Category Archives: Reviews

Handbag Review: Accessorize Hoxton Neon Satchel

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I didn’t go out with the intention of having a big spend-up; it was just one those impromptu sprees. You know the sort, you nip into town for coffee with a friend, take a casual wander through the shops and before you know it, the credit card has scorch marks from all that swiping. Personally, these are my favourite kind of shopping trips, ad-hoc, unpremeditated, and quite often deliciously irresponsible.

Among my many and varied purchases from Operation Unexpected Spend was a hot pink Hoxton Neon Satchel from Accessorize. I adore bright colours, especially pink, and I find that satchels are a great combination of stylish and practical, so I knew as soon as I set eyes on this titillating tote that it was destined for my wardrobe. I was instantly drawn to the realistic leather-effect of the material and the gold embellishment, as well as the handy inner pockets for phones, make up and general nick-nacks (I find bags with just a single compartment in which everything just floats around frankly pretty stressful). As if these fab features weren’t enough to have me rushing to the till, it was also not the bank account-basher I was expecting; I braced myself for the seemingly inevitable wince at the price tag, only to find to my pleasant surprise that it was a mere £25, which further cemented my belief that the bag was, indeed, made for me.

I rushed home to complete the laborious task of transferring all my things from my previous handbag to my new shiny pink dream and immediately took it for a spin. I was delighted to find that the bag was the perfect size for all my essentials (purse, phone, make up, etc), without leaving room to fill up with weighty but unnecessary items (endless receipts, water bottles, magazines, etc), which is ideal for someone like me with hoarding tendencies. The bag was lightweight (is there anything more annoying than a bag that weighs a tonne even before you put anything in it?), the quality of the bag in general felt excellent, and I especially liked the gold clasp on the front, which I felt gave added security and, perhaps more importantly, class. One small issue (although by no means a deal-breaker) that I’ve found with the bag is that unlike other satchels I’ve owned, it doesn’t tend to keep its shape well when not done up, which can be a bit problematic if, for instance, you’re trying to do it up in a shop one handed, with an armful of purchases. This also means that once it’s full, it really is full- there’s no walking around with the bag undone and things rammed in the top (although my mum has always told me off for doing that anyway and at least wear and tear should, in theory, be reduced).  Also, the bag may not be suitable for everyday wear purely because of it’s colour which, although fabulous, mightn’t suit every outfit.

Overall, though, it’s safe to say that I’ve officially fallen for this snazzy little satchel. It’s managed to strike the right balance between quirky and classic and is an easy, eye-catching addition to my daywear. You can expect to see it surgically attached to my shoulder for the foreseeable future!

(The bag is available in Accessorize stores or at http://uk.accessorize.com/. It is not, as far as I know, available in any other colours).