Kate Spade New York Mini Candace Bag | Review

As you would have seen from my previous haul post, I finally got a Kate Spade bag! I had wanted one for so long but I'm so bad at making decisions on items that are a little more luxe than I'd usually purchase, so I put it off until finally I decided on the Cameron Street Mini Candace in Black.

Something I noticed while looking through reviews on this bag were that there were so many mixed feelings about it! The things I read almost turned me off it and made me think I should look for something else, but I'm so happy I decided to grab it anyway.

I thought I'd help out any future buyers of this particular bag (if you can still find it!), or any other Kate Spade mini, by doing a full review with all my thoughts.

Firstly I have to say that this bag exceeded my expectations. So many reviewers had been disappointed by the size, had said it was hard to reach into the opening of the bag without getting scratched and that overall it was just too small of a bag. I completely disagree. I bought it knowing all these issues other people had, and I thought at least I won't be too disappointed if it is that way. I loved the style of the bag and decided to give it a chance anyway.

How It Arrived

I bought the bag from Shopbop and it came packed in a simple clear plastic bag to keep it separated from the rest of the items in my box of new purchases. Inside the bag was a folded dust bag, the price tag, a little care card and the long bag strap. I felt like it could have been packed a little more carefully or securely... in case the box was squashed along the way. But luckily, everything was fine.

Colour

The Mini Candace in Black is a bold black, not faded or coloured in any way. The fabric is stiff with a slight flexibility, exceptional quality and a cross-hatch pattern in texture. There are gold details on the bag - the zipper, long strap clips, the embossed Kate Spade logo on the front, the base of the decorative swing tag and the little buttons on the bottom of the bag to keep it standing up.

The gold on the swing tag looks scratched however it's just the reflection :)

Handles

The sturdy handles on this bag stay upright and they've become one of my favourite features. They make it so easy to grab the bag quickly if needed, so you don't have to fumble around with straps. They're also rounded so they sit comfortably on the arm if you wanted to carry the bag that way. Some people said how the handles got in the way when trying to get in the bag, but I don't find that at all. I think it's more so a good thing, as it's not simple for a crazy bag intruder to get into it without making it obvious. 😊

The long strap can be clipped on at the top of the bag and it's adjustable in size. It's thin, but not so thin that you'd fear it snapping.

Pockets

The main pocket of the bag is in a black and white stripe fabric. There's a little zip pocket on one side of it and a non-zipped pocket on the other. The base of the main pocket is flat and is wider on the inside than what you'd think, as the bag pokes out on both sides.

There is also a pocket on the front of the bag which has a gold magnetic press clip on the inside. My iPhone 7 Plus fits in there easily, still with the ability to clip the pocket shut. I love to pop it in there while I'm shopping as it's easy to grab out if needed.

The Size

It's the perfect small size for anyone who doesn't like to carry a bulky handbag around. A lot of reviewers had been disappointed in the size, saying it's way too small, although when I received it it was bigger than I had expected. I would say because I'm so used to carrying small bags.

It's bigger than all the small sling bags I've been using lately, yet smaller than a regular sized handbag. I can fit everything I need into it - my phone, a small makeup bag and my card holder. If you carry a wallet, that would definitely fit in as well. The thing that takes up most of the space in my bag is the makeup case, so without that there really is a lot of room.

The Style

I think the reason I love the style of this bag so much is because it reminds me of a mix between the Saint Laurent Sac De Jour and the Celine Mini Luggage Tote, two bags I've admired for so long. I wanted a black bag, something that can't go out of style, something not too trend-driven and will last me many years to come. It's hard to go wrong with a black bag and I think the mix of gold details gives it that extra luxurious vibe.

I truly don't have anything bad to say about this bag. I think if you're used to carrying around a regular-sized handbag and like room to carry more than the essentials, a mini size is probably not for you. However, if you want something light to carry on your arm or over your shoulder to go shopping and you don't carry too much with you, it's honestly perfect.

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