Pieced Black and White Shadow bag ... lots of pics :)

[momtok]

The fruits of my retail therapy have begun to arrive. (Recall my horrible summer ... two parrots deceased, two parrot rescues resettling into our house, and much larger -- my aunt for whom I'd been doing power-of-attorney passed away. I'm now executor-shipping her estate. Tired sigh.

Yes, I am definitely taking some retail therapy after all of that. And I think all of you for your kind words the other day, as well as a bit of good old-fashioned enabling.
I also picked up some PCE goodies today, and have more on order which I'll provide pics of later. But in the meantime .... SHADOW IS HERE.

This is the pieced one. I've taken as thorough of pics as I can, plus mod shots, plus what-can-fit pics (using both small wallets and large wallet), plus hangtag pic, plus closures pic (I've not seen them use this type of closure before), plus size comparison pics. I have a lot of pics to go through, but just a couple details first ....

Strap drop when doubled is 12.5 inches. Strap drop when single strap is 23 inches. Hangtag is indeed double sided ... black on one side, white on the other. It's also worth noting that it's one hefty tag ... a solid 1/4 inch thick which is pretty thick for a hangtag ... so they didn't skimp on the leather there either -- literally stuck two thick slabs together.

There are three main pockets inside, plus an inside zippered slip-pocket, plus an inside snap-top pouch, plus a zippered pouch on the outside of the back of the bag.

It's also worth noting, when I get to size comparisons, that although this is a hair smaller than a Willis or Annabelle, *but* it holds everything that I could put into those bags anyway, and I think it's because of that back pouch. The back pouch, on the back of the bag, is not merely a zipper leading "into" the back of the bag. It' essentially a separate pouch, stitched *onto* the bag -- and as a result it has more room than merely a slip pocket that goes "into" the bag. (Does that make sense?) But yeah, the back pouch is a nice additional spot of space.

Oh, and a few details that caught my attention and actually impressed me. That snap? That closes an inside slip-pocket? No one would ever see that snap, but it's still covered in black pebbled leather, and the female part still has the word "Coach" engraved. Also, on the hangtag, even that toggle (of the toggle closure I'll show soon) has the word Coach on it. Also, all zippers have nice leather pulls. And I like that little whiplash on the leather part of the strap. These things just struck me as small details that they didn't *have* to include, but that I liked.

Ok, will try to go through the pics in a logical way ...

1) front pic
2) inside pic,
3) inside pic trying to show that snap-top slip pocket as well
4) soft black suede under the flap

 

[momtok]

Next,

1) the closure .... it feels a little magnetic (though that may be my imagination), but the real way it closes is that you pull the flap down a little further than it should be, and then slide the flap's "inside button" up into the slot-part of the closure.

2) the creed

3) the top (the suede on this is so soft and fine grain ... just like the suede on my black suede-and-glove-tanned "half-and-half" mini-Borough. The white leather is kind of a "large grain" pebbled leather, if that makes sense. Then some of the rest of the black is smooth, the rest pebbled. ..... I also took this pic to highlight the opening depth of that back pouch. Like I said, it offers more "depth" than a normal slip pocket, simply because it's essentially just "stuck on" to the back of the bag.

4) the hangtag, black on one side and white on the other. Like I said, a generous 1/4 inch thick. It does indeed close with a toggle. (And while the toggled does seem secure, I admit I'm probably too paranoid for my own good, and will probably attach a homemade safety chain as well. It probably doesn't need it though ... just paranoia on my part.)

 

[AstridRhapsody]

Absolutely gorgeous!!!! Love it!!!!

 

[josieblime]

It's beautiful! Congratulations!
I hope it takes the edge off your rotten summer. Not to minimize your loss, but to give you some comfort.

 

[momtok]

Ok, packing it ...

1) Packed with my usual things, where I'm using a small LV wallet and cles for my money/cards/id/etc.

2) The contents out of the bag ... that thing with a yellow top is an epi pen for daughter. The bronze pouch is a Lodis pouch for pens and paper. The black patent Coach wristlet should provide scale for size estimation. And yes, that's a flip-phone. I like my flip-phone. Although it's small, it does have some thickness to it though.

3) Then I tried the whole thing again, but using one of Coach's accordion wallets for money/cards/id/etc. The only thing I did was put my spare keys, which had been in the back pouch in the first pic, under the large wallet in this pic. Then I moved my phone to the back pocket.

4) Contents again.

 

[momtok]

Now sizes ...

Like I said, it's a hair smaller, in length and height, than the Willis or the Annabelle, but I could still fit everything in, primarily because of that extra pouch that's kind of "stuck on" to the back. (Yes, I admit, I really like that pouch. )

1) next to Willis
2) next to daughter's Annabelle
3) a pic of it with the strap doubled.

 

[Weekend shopper]

Congrats and enjoy

 

[momtok]

Ok, and finally the mods. Admission #1 ... for a full length mirror, I have two choices ... unearth one behind a bunch of boxes in hubby's computer room, or use daughter's. Which explains the frou-frou.
Also, I'm not exactly the best photographer.

The first two are with the strap long.
The second two are with the strap doubled (and me kind of contorting myself to get the picture. Apologies.

And that concludes my pics.

 

[Teagaggle]

Ok, and finally the mods. Admission #1 ... for a full length mirror, I have two choices ... unearth one behind a bunch of boxes in hubby's computer room, or use daughter's. Which explains the frou-frou.
Also, I'm not exactly the best photographer.

The first two are with the strap long.
The second two are with the strap doubled (and me kind of contorting myself to get the picture. Apologies.

And that concludes my pics.

Awesome review & pics! THANK YOU! I have this bag coming in the black/green/burgundy. I had purchased a black Shadow when they first came out but returned it, maybe too hastily...looking forward to getting it & playing around with it tomorrow. Can I ask if behind the outside back zip pouch there is a small slip pocket? The Shadow did. Thanks again for sharing, not only your recent personal losses but also the fruits of your retailntherapy. We've all been there.

 

[pinkngreenpurse]

Thanks for posting your thorough review. I also received this bag today and love it.

One more thing to note is that you can also carry as a clutch by putting the chain strap inside the purse and carrying with your hand through the black strap on the front of the purse.

 

[Iamminda]

Congrats on this beautiful bag. Thanks for the great pics and thorough review. enjoy!

 

[eleanors36]

Next,

Ok, packing it ...

1) Packed with my usual things, where I'm using a small LV wallet and cles for my money/cards/id/etc.

2) The contents out of the bag ... that thing with a yellow top is an epi pen for daughter. The bronze pouch is a Lodis pouch for pens and paper. The black patent Coach wristlet should provide scale for size estimation. And yes, that's a flip-phone. I like my flip-phone. Although it's small, it does have some thickness to it though.

3) Then I tried the whole thing again, but using one of Coach's accordion wallets for money/cards/id/etc. The only thing I did was put my spare keys, which had been in the back pouch in the first pic, under the large wallet in this pic. Then I moved my phone to the back pocket.

4) Contents again.

Thanks so much for the photos! Congrats on the bag!

 

[Suzanne B.]

Ok, packing it ...

1) Packed with my usual things, where I'm using a small LV wallet and cles for my money/cards/id/etc.

2) The contents out of the bag ... that thing with a yellow top is an epi pen for daughter. The bronze pouch is a Lodis pouch for pens and paper. The black patent Coach wristlet should provide scale for size estimation. And yes, that's a flip-phone. I like my flip-phone. Although it's small, it does have some thickness to it though.

3) Then I tried the whole thing again, but using one of Coach's accordion wallets for money/cards/id/etc. The only thing I did was put my spare keys, which had been in the back pouch in the first pic, under the large wallet in this pic. Then I moved my phone to the back pocket.

4) Contents again.

GREAT bag!

Btw, there's still a lot of people who think a flip phone has its advantages.

 

[pbnjam]

This bag is really pretty! Thanks for all the great pictures. Congrats!

 

[Alesa]

Ok, packing it ...

1) Packed with my usual things, where I'm using a small LV wallet and cles for my money/cards/id/etc.

2) The contents out of the bag ... that thing with a yellow top is an epi pen for daughter. The bronze pouch is a Lodis pouch for pens and paper. The black patent Coach wristlet should provide scale for size estimation. And yes, that's a flip-phone. I like my flip-phone. Although it's small, it does have some thickness to it though.

3) Then I tried the whole thing again, but using one of Coach's accordion wallets for money/cards/id/etc. The only thing I did was put my spare keys, which had been in the back pouch in the first pic, under the large wallet in this pic. Then I moved my phone to the back pocket.

4) Contents again.

Thanks for the pics! It was good to see the large accordion wallet for comparison.

As for the flip phone, I really miss my Motorola Razr. I carried it until the screen blacked out. Plus, unlike today's phones, you can actually the feel buttons as you dial.