Thursday, February 2, 2012

J.Crew Product Review: Tillary Tote

Tillary Tote
Click here for product page
Item 63158
Regular: $328.00

J.Crew describes this gorgeous bag as follows:
Thanks to our detail-obsessed design team, this tote doesn't skimp on style, quality or function. Traditional with a modern twist, it comes loaded with lots of extra pockets to keep things organized inside and out. Crafted in a superfine-grain leather that was specially developed to age beautifully, which means it'll hang in your closet—and on your arm—for years to come. Zip closure. Brass-finish hardware. Interior zip pocket, split-patch cell pocket. Cotton twill lining. Part of J.Crew Collection. Comes with dust bag. Import. 6" handle drop. 11 1/2"H x 11 3/4"W x 3 5/8"D. Catalog/jcrew.com only.
A big "thanks!" to Desert Flower (in this post), who shared her review of this must-have bag:
The Tillary tote arrived! First off, I worried from the website description that it might be smaller than I want. Website says 11 1/2"H x 11 3/4"W x 3 5/8"D. My measurements are approximately 12 1/2"H x 13"W (across the bottom) x 5 1/2"D. It's wider across the top where it flares out.

The blue sea color is gorgeous, just what I hoped for, a cross between dark blue and navy. The handles are well stitched, and look very much like the handles on the Celine luggage tote. The front zip pocket has a working zipper, however, I'd say it's decorative since there isn't much room. The zipper and stitching remind me of the Phillip Lim Pashli satchel I lusted after.

The leather is very nice quality. I can see this bag lasting a long time. The front and back are slightly pebbled, the flared sides are smoother. The cotton lining is nice, a taupe-grey color. One inside zip pocket, two open top pockets for cell phone, etc. There are four feet on the bottom, a nice touch. The handles just allow me to put it on my shoulder (although it's not meant to be a shoulder bag). They're rolled and will be comfortable on the arm.

The bag itself is somewhat heavy. Once I get stuff in it, it will be one of my heavier bags I think. It will easily hold all my day to day, plus my iPad, and when I travel I can throw in a bottle of water.

This is very comparable in quality to Coach bags I have, for which I've paid $300 to $500. I don't think this is overpriced although I realize $328 is not cheap. This will be a work horse in my wardrobe for years. I'm not waiting for sale. I have learned my lesson with a few J. Crew pieces I wished I just bought when they came out because I never found them once they went on sale.

In my opinion, this is a major win and one of the nicest pieces I've ever purchased from J. Crew. I'm adding to my wardrobe very judiciously these days, and being ruthless with returns. I'm sure this will be one of my best purchases of 2012.
"Thanks!" again to Desert Flower for her great in-depth review of this tote!

What are your thoughts on the Tillary Tote? Do you own this bag? Have you tried it on at a store? Do you like this style? If so, please share with us your review. :)

44 comments:

  1. Thanks for the review! Looking forward to inspecting it up close soon.

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  2. Alexis, you read my mind! I had read Desert Flower's original post and the other comments about the Tillary Tote and was just thinking last night that it would be great to have all the comments compiled, given the interest this bag has sparked! I'm wearing navy for the first time this year (black and grey have always been my neutrals but I'm finding navy is a fabulous addition) and also in the market for a navy bag. I love the construction of the Tillary but the only thing that worries me is that it doesn't have shoulder or crossbody strap. I think I will order it, but I have also ordered these two Cole Haan navy bags (called "prussian blue", actually -- the color looks beautiful online) from Nordstrom for comparison:

    (1) Deconstructed Brooke Satchel, 1/3 off, marked down to $266 from $400:

    http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/cole-haan-deconstructed-brooke-satchel/3278938?origin=keywordsearch

    (2) Eliza patent leather satchel, half price, marked down to $150 from $300: http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/cole-haan-eliza-patent-leather-satchel/3206984?origin=keywordsearch&resultback=448

    (I'm lucky to have both a Nordstrom and JC about 10 minutes away so returns are easy...)

    I have a few Cole Haan bags and I find them to be very well made and of a classic, if sometimes predictable, design. I love that these two have crossbody straps. Am interested to see how the bags compare!

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  3. Thanks for the wonderful review Desert Flower! :)

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  4. I have the Celine luggage tote in navy and immediately loved this when I saw it.... thinking of adding the tan color to my handbag collection... might wait it out though, I think they are going to release other colors.

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  5. Thanks so much for posting this Alexis and DesertFlower, it's the review I've been waiting for!
    I was concerned about the weight of the bag but the fact that I could throw papers and a small laptop in the bag wins me over.
    If only my rewards card would get here I'd probably order it, it sounds like the color is perfect too.

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  6. Milljcrew, I hope you are right about additional colors. I would love this bag in red!

    Dani, I think you'll love this. It's a classic shape, something we'll have and use for years. I expect my cost per wear to be very low.

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  7. I like the bag but, it is larger than what I normally carry so I haven't decided if I will keep it or not. Mine actually arrived with a few small blemish spots on the leather, nothing that anyone else would notice but they are still there. The strapes fit very comfortable on my shoulder, but I do wish they were a little longer, even though I know this is a tote. One of my favorite things about it were the deep pockets on the outside of the bag

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  8. I just ordered this bag a couple of days ago and should be receiving it today! I was debating on waiting for it to go on sale, but I also know some coveted pieces never make it. I can't wait to get mine. I also ordered the blue. I might just bite the bullet and get the sienna too. Thank you for your review and input.

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  9. It looks like a beautiful bag that will last for years but also looks very much like the original Celine bag.

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  10. As if you an read my mind!!!! I was dreaming about this bag and wonder if somebody is going to be nice enough to do a detailed review on it. Thanks so much! I'm in love with the Celine bag and I thought this one looks so similar.

    http://mui28.blogspot.com

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  11. I ordered this bag couple of days ago, just wish it could come with a body strap ...
    I probably will return it if it's too heavy, lesson learned from mulberry bays water , Chloe etc, I just hate heavy bags, no matter how gorgeous they are

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  12. Thanks for the review! I'm debating between warm sienna and blue sea. I'm worried about the handles getting dirty on the warm sienna over time (even though I plan to treat the leather) plus I have a mono LV and I'm thinking I will get more mileage out of the blue. Decisions, decisions, decisions...

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  13. I also received this bag yesterday. Gorgeous blue color. It is quite heavy, but I don't really mind that. I would have liked a shoulder strap, but that's not a dealbreaker, either. I was a little bothered by a blemish on the leather of one of the handles. I can also see the red stitching used to secure one handle to the bag. So I do think it's a gorgeous bag, you just have to watch out for the little flaws. HTH

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  14. Is it just me or does this bag look likea cross between Kate Spade's Cobble Hill Leslie and Coach's Chelsea Shopper?

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  15. Cute but I don't do bags that won't fit easily and comfortably on my shoulder. The color of this is so gorgeous though!

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  16. Thank you Desert Flower and Alexis for sharing the detailed review. It looks like a lovely bag but I'm a bit skeptical about the quality of JC bags recently and reading about flaws and visible red stitching doesn't give me the warm fuzzies.

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  17. hmmm guess the chloe bag is "the" it bag to copy this season
    http://www.neimanmarcus.com/product.jsp?isEditorial=false&index=11&masterId=cat41230744&itemId=prod142040010&cmCat=cat000000cat000141cat41230744cat13030738&parentId=cat13030738

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  18. I am so glad for this review! Just curious what others think -- does the bag's similarity to the Celine Luggage Bag make you want the J. Crew version more or less?

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  19. If this came in black, I would buy it. I can't do non-black bags.

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  20. Thanks for the great review Desert Flower. This tote is on my must have list as well!

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  21. Now that I see other designers doing a version of the bag as well, it makes me want it less

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  22. These bags have stirred up some excitements...LOL
    For thos J.crew afionadas, I just wrote an entry about the First Lady's outfit in her appearance on Jay Leno's show Tuesday: http://way-we-were.blogspot.com/2012/02/gts-first-lady-and-her-jcrew.html

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  23. I personall am more interested in another color block tote on the look book. Not sure of the name. Keep my eyes on it now.

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  24. To mangle the quote of William Shakespeare, there is nothing new under the sun. This style of bag is not new, Celine copied it, Milly copied it, Phillip Lim copied it, Reed Krakoff copied it, and so on. Speaking for myself, I like bags but I don't buy high end so those are not options for me. If I can get the same shape and style, in a color I want in my wardrobe, for much less, I'm happy. Don't get me wrong, I'd love the Celine luggage tote! The similarity definitely influenced my decision to buy the J. Crew version. I've seen many other version but they simply aren't in my budget.

    I'm sorry to hear about the stitching issue on a bag. I know how disappointing it is to pay that much for something and not have it be perfect. I hope the majority of them are.

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  25. Desert Flower, I am with you on not buying high end bags any more. J.crew bags, especially if I can gen them with discount or on sale, are good enough. However I am not particularly interested in this shape. I never liked Celine tote or anyone else's. But I totally hear what you are saying. I got the red Edie purse and am really happy with it.

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  26. Thank you for the great review and more importantly, an accurate size description. I would consider it on sale if the handle was longer than 6" and it came in black. In my mind that blue is too trendy for the price tag. JMHO. I tried the Edie Tote in black and had similar concerns; handle was too short and it also did not have the little metal feet that I think it needed in that style. I like that the Tillary has the feet.

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  27. Audreys, thanks for the links to the Nordstrom Bags. I like the Brooke bad and the price is better than the J.C. bag. I will be interested in what you have to say about it once you get it. Alexis has a "Other similar retailers" post:)

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  28. @ New York & Paris: I have definitely experienced the "everybody has it so I don't want it anymore" syndrome. Not so much with the Tillary Tote et al. - the Edie Attache is the one that I like from this rollout - but it was nuts with the Tory Burch Reva flats. I wanted a pair really badly until I saw every other woman on the DC Metro wearing them. Totally turned me off, which is a shame b/c those shoes are cute!

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  29. I don't mind people copying at all I am all about getting the look at a cheaper price, I just don't like it when everyone else is carrying the same thing as I. Prime example I am in Alabama right now and will not carry any of my LV because every other person I see is carrying them here right now fake and real

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  30. I really adore all my J. Crew Purses--I only just bought my first Coach bag--a Lilac Messenger for an upcoming trip to TX. The most I've ever spent on a bag was over the past summer on the Banana Republic Blue Flora Tote--the Tillary reminds me of my Flora but without the Flowers--beautiful bags x2!!!

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  31. Usually for me, if I get the "lower end" version, I end up sorry. Then I end up getting the real thing anyway. so i've learned over the years to just buy the real thing (within reason) as it almost always ends up saving me money in the long run and typically, the higher end item holds up better and stands the test of time better. That being said, a Celine bag is out of my price range, so this might be a good substitute. Except for me, no shoulder strap and it being heavy rule it out for me.

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  32. I'm not in the market for a new bag, but I think that one is very nice and the color is lovely. I'm sure you ladies will enjoy it.

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  33. Stumbled across this:

    http://www.everandwright.com/category/handbags/

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  34. Does anyone know if the Tillary is in stores. I'd like to check it out in person and don't feel like dealing with shipping/returning if I end up not keeping it.

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  35. I posted some thoughts about the comparison between the Celine tote and the J.Crew tote as well as other bags here.

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  36. Thanks for the review...I bit the bullet and ordered it at full price today. For those still considering it, the blue sea is back ordered until 5/21. I was really hoping for a promo on Monday, but I'm nervous that I'll lose out on it completely if I wait.

    I'm intrigued by the looks of the white and blue canvas version with the red handle. Hoping that my B&M will have it in stock this weekend, but I'm not holding my breath. My store rarely carries handbags...lame.

    I would LOVE IT if this bag comes out in a red leather version. But, the blue will definitely do. Crossing my fingers my bag ships in May...

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  37. As soon as I saw this bag in the catalog and online I loved. I have had it in my bag just waiting for a small promotion to come up. Well, nothing and this morning, the bag is now waitlisted until May. I went ahead and ordered it because I wear so much blue this will be perfect. I also love the color and style. I figure it will ship early (most jcrew items do lately) and it may even go on sale or a promotion will happen at that time.

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  38. I am seriously considering purchasing this bag but am a bit concerned about the dimensions. I'm an attorney and have to carry at least one legal pad for work (11.75 in by 8.5 in). Will this bag be big enough to carry the legal pad and still zip closed? Any advice is much appreciated! Thanks so much.

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  39. i can't find the tillary tote online anymore. has it sold out?
    anyone know?

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  40. Annao, it will hold a legal pad no problem.

    Hanah, my personal shopper told me yesterday it was completely sold out in both colors. Not sure if they'll be bringing in more or not, although I know that there are some on backorder.

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  41. Hi there, just an FYI, incase anyone is interested, the Tillary Tote is back online, as well as some in canvas form :)

    Happy Shopping!

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  42. The blue Tillary sold out nationwide last week :-( I called a product finder and they told me so. Any insight into whether they'll bring it back will make my day!

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    Replies
    1. Hey there,

      I was on the May waitlist that was cancelled. I was put on the wish list and just received my tote last week. Not sure if that helps, but just wanted to let you know that maybe that's something you could try :)

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  43. women Tote bags: https://mybosidu.com/

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