Cambridge Satchel Company Review- Positive!

Today I will be reviewing my first ever order from the Cambridge Satchel Company. I have been fangirling over their satchels a lot lately and when I saw the new Chelsea Collection I knew I had to get one. Their website is here- https://www.cambridgesatchel.com/

Ordering Process

I found their website very easy to browse. They have a very useful help section which helps you pick out what size you need (most of their satchels come in at least 2 sizes) and general advice. I was able to order my satchel with ease and was very confident that I knew what to expect from my satchel. They also offer embossing, but I chose not to do this. I ordered my satchel on the 8th of May and got a confirmation email. Surprisingly, I got an email with a tracking number just 2 days later. They give guidelines on how long you should expect your bag to take and 2 days is significantly less time than I was expecting. My guess is that they had already made up a satchel for their store or something and sent me that. My satchel arrived on the 13th- just 5 days after I ordered it. Not bad considering these satchels are handmade!

Shipping

Their satchels are sent out using FedEX and luckily, Cambridge Satchel were doing a free shipping offer when I ordered. Normally it costs £5.99 in the UK. That may seem a lot, but it is shipped securely in a box and I find FedEX offer an excellent service.

The box was very secure and taped up well. The box size was a good match for the satchel so the insides did not really have any space to move about and get bashed during shipping.

Inside the box, the satchel is placed inside a tote bag for a bit of extra protection. There was also a bit of plastic to help pad the box a bit. My satchel arrived to me in perfect condition with no signs of damage. I also got a voucher for my next order!

And here is my satchel! I got the Chelsea Collection satchel in Lavender. The materials used are of good quality. It is made of real leather. The tags include care instructions, which is useful.

The stitching has been done so neatly. The design is sharp and crisp. I can tell that a lot of love and hard work has gone in to making this bag. This is exactly what I was expecting Cambridge satchels to be like.

I ordered a 13 inch bag. It is not a massive bag but it will hold my essentials. It looks tiny in this photo, but I promise the space is there! I used the website's measurement guide to work out how big the bag would be before ordering and I was satisfied. If I could change one thing about the entire bag though, I would want a slightly bigger depth.

And finally, a picture of the bag with the handle out. I absolutely love the colour. The website warns that the bag colour may be slightly different in person, but this is exactly the colour I was expecting it to be. I am very impressed.

So overall, I think it was well worth me ordering this satchel. The ordering process is easy and informative. The satchel I got was exactly what I was expecting and I really love it. I can't wait to use it! I would highly recommend Cambridge Satchel to anybody who is looking to buy a satchel.

Cambridge Satchel Company

Late last year, I decided to think about bags to suit classic lolita and decided to Google satchels. It didn't take me long to discover my new wishlist item- a satchel from the Cambridge Satchel Company. Satchels to me, bring an image to mind of a young school girl sent off to school with her satchel in hand. You don't really see kids using satchels any more, so they have a real nostalgic feel to them. I have a feeling the owner of the Cambridge Satchel Company feels the same way and wanted to recapture that nostalgia. Satchels also have the benefit of being quite practical and sensible to use in other situations, such as work. The website is available here- https://www.cambridgesatchel.co.uk/

I already own a Primark satchel but to be honest, it's not that well made and it looking a bit battered after being chucked to the back of my wardrobe. But these satchels here seem to have so much love and attention put in to them. What I love about the Cambridge Satchel Company is how everything is made to your specifications. You can choose the size, whether it has a handle or not, and you can even get them embossed. I feel this makes them more personal to the user.

My biggest regret is that I didn't find out about this company sooner. Last year the Cambridge Satchel Company brought out a pastel collection. I REALLY want the lavender satchel from this collection. Unfortunately, the collection is long gone now. I love the delicate shades in this collection. I thought the lavender satchel would make an interesting, more grown up bag for sweet lolita. At a push, I would have probably used it for classic too. Sadly, unless I find one up for auction, it is probably never going to be in my possession. If anybody sees one, let me know!

The other alternative would be to get a pastel satchel from Zatchels- http://www.zatchels.com/bags/collection-category/pastel-collection.html

Zatchels have been accused of ripping off the Cambridge Satchel Company designs and it is fair to say, the bags do look pretty similar. However, the violet bag in the Zatchels collection is not as nice in my opinion, and not the colour I was looking for. But despite this, I do think that the baby pink, baby blue and ivory ones from Zatchels are very pretty. I especially like the look of the baby pink one. So maybe I will give in and get a pink one sometime.

Out of the 2 companies though, it is the Cambridge Satchel Company who have won my heart. I feel that so much love goes in to those bags. Here is hoping that somebody auctions their lavender satchel or that they release another pastel collection at some point!