Henri Bendel has become one of my favorite brands over the past two years. It's a brand that has such a rich history, 123 years to be exact and the fashion industry has been influenced by those brown and white stripes for so long. It's so sad to see an iconic brand be left in the dust as the retail space continues to change and expand to new horizons.
While I'll definitely be trying to save up for a new Henri Bendel bag or two (specifically a new Jetsetter backpack since mine got stolen last year), I thought it would be a good time to post this handbag review.
The Empire Tote.
I've talked about the bag before and gave you a backstory of how much I loved it and lusted after it, but now I want to get into the nitty gritty of it.
The first thing I want to say is that it is a large bag -- it fits SO MUCH, however, it is not heavy. It's naturally a lightweight bag without anything in it and while I do pack it up, it doesn't ever get too heavy to carry.
I think it's important to note that I carry a lot with me, more than the average person and I'm used to heavy bags. It's why I think I have such shoulder and back problems.
Another important thing to note is that it does not come with a shoulder strap and is a handheld bag only. You might think this is crazy because who wants to hold a heavy bag in the crook of their arm. Well, it isn't as bad as I expected.
It's rather nice to carry the weight somewhere else besides my shoulder and it's rather comfortable to hold. I also feel like the baddest of badasses when I do carry it into work.
The silhouette of this bag is unlike anything else I've ever seen. It's very elegant but very structured and looks like something Olivia Pope would carry in Scandal. It screams 'I'm here to work' and is something I would feel so confident bringing on an interview or first day of the job.
As I mentioned above, it fits a lot. You can comfortably carry a laptop, an iPad, notebooks, a makeup bag and anything else you can think of. Everything fits nicely in it as the bag is just one big open space. There are a few smaller pockets on the side to keep things a little more organized but it doesn't take up space on the actual interior of the bag.
I mentioned in my Amazon Handbag Organizer post that I used that organizer inside this tote and wow, what a difference it made! One of the things I didn't like about this bag (or many totes) is that my metal Lilly Pulitzer Swell Bottle rocks around in it. The handbag organizer keeps the bottle in place.
I didn't think I would like the bright blue color of this because I don't have many colored bags but wow, does this add a true pop of color and brightness to any outfit! It makes me love the bag that much more.
I think if you are in the market for a new work bag, this will fit your needs. It is on the larger side but it is so beautiful, practical, and really useful. It's a statement bag for sure, but functional so you won't feel like you're missing anything.
No matter your job, I think you would enjoy this bag. *I don't think I would recommend this as anything else besides a work bag because it is so structured. I probably wouldn't even use this as an overnight bag -- I'd gravitate toward my Tory Burch tote or my Neverfulls.
If you've been eyeing this bag, get it before it is gone FOR GOOD!
xoxo
B
Add your comment