The leather is buttery soft and the overall quality of the bag is exceptional. It has a bit of the Bal City Vibe but can be dressed up due to the top handle, hardware and shape or dressed more casually due to its drapey leather and crossbody strap. It is really comfortable worn cross-body, too. One of my favorite aspects of the bag is the large zipped back pocket, which means you don't have to open the top flap and zipper and rummage through your bag to find your phone, coffee or metro card, etc. You could even stash a wallet in the back zipped pocket and use the main compartment for umbrella, book, gloves, scarf, makeup bag, and other things that you don't need to use constantly. I think it will make a great travel bag.