Review on Vera Bradley Deluxe Travel Blooms Recycled Women's Handbags & Wallets by Julie Lee

Vera Bradley is really good quality and the company stands behind their bags. I only own one other Vera Bradley bag, the XL Campus Backpack, and to be honest it's something you'll buy and use for years. I've had the backpack for about 3 years now, I use it for any conference or business trip and use it as my main wallet for my commute and back to work. Pretty much every time I've carried a laptop with me, I've used it as a handbag because it fits in the laptop. And almost never wears out. Like this bag, it's made of cotton so it won't break, but it will definitely last and be comfortable to wear. It's like the difference between a cotton t-shirt that's thin enough to see through and one that's better made and lasts a lot longer. You can get years of use with quality. Vera Bradley also endorses her products. When I have contacted their customer service in the past, they seem very knowledgeable about the bags. I had a very specific question about which country the bag was made in and the customer service hotline person was able to get the exact same bag in the exact same color and verify where it was made. It's quite unusual and feels like they have the best customer service even among big brand names. Anyway, I liked my other Vera Bradley bag so much that I definitely noticed and appreciated the brand. It's expensive but of high quality, and for the money it's very useful and with very nice patterns. When I buy a bag with a useful style and pattern that I like, I know I'll use it to justify the price. As my two youngest daughters grew up and were no longer able to share a suitcase, I started looking for a good travel bag option. For this "Cotton Delux Tote Travel Bag" I loved the Happy Blooms pattern, the style is similar to the travel bag I had before which was a practical design and when I showed the pattern and the bag to my daughter she said that she loved it.The genuine bag is very good. It is a 100% cotton fabric that is tightly quilted to give it structure and weight. There is no network. Only tightly quilted cotton with very thin batting. So it can be machine washed (machine put in a zippered pillowcase) and washed many times while retaining its shape. The Happy Blooms pattern is tight enough not to show scuffs or stains, so good for travel and heavy use. The inside is made of dark blue nylon material with small flowers. (I'm not sure if it's nylon or polyester, and the materials for this bag aren't listed on the bag or the label.) Size: Before ordering this I took out a tape measure and visualized the measurements. It turned out that the computer monitor space in my desk drawer was almost the same size as this bag, so I had a good idea and wasn't surprised by the size. He's really big. It measures 18 inches by 9 inches and is 15 inches high. It is 15" tall from the bottom to the top of the piece of fabric, not including the handles and detachable strap. I understand the product description says it's 16" tall, and I think they might be counting the little metal rings you hang on attach the shoulder strap. The bottom compartment is mostly rectangular. The top compartment has a square bottom and then a flat top edge so this top compartment tapers from 18" to 9" to a 23" long flat zipper. I get 9 x 14 x 22 as my maximum carry-on size. This bag measures 9" x 15" x 18", so only a 15" height is a potential issue. Because it's soft, it should shrink to a manageable size unless stuffed enough that the top zip is tightened. You must have enough room to pinch the top an inch to meet the wearing guidelines. And as it fills up, it'll probably get a little rounder and wider and shorter. Of course, check the carry-on size for the particular airline you'll be using and measure a full bag to make sure it's allowed. Layout: There is a large rectangular zippered compartment at the bottom of the bag. I wasn't sure and I'm still not sure. It's a decent size to store all my clothes except pants and spare shoes or pants and shoes for a trip. (I tend to pack light and take a large backpack for a weekend or monthly trip and wash my clothes in the sink at night to pack lighter. I usually take 5 shirts and 3 pants for each pants length trip.) This large rectangular one Zippered compartment measures 18" x 9" x 3 3/4". The zipper seems quite strong and closes well. It's also a compartment that's small enough that the weight probably won't break the zipper. If Don't overthink it I think the zipper will hold here until the rest of the bag wears out Then there's a big huge compartment at the top It's big enough for a laptop, books, papers, snacks and whatever It is basically a very thick laptop bag.This large compartment has three compartments sewn on the sides on the inside for a total of six inner compartments.The interior is similar to a diaper bag.It is not padded like a laptop bag hey and has no padded laptop compartment. You could probably fit an entire laptop bag in, and it's certainly big enough that you'll want to use small pockets to separate your stuff in it and make it easier to find things quickly. The bag has a large loop on one side that attaches to the luggage handle. So you can have luggage on wheels and then mount it on top of it with a luggage handle and it will sit right on top as you roll with no chance of it falling off. It then has a side pocket on the outside with a flap. Pocket and zip pocket I think for things that need to be found quickly. Like I said, I still have mixed feelings about the large zipped compartment at the bottom. I think that big zippered compartment can work well if it's for clothes and then the big top compartment is for all the papers, snacks and big, huge wallets on the trip. I think people envision this as the perfect carry-on. the theme of a wallet with the idea of a suitcase at the bottom and a wallet at the top. Since there are no wallet size restrictions on planes, I think you can take it with you on the plane. If I were trying to take this on a plane, I'd make it my only thing (so just this bag, not this Plus wallet or trolley) simply because it's really big and you really need to fit your Hand luggage under the airplane seat. Handles: The handbag loops are very long here. They rise 16 inches from the top of the bag. I can carry it as a shoulder bag. There's really no way to loosen or slide them in. I think you could put them in the small side pocket but they would still be open enough to snag. This is not the best type of luggage to part with. For example, these handles can cause problems when crossing under an airplane. It also has a detachable shoulder strap. It's even longer and I can carry it over my shoulder. It is made in Myanmar. Overall this is great quality - Vera Bradley cotton blankets are good quality and cute too. This special "luxury travel bag" is large enough to be used as luggage and has space for everything you need for a week-long trip. Take a tape measure and visualize it because it's big. This is the maximum carry-on size allowed on the plane. Check the cabin baggage size restrictions on the plane, just in case, after you've packed your bag. The layout has some quirks where it's best if you have a really clear plan of how you're going to use it. For example, when travelling, clothes are on the bottom / business on top. For example, on the beach, snacks are at the bottom, towels are at the top. Something like that. The layout is for luggage, not a wallet. It's also too much for my wallet, even for me. It's definitely for travel.