Shoes

[christine1313]

Hi all!

I'm a recent Dooney fan and have been drooling over the buckley. Based on reviews and input from a few of you, I've decided to focus on the florentine buckley and not the toledo. I'm a self-confessed purse junkie and anticipate that I will be harder on my bags now that I have 3-month old twin boys. For the last few months, I have been using the samba satchel and love it in the crossbody mode. But I find myself constantly thinking about that buckley! So, can anyone tell me whether or not the florentine leather is high maintenance? I have a LV that I love but barely use because I'm afraid of damaging it and don't want to do this with the buckley if I buy it. I was thinking the solid black one would probably be the best for me, but any other thoughts? Should I just stay away from this bag given my new status as a mom of twin boys and my fear of damaging it? Any info is appreciated.

[stevieb]

It depends on whether or not you want a bag to remain pristine or whether you like them to develop patina. If you want a bag to remain very clean and new looking, I'd suggest Florentine isn't for you. It does scratch easily and while small abrasions rub out, it will develop signs of wear. To me, that's part of the beauty of this leather, but again, if you prefer a bag to remain in 'like new' condition and don't want to have to 'baby' the bag to achieve that result, Florentine is probably not your best bet, though the more 'textured' or pebbled Florentine wears a bit better than the smooth. I prefer the smooth. If I wanted pebble, I'd buy pebble or Dillen and pay less for it!

[tough_kitty]

I agree with stevieb. I love my Florentine leather satchel in chestnut, and it seems to look fine since it's a darker color....and no outside pockets....but I recently purchased the Saddle bag in grey Flo leather and it's already all scratched in the bag, due to using the back outside pocket....I don't think the look with all the scratches is worth paying over $300 for it.... Might not be an issue with the Buckley bag....if you are careful with it, and only use it as a "car" bag, to quote one of the recent posters (as opposed to a "commuter" bag...)

[jaxs mom]

I've had no problem with my Flo bags and I carried the same one nearly daily for over a year, before I started switching off again. I've been caught in the rain with them, taken them out in the snow and carried them in low humidity environments. I'm not really rough on my bags in general though.

Well I've had one problem, one of my cats loves to chew on the corners of the leather, but that isn't Dooney's fault lol.

Are you sure you want a bag that can't be worn crossbody with twins though?

[blackhole99]

If you want a Flo bag that doesn't cost 300 dollars try the Patricia Nash line on Shop HQ. They don't advertise the bags as Flo leather, but they are, just not refined like D&B. The bag I got months ago was a nice big bag in brown and it does get scratched up, but that's it's charm.

[christine1313]

Thank you for all of the feedback stevieb, tough_kitty, jaxs mom and baker! I really appreciate it. Sounds like if I do want to go with the buckley, I need to be fine with wear (which I am) and a darker color would be better. I had been considering the gray so hearing feedback on that color really helps. While I like the functionality of crossbodies, something about the buckley is just pulling me in. And I have a few crossbodies now that serve me very well. This could be more my bag for going to/from the office or going out. I will also check out the Patricia Nash line. I hadn't heard of it before but it sounds very interesting.

Thanks again!!!

[Lavenderjunkie]

I agree with stevieb in her description of Florentine leather. For a handbag that stands up to daily wear, the Dillen or pebbled leather are your best bets. If you do buy Florentine leather, in my experience the black Florentine stands up best and shows the least wear and fewest scratches.

[christine1313]

Thanks again! After a crazy morning where one of my boys woke up sick and we had to rush to the pediatrician, I'm thinking that staying with a crossbody may be my best option for now. Perhaps I will look at the small flo satchel. That buckley continues to pull me in but at the moment I'm thinking I need to be a bit more practical. Of course, I can't guarantee I won't change my mind!