Friday, March 14, 2014

Little Black Bag Review 2014!

Hey guys!  My last review of Little Black Bag inspired a bunch of you to sign up yourselves - yay!  I hope you found the review helpful, and since you used my referral link, I got a bonus item in my next bag!  I thought I'd do another review of my latest bag.

I've been really enjoying the variety of items available on LBB.  If you want a detailed rundown of how it works, please see my last post - but it's basically a website where you pick an item (shoes, bag, jewelry, accessories) that you want.  The item is then bundled with a few "surprises," and you can then trade everything for a week with other site users.  All the trading happens before the items ship, so you know you're getting exactly what you see online in brand new condition.  New items come up almost every day.

One of my favorite things about LBB is their promotions.  Seems there is always something going on - free bonus items, sales on bags, or just a plain ol' coupon.  I got $10 off and decided to take the plunge on a Betsey Johnson bag I'd been wanting.

I reloaded until I got "bonus" items I thought I might like - a beauty product from Minerologie and accessories from Dye Ties, plus an extra bonus for referring someone.  Your referral bonus is a product worth $50 - not one that costs $50.  I got something called a "bangles case."  What the heck is that?! I stared at the item for a long time and still couldn't figure it out.  LBB, I love you, but you need to hire some better writers to describe the items.  I guess a bangles case is a pouch to keep your bracelets in so they don't get tangled... except my bangles never get tangled... and is that such a global problem that they needed their own pouch?  Anyway, I knew I had to get rid of that ASAP.

The beauty item was an eyeliner, and eyeliner freaks me out, I traded it pretty quickly.  Here's what I ended up with:

Betsey Johnson Front Stripe Speedy Satchel:




My husband actually said, "Wow, that's a cool bag."  Which is saying a lot.  He thinks the quilting looks like the seat of an old car, haha.  I got a lot of offers for this bag, but I turned 'em all down.  I like that it will go with anything, and I'm willing to overlook the subtle (but kinda cheesy) heart details.  It's the perfect size, and the strap drop is just right - fits under your arm comfortably. Tag says $98.00, but who's paying that for a non-leather bag??  Came nicely wrapped and had no flaws.

Jules Smith Bow Charm Necklace:


Cute and easy to wear - it'll go with lots of stuff.  Looks like it's good quality, and the bow charm is sparkly but delicate enough to be wearable.  Original price was $65, but again, I find that hard to believe.  I'm seeing them on eBay for around $30, which seems more reasonable.

K. Kreative Rope Chain Link Bracelet:



Looked interesting and funky online.  In person, it's kinda cheap-looking.  The gold chain is really lightweight and flimsy, probably just painted plastic.  I actually can't find this brand sold elsewhere, which is odd, but it's the kind of jewelry I wouldn't pay more than $5-$10 for.  I'll probably skip this brand in the future.

Dye Ties At World's End Headbands:



These were a huge surprise.  I was curious about these, since they are always floating around LBB.  I figured if they were a total bust, I'd use them for working out.  I actually really like them!  They're super sparkly, and not in a cheap way, either.  They're not too snug, though I must admit that the fabric is just a little itchy due to the sparkle.  Not much of a problem except for places where it touches my neck - but I got used to it.  On the Dye Ties website, each headband sells for $10 apiece.  I believe LBB had them listed as $18.

Here I am looking matchy-matchy, but I was making dinner and already had my hair up - the headband was the perfect way to keep hair out of my face (and food) but still look presentable.

All in all, I continue to feel like LBB is a good deal for the occasional accessories purchase.  The cost for all the above items (plus shipping/tax) was $50.40, which seems like a great deal to me.  I'd pay $40 for the bag alone.  The trading element is super fun, though it can also be stressful, so make sure you have time to trade during the week you choose!  Just make sure to skip the month before the 5th, or you'll be charged $9.95 on the 6th, though it goes to your next bag.  You can cancel at any time.

You can use my referral link to save 25% on your first bag/bundle - now THAT's a great deal.

Hope you found this helpful!  What do you think of Little Black Bag?  Have you scored any great deals?  Feel free to ask any questions in the comments!  LBB maintains its 8 on the Awesome Meter for stylish and affordable accessories and a very fun way to shop!