Ju Ju Be Trunk Show - guest blogger Viki

Did someone say “trunk show”?

    A short bit ago, it was posted in the Pink Room (Ju-ju-be’s forum) that there was going to be a trunk show at a Nordstrom store in Southern California to showcase the new Earth Leather Legacy bags as well as their new print, Dizzy Daisies.  Based on the pages and pages of responses from the So Cal Pink Ladies, as we Pink Room gals call ourselves, we knew this gathering was going to be a hit!  There was quite a bit of planning involved.  Everything was coordinated in advance, including lunch, clothing and what bags we were bringing. 
    Well, Nordstrom, I am sure, has never experienced anything like this group of Pink Ladies.  We “calmly” walked from lunch to Nordstrom.  After we were all awed by the presence of Rachelle (Mrs. Ju-ju-be) and Kristin (the fabulous JJB designer) we immediately set upon feeling, wearing, packing, reviewing and photographing the new BeHave, BeFabulous, and MightyBe, along with the Earth Leather accessories. 
    I must say, I was a bit apprehensive of the Earth Leather.  I am not a fan of pleather, and am a true leather lover at heart!  That being said, my fears were calmed as soon as I held one of these bags.  How does the EL feel, you ask?  Honestly, it feels like a thin glossy leather. It has a sheen to it that mellows with use.  The black EL has a slightly smoother texture and is a deep rich black.  The brown EL is slightly shinier and as more of a veined texture to it.

This EL has a more vintage feel to it and is the color of melted milk chocolate chips.

  I wasn’t able to see if the sheen on the brown EL softens with use, but I did see Kristin’s BeMajor (four months of continued use) and Rachelle’s BeHave (six weeks of use) which were both black.  They both were broken in and felt soft, smooth and pliable. 

Ju-ju-be has definitely outdone themselves with BeHave and the BeFabulous!  The organization in both of these bags would leave even the most OCD person speechless. 

(Inside of the BeHave) 

There were zip pockets, slip pockets, lip loops, and key leashes everywhere.  It’s all of those little details that make Ju-ju-be such a fabulous product.  Not only are these bags uber functional, they are also very chic. 
Oh BeHave-This bag is perfect for those mamas who are transitioning from a diaper bag to more of a toddler bag.  It can go from a day at the park to a night on the town!  The center fixed pocket is fantastic for storing diapers during the day, and then snacks and drinks for the movies with hubby at night!  I loved how this bag wore, both on the shoulder and crossbody (this is a MUST for any bag I own).  It is ingenius how the messenger strap just shortens up and is stored across the bottom of the bag!  Oh how I love a gorgeous hobo bag!!

Be Fabulous – so, picture vintage flight bag, circa 1960, and there you have the Be Fabulous and fabulous doesn’t even begin to describe how truly perfect this bag is.

 The bag has a slightly triangular shape in that the base is wider than the top.  This feature allowed the bag to sit upright when placed down. 

 The zipper closure is gusseted and runs up one side of the bag and down the other.  The flap will stay open on its own, making it a breeze to organize your bag and get things into and out of it.  FABULOUS!  Again, there are countless pockets throughout the BeFab including: a bottle pocket on either end of the bag, a long zip pocket on the back side of the bag for diapers, a mommy pocket on the front and a small pocket above the mommy pocket that is perfectly sized for a cell phone.

This bag was also comfortable being worn as both a shoulder bag and crossbody.  The styling on this bag is such that it would make a great diaper bag or travel bag! 

The mighty fine MightyBe – I must say, out of all the bags I tried on during the trunk show, I think the MightyBe was my favorite.  Don’t get me wrong, I LOVED the BeHave and the BeFabulous, but the MightyBe is the bag that is going to fill the niche in my bag collection that has been temporarily filled with various large mundane bags, like my reusable shopping totes that I use for groceries! 

This is the bag that I am going to use as my catch all bag for the park, beach, pool, grocery store etc.  I am planning to get a microfiber version of this bag to keep in my car (it folds up nicely and fits into a BeQuick, by the way!).  This is NOT a slight tote, oh no, it is MIGHTY!!  Unlike the microfiber version MightyBes, the Earth Leather MightyBe has an addition pocket under the small middle pocket on the front.  It also has 2 deep pockets on either side in the front and a longer pocket on the back of the bag.  There is a zipper pocket as well on the inside.  You can also see, from the picture about, that this bag has a loop on either end to connect it to your stroller via the BeConnected stroller clips or whatever clips you may have.  Though not intended to do so, these loops also function as an excellent place to connect a messenger strap for those who want to wear it crossbody (um….me!).  It is a large bag, so you probably wouldn’t want to wear it crossbody all the time, but for the beach, when you are wrangling kids….crossbody is a must.  The messenger strap does not come with the MightyBe and is not sold separately, so you will have to buy a BeHave or BeFabulous and use the one that comes with those bags. 
The Earth Leather accessories were absolutely adorable.  The interior of the BeRich, BeThrifty and BusinessBe are all Earth Leather, with the exception of the ID window which is lined with the coordinating print, either Dizzy Daisies or Zany Zinnias. 

The BeQuick and the BeMajor were my favorite accessory pieces.  Both of these are lined in a solid fabric, either envy green in the brown Earth Leather or lavendar in the black Earth Leather. 

One of the most luxurious features of all the bags in the Legacy collection is the zipper!  Ju-ju-be spared no expense in finding the best zipper for their products.  These are the same zippers used in the very expensive two initial French designer bag (was that cryptic enough?).  To see a demonstration of how smooth these zippers are, please click this You Tube link. This is Kristin’s black Earth Leather Be Major.  I knew I had to have one of these beauties after I played with hers!
What a spectacular collection Ju-ju-be has come up with.  I can wait until these bags are shipped and I can have them with me all the time!
Review by Viki
Photos by Viki and Michelle S.
Earth Leather will be available in May at Mamas and Munchkins, Ju Ju Shop and other select retailers.