Belt Strap Suede Tote

First Toteme purchase and I’m not super impressed. The bag, beautiful as it is, arrived with zero stuffing, no hardshell box for storage, just a paper thin dust bag. In this price range, packaging details matter and lack of them to me are a telltale sign of a brand that doesn’t respect its customer’s investment. I’m debating returning it on principle. The bag itself is much wider than I anticipated, you could fit an entire grocery haul in it. The color is a beautiful saturated milk chocolate brown, it really pops, is great for fall and is versatile. The suede is soft and broken in, versus crisp and new. I don’t necessarily mind that, but was surprised as the photos make it appear more structured. I question how well it will age, since it is so soft. I expected there to be more length available in the strap. Best to think of it as a barely adjustable tote that will snuggle up to your armpit no matter what. Given the bag’s massive size, that may take some getting used to. The metal details could be more substantial, they’re lightweight relative to the hefty suede. I wish the bag had a couple helpful bells and whistles… a key hook would be nice, an inner wallet, a zippered compartment for security, a firmer panel on the bottom to help flatten it out… just some added utility to make up for the known challenges of a bucket bag (pretty headaches that they are). It’s a beautiful bag, but it gives me overpriced, over-influenced vibes. If that doesn’t bother you, go for it, but there are comparable options available this season for a fraction of the price.