Vera Bradley Bow Cosmetic Bags: Retired but Beloved

I am sure I'm not the only one who just loves the Vera Bradley bow  cosmetic bags and who is also sad to see them go.  You can still get a few from retail stores if they are secretly stashing any in the back for a rainy day, but Vera Bradley has stopped making these bags for good, or at least until we can convince them to start making them again.  They are just so functional, and that kind of functionality is hard to find in a cosmetic bag these days.  There are pockets on the inside that are just perfect for organizing all of your makeup and lip gloss, and these pockets are mesh so you can see where you put everything.  If you are the kind of person that has to have everything in it's proper place than you will appreciate the practicality of a bow cosmetic bag.  Why the bow cosmetic bags?  Well they just look so much nicer.   They are elegant little bags that you can use for more than just makeup.  They also come in three different sizes so you can find the one that fits your lifestyle pretty easily.  The small bow cosmetic is 9.5"x3.25"x3" and great for carrying brushes and pencils as well.  The medium size is 9.5" x5.75"x3.75" and has a little more of a boxy shape, and the large bow cosmetic is 11"x7.75"x 4".  You can even use them to carry baby wipes like I know some women to do.

But don't be discouraged.  These bags may be discontinued, but you can still get a Vera Bradley bow cosmetic bag on asle right now in the auctions below on ebay.  These are live auctions and you can get amazing deals if you catch one at the right time.  Since these bags are so popular and they are just going to become more and more rare you might want to act quickly and grab one up that you like if you see it.  It probably won't be there tomorrow.  You can also check out the Vera Bradley official website for some cosmetic bags on sale as well, but only in select colors.

Vera Bradley Made in China or United States?

Ever wondered why SOME Vera Bradley purses will say "Made in USA" and others will say "Made in China"?  Well a few years ago you did not have to worry where that Vera Bradley bag was made.  Fort Wayne Indiana was cranking out the purses and all of them were made in the good ole USA.  But a couple years ago we started noticing some bags said "made in China" and questions were raised.

The excuse Vera Bradley gave us was that the demand for these fabric handbags was so much that they had to outsource some of the work to keep up with the demand.  China was willing to do the work and help Vera stay on top of her orders and keep her customers happy with plenty of supply.  But were they really happy?

While some have been outraged that a portion of the purses are being made over seas, some are happy just to have  a Vera Bradley bag and don't care where it is made, as long as the quality is still good.  But therein lies the problem for some.  I have heard reports of the China made bags having poor quality, while others have said they are made with the SAME quality, and still others believe that both USA and China made bags are being made cheaper than in the past, and simply do not last as long.

What portion of these bags are being made overseas?  While at one point it seemed close to 60% or more, the company explains this is only a temporary fix.  They have built another factory in New Haven and have hired a few hundred workers to try and fix this supply and demand issue.  This new plant is supposed to help keep these beloved bags made in the United States, while providing some more jobs for Indiana as well.

What I want to know is this.  Have any of you had any problems with China made bags?  Do you even care if some of them are made overseas.  I know for myself, if I had to choose between a Purple Punch Libby made in the US and one made in China, I would definitely go for the one made in the US.  But at the same time, I am not too concerned where it is made as long as it holds up and is well made.  These are cotton purses after all, and will tend to wear out the more we use them, no matter how well they are made.

In any store you can request Vera Bradley handbags and wallets that are made in the United States.  Sometimes the store owners will keep them in the back.  That kind of makes you wonder.  Why are they so sneaky about this?  Many Vera Bradley fans have been upset about the fact that the company has not been very forthright with information.  They seem to WANT to keep us in the dark.  Even the thread they started in facebook on the issue was left unresolved for over a year now.  Tired of not getting answers?  Leave your comments below and lets get something started here.

Vera Bradley Mesa Red on Sale Here: Retired Pattern Flashback

This week's pattern flashback is Vera Bradley's infamous Mesa Red.  Even though it is a retired pattern, it is simply a classic and a wonderful design that should be a part of anyone's Vera collection.  This pattern had a two year career with VB, and that's not half bad considering some patterns are retired in a year.  Mesa Red hit the scene in July of 2006 and was retired in July of 2008.   This was actually my friend's very first pattern that came in the form of a hipster and it's still beloved today.  I have seen quite a few Mesa Red's going around recently so perhaps women have been souring Ebay or yard sales looking for this pattern, but perhaps Vera Bradley should start stitching this pattern together again.  I have always thought that the company could do nothing but benefit from bringing back a retro pattern to the delight of their fans.  It's sort of like what Nike did with Air Jordan shoes.  Whenever they did a retro model the shoes would sell out in minutes and everyone was happy (well, except for the prices of those Jordan shoes).

So what do you think of this week's retired pattern flashback?  Is it one of your favs or do you have another discontinued pattern you want to see more of in your collection?

Check out some of the Mesa Red pattern purses and accessories available on Ebay right now in the listings below.  Even if you don't have an Ebay account it takes 5 minutes to sign up.  Just click one of the auctions below and find what you are looking for.  Also, Ebay has a new buyer protection policy that will help to calm your nerves about buying on Ebay, so all you have to focus on is finding what you have been looking for.

Vera Bradley Frill in Purple Punch, Paprika, Imperial Toile and Symphony in Hue

The new Frill patterns have been released and are supposed to be in stores already but in some places there has been a delay in the shipping process.  If you are not familiar with the Frill patterns they are the inside/out patterns of an existing one and they have a protective plastic over them for even easier cleaning.  I am actually surprised Vera Bradley has not promoted them much, but the Frill patterns are a huge hit and getting more popular all the time.  Some of the most popular are the Purple Punch Frill patterns, Paprika Frill, Imperial Toile Frill, and Symphony in Hue Frill.  Although Purple Punch or Pupu as some call it, has been around for a little while now, the other 3 are new for the winter of 2009.  Even though some hate the Paprika pattern, they find the Frill version of it much more pleasing.  Check out this picture of these four patterns in the Frill collection by Vera Bradley:

Like I said, some of these frill patterns are available in the VB stores right now, but you can get them even cheaper by getting them online.  You can check out some of the Vera Bradley Purple Punch Frill and Imperial Toile Frill purses and totes on ebay right now with the live auctions listed below.  These are limited edition bags and are not available very long, so if you see one that you like you should try to get it right away.  These patterns are rare and sell faster than you can imagine.  My personal favorite is the Purple Punch Frill but the Paprika Frill is growing on me as well.  You will see all kinds of Frill patterns in the listings below, so feel free to sort through the ones you like.

5 Vera Bradley Patterns Being Retired in January of 2010

Well the Vera Bradley patterns for 2010 have been revealed and along with those new patterns (which not many seem to like by the way) some old favorites will be retired.  I still think it's as ad decision by the company to retire such beloved patterns as these when they still sell like hot cakes, but they seem to just want to make room for the new stuff coming out.

There are five patterns that we know of so far that are going to be retired in January of 2010.  This means these 5 patterns will not be made anymore so only the inventory that is left will be available for sale in the Vera Bradley stores.  Get them while they are hot.

Click on any of the images of the patterns below to check out some great deals on these soon to be retired patterns.  The scarcity of the patterns will drive the prices up so get them now while you still can.

The 5 patterns being discontinued are:

Yellow Bird

Raspberry Fizz

Caffe Latte

Mediterranean Blue

Mod Floral Pink

It's hard to believe some of these iconic patterns are going to be discontinued soon.  They are some of the most popular of the VB patterns.  With Yellow Bird and Mod Floral Pink and Caffe Latte, there will be a huge gap to fill with the new patterns that are coming out for 2010 and many have been disappointed thus far, so we will see what Vera has up her sleeve in the future months.

So which one of the five patterns above will you miss most?  Leave a comment below to let us know how you feel and which pattern you have the most of in you closet right now.   As for me, I am still in disbelief that Caffe Latte will be retired.  It's such a classy design and I hope it will be replaced by an even better one, but we will keep our fingers crossed.

The Vera Bradley Pleated Tote is Here and on Sale!

The Vera Bradley pleated tote is one of the new collections to come out this year from the company. It's a great design that has been getting rave reviews, so maybe it's time you got a pleated tote for yourself. It's called the pleated tote for a very good reason, and you can see the pleats in the pictures below too. The size is one of the nicest things about the bag. Just how big is it? Well it's even bigger than Vera's original tote. Being 14 inches by 14 inches, you can see how convenient it would be to carry a bag along that can carry everything else along with it too. The zip closed feature is a nice added bonus so you don't have to worry about your stuff falling out or having security issues with it either. There are 4 interior pockets for making organizing your handbags stuff a breeze, and there are 2 wrap around pockets on the outside of the purse that can hold larger items that you will need to access quickly. You can even use this bag as a baby or diaper bag if you wanted to. This design is new for the winter season of 2009 and it already in the stores, but you will almost every time get a better deal by checking out the ebay auctions listed below. These are genuine VB and well below retail, so every body wins. The pleated tote is a nice addition to the Vera Bradley collection so check out some of the different patterns this bag comes in by checking out the live auctions on ebay below.

Vera Bradley Jasmine: Retired Pattern on Sale!

The Vera Bradley Jasmine pattern is a blast from the past. Some of you newer Vera Bradlet fans may not even recognize this style and may even think it's a "fake" when you first see it, but it's a genuine VB pattern with lots of class and flare. I am bringing it up today because it kind of reminds me of the new Imperial Toile, with a simply monochromatic design and high contrast. But while the Imperial Toile has a subtle brown background, the Jasmine has a rich dark background with white flowers and green leaves. It's a wonderful pattern that many wish was still being made today. The Vera Bradley Jasmine pattern came out in January of 2003 and was retired a short 1.5 years later in July of 2004. Where can you buy the Jasmine pattern? No where really, except here! We found some of the deals going on ebay right now for Jasmine handbags and totes and thought we would show them to you. So check out some Jasmine purses on sale now in the listings below and grab a great deal on a retired legacy: