Good morning, purse friends! I wanted to post a couple pics/thoughts about these items because the content on the web seems to be only from brand influencers. I am not an influencer of any kind. 
When I started my purse journey, I liked bags with visible branding (I.e. the LV monogram). These days, less is more. And when I’m traveling, I’d often prefer no one be able to identify my bag as a target. So I started the search for a minimally-branded leather tote.
Originally, I leaned towards a Celine phantom cabas, but it doesn’t sit well on my shoulder and it doesn’t close well at all.
I then had the idea to check Cuyana, where I have collected a number of small leather pouches and really nice silk clothing pieces.
*The Cuyana Zipper Tote*
I ended up returning both colors (caramel mostly pictured here) for a few reasons. First, the handles are a bit wide and stiff and don’t seem to sit well on the shoulder. Second, I was really unhappy with the inconsistent color in the zipper hardware (see below). That screams cheap to me. Finally, the tote organization insert from Cuyana fits well, but it’s heavy. And it’s made out of something that feels like faux leather, not the soft brushed microsuede I had kind of expected. I still think Cuyana makes a lot of great products, but this tote just didn’t live up to my expectations.
I had read about Polene here on the forums. I saw they had a new tote option and figured it was worth a shot! Shipping was fast and it arrived in great condition.
*Polene Le Cabas*
This tote lacks any sort of organization, but I don’t mind because I can use pouches, etc. The leather seems a little softer and richer than Cuyana. It also has a little more “style” to it; it’s still a basic tote, but the shape adds some interest. It can stand up on its own. It closes pretty well with 3 buttons. It also seems to stay on my shoulder, which is a key for me. The little bumps in the bag pic below are my things inside showing through. The leather is not too stiff and the bag is fairly lightweight.
I do not love the interior lining. It’s not like suede per se, but more like a fine microfiber (same stuff inside Senreve bags if you’ve touched one of those). I prefer the raw leather interior of the Cuyana bags on this front.
When I started my purse journey, I liked bags with visible branding (I.e. the LV monogram). These days, less is more. And when I’m traveling, I’d often prefer no one be able to identify my bag as a target. So I started the search for a minimally-branded leather tote.
Originally, I leaned towards a Celine phantom cabas, but it doesn’t sit well on my shoulder and it doesn’t close well at all.
I then had the idea to check Cuyana, where I have collected a number of small leather pouches and really nice silk clothing pieces.
*The Cuyana Zipper Tote*
I ended up returning both colors (caramel mostly pictured here) for a few reasons. First, the handles are a bit wide and stiff and don’t seem to sit well on the shoulder. Second, I was really unhappy with the inconsistent color in the zipper hardware (see below). That screams cheap to me. Finally, the tote organization insert from Cuyana fits well, but it’s heavy. And it’s made out of something that feels like faux leather, not the soft brushed microsuede I had kind of expected. I still think Cuyana makes a lot of great products, but this tote just didn’t live up to my expectations.
I had read about Polene here on the forums. I saw they had a new tote option and figured it was worth a shot! Shipping was fast and it arrived in great condition.
*Polene Le Cabas*
This tote lacks any sort of organization, but I don’t mind because I can use pouches, etc. The leather seems a little softer and richer than Cuyana. It also has a little more “style” to it; it’s still a basic tote, but the shape adds some interest. It can stand up on its own. It closes pretty well with 3 buttons. It also seems to stay on my shoulder, which is a key for me. The little bumps in the bag pic below are my things inside showing through. The leather is not too stiff and the bag is fairly lightweight.
I do not love the interior lining. It’s not like suede per se, but more like a fine microfiber (same stuff inside Senreve bags if you’ve touched one of those). I prefer the raw leather interior of the Cuyana bags on this front.
