Hey Guys!

With the summer sale going on it’s the perfect season to grab a good deal and get the perfect summer bag ! The Nordstrom Anniversary sale ends on August 7th so you still have some time. I just mentioned my new purchase in my Summer Essentials post and as promised here is my review.

My pick was the Kate Spade Cobble Hill Small Toddy. It was 335€ and I got mine at 150€ which is a great deal IMO. I chose my bag  in Porcelain a beautiful creamy color that’s nice and neutral but still very season appropriate. This shade will be very easy to match with whatever outfit you’re wearing for summer as it goes pretty much with everything.

Packaging

I love Kate Spade packaging. It had soft tissue paper with the classic green and white stripes. It came with the care booklet on which is written : “Imagine the possibilities”.

It was sold with its dustbag of course in a gorgeous chocolate shade, quite close to the  color of glazing on the bag. The dustbag features a cute whimsical quote that just reminds you that while Kate Spade is serious about fashion, it’s a brand that has a cute sense of humor ! “She tucked her coral lipstick away, and floated back to the party”.   I love that spirit as I think fashion should be fun !

Everything was very securely wrapped with care.

SIZE

• 8.5″h x 10.8″w x 4.3″d
• drop length: 4.7″ handle, 22″ adjustable strap
• Weight: 1 lb 13 oz

This bag comes in two sizes, the regular and the small. I opted for the smaller one as I don’t need to lug around a huge bag in the summer or on vacation. Also I feel smaller bags are really on trend this season.

I love the versatility of options when it comes to wearing this bag. It has a nice top handle with a 4.7″ drop that can be of course hand held (which isn’t my preference as I find this gets in the way of my day to day activities), carried in the crook of your arm (I do this from time to time), and can even fit over your shoulder which is my preferred way to wear the bag. I would say though that this fits comfortably over your shoulder if you aren’t wearing a bulky outerwear jacket. I don’t think it would work in the winter time when wearing a coat.

And finally it comes with a cute cross body strap of 22″ that’s both adjustable and removable! I love the fact that you can completely remove the strap. This is useful when you want the bag to be a little more dressy. The cross body option or straight over the shoulder is a must have for summer I feel. When you’re out and about you also might be carrying your pool bag, or just your shopping bags, it’s nice to be hands-free. This bag is a perfect bag to take with you on your travels as it’s lightweight and still holds quite a lot. Let’s get into the material of the bag.

MATERIAL

• soft pebbled cowhide with contrasting trim
• embossed ksny signature and light gold spade stud
• 14-karat gold plated hardware

The Cobble Hill Small Toddy has a slightly structured shape, how ever the soft pebbled cowhide leather is quite smushy. I love the slouchy feel of the bag, if you like very structured bags then this might not be for you unless you use it stuffed to the brim. It does have flat base to keep the upright structure but it works best when you have things in the bag. I appreciate a bag that can still feel casual and yet pull off polished when you need it to.

I chose the contrasting trim in chocolate brown as I thought it brought out the features of the bag and helped show off its design better. But there is the option to choose the matching trim to whatever color you pick. The trim is really glazing and I’ll have to do a wear and tear update to see how well it holds up after a year or so of use (as well as a Louis Vuitton glazing for example).

The front flap has a nice zippered pocket with a long leather pull that adds a touch of style to the bag. It is embossed with the Kate Spade New York signature as well as a light gold spade stud. I like the fact that the brand name is understated as you can’t read it from afar. With the color I chose, this bag is also pretty classic so it’s design will not go out of style too fast. It isn’t one of Kate Spades colorful more recognizable styles.

The handbag has gold tone hardware that’s actually 14 karat gold plated. I like silver hardware sometimes but my preference is for gold, since it matches a lot of my jewels and other accessories.

Let’s take a look inside the bag now.

DETAILS

• bookstripe print on poly twill lining
• interior zip and double slide pockets
• dust bag included
• style # pxru6018

This handbag has great organization which you might know I love, if you’ve read my review of my favorite handbag organizer. With this bag there is no need for one because it has so many inner and outer pockets.

On the outside of the bag : there are two pockets on the front flap. The flap has a magnetic closure that I really appreciate for the ease of use. I hate handbags that are hard to get in and out of. If it’s a hassle then I will end up not using the bag.

On the front of the flap is a front zip pocket with the long leather pull I’ve mentioned above. It’s decorative but not quite a tassel if you prefer the understated look. The pocket is decent sized and can fit my iPhone 6 without a problem. I usually keep my metro card pass in there or any item I need quick an easy access to without having to open my bag.

The front flap also boasts a hidden pocket that zips along the edge of the flap (which could be thought of as just a decoration) and is pretty deep as it goes from the top of the flap to the bottom of the bag. This pocket is great for storing larger items as long as they are flexible. You can put receipts and such. I use it to store my Monoprix cloth shopping bag. It’s good for the environment to use less plastic bags, and you never know when you need a large bag. There is one thing to keep in mind, should you store a bulky item it would take up room from the actual bag space because it shares the same back of the  bag wall so to speak.

There is no back pocket but I find it to not necessary because of the existing outside pockets.

The inside of the bag : features the custom woven Bookstripe print interior lining. This lining is seasonal and changes from bag to bag depending on the season you purchased it in. I really like it and find it complements the creamy Porcelain color quite nicely.

There is a back-wall zip pocket, that I really love having in a handbag as it provides extra security for any items you might want to keep safe. This inner zip pocket features a leather pull tab and a gold hardware spade. I love those extra little touches that shows attention to detail. On the front-wall  are two multi-functional slip pockets. I typically store my phones in one, (both my iPone 6 and my Samsung Galaxy S4 with their cases fit just fine). In the other I put my compact and tissues or cough drops. Any smaller item you might want to find quickly without having to dig for it in the main compartment.

WHAT FITS IN THE KATE SPADE COBBLE HILL SMALL TODDY?

It’s on the smaller side for a bag but still easily houses a full sized continental wallet and all your daily necessities. Here is what I could fit in mine :

• a small umbrella
• a kindle paperwhite
• a Michael Kors full sized Jet Set Continental wallet
• a Louis Vuitton Clés pochette and my keys
• a pen
• a Dior makeup bag
• metro card pass

If I’m downsizing and not taking a full sized wallet with me but a card holder, here are the items that fit :

 

• a Louis Vuitton Caissa cardholder
• a Louis Vuitton Clés pochette
• my Steve Madden sunglasses in a soft pouch
• my Kindle paperwhite
• a pen
• a bigger makeup bag
• my small umbrella
• my portable charger
• my iPhone 6
• my work phone Samsung Galaxy S4
• cough drops
• a compact
• kleenex
• metro card pass
• Monoprix foldable cloth shopping bag

ANY CONS?

This bag doesn’t have any feet; while it might bother some, it doesn’t bother me, especially since this bag is a smaller size that I wouldn’t put on the ground and has a smart causal look. Feet usually come with statement bags.

The magnetic closure could be a little more secure. It closes just fine and the bag won’t be popping open by itself, but it is very easy to lift up. I find that if I add items in the front zip pocket or the secret compartment then it helps with the security because their weight helps.

The only real con I could find after a few weeks of use, is something that you always have to pay attention to with light colored handbags. Yes, I’m talking about color transfer. Unless you have treated leather or canvas, any lighter colored leather is prone to color transfer. I found that out when I wore the bag with jeans.

Here is a pic of the staining  on the top left hand corner near the stitching and on the bottom as well :

Now as long as you notice it quickly there is a way to get rid of the color transfer quite easily. I recommend using baby wipes with no alcohol. Here are the ones I used from Mixa.

I carefully wiped the bag and gently insisted on the stains until they all came off. Here is the end result :

So what do you think? Looks good as new to me :).

I will finish off by saying that the Kate Spade Cobble Hill Toddy in the smaller size is the perfect summer handbag for me. The cross body feature is great when on vacation, it holds quite a lot without being too cumbersome and can be both classy and casual at the same time. The leather is very good quality and if you can get it at a discount during a sale it is well worth it.

What is your favorite summer bag? I’d love to see it.

Xoxo

Danetigress

I’d love to chat with you on :

Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – Google+ – Bloglovin’

Items mentionned :

• Kate Spade : Cobble Hill Small Toddy (UK)
• Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
• Small Umbrella
• Mixa babywipes
• Michael Kors Jet Set Continental Wallet
• Louis Vuitton Key Clés pochette
• Louis Vuitton Caissa Card Holder
• penpen
• portable charger