I am thinking about buying a VB tote to use as my teacher school bag. If you use one, which would you recommend? I looked at different styles online and can't decide.
I have a Vera and I love all the inside pockets. I just got an attaché case that I think I'm going to love as well. My mom uses the Tote. I think it just depends on how much junk you carry back and forth. I take lots of water so I need a big bag.
I bought one last month. Have used it for my own school, but not work school. Yet! I can't wait though.
I have the big toggle tote. I used it for school before I had the frozen shoulder, and I always take it as my "purse" when we travel (with a smaller purse inside it).
Disclaimer: I don't take a lot back and forth from school. I might have taken papers home three times last year to grade. That said, I have found that the Tic Tac Tote is a great size for my laptop, lesson plan binder, snacks, and/or a few papers as needed.
I have three of the regular totes. I've also got two of the older ones, both are the Metropolitan style. They're different from each other and different from the current Metropolitan. The older ones held up better. I still like them. I just bought a tote in VaVa Bloom. I like the smaller totes. I don't carry a lot of stuff back and forth.
I do. A few years ago, on a whim, I bought a small Vera Bradley bag from Barnes and Noble (the one I go to still has a stand of bags that size near the cash registers). It was just big enough to carry my lesson plan book, grade books, and a few thin notebooks/odds and ends back and forth--just the essentials, since I made a conscious decision at that time to do all my prep and grading in school and not to bring work home, except on rare occasions. I loved it and it wore very well, though I noticed this past year that the straps were starting to fray a bit. At the end of the year I decided to treat myself to a new one to start off this coming school year in a slightly bigger size with a couple more compartments so I can fit a lunch bag, water bottle, etc inside as well.
I'm starting year 3 with mine. I have the commuter tote in espresso microfiber (a solid brown). It is gorgeous and incredibly hardy.
I have a VB tote that was given to me & I did you use it one year. It's efficient for carrying all kinds of teacher stuff. I'll still probably use it now & then. I just tend to like leather better--that just seelms to be a consistent style with me. Last week I purchased (more like splurge) on a rare glam tote by Brighton. It's pretty big & has lots of compartments on the inside to include two slots for water bottles on the inside. I'll be able to take my iPad, papers, small handbag & other electronics without the bag looking bulky. It's all leather with some artist drawing patches on it. It's just simply gorgeous! It was pricey but I got it for much less than if I had bought it at the Brighton store. I just cant wait to get it in the mail.
I have the Vera as well but don't use it for school. I've had it for about 7 years and the straps are starting to fray but it's in good condition other than that. I love the bag but it isn't big enough for me to carry to school; I can barely fit a water bottle, binder & lunch bag in it. I'm hoping to get a larger one, Get Carried Away is the one I have my eye on.
http://www.verabradley.com/product/...Island+Blooms/pc/638/c/0/sc/646/p/1000945.uts I have the Get Carried Away Tote in Folkloric. It's gigantic and I love it. I will say that I really didn't like the look of VB but a lot of my students had this bag and I loved that it's so big. I hate going out the door with a lunch bag, bag for school work, laptop bag, purse, etc. It all fits in this bag, and the bag still feels secure and comfortable to carry even with all that in there. It took me a really long time to find a pattern I liked but now I really love this bag. And I think some of the newer patterns are cuter than what they have had in the past. Or maybe I am just becoming a fan now.
Silver, thanks for your recommendation on that bag. I've been needing a bag that works for me as I'm a "floater" at my school, and I've been looking for over a year. I looked online and found that one in mocha rogue and it looks awesome -- can't wait to order it! http://www.amazon.com/Vera-Bradley-...TF8&colid=28KSAVUVO2ARP&coliid=I18WZRKUZPJPWY
You can save $18 or so if you're willing to buy a sale pattern: http://www.verabradley.com/catalog/...=searchForm&keyword=get+carried+away&x=35&y=4
Just got this email: an additional 20% off all sale items through Saturday, 7/28! http://www.verabradley.com/section/Sale/785.uts
I'm going to be in the minority right now.. I don't care for Vera Bradley designs at all. *I'm ducking from flying coffee cups and pencils.* I do have a 31 Something Tote bag... this I love!!!
My Vera bag is starting its 3rd year. It also took a trip through Europe. BTW, they really don't do color in Europe and my bag was definitely one of a kind (until I got to the airport). Mine is "Get carried away" in the red deco pattern. Love it for all my papers and books. I just throw a wallet into a pocket (no purse for me) and throw my lunch box and gym bag on top.
I'm actually not a big fan of the prints, either, but they are so sturdy! I bought my daughter the back pack and it's been wonderful. I use the little wallet that holds your cell phone and I can't believe how durable it is. I did have to do a lot of searching to find a pattern I could tolerate, though. LOL.
Same here. I needed something sturdy, with a lot of pockets, big enough to haul my stuff, but not too heavy. This is the only bag I've found that meets my needs, so I tolerate the pattern.
I used nothing but leather until the doctor nixed it. Since then, I've grown to love the Vera Bradley stuff.
They do have some solid colors choices in microfiber. My "winter purse" is the brown microfiber flap bag. I wish they had more of the wallets in microfiber, and I wish they'd do another more neutral pattern like my tote, which is brown and black.
There are usually only a couple of patterns I consider. I bought several pieces in Twirly Bird which is just navy and white, but I think they retired that print. I have a few solid navy pieces too. But, when I go to the outlet mall, the VB store is always one I go to, even when I am terribly tired and ready to go home!
