As I discussed in last week’s post, I’ve been thinking a lot since Fashion Revolution Week about the impact of my clothing choices on people and the environment. As a size 18, I am well aware of the challenges of finding fashionable clothing that fits me at all, let alone high quality, beautifully made clothing that will stand the test of time. Even so, this is important to me, and moving forward I will be trying to focus much more on sustainable and ethical clothing and accessories brands. Enter Poppy Barley.
Poppy Barley is a brand that I’ve been following for years. Based out of Edmonton, Alberta, they work with family-owned factories in Mexico and Brazil to produce their leather shoes and accessories. They publish annual sustainability reports, share factory tours on their website and social media accounts, and have recently become a Certified B Corporation. After lusting after their designs from afar, I’ve finally made my first purchase.
My beloved Coach bag is in need of some TLC. I’ve been carrying it almost daily for seven years, and although it’s still in great condition, I need to bring it to Coach to have the handle repaired. I still love it as much today as when I first bought it, but I have been wanting to add something a little smaller to my collection for some time. I had been eyeing the Poppy Barley Saddle Bag since its release, so when they announced their pop-up shop in the Rideau Centre in Ottawa at the beginning of May I decided to check it out. As I had hoped, it was love at first sight.
This bag is a beauty. Made from black pebbled leather with a jet black nubuck flap closure, it looks and feels beautiful. (Nubuck is like a softer version of suede that has an almost velvety feel.) The shoulder strap is adjustable, so you can wear it as a crossbody or as a shoulder bag according to your preference. I’ve set mine at a length that can work both ways.
I’m really loving the size of this bag. I’m used to carrying around a huge shoulder bag, so there has definitely been an adjustment period. However, I’ve been finding that this bag easily accommodates my essentials.
The back pocket has plenty of room for my cell phone and business cards.
The interior is lined with a pale blue geometric floral-print fabric. There are two pockets at the front, one zippered pocket in the back, and a small insert perfectly sized for an ID card or transit pass. It snaps shut with a magnetic kiss-lock closure.
The inside is deceptively roomy.
I’ve been wearing this bag for about a month, and I’m loving it so far. It feels as though it will last for many years. It retails for about $250 CDN at the time of this posting, and I feel that the price accurately reflects the high quality of this beautiful bag.
If you have any questions about the bag, by all means let me know in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer them for you! xo – Annette