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😁😁 I understand completely. Maybe that's why I love handbags and jewelry and silk scarfs, so much.... they always fit perfectly.
I have an apartment filled with clothing that is either too small
because I bought it during the 15 minutes it fit, or too large because I temporarily
lost some weight. Of course the fact that no 2 garments, regardless of manufacturer
or sized marked fit the same.

I'm on a handbag diet now because I bought a zillion handbags these past 3 months.
The prices were so good I collected multiple colors when ever I saw something I liked.
The bags fit beautifully, my check book is having a temporary size issue. Bills all paid,
but no more shopping until I build up the reserve. Somehow when all the numbers get
added up and the bill arrives, it seems bigger than the great prices for the individual
purchases. It's a volume issue, just like with potato chips.... I don't want to stop after
only 1 when they are so good.

You are right to be picky about price and handbag features/function. We already have
a collection, so it's not as if we need more. I keep forgetting that when I see great bags
at really good prices.
Okay, I know this sounds like an excuse, but the deals were good the last couple of months and I found from experience that sometimes those deals do not come around a second time.

Well, I need to be your "handbag diet" buddy. Stay strong!
 
Did your ivy satchel arrive? Mine did not have the two straps on the bottom by the feet. Everything else seems the same; including the whipstitching (is that a word?) on the handle.
G: yes, my Ivy Flo satchel arrived. Here is what I noticed:

The base does NOT have the extra strips of leather under the feet. The base is the
large rectangular piece of leather with the 4 feet.

The tassels are shorter, by about an inch each. They look ok and it's not a problem,
bit the difference in length is noticeable. The back of the tassels is the sueded lighter green color of the leather. I actually like the tonal look of the Ivy with the lighter
green.

The zipper pull isn't braided.

There is no beige fabric Dooney and Bourke tag with the serial number on the
back sewn into the lining. But there is the leather Dooney and Bourke patch inside along with the exterior leather logo patch.

Otherwise the bag seems ok. The lining is fine and not noisy. The interior pockets
are trimmed in the Ivy leather. The handles have the whip stitching.

The construction looks ok but overall I just get the feeling it's not as good. I noticed the width of the opening below the zipper at the sides of the bag is different on the left and the right side. It's not so much a visual thing, but how it may affect how the top will bend and
smile. I haven't bought any Flo satchels in many years and never noticed this before.
I don't know if it's intentional to give more access to the interior on the open
side of the zipper or if it's sloppy construction.
 
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G: yes, my Ivy Flo satchel arrived. Here is what I noticed:

The base does NOT have the extra strips of leather under the feet. The base is the
large rectangular piece of leather with the 4 feet.

The tassels are shorter, by about an inch each. They look ok and it's not a problem,
bit the difference in length is noticeable. The back of the tassels is the sueded lighter green color of the leather. I actually like the tonal look of the Ivy with the lighter
green.

The zipper pull isn't braided.

There is no beige fabric Dooney and Bourke tag with the serial number on the
back sewn into the lining. But there is the leather Dooney and Bourke patch inside along with the exterior leather logo patch.

Otherwise the bag seems ok. The lining is fine and not noisy. The interior pockets
are trimmed in the Ivy leather. The handles have the whip stitching.

The construction looks ok but overall I just get the feeling it's not as good. I noticed the width of the opening below the zipper at the sides of the bag is different on the left and the right side. It's not so much a visual thing, but how it may affect how the top will bend and
smile. I haven't bought any Flo satchels in many years and never noticed this before.
I don't know if it's intentional to give more access to the interior on the open
side of the zipper or if it's sloppy construction.
My zipper pull has two center braids. The tassels are 2" at the fringed areas. I think the leather seems thinner than the florentine satchel I purchased over 10 yrs. ago. I no longer have the bag to compare with the new one. For what we paid I'm happy. The ivy color is pretty.

I'm doing great about not buying any D&B handbags. I did buy a ski jacket this morning. I don't ski.
 
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Did your ivy satchel arrive? Mine did not have the two straps on the bottom by the feet. Everything else seems the same; including the whipstitching (is that a word?) on the handle.
I received both my Ivy and Fuchsia today from D&B and scheduled to receive the Bourdeaux tomorrow from ILD. I've noticed the same - no leather strips on the bottom. I've also noticed no Dooney and Bourke tag with the authorization code (only the Assembled in Mexico tag). And the bag appears a bit smaller for a regular size satchel. I've compared them with my Charcoal one (which I purchased earlier this year) and there are differences (Charcoal was made in Vietnam). The bags are a bit smaller but not as small as the mini (I have one mini in Brown T'Moro). And my Charcoal has the leather strips at the bottom as well. I've heard that D&B is not inserting their tag into a lot of their bags any longer (guess they're cutting corners like other brands). I have to say while they are beautiful and smell of the gorgeous Florentine leather, I'm not as enthralled with them as I expected to be. I was debating for a moment on sending them back but decided to keep them. I just moved into the Ivy one to use tomorrow.
 
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G: yes, my Ivy Flo satchel arrived. Here is what I noticed:

The base does NOT have the extra strips of leather under the feet. The base is the
large rectangular piece of leather with the 4 feet.

The tassels are shorter, by about an inch each. They look ok and it's not a problem,
bit the difference in length is noticeable. The back of the tassels is the sueded lighter green color of the leather. I actually like the tonal look of the Ivy with the lighter
green.

The zipper pull isn't braided.

There is no beige fabric Dooney and Bourke tag with the serial number on the
back sewn into the lining. But there is the leather Dooney and Bourke patch inside along with the exterior leather logo patch.

Otherwise the bag seems ok. The lining is fine and not noisy. The interior pockets
are trimmed in the Ivy leather. The handles have the whip stitching.

The construction looks ok but overall I just get the feeling it's not as good. I noticed the width of the opening below the zipper at the sides of the bag is different on the left and the right side. It's not so much a visual thing, but how it may affect how the top will bend and
smile. I haven't bought any Flo satchels in many years and never noticed this before.
I don't know if it's intentional to give more access to the interior on the open
side of the zipper or if it's sloppy construction.
I completely agree with you and sounds like you received the exact same quality bag that I did. I also found a bit of loose suede and threads at the bottom of both bags and inside the pockets. I'm going with sloppy construction. I have told myself I will not buy any more handbags next year, so I was going out with a bang. This just cinches the decision more for me.
 
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Over time Dooney has changed the design of the classic Florentine satchel.
The original had a seam down the center of the bottom, feet, and no rectangular
piece of leather as the base. The belting design went all the way around
the bag from front to back. As a result the bag was very slouchy.
The next iteration of the design had the rectangular leather vase across
the bottom and strips of leather under the feet. The belting didn't go all the
way around anymore. Some considered this change an improvement in the design,
but some liked the older, slouchier version better.

This is the first time I've seen the shorter tassels or the non braided zip pull.
Both are obviously 'design' changes... but I don't think they improve the design.
They just look like cost cutting choices. I'm glad they kept the whip stitched handles
on the classic Flo satchel. Some of the other, newer design do not have the whip
stitching on the handles, and I miss it. Although I will admit that with the
cleaner lines of these newer bags the plain handles are consistent from a design
viewpoint. I just miss the whip stitch detail.

As for the size of the satchel, that has changed over time along with the naming
of the bags. What was the small is now the 'regular' or just satchel. And what was
the medium is now the large. And the sizes of both the small and the medium of old
were changed when they renamed. I have heard others complain that the old medium, now large, is an inch sorter. They list the regular satchel as 13" now. I haven't measured
mine, but i think that is what the old small was also.

Measurements are tricky... when you measure the base of the bag is the length seam to seam across the rectangular base or is it edge to edge, including
the extra leather that extends? The depth is even more complicated than the length.
And in styles where the usable interior space is smaller
than the exterior space (like many Alto designs or satchels where the corners are
folded up or even structured bags like the Blair) is the measurement the exterior
or the usable interior space?

And I think the lack of the Dooney and Bourke serial number tag is a major
hit on the quality of the handbags. No, it's not functional, and no one but the
bag owner sees it.... but it's a quality statement. I never sell my handbags,
and I never buy them preloved, but I still want to see that tag in the bags.
If I wanted a 'lesser' bag, I don't have to buy a Dooney.
Maybe that tag only matters to collectors. I wonder what percentage of
buyers are collectors either buying for their own use or gifts?
 
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I've been collecting Dooney bags for years and it's interesting to me to now observe the changes. I never used to over the 20 or so years ago when I started collecting D&B. I've sold some in the past, gifted a few to friends and family, but mainly collect and use them as I love them. I'm not at all surprised with the seeming cost cutting measures - it seems to be across the board with so many brands. My how times change, eh?
 
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My zipper pull has two center braids. The tassels are 2" at the fringed areas. I think the leather seems thinner than the florentine satchel I purchased over 10 yrs. ago. I no longer have the bag to compare with the new one. For what we paid I'm happy. The ivy color is pretty.

I'm doing great about not buying any D&B handbags. I did buy a ski jacket this morning. I don't ski.
:lol: “I don’t ski.” I buy yoga pants but don’t do yoga. I buy running shoes but I am sure running would kill me. I buy Nordic Ware but do not bake. I buy winter outdoor boots but do not wear them outside. I buy cocktail rings but my idea of a night out is a movie. I think we would be great friends!
 
:lol: “I don’t ski.” I buy yoga pants but don’t do yoga. I buy running shoes but I am sure running would kill me. I buy Nordic Ware but do not bake. I buy winter outdoor boots but do not wear them outside. I buy cocktail rings but my idea of a night out is a movie. I think we would be great friends!
😍😍😍
And we are still buying more of these beautiful things that we don't really 'need'.
I think some of it is the vision of the life we want to live or think we should
and the habits and memories of the lives we did live. Things change over time...
jobs, families, friends, even where we live, not to mention fashion/styles.
We won't even mention 'age' or health changes.

I still have a closet of magnificent long winter coats. Perfect for working and walking
in NYC when I had a corporate job. And wool dress coats were in style then
(a previous century). Of course I needed multiple colors to coordinate with my
outfits. Now, even if they were back in style, I wouldn't wear them....
they are too long (as I've gotten shorter), they are heavy, and I drive rather
than walk as I no longer live in the city. For years I have tried to find new homes
where these coats would be appreciated. But younger people don't wear wool
dress coats anymore (unless they are influencers or into designer fashion) and
everyone else just wants a light weight down coat. People no longer seem to have
a wardrobe of coats for different occasions. Instead, they have a wardrobe of
jeans and 1 coat/jacket.
 
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Over time Dooney has changed the design of the classic Florentine satchel.
The original had a seam down the center of the bottom, feet, and no rectangular
piece of leather as the base. The belting design went all the way around
the bag from front to back. As a result the bag was very slouchy.
The next iteration of the design had the rectangular leather vase across
the bottom and strips of leather under the feet. The belting didn't go all the
way around anymore. Some considered this change an improvement in the design,
but some liked the older, slouchier version better.

This is the first time I've seen the shorter tassels or the non braided zip pull.
Both are obviously 'design' changes... but I don't think they improve the design.
They just look like cost cutting choices. I'm glad they kept the whip stitched handles
on the classic Flo satchel. Some of the other, newer design do not have the whip
stitching on the handles, and I miss it. Although I will admit that with the
cleaner lines of these newer bags the plain handles are consistent from a design
viewpoint. I just miss the whip stitch detail.

As for the size of the satchel, that has changed over time along with the naming
of the bags. What was the small is now the 'regular' or just satchel. And what was
the medium is now the large. And the sizes of both the small and the medium of old
were changed when they renamed. I have heard others complain that the old medium, now large, is an inch sorter. They list the regular satchel as 13" now. I haven't measured
mine, but i think that is what the old small was also.

Measurements are tricky... when you measure the base of the bag is the length seam to seam across the rectangular base or is it edge to edge, including
the extra leather that extends? The depth is even more complicated than the length.
And in styles where the usable interior space is smaller
than the exterior space (like many Alto designs or satchels where the corners are
folded up or even structured bags like the Blair) is the measurement the exterior
or the usable interior space?

And I think the lack of the Dooney and Bourke serial number tag is a major
hit on the quality of the handbags. No, it's not functional, and no one but the
bag owner sees it.... but it's a quality statement. I never sell my handbags,
and I never buy them preloved, but I still want to see that tag in the bags.
If I wanted a 'lesser' bag, I don't have to buy a Dooney.
Maybe that tag only matters to collectors. I wonder what percentage of
buyers are collectors either buying for their

😍😍😍
And we are still buying more of these beautiful things that we don't really 'need'.
I think some of it is the vision of the life we want to live or think we should
and the habits and memories of the lives we did live. Things change over time...
jobs, families, friends, even where we live, not to mention fashion/styles.
We won't even mention 'age' or health changes.

I still have a closet of magnificent long winter coats. Perfect for working and walking
in NYC when I had a corporate job. And wool dress coats were in style then
(a previous century). Of course I needed multiple colors to coordinate with my
outfits. Now, even if they were back in style, I wouldn't wear them....
they are too long (as I've gotten shorter), they are heavy, and I drive rather
than walk as I no longer live in the city. For years I have tried to find new homes
where these coats would be appreciated. But younger people don't wear wool
dress coats anymore (unless they are influencers or into designer fashion) and
everyone else just wants a light weight down coat. People no longer seem to have
a wardrobe of coats for different occasions. Instead, they have a wardrobe of
jeans and 1 coat/jacket.
Oldie here! In my 60's and have way too many coats and jackets.

I actually buy coats and jackets that I think will go with my Dooney & Burke handbags. I see a grey/black/white tartan wool coat and decide it will be perfect with my Alto medium grey bag.

I know Dooney has Summer bags, but I tend to buy more for Autumn/Winter, and I buy core colors (black, browns, navy, grey). Thus, I need outerwear.

Yes, Dooney makes great bags, but I noticed years ago that Kate Middleton has a great coat/jacket wardrobe. You can wear simple basics, throw on a good coat, grab a fabulous Dooney bag and look like you have a new outfit.

I know, I'm a bit strange
 
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Oldie here! In my 60's and have way too many coats and jackets.

I actually buy coats and jackets that I think will go with my Dooney & Burke handbags. I see a grey/black/white tartan wool coat and decide it will be perfect with my Alto medium grey bag.

I know Dooney has Summer bags, but I tend to buy more for Autumn/Winter, and I buy core colors (black, browns, navy, grey). Thus, I need outerwear.

Yes, Dooney makes great bags, but I noticed years ago that Kate Middleton has a great coat/jacket wardrobe. You can wear simple basics, throw on a good coat, grab a fabulous Dooney bag and look like you have a new outfit.

I know, I'm a bit strange
Sounds like you have an excellent sense of style.

To add to my no longer worn wool coat collection, a few years ago I cornered the
market on down jackets. 🤣 For some reason, I though I needed a range of colors
to coordinate with my clothing and handbags.

Now I have to spend even more time
planning my outfits.... the handbag has to work with the jacket and the clothing and
the shoes and the clothing has to work with the jacket and the handbag, and everything
has to look intentional and put together and make me happy. And all that just to
go to the bank or doctor's office. If it's a social occasion, then the jewelry is also
to be considered and coordinated. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
 
I just posted in the other thread before I read here. Yes my Ivy is pretty much as yours are. I noticed the shorter changes in construction right away.

I loved reading the above wonderful, insightful and profound comments you all shared on life changes from then to now. ❤️❤️
 
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