Why Are You Wearing That?: Vera Bradley

If you go to VCU, or any university for that matter, you know how college students dress. And if you know how college students dress, you know there are certain trends on campus that have some serious staying power. Semester to semester, year to year — people just can’t seem to let go of their favorite pieces or products. I’m on the hunt to find out why. This edition of ‘Why Are You Wearing That?’ explores the hype of Vera Bradley.

You see them everywhere — brightly colored, paisley printed, always quilted bags. If it looks like this, chances are it’s a Vera Bradley piece. Personally, I’ve never wanted anything from this particular brand. It just simply isn’t my style. I feel like paisley is a very hard pattern to make look chic and appealing, and frankly most of the color palettes are too gaudy for everyday use. Despite this, young women constantly tote them around. So, you know I had to ask ‘Why?’ I found the answers in two seemingly different collegiettes.

The Investigation

Like an unspoken rule, art majors are expected to have a certain sense of style. One girl that brings style to the classroom consistently is 22-year-old costume design senior Cierra Coan. She is extremely well-versed on the subject of Vera Bradley, as she has not one, not two, but seven various Vera Bradley products. Initially something her mom purchased to set them apart when traveling, the bright bags have now become a part of her life. When asked why she carries at least one piece (usually a laptop case) everyday, Cierra’s answer was easy.

“My mom went out of her way to buy them for me, so I want to use them as much as possible,” she said.

Although originally a gift, Cierra likes the bags for her own reasons as she says, “I like the colors.”

Another girl who can’t get enough of these eccentric bags is sophomore Hannah Bourassa, a 20-year-old Homeland Security major. Like Cierra, Hannah received her first Vera Bradley bag as a gift. Since then, she has acquired five additional pieces.

When asked exactly why she likes them, Hannah said, “I like them because they are made with exceptional quality, even if the pattern is a little funky.”

Of all the pieces she owns, Hannah’s favorite is her medium-sized makeup bag because it’s a nice size, she enjoys the look of it and most importantly, it’s vinyl lined! In addition to her makeup bag, Hannah’s other frequently used piece is her wallet keychain. Though she often sees Vera Bradley prints she doesn’t like, she said, “I enjoy all the ones I have.”

Talking to these ladies opened my eyes to the pros of Vera Bradley, but I still had to see for myself. They’ve got way more than just laptop and makeup bags on their site. In just the sale section I saw everything from lanyards to travel mugs to agendas to placemats to hair ties (and that’s barely scratching the surface)! Despite the sheer array of choices available, everything was still plastered with those dare I say it ‘awful’ paisley prints. It was apparent, however, that I had spoken too soon, because as I idly scrolled through their blog I happened upon one of my favorite things: leather handbags.

To my happy surprise, this is Vera Bradley’s first foray into leather, and I can say that they aren’t doing too shabby (I’m a sucker for leather backpacks). While there are still bags in this section I don’t care for, some are just too cute! And for those of you that prefer vegan, they’ve got faux leather too. I have yet to see these new editions on campus, but I’m sure they’re not too far off.

The Result

If you’ve been wondering why people frequent these bags, the answer is simple. Some people are fans of the print, some only enjoy the colors and others use them for their quality alone. From the art majors to political science majors and everything in between, you don’t have to be a certain type of girl to tote these bags; you just have to bear the paisley with pride…or you can wait for the leather like me. 

Sources:

 http://www.verabradley.com/blog/2014/09/22/look-whos-loving-leather/

http://www.verabradley.com/blog/

http://www.verabradley.com/category/sale/view-all.uts

Photo Sources:

http://www.verabradley.com/blog/2014/08/28/falling-for-new/

http://www.verabradley.com/blog/2014/09/09/fit-for-falls-festivals/

http://bowsandsequins.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/vera-bradley-leathe…

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