We have another thread for picture and reference info about styles and colors. Below is a quote from it but the picture didn’t come with. You can click to it though and see comparison photos between a Kate and Belle. There are others in that thread. And in the original MZ Wallace opinions thread there are numerous pictures of both, which should come up in a search. There are some great pictures there.
MZ Wallace Bags (Opinions on MZ Wallace Bags, Part 2)
- Thread starter NamkhaDrolma
- Start date
Hello, ladies (and maybe gents)! This is my first ever post on TPF, and I actually just signed up to ask for the opinions of you wonderful people... I'm having trouble deciding on my first bag! I discovered MZ Wallace about a month ago, and have been obsessing over EVERYTHING since (especially that Crosby line... drool!!!) I will graduate from graduate school in less than a month, and found out recently that I am expecting my first baby, so I wanted my first MZ Wallace bag to be a special one. I don't really need a large bag for my every day carry, but I have been traveling more than usual. Now that a baby is on the way, I feel like the most logical purchase would be a larger bag to use as a mom/baby bag and/or under the seat carry on bag.
I am almost 100% set on the Kate (especially now that it has a luggage sleeve), but the Belle was the first bag I set my eyes on that made me love the brand, so she's on the list, too. I don't need both, so I was wondering if anyone has had experience with both of these bags, and can give input. I feel like I'm liking the look of the Belle more than Kate; Belle has that gorgeous zip pocket across the front, BUT the Kate has that handy luggage sleeve AND outside drink pockets. I love them both, please help me decide! Any cons to either one that you can think of? I'm also open to other opinions if you think I should consider another bag! Thanks in advance!
Hello and welcome! Estrie has given great advice! I concur that both styles have their merits but can also get heavy. If you can’t see in person, go with your gut and try the one that’s calling to you. You can return to MZW within 10 or 14 days, I believe. Can’t remember which. And then you can get the other one. Kate is huge, IMO, but great if you need that kind of space. I have one and rarely use it but I love the color and keep it around for travel since mine has the travel sleeve.
Another thought: if you’re not married to the idea of a shoulder bag, consider a smaller cross-body paired with a backpack. Paige is an awesome smaller bag, and MZ has a number of great backpacks.
I have gotten the Tumi Luanda flight bag in a color that reminds me of the new mz Wallace color.
I really like the size and shocking capacity of this very small seeming bag, it holds almost as much as Coco. Definitely a mini bag though, whereas Coco is a small bag.
Hello, ladies (and maybe gents)! This is my first ever post on TPF, and I actually just signed up to ask for the opinions of you wonderful people... I'm having trouble deciding on my first bag! I discovered MZ Wallace about a month ago, and have been obsessing over EVERYTHING since (especially that Crosby line... drool!!!) I will graduate from graduate school in less than a month, and found out recently that I am expecting my first baby, so I wanted my first MZ Wallace bag to be a special one. I don't really need a large bag for my every day carry, but I have been traveling more than usual. Now that a baby is on the way, I feel like the most logical purchase would be a larger bag to use as a mom/baby bag and/or under the seat carry on bag.
I am almost 100% set on the Kate (especially now that it has a luggage sleeve), but the Belle was the first bag I set my eyes on that made me love the brand, so she's on the list, too. I don't need both, so I was wondering if anyone has had experience with both of these bags, and can give input. I feel like I'm liking the look of the Belle more than Kate; Belle has that gorgeous zip pocket across the front, BUT the Kate has that handy luggage sleeve AND outside drink pockets. I love them both, please help me decide! Any cons to either one that you can think of? I'm also open to other opinions if you think I should consider another bag! Thanks in advance!
I prefer Kate over Belle mostly because of the outside water bottle pockets and because she will stand up when not full. Belle falls into a puddle if you don't have her packed full. Kate does get heavy, but I've used her plenty and never really had issues. I would definitely add the Crosby Traveler and the Crosby backpack to your lists of possibilities. The Crosby line is soooo light and Crosby Traveler has a great pocket set up (even better than Kate) and flat straps which are much more comfortable than Kate's rolled handles. If I was just picking one I would get the traveler hands down.
neither of these are mzw but I'm loving beach vacation with nylon bags!
Crosby traveller is lighter weight and I heard many like it. Belle is too heavy for me. Kate I never tried. I agree with other get a mini bag for your own stuff eg mobile phone, keys, card/cash. Keep the other things inside the larger bagHello, ladies (and maybe gents)! This is my first ever post on TPF, and I actually just signed up to ask for the opinions of you wonderful people... I'm having trouble deciding on my first bag! I discovered MZ Wallace about a month ago, and have been obsessing over EVERYTHING since (especially that Crosby line... drool!!!) I will graduate from graduate school in less than a month, and found out recently that I am expecting my first baby, so I wanted my first MZ Wallace bag to be a special one. I don't really need a large bag for my every day carry, but I have been traveling more than usual. Now that a baby is on the way, I feel like the most logical purchase would be a larger bag to use as a mom/baby bag and/or under the seat carry on bag.
I am almost 100% set on the Kate (especially now that it has a luggage sleeve), but the Belle was the first bag I set my eyes on that made me love the brand, so she's on the list, too. I don't need both, so I was wondering if anyone has had experience with both of these bags, and can give input. I feel like I'm liking the look of the Belle more than Kate; Belle has that gorgeous zip pocket across the front, BUT the Kate has that handy luggage sleeve AND outside drink pockets. I love them both, please help me decide! Any cons to either one that you can think of? I'm also open to other opinions if you think I should consider another bag! Thanks in advance!
congratulations too!!Congratulations on all the things! That’s a lot going on, and many great reasons to get a new MZ WallaceYou may find that once you need one MZW, additional bags are only logical...
Have you seen these bags in person yet?
I have never used Kate (overall design isn’t for me) but have observed a busy mother of multiple young children use it effectively. Personally, Belle is my favorite esthetic and experience (and feel during carry, when emptier it’s flatter) but in time I’ve admitted that most larger bags and non-backpacks are too large and heavy for my shoulders (they slope, nothing stays on).
That is all to say that both Kate and Belle are pretty large bags that can get heavy. Belle’s newer colors have the flat handle straps which help. The older rolled handles, still on Kate, will dig more, but Kate’s travel sleeve will help.
There are devotees here to Belle and to Kate. They say Kate is bigger both in profile and a bit in capacity. The bottle/elastic pockets certainly look convenient. Another consideration is whether you think more smaller pockets will be better for you versus the Belle’s larger flat pocket in front.
This is where I go back to the multiple bags comment. Different bags for different things. In any of our efforts to maximize efficiency (or is that justify more bags?), whether for weight or convenience or function, there is an MZW for everything. I mostly stopped using my own purse when I started carrying diapers and moved into a pouch wristlet wallet to go from work bag (usually backpack) to diaper bag (a medium MZ Wallace like Small Belle or an older style no longer in production ), even when traveling with or without baby, I just go super light weight and minimal cause laptop always weighs everything down.
Kate looks like an awesome travel bag. I just really love Belle’s design. Totally get your dilemma!
Wow, thanks for taking the time to provide that awesome information! I don't have a store near me, so i have to sort of guesstimate sizes and feel. I don't have a terrible back, but I've been a bedside nurse for 8 years and my back is not necessarily in perfect condition
so you're right, maybe I should consider a backpack or a smaller bag. Or even something like the Crosby Traveler or Backpack, which i think are STUNNING and seem lighter overall. I may have to order a few bags to compare them in person! Thanks again for your thoughts!!
Hello, ladies (and maybe gents)! This is my first ever post on TPF, and I actually just signed up to ask for the opinions of you wonderful people... I'm having trouble deciding on my first bag! I discovered MZ Wallace about a month ago, and have been obsessing over EVERYTHING since (especially that Crosby line... drool!!!) I will graduate from graduate school in less than a month, and found out recently that I am expecting my first baby, so I wanted my first MZ Wallace bag to be a special one. I don't really need a large bag for my every day carry, but I have been traveling more than usual. Now that a baby is on the way, I feel like the most logical purchase would be a larger bag to use as a mom/baby bag and/or under the seat carry on bag.
I am almost 100% set on the Kate (especially now that it has a luggage sleeve), but the Belle was the first bag I set my eyes on that made me love the brand, so she's on the list, too. I don't need both, so I was wondering if anyone has had experience with both of these bags, and can give input. I feel like I'm liking the look of the Belle more than Kate; Belle has that gorgeous zip pocket across the front, BUT the Kate has that handy luggage sleeve AND outside drink pockets. I love them both, please help me decide! Any cons to either one that you can think of? I'm also open to other opinions if you think I should consider another bag! Thanks in advance!
If I was looking for a diaper bag/me bag (and my youngest is 15, so its been a while), I would look at a Crosby Traveler and a Kate. Both can be carried crossbody which is nice when you need to bend down to wipe a nose, or something and means that your bag won’t smack the kid in the face and turn them into a bowling pin. They both have good pockets for bottles of all sorts and good organization. The traveler is lighter to start with and the pockets are GENIUS for separating kid and mom stuff. The Kate looks more polished and sophisticated and weighs more to start.
Personally, I’d try and swing both, but I’m a little obsessed with bags.....and I would get a backpack in the hopes that sometimes my husband would carry it. I did this with my youngest - and it didn’t work. But my oldest (21 at the time) DID carry the backpack!
I have had a belle and would not use it for a diaper/mom bag as it doesn’t have enough organization. And it was heavy - although beautiful.
A red comparison, left to right: Carmine Tassel, Carmine micro Crosby strap, Micro Crosby Oxford, Poppy Tassel. Bottom, Bedford Carmine Helena walletThanks for your thoughts!! I did consider a Crosby backpack, but right now I just like the idea of a more east-west bag vs north-south; I feel like backpacks kind of require you to stack things on top of one another when you have smaller items, and I don't think I want that right now. But no matter what bag I pick, I think a smaller or mini wristlet/crossbody is a great idea. Thanks again for the reply!
AAH I was hoping someone would suggest the Traveler! I LOVE that bag... it is seriously the most stunning bag on the site IMO. But it seemed more like a duffel to me... didn't think i could actually use it as a purse, but the more I do look at pics, the more I can see myself carrying it on a daily basis and using it while traveling for sure. I think I just did a total 180 and now the Crosby is in 1st place
You guys are totally convincing me!! I've been obsessed w the Crosby Traveler from the start, but didn't think I could use it as a purse... even if I can't get away with it for just MY stuff, I still want it for traveling! I might buy both the traveler and the Kate just to compare the two to make sure. Hard decisions! lol! Thanks for the advice!
i am looking for a lightweight gym bag, that I can bring to work and go to gym after work. i hope to fit my gym clothes and laptop. i love the Crosby traveler as well. I can see myself to use it for travel. but for day to day bag, i am not sure if it's too big for work. it looks like a carry one item for travel.
Smilesanan and Andrea,
Personally I’m not converted to the full Crosby line and shapes for myself just yet, but agree with everyone that they’re beautiful.
One of (or two of) the ad images of Crosby Traveler was for a mother to use daily as a purse + kid(s). Details elude me now but I definitely saw it being used daily, and packed full!
It looks totally in line with at least Belle if not Kate in terms of largeness in profile/carrying. If you don’t fill your bags with tissue paper as you use them, it’ll carry smaller
Personally I’m not converted to the full Crosby line and shapes for myself just yet, but agree with everyone that they’re beautiful.
One of (or two of) the ad images of Crosby Traveler was for a mother to use daily as a purse + kid(s). Details elude me now but I definitely saw it being used daily, and packed full!
It looks totally in line with at least Belle if not Kate in terms of largeness in profile/carrying. If you don’t fill your bags with tissue paper as you use them, it’ll carry smaller