Travelling demands a bag that is both easy to pack and functional at the same time. When I’m strolling around cities by day and then bar hopping by night, I need something that’s going to span from daylight to dark. There’s no popping back to the hotel room to switch bags.
Sometimes I carry a tote bag but most of the time I travel with a cross-body bag because it means I have my hands free, I don’t have to worry about leaving it in a random bar and I know it’s safe and secure around my body.
For a while I’d been thinking about investing in a new cross body bag in a new, more summery colour other than black. Then I was contacted by Lo and Sons – a US based brand that promises ‘less fumbling, more globetrotting’. Started by mother Helen Lo and her two sons, Lo & Sons provides bags that are built to travel light without compromising functionality and style. You can read the full story here.
Since I’m such a frequent traveller, they invited me to try one of their bags on my next trip abroad and to be honest I was spoilt for choice. Bags that caught my eye were The Seville laptop tote (which would be perfect as a carry on for flying), the O.M.G Overnight bag and The Claremont camera bag. But in the end, I opted for the Pearl- a smaller cross body bag that I figured I’d probably get the most use out of. To start off with i took it around London with me, then I took it to Greece on my first ever Silversea cruise.
Here’s what I made of it…
Pearl Cross Body Bag
The Lo & Sons Pearl features lots of pockets for organising your everyday travels, including a padded pocket for a mini-tablet. I actually don’t own an iPad, but I used it to put my Kindle reader inside. There’s a key leash so you’ll never lose your keys, plus pockets for a passport, pen, phone, lipsticks etc. If you want to see what fits inside, take a look at this YouTube video.
The bag basically has two large zipped sections, either side of an open middle section. The middle section closes with poppers, which can be a good or a bad thing. It’s good because I can easily access things, but bad because if I stuff too many things in the middle section, I can’t close the poppers. The poppers are actually quite firm and secure when they are closed, but often I just don’t close them, so if thieves were about I guess they could easily reach into my bag.
Having several sections makes it great for organising my belongings though, so I’m not digging around at the bottom like Mary Poppins!
I chose the light grey Saffiano version with gold hardware, since I thought the colour would be ideal for my summer outfits. I have quite a few black bags, which can look harsh with more delicate summer clothes, so this colour seemed a little bit softer and more appropriate. I actually had no idea what ‘Saffiano’ really meant but basically it’s leather that has been treated to be scratch and water resistant. It has a distinct cross-hatch pattern, giving it a textured stiffness that is durable over time.
The strap is also convertible, meaning you can simply detach a section of it and turn it into a little clutch bag with a wrist strap for night time.
The only real major con for me is that I walk around with my Sony A7 camera 90% of the time, so if I’m going out for the day, it means I have to sling the camera over my shoulder and I can’t put it away in my bag. I’m often worried that I’ll either leave my camera somewhere or damage it because I have nowhere safe to put it. Of course if you travel with a small point-and-shoot camera or even one of the smaller mirrorless cameras, you won’t have this problem.
Pros
- The logo is nice and discreet
- Nice hummingbird print on the lining
- Design is simple and classy
- Fabric is durable
- Colour goes with everything
- Great size for travel
- Lots of pockets for organising
- Comes in choice of colours, leathers and gold/silver hardware
Cons
- Can’t fit a DSLR camera inside, only a pocket camera
- Middle section is open and closes with poppers – this has pros and cons
Verdict
I love the look of this bag and I’ve had lots of compliments on the grey colour, which goes with everything. It’s simple, stylish and really a timeless classic. I’ve taken it everywhere with me – on nights out, cruises, city walking tours…you name it. The only main problem I’ve faced is that I tend to take my Sony A7 camera out with me, so in hindsight I’d be better off with The Claremont for days when I’m travelling around with a camera, and the Pearl for times when I’m camera-free. Now I’ve been introduced to Lo & Sons I’m really lusting after all of their bags and I think they’re an awesome brand for travellers!
The bag currently retails at $186 on sale (original price $248) – U.S customers only.
Do you like this bag? Would you take it travelling? Leave your comments below!
