Ann Taylor Gallery Tote Bag

Last week when I returned to Northern Ireland, my boyfriend's auntie had got me an Ann Taylor Gallery Tote bag from America.  This bag was perfect to be used as a work bag.  

Quick reminder of the night I received the bag:

So, I have been using the bag for a week now and I am ready to review it :)

Before I start, here are the specs of the bag from anntaylor.com

I have been wanting the Gallery Tote for some time, therefore I am very happy that I managed to get hold of it without paying the extra hefty international shopping fees! The bag is quite popular at the moment and has been since sold out online... according to AT website!  My boyfriend's auntie actually picked it up during the sale at an AT Boutique :) I am very lucky!

The bag is known to be a "perfect carry-all from work to weekend" - this I totally agree!  

It's smart enough for a corporate look but also very chic for an every day casual look with skinny jeans!

The colour of my bag is called "Foggy Morning", kind of like a beige pink. I originally wanted original black but beige pink appealed to me as I did not have any bags similar to this colour! Foggy Morning WAS available online but has been since sold out so you may have to check in stores!

Inside the bag:

I usually carry a lot of stuff but here are the essentials.  Kate Spade wallet, glasses, hair tie, contact lenses base, umbrella, mini EDT, keys, work pass, pen, lip colour and compact powder!  This does not include the train pass and earphones in the front pocket.  

Apart from my phone, I also always carry a light cardigan.  The cardigan not only keeps me warm, but also shields the bags content as I don't like exposing what I have inside my bag.... 

Side View:

 

What I like about the bag is the zippers in the sides :) The four zippers pull down to expose more of the material, making it wider to fit more. 

 I personally prefer my bag to be zipped up as with the zips down, it felt a bit too wide to carry and also increases the changes of being pick-pocketed!  

Zipper detail:

The bag is not expensive so I did not expect it to be in the same quality as a designer bag.  However, I have noticed that the faux leather does change colour when rubbed against hard objects :(  

In the front pocket, you can see a small area of grey... that is when I placed my keys inside the pouch and the hard metal rubbing against it turned the material grey T_T  Same for the flap inside...

It's a pity because it is such a pretty colour.  Since it is not too expensive, I am not too heartbroken. After all, it was intended to be a everyday work bag so I do expect it to be pretty battered :(

You can purchase this bag at www.anntaylor.com or in store.  I do wish they have an Ann Taylor in UK :( they have a really nice range of work wear and in petite sizes too!! One day I will go to New York and splash all my cash in Ann Taylor and Target XD

Hope you enjoyed my review.