If you are not familiar with Vera Bradley bags, then I can tell you from personal experience that the brand has a whole line of lovely, quilted patterned bags that can be combined into all kinds of different sets that can satisfy traveling or everyday use needs.
I have two sets that are based on the Tech Backpack which allows for taking a small laptop, carrying everything else that might be needed, including notebooks and travel mugs that can be found in matching patterns to the backpack. I have tech covers that keep my electronics covered so that they are safe during my travels.
This was especially handy when I was utilizing my scooter for my sole means of transportation.
There are also all sizes and configuration of matching items that can be used to create easy travel. One of my favorite things to do was to buy a flat cross-body where I could keep my passport, wallet, and any other immediate essentials, then have a larger bag for my onboard personal bag, along with a carry-on. The flat cross-body could easily slide into the top of the carry-on during security check and boarding, but be pulled back out and kept safely slung over across my body at all other times. This meant a tote of some kind, the carry-on, and the cross-body without breaking the rules.
The Weekender Bags are roomy, yet still small enough to be considered a personal bag. They also have the handy sleeve on the back that can slip over the extended handle of a carry-on. Vera Bradley is now also adding this to their backpacks, which also serve as personal bags when going through the airport.
However, I also have another reason for loving Vera Bradley. I now depend on the RFID bags when I travel to keep my personal information as safe as possible.
Several years ago my credit card was cloned and over the course of a single morning close to 600 dollars was taken out of my account. If I hadn’t woke up and saw the alerts in my email that money had been spent, the last 200 would have also been taken.
Luckily, my account was protected from theft and the money was quickly restored and a new card sent to me, but I never forgot that helpless feeling as I saw my account dwindle without having any control. It made me wish for the days where I did everything with cash.
Enter, Vera Bradley.
I have no idea how my card was cloned, although I have a suspicion about how a certain fast food place had no way to take cards and sent me to this very suspicious device in another store to get cash. Regardless, as soon as I found out that thieves could steal from your pocket, and I didn’t want to take any more chances. I had long since abandoned the convenience of ‘paying at the pump’ when I got gas because in Florida there had been a wave of inserts in pump devices that would clone your card instantly when you put it into gas pump pay system. I now, even in California where I haven’t really heard much about cloning being done, still go inside to pay with a card if I haven’t had a chance to pull cash.
One of the great advantages to many of the Vera Bradley bags is RFID protection technology built right into some the bags.
RFID technology is what provides the card user with the ability to tap a card to make a payment, for tollways to read pre-paid cards, and for information to be transmitted at a distance. Thieves use this technology to swipe your card information with gadgets that they design to take that information merely by being near you. RFID protection, which in many cases is as simple as aluminum foil lining, helps to create better protection for your devices and cards so that it is much more difficult for thieves to merely walk by you and gather all your information.
That matters to me. When you live on a tight budget all the time, the amount stolen today can have a profound effect, even if it is returned in a couple of days.
Vera Bradley has made some of their items protective against many of the ways in which thieves use their technology to get to your info. The purses that are designated to protect against theft will help to thwart thievery attempts against your info.
Now, the second advantage that I have discovered in the last few months as I have begun this journey of becoming a Travel Writer is the convenience of the Iconic RFID All in One Cross-Body by Vera Bradley.
This little bag has it all.
The first thing is that it is relatively light weight, and small enough to be unhooked from the cross-body strap and put into a larger tote bag as a wallet. They come with a wristlet strap as well, which makes them even more versatile.
However, the second thing is how much it can hold!
I will admit this takes some investment into the right type of things, but I was able to get all of my essentials into the bag, have it be closed properly and without stress, and leave my hands free for all of my great adventures!
I purchased a Canon SureShot camera that was approximately 2 and a half inches by 4 inches to fit in the back pocket, which is actually a zippered compartment that is split into two sections. The front section I keep free for cash and receipts. However, the back section where
I keep the camera also has a slim pocket and a slightly roomier pocket where cash could be held. I keep an extra $20 for emergencies hidden in that small space.
The second section nearer to the front is filled with pockets for credit cards and other assorted cards such as annual passes. I don’t carry all my credit cards when I go to places where they won’t be needed. My major credit cards, my annual pass cards for Six Flags, Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, and Universal Studios are always in the bag I choose for the day, just in case I want to make a quick stop for a swim at one of the water parks or need to run into a theme park for a special item. I also bought a small digital recorder the size of a thick pen that I slip into the front section so I can remember those little thoughts that often disappear by the time I get home.
The front flapped pocket is plenty big enough to hold my Galaxy 9 phone, so I imagine it would fit any phone of a similar or even slightly larger size!
Speaking of choosing a bag – there are so many! Everything from understated solid colors to pearlescent – or the traditional Vera Bradley print can be found in these handy little bags. The full price is $60 to $80 depending on the finish, but it is always possible to find them on sale for anywhere from $35 to $45. The lowest I have found is the $35, but if you sign up on the Vera Bradley site you can occasionally be offered limited time outlet prices on older patterns, which can amount to deep savings on these nifty little bags.
I am a sucker for things that match or coordinate, but the convenience of the RFID protection in my opinion is the strongest argument for becoming a Vera Bradley fan, especially for travel. The second is the amazing patterns, not all of which I love, but are diverse enough to fit into anyone’s taste.
You can find the bags at https://www.verabradley.com/us/Home, or go to the online stores of Macy's, Dillard's, or even Amazon to name a few. Vera Bradley has some free standing stores, as well as multiple places in which to see the bags in person. I found Dillard's to have the biggest selection in the store, but that may be different in other locations.
I don't own stock in Vera Bradley, nor have I any connection to the brand. I just love the advantages of the protection and the convenience of the hands free, small purse, with the roomy interior when planned properly. You will not regret trying out this bag!
Just a little practice comment - I hope you all enjoy what I am writing!