A friend, one somewhat smaller than me in weight/height, had been peppering me with questions about the Michael by Michael Kors Large Selma Satchel (reviewed here) in navy. She liked Selma’s concept but found the bag in large overwhelming for her small frame. We weren’t able to locate the medium Selma Messenger in navy and she dejectedly gave up her search.
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| Michael by Michael Kors Medium Messenger |
When I stumbled upon the Zara Mini Office City Bag (available in navy or burgundy) last month while perusing Zara’s new collection, my eyes brightened with optimism when I noticed its size. At 8″ tall, 11″ wide, and 4″ deep, it is noticeably smaller than the large Selma, who is 13″ wide and 10″ tall.
I ordered one as an early Christmas present (a really really early one) for the aforementioned friend and seized the opportunity to snap some pictures to share here. I hope she likes this bag enough to consider an upgrade when it disintegrates.
Two issues I’ve encountered with the full-sized Office City Bag (last worn here) are a gradual loss of structure and too-long shoulder straps. I continue to use it with regularity because of its capaciousness but anticipate needing a replacement next Spring.
These issues do not seem to plague the “mini” as its size precludes it from complications commonly associated with large bags, including bag-sag, structural degradation, uneven weight distribution, and a myriad of other maladies.
The long strap, while inconveniently fixed in length, works on 5’2 me even as a shoulder strap.
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| J. Crew Rugby-Stripe Dress in Navy |
The “Mini” has three compartments, the middle of which has a zipper closure while the outer compartments are secured by button closures.
The hardware is sturdy and the zipper works flawlessly. I have no bone to pick with this feature.
The Mini Office City Bag should be a good choice for women who carry neither more than the bare minimum nor bulky objects.
For a $50 bag that, for all intents and purposes, is the child of catching trends, I didn’t expect the quality to be remarkable or for it to be particularly durable. If cared for properly, this bag should easily last a year or two.
I think this polyurethane-constructed bag can look cheap when inspected closely (from afar might pass for real leather). Again, this is a good “starter” bag for people who are unsure about adding a navy satchel to their collection. Its service life is expectedly short to allow for a seamless and swift upgrade (or disposal).
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| Zara Mini Office City Bag | Michael by Michael Kors Large Selma Satchel |
Buy here.
Or, try some other options that I found online: Kate Spade Palm Spring Sloan (gorgeous concept, supple-looking leather, and scalloped accents. An undisputed winner?), Pour la Victoire Provence Satchel, Cambridge Satchel with Top Handle, Dooney & Bourke Dillen Satchel (on sale; extra 20% off with code SAVINGS), or the 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli Satchel.
