If you've been following the Discontinued Styles page here on Totes Dagne, you
may have noticed quite a few items crept their way onto the list. Many
of them happen to be my all-time favorite styles! Instead of writing a detailed
review for each style (if I haven't already), I'd like to share a few photos and thoughts about all of them in one post. This post has been well over two years in the making, by the
way 🌚
As much as I love Dagne's leather bags, I understand the shift to neoprene. I
know I couldn't have built the collection I have without buying their leather
bag styles second-hand. Zero of my Charlies (or Simones!) were purchased through
Dagne Dover directly, and the two Avas I did purchase through the website were
heavily discounted during a sample sale. Although the leather bags will always be my favorite, I only found myself purchasing
consistently from the brand itself after the focus shifted to small leather
goods and neoprene styles. (The referral/rewards programs have been vital for me in that
regard as well.)
Jan 2019: To give you some perspective on what a bad customer I was
while these bags were still available: after adding up all of the
discontinued styles I own, I discovered I only purchased 21% of those styles
from Dagne Dover directly. If you remove the Elle Clutches from the
equation, it drags that percentage down to a measly 9%.
I reviewed the Small and Large Andras in depth on Totes Dagne in early 2019 (see it here!), but with the recent release of the Epic Crossbody style, I wanted to compare the three in depth. I've uploaded an overview on Youtube and will share additional details here. Many of my thoughts regarding the Andras are copied or paraphrased from my previous review.
The video has no narration and includes various size comparisons, packing examples, and a strap length adjustment demonstration. Please consider setting the video quality to 1080p for a better viewing experience.
Small Andra Specs:L 8” x H 5.25” x W 2”, .8 lbs, 21" - 22.5" crossbody strap drop length
Epic Crossbody Specs:L 7.75” x H 6” x W 2.75”, .9 lbs, 20" crossbody strap drop length, 4.5" handle
Medium Andra Specs:L 9 ½” x H 6 ¾” x W 3 ½”, 1.4 lbs, 21" - 23" crossbody strap drop length
A few things to note:
The leather on the Andras is quite stiff and rigid
With the exception of certain limited edition styles (such as Holographic Leather and Block Party Print), the Epic Crossbody is made of coated canvas with leather trim and an interior mix of coated canvas and polyester. The lower back of the bag appears to be made of a smooth leather.
The Small Andra and Epic Crossbody have a key clip instead of a key leash
The Andras are meant to be worn crossbody, but because I don't care for the straps they come with, I substituted the original crossbody straps with the straps from my Coach Dinky 24 bags (as the thinner Coach straps can be brought/doubled through the side loops to create a much shorter strap length); the short strap from the Epic can also be used as an alternate option.
My iPhone 7 fits in the back slip pocket of the Epic and both Andra sizes (provided the body of the bag isn't too overstuffed).
When I saw the Epic pop up during the FW19 release, I immediately wondered what it meant for the Andras. Can these two very similar styles co-exist within the Dagne Dover line-up, or is the Epic meant to become the Andra's replacement? The FW19 sale section is still chock-full of Small and Medium Andras, and they weren't released in this most recent season's colorways—a first for both sizes. On the other hand, the Epic Crossbody was released in three SS20 colorways; Pomelo, Lime (with an exclusive short resin chain strap), and Block Party Print in Leather. It will be interesting to see how this plays out over future releases.
I don't own a regular coated canvas Epic Crossbody, but I do own one of the limited edition leather versions in Block Party Print. The leather feels thinner/more flexible on the Epic than the Andras, which could be due in part to the polyester lining. (This also helps reduce the overall stiffness of the bag, which I appreciate.) The Epic comes with a short handheld strap as well as a non-adjustable crossbody strap. I love hand-carrying bags and never cared for the adjustable Andra crossbody straps, so both strap designs are winners to me!
The Andra and the Epic are great for quick errands and for going out to dinner. These bags definitely require an intentional packing strategy. Small, modular items are the key to unlocking the potential of the Small Andra and Epic Crossbody in particular. If you'd prefer to wear these at shoulder bag height, I would suggest investing in a Coach Dinky chain strap (or something similar) that can be doubled up through the D-ring to reduce the strap's length.
If you're no stranger to packing light, either one of these styles could be a good match for you. If you prefer to bringALL the things, I suspect the size and rigidness of these styles might drive you nuts in no time. 😜 Keep an eye on the Sale section for discounted seasonal colors if you're looking to try one out at a lower price—as of the time of writing, there are Small Andras for $99 (normally $155), Medium Andras for $119 (normally $195), and Epics for $89 (normally $145).
Did this post help you choose an Andra or Epic Crossbody? Let me know what color you got! Leave me a comment here or on Instagram (@totesdagne).
Please let me know if you have any questions or requests for additional comparison photos—I'll do my best to help. If you decide to make a first-time purchase through Dagne Dover, please consider clicking this link for $20 off your first $100+ purchase! (If you make a qualifying purchase, Dagne Dover will gift me $20 in spending credit as part of their new Dagne Rewards program!) The link will take you to Dagne Dover's home page, where a unique $20 off code should pop up after a few seconds.
If you're looking to buy used Dagne Dover items, please consider using my Poshmark, Mercari, Tradesy, and/or thredUP referral codes to receive sign-up bonuses for yourself AND to support me and my shopping habit. Your support is greatly appreciated!
Here's a long-overdue comparison between the Small and Medium Andra! A few general notes and observations before diving into things:
Small Andra Specs:L 8” x H 5.25” x W 2”, .8 lbs, 21" - 22.5" crossbody strap drop length
Medium Andra Specs:L 9 ½” x H 6 ¾” x W 3 ½”, 1.4 lbs, 21" - 23" crossbody strap drop length
The leather on both bags is quite stiff and rigid;
The Small Andra has a key clip instead of a key leash;
The Andra is meant to be worn crossbody, but I substituted the original crossbody straps with the straps from my Coach Dinky 24 bags out of personal preference (as the thinner Coach straps can be brought/doubled through the side loops to create a much shorter strap length);
My iPhone 7 fits in the back slip pocket of both the Small and Medium sizes.
I don't use my Andras often because I like to be able to carry a bottle of water in my purse. Even though I usually gravitate toward the Tiny/Petite totes more for their ease of use, I feel that both Andra sizes work great for quick errands or for going out to dinner (and I've got to say that writing this post has definitely renewed my appreciation for the Andra's design!). If you don't like wearing bags exclusively crossbody, you may want to look into purchasing or substituting a thinner strap for your Andra—I'm not aware of an easy way to adjust the original strap up to shoulder bag length.
Small Andra
The Small Andra is great for the bare essentials! It's comparable in length and height to the Small Parker/Airmesh pouches from the 365 collection, but is slightly shorter and wider. Small, modular items are the key to unlocking this bag's potential. The Accordion Travel Wallet fits inside this crossbody, but takes up most of the space inside; the Card Case or Accordion Card Case are a better fit.
Small Scout Pouch Size Comparison
With Accordion Travel Wallet
The example items below consist of a small notepad, a standard BAGGU bag, a lip product, the Accordion Card Case in Lychee, keys, and a travel-sized bottle of hand sanitizer. (The flap still closes shut over each of these interior configurations!)
With keys outside
With keys inside
Coach Dinky 24 Strap (doubled to shorten length)
I bought these adorable keychains ("The Original String Doll Gang") at the Denver Art Museum, and they're made by a company called Kamibashi.
MEDIUM Andra
The Medium Andra can fit a surprising number of items, plus a small tablet or Kindle fits nicely in the front interior slip pocket. The exterior slip pocket is 8" wide and can hold a thin smart phone or mini notebook. If you tend to carry a bunch of smaller items and prefer a structured bag silhouette, this could potentially be a great 'everyday' bag for you!
Pictured with small Scout Pouch and Accordion Card Case / Accordion Travel Wallet in front interior pocket
Pictured with old iPad Mini with case in front interior pocket (circa 2012)
Comparison Photos
Fit Test
Small Allyn
Small Dakota
Simone
Ava
Small Landon
Mini Tote
Please let me know if you have any questions or requests for additional comparison photos—I'll do my best to help. If you decide to make a first-time purchase through Dagne Dover, please consider clicking this link for $20 off your first $100+ purchase! (If you make a qualifying purchase, Dagne Dover will gift me $20 in spending credit as part of their new Dagne Rewards program!) The link will take you to Dagne Dover's home page, where a unique $20 off code should pop up after a few seconds.
If you're looking to buy used Dagne Dover items, please consider using my Poshmark, Mercari, Tradesy, and/or thredUP referral codes to receive sign-up bonuses for yourself AND to support me and my shopping habit. Your support is greatly appreciated!
