of the yellow satchel is the same shade as on the outside, whilst the lilac has a black lining, which is quite a contrast.

You can find the yellow satchel here, and the lilac here. They're both currently just £18.

In January, I purchased this ASOS quilted mint green bunny ears bag with some Christmas money from my Nana. I'd been coveting the forest green version during A/W, but when I saw the mint I knew this was the one for me. Let's just say I wasn't disappointed; it's such a cute and quirky bag, and is going to look great with some of my dresses as we move in to Spring. Give it another month, and this bag will probably be on regular rotation.

The bag reminds me of the white rabbit's house in Disney's Alice and Wonderland, which is a film I've loved since I was really young, so I had to have it. I'm also a sucker for bunnies. I had two as pets for ten and eleven years until they passed away over the last two Easters, and I've basically become a crazy bunny lady since they came in to my life. Some people like cats, I love bunnies!

The bunny ears bag is still available here and is currently £18. (I think I paid about £15 for mine with a discount code.) It also comes in a couple of other colours.

And finally, the fourth bag to join my collection this year is this River Island studded and rhine-stoned bowling bag, which I bought through ASOS. 

River Island is one of my favourite brands on the high street for bags, and I had been admiring this particular one all Winter. I pounced on it when it was on sale from £45 down to £17.50, when there was also a further discount on sale items. I think I paid about £14 or £15 for it, which was an absolute bargain. I'm afraid it's now no longer available. 

It took me a few weeks to decide if the bag looked cheap, but now I'm beginning to really like it. The only negative I have to say about it is that the lining feels and looks horribly cheap, but I guess I can see past that since it doesn't affect the exterior of the bag. It's been a while since I last had a staple tan day bag in my collection. My last one literally fell apart from over use. Every girl needs a staple tan handbag in her collection, and I'm pleased to have found mine without even spending a fortune!

And that's all I have to say about that...

Wow, I do ramble on, don't I?! I'm sorry! If you've made it through to the end, congratulations and thanks for sticking with me! I promise to shut up and bugger off now!

Have you bought yourself a lovely new handbag or two recently?

The Story of the Accessorize Owl Bag

Hey folks,

Well, I finally got around to taking and editing some photos of my new Accessorize owl bag to share with you, so today that's exactly what I'm here to do. This is the fifth and final of the new bags which have joined my bag collection in the last six weeks, but just because I'm blogging about this one last, it doesn't mean I deliberately picked him last for sports. I'm sorry, owlet, I love you!

I first saw this Woolly Yenzi X Body Bag in Accessorize back in May, and my sister had to prise it from my arms as I wanted to take him home with me there and then, but couldn't. Thankfully, my very lovely, generous best friend bought him for my birthday last month after demanding I tell her what I wanted. I eventually gave in (I hate asking others for gifts), and gave her a few ideas, and on my birthday, this beautiful bag arrived on my doorstep.

The love for this bag was instantaneous. I mean, seriously- it's an owl shaped bag, and he's wearing glasses! What's not to love? That's right: nothing!

The bag is mostly navy faux leather with a matching adjustable navy cross-body strap, and with brown pieces making up the head, wings, and feet. Yes, feet!

It has cream eyes, rimmed with red scallops, over which is a magnificent pair of gold Wayfarer style spectacles. He certainly likes to be noticed!

On his torso he's decorated with pink buttons, and pink and mustard stitches. 

He even has two little feet poking out at the bottom of the bag! The attention to detail with this bag is fantastic. I love that the feet and ears have been sewn on separately; I feel it adds more character to the design than if they'd just been sewn flat on the main body of the bag. I also love the use of stitching on the wings to create a simple feathered look.

The bag closes with a magnetic popper concealed between the owl's eyes. It's a small day bag, but big enough for carrying around the necessities. In my case that would be my purse, phone, ipod, keys, lip balm, and a blister pack of each of my medicines. I could probably get my camera in there, too. 

The shoulder strap is reasonably long, and can be adjusted to several different lengths depending on your needs or preference. It could be worn on the shoulder or across the body.

So, I think it's clear that I adore this owl bag. It's adorable, and the quirkiness of the design is so my style. The quality is great, and I can't wait to use this bag with all my Autumn outfits. I think it will be perfect for wearing when the leaves begin to fall. 

The Woolly Yenzi X Body bag is still available online here at Accessorize, and is currently retailing for £25, which I think is very reasonable for a beautiful little day bag. 

What do you think? Will you be buying one for yourself?