Pluses ... the interior organization is exactly the kind I prefer and the main reason for ordering. The leather is top grade, it's a very handsome handbag. Negatives out weigh the positives though, for me at least. This handbag is heavy even when empty. The straps don't stay put on my shoulder. The straps are too short to use over anything heavier than one layer of clothing. Since I need a black shoulder handbag for winter, I have to rule this beauty out.
I wasn't thrilled with this bag, even though online it looked gorgeous and the description made it come off as the perfect tote. In person, however, the colour (dark brown) is lighter and less rich; quite dull. The straps are my main issue; because they're round and not flat, one strap sort of stays on the shoulder and the second one falls off. The bag kept sliding right off my shoulder. The middle compartment makes the space less available because you can't fit any large items. Another quibble is the smell... I know a quality leather smell, and this one had a strong chemical scent. Also, as this seems to be a 50/50 for people, the leather scratches easily. When I took the bag out of the box, it was already scuffed on both sides. Even if you press down with a finger on the surface, it scuffs. Not sure how this will look in a month of wear. The design is timeless, but perhaps a bit plain. All in all, I'm returning this and will continue the search for a quality leather bag.
I've had this bag for about 4 years now - back when they made it in a mixed leather + fabric version. It has gone with me on countless airplane/subway rides, both weekend and extended trips and managed to contain heavy loads of law school textbooks over 3 years. The interior is spacious enough for 3 days of clothes and accessories (I'm a pretty light packer) or for 2 massive textbooks plus a laptop. It holds up insanely well - I have yet to see a tear, loose stitch or broken handle/zipper (and I have put this bag through a lot!). The leather wears nicely after time and the interior fabric cleans easily. Overall, it's an excellent bag well worth the money, typical LL Bean quality.
I have a lot of higher end bags and this bag gets the most compliments. It holds everything, from daily things to the occasional picnic blanket and I have even used as an over night bag. I originally bought it as my "transition away from diaper" bag so it's great for mommies. I am going to need to return it though. :( After two years, the stitching in the handle is coming undone and the zipper pull fell off. But LLBean is so great I know I can get a quick replacement.
