The Bella Tote: Brand New and How it Softens

#31
indiaink said:
And can the strap be pulled through to make it a one strap bag, you know, along the lines of the Julie bag?
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grietje said:
So the woven part of the strap is actually wider than the straps that circle the bag.
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the little "ears" do stop the strap from going completely through the holes so unlike a chanel bag or the julie the strap stops at the ears and there is some space between the strap and the bag. i asked my sa about pressure against the ears if the bag is work single strap and she said not to worry-

i am still not loving my bella.

it is extremely comfortable to carry. i carry it mostly with the two straps and it feels light, comfortable and very secure.

what bothers me is i have to take it off my shoulder to get inside and because of it's size and softness- i have to use two hands to pull it open. compared to other bags- i have to take my medium veneta off my shoulder to get inside but it seems easier once off my shoulder- i just reach inside. my cabat can stay on my shoulder and i can get inside by just dropping one handle.
so i put bella away for a bit and picked up a neverfull-
 
#33
annie9999 said:
the little "ears" do stop the strap from going completely through the holes so unlike a chanel bag or the julie the strap stops at the ears and there is some space between the strap and the bag. i asked my sa about pressure against the ears if the bag is work single strap and she said not to worry-

i am still not loving my bella.

it is extremely comfortable to carry. i carry it mostly with the two straps and it feels light, comfortable and very secure.

what bothers me is i have to take it off my shoulder to get inside and because of it's size and softness- i have to use two hands to pull it open. compared to other bags- i have to take my medium veneta off my shoulder to get inside but it seems easier once off my shoulder- i just reach inside. my cabat can stay on my shoulder and i can get inside by just dropping one handle.
so i put bella away for a bit and picked up a neverfull-
Click to expand...
This would bother me as well - I am very spoiled with my Cervo Hobo.
 
#34
Update on 8/14/15:

The leather has softened significantly, faster than any of my other bags actually. What is most noticeable is the strap. In the beginning it sort of hugged the perimeter of the actual bag. It has stretched quite a bit and now drapes on either side. One disadvantage of this is that the strap tends to twist rather easily and it's a wee bit of finagling to get it straight.

With the softening the ability to go from one to two straps is super easy. I can have it as a two strap bag and just grab one strap and whoosh! it goes to single sided. I think it makes the bag really convenient and that's why I'm considering it more a work horse than I imagined.
 
#35
Grietje.....which do you prefer, the Bella or the small rete? I carry about the same number of things that you pictured and I'd like a little more room to throw in a small knitting project.
 
#36
LLANeedle said:
Grietje.....which do you prefer, the Bella or the small rete? I carry about the same number of things that you pictured and I'd like a little more room to throw in a small knitting project.
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I don't own the small Rete but was planning to get one. I ended not buying one because it was too shallow on the sides. I just wanted something a bit deeper. Secondly, on me the proportion looked off. It felt shrimpy.

Several BVettes have this size a love it. I had hoped it would work because it is wider than the Bella and its tote style would allow for a bit more loading.

I can't recall if your close to a boutique but it's worth taking that knitting project along and seeing what each bag can hold for you.
 
#37
I didn't think the Bella was very impressive on the websites but so many on this forum have loved it. When I was in the BV store I tried it on and fell in love with it. It's a great classic bag that won't go out of style and is easy to use. All around a winner. Now I just have to buy one.


Thanks for all the info and pictures, it's very helpful.
 
#38
grietje said:
I don't own the small Rete but was planning to get one. I ended not buying one because it was too shallow on the sides. I just wanted something a bit deeper. Secondly, on me the proportion looked off. It felt shrimpy.

Several BVettes have this size a love it. I had hoped it would work because it is wider than the Bella and its tote style would allow for a bit more loading.

I can't recall if your close to a boutique but it's worth taking that knitting project along and seeing what each bag can hold for you.
Click to expand...
Thx.....I don't live near a boutique and rely heavily on info posted here. Sorry, I thought you had the smaller rete. I'm short so I know the large would overwhelm me.....the bronze might be calling my name.
 
#39
The parachute could work very well. I have or have had small rete, large rete and parachute. Prefer the
Parachute over the small rete for everyday as it is deeper, holds more and stays closed. The small rete tends to flop open and is shallow and looks a lottle sloppy. The large rete makes a great gym bag. I've looked at the Bella many times and it just doesn't seem to suit my lifestyle.
 
#40
New to BV and very curious about this style bag. I've been carrying LV canvas bags for years now, and I'm worried I will find this to be heavy. Can anyone weigh in on this?

Also, I love to hand and arm carry my bags. Do these straps work well for that when used double?

Thanks so much ladies!
 
#41
atlantique said:
I have the same bag in the same color (new sand) - for me it's the best BV bag ever!


It's very comfortible on the shoulder, not too big, not too small, it's practical and chic! I love it very much!


And in Switzerland the bag is called : Seamless Tote, not Bella tote!
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I also had trouble finding the name. Seems like it has different aliases ;)

I'm actually wanting to buy this bag from a woman located in Switzerland! Let's see if it works out...
 
#42
jessicalistic said:
New to BV and very curious about this style bag. I've been carrying LV canvas bags for years now, and I'm worried I will find this to be heavy. Can anyone weigh in on this?
Also, I love to hand and arm carry my bags. Do these straps work well for that when used double?!
Click to expand...

I'm quite sensitive to bag weight and so I feel I can safely say this is a lightweight and easy bag to use. I had a LV Delightful MM and I do think that was lighter but I didn't find the strap as comfortable. Vachetta leather takes a long time to soften and the Nappa straps mold nicely to one's shoulder.

As for hand carry, when doubled, the strap drop is about 6.5 inches. Much more generous than say a Speedy. If you buy brand new, you'll find it shorter because the leather hasn't softened. You'll also find that, in the beginning, the straps are a hair awkward for the same reason. By awkward I mean that they don't flow around the holes as well and may sort of stick as you move from a longer length to the double hand carry. The bag just needs to be worn and broken in.

One word of caution if you're used to LV: Nappa softens and so the bag will acquire a more relaxed look over time. If you're used to the rigidity of LV canvas and vachetta leather, this could take some getting used to. I personally think BV bags look much better over time but I can very much appreciate that one might like their bag looking 'new.'
 
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#43
jessicalistic said:
I also had trouble finding the name. Seems like it has different aliases ;)

I'm actually wanting to buy this bag from a woman located in Switzerland! Let's see if it works out...
Click to expand...

I recall that Bella is a code name that BVettes gave this bag when it was first released. It is a lovely design and sometimes BV does not have a unique model name for each design. :cool:
 
#44
grietje said:
I'm quite sensitive to bag weight and so I feel I can safely say this is a lightweight and easy bag to use. I had a LV Delightful MM and I do think that was lighter but I didn't find the strap as comfortable. Vachetta leather takes a long time to soften and the Nappa straps mold nicely to one's shoulder.

As for hand carry, when doubled, the strap drop is about 6.5 inches. Much more generous than say a Speedy. If you buy brand new, you'll find it shorter because the leather hasn't softened. You'll also find that, in the beginning, the straps are a hair awkward for the same reason. By awkward I mean that they don't flow around the holes as well and may sort of stick as you move from a longer length to the double hand carry. The bag just needs to be worn and broken in.

One word of caution if you're used to LV: Nappa softens and so the bag will acquire a more relaxed look over time. If you're used to the rigidity of LV canvas and vachetta leather, this could take some getting used to. I personally think BV bags look much better over time but I can very much appreciate that one might like their bag looking 'new.'
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for this. It's very helpful. I am solely a speedy gal (I have sold pretty much every other style I've ever bought), so I don't mind sag at all. I just know from my Celine trapeze and mulberry Bayswater experiences that leathers can now be tricky for me due to the weight and sensitivity. I don't want to worry about my bags. I just want to use them. And I want them to stay looking good ;)

I think this style is ageless/timeless, which attracts me to it. Maybe I'll take the plunge!
 
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