2016 was quite the year for me! Lots of highs, a few lows, but definitely the year that my blog became more of my business. I have had the opportunity to connect with many cruelty free, as well as, vegan brands, and traveled on my first official professional business trip with the non-profit organization, Consumer Reports. It had been a few years since my last biz trip and my last bag had seen better days. When the opportunity arose to connect with Luca Chiara, a vegan leather accessories brand, I knew it was going to be a perfect match! Check out my thoughts on the Luca Chiara Alfredo vegan leather tote bag and how it has been standing up against daily use and travel and how to get 20% off your order 💼
Luca Chiara is a PETA-approved 100% soft grain vegan leather accessories brand, specializing in wallets, bags, and even shoes 💓
They are Italian-inspired, American-designed, and based in NYC & Hudson Valley. Knowing I had my business trip coming up I opted for their tote bag. What is really cool about this, as well as, their weekender bag, is that the bag is actually three pieces. The outer shell is comprised of the straps and the bottom of the bag that hold it all together. The inner shell is totally interchangeable! I opted for black since I wanted a more universal look, but it also comes in grey, brown, blue, red, and camouflage. The bag also comes with a longer adjustable strap with a padded shoulder (which is great for travel) ✈
They also have some really nice wallets! What I found astounding is that their wallets offer RFID blocking (protection against identity theft and the unauthorized use of credit card information), and lined with steel! I have my eye on one of their wallets, that would totally be a really cute clutch. You can check out a review of that wallet over on my blogger pal, Nicole’s blog, Reasonable Raven😍
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| Photo Credit: Reasonable Raven |
My first experience with the Luca Chiara Alfredo vegan leather tote bag was packing for my trip to NYC with Consumer Reports. My idea was to use this bag as my go-to carry on. I was pleasantly surprised by how spacious the actual bag is. I was able to fit everything I needed to travel with ease. I had everything in there…my laptop, chargers, wall plug, extra phone charger, hair brush, wallet, makeup bag, book to read (always), travel paperwork, and a light jacket!
The interior is wide open with pockets on either side. One side of the bag has a very large pocket , which is where I usually keep my charger and CD case. The other side has three small pockets; these are perfect for small cords, pens, USB, headphones, etc… Something I would have liked in this bag is a divider to keep my laptop separate from my paperwork.
While I was sitting at the airport I couldn’t help but look around at everyone else’s traditional carry-ons, and think my Luca Chiara vegan leather tote bag was so much cooler!
This bag has quite a few perks😉 I really like how the bag can be converted based on what I need or where I am going. When I am using the short straps, it sits comfortably over the shoulder. This is my go-to for everyday use. I usually carry my laptop, agenda, and blog planner in it since everything else sits in the purse I use everyday. This bag has seen the inside of a few coffee shops since this is the best place for me to get my work done 💻
The longer adjustable straps came in handy when it came to traveling and has been my go-to for meetings. This way I have less baggage taking up space and I look a bit more put together 💼 I really like how it sits very comfortably on the shoulder, since that area of the strap has some additional padding. The ability to adjust the straps to longer or shorter is also a plus, based on what I am wearing, The straps will actually go longer or shorter by quite a bit than in the picture below, which I thought was pretty diverse for people of all statures.
This bag reminds me of a house where from the outside looks a bit small, but then, when you actually step inside, is a total surprise at how spacious it is 🏡 I find it to be big enough to not look too big or clunky, but definitely practical with how much I am able to keep inside. As you can see, my laptop is pretty big, there is oh so much more inside that bag!
PROS
- Vegan & PETA approved
- Perfect work bag size
- Sleek & chic
- Adjustable straps & interchangeable canvas colors
- Nice variety of interior pockets
CONS
- Does not close…a zipper would be great
- A interior divider would also be a plus
- A sturdier bottom so it sits upright would help
Luca Chiara has been kind enough to extend a 20% off promo code to my readers. Check out their site at www.lucachiara.com and enjoy 20% off with promo code Grab20 😃 You can also find them on social media on their Facebook, Google+, Youtube, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Instagram 💜
Tell me! Which of their bags or accessories could you see yourself working in 2017???
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post backed by Luca Chiara. I received this product in exchange for my 100% unbiased feedback and review. All thoughts expressed are 100% my own.
Cruelty Free Lucy 