Petunia Pickle Bottom Sashay Satchel

Sashay Satchel in Central Park North Stop

( Black with Gold Hardware)

When I first started to look for a new bag of course I started with Petunia Pickle Bottom.  Their bags are so dang cute and I hadn't really noticed other brands at this point, so I was on the hunt for a petunia bag.  I loved the boxy backpack style but it just looked too big for my needs at the time and I didn't really like the Velcro closure (they now have a magnetic closure for their newer boxy backpacks).  I came across the satchel and fell in love!  It looks like a larger purse and it still has the option to be carried like a backpack, which I love.  I have owned all three types of fabrics that this bag comes in.

Glazed:  Great for clean up because you can just wipe the bag down and all the dirt comes off , but the bottle pockets don't have as much give in the fabric because it is so stiff.

Organic Cotton:  I love all of the super cute prints in the cotton, but the major drawback for me was always worrying about getting it dirty.  You really can't clean these bags which is a major bummer.  I always carried a Tide to go pen and used it every time I saw a little mark to try to keep the bag looking nice, but cleaning your bag on every outing is no way to live.

Embossed:  This brings me to the fabric I found I liked the best!  It is so pretty and I love that it is a softer material because I can stretch the bottle pockets to fit my toddlers sippy cups.  Still only spot clean, but since I chose the black style it has been very easy to keep clean and I am not worried about it getting dirty all the time.

The version that I have has this gold zipper that I really like because it makes the bag stand out a little more.  Also, I have never had a problem with any of the zippers on my Petunia bags.

The Bottom of all the Satchels have the glazed material which is super great for clean up and I am never worried to put it down on the ground.  You moms know the diaper bag ends up on the ground now and then.

Backpack straps that aren't removable, but they can be tucked into the long back pocket.  This is a downside for some, but it has never bothered me to just tuck them away when I don't want to use them.

 Front Pocket with a magnetic closure.  It also has a small cell phone pocket, but it is hard to see.

 Back pocket that is pretty much the same as the front, but without the smaller pocket on the inside.  You can also see in this picture that the backpack straps are attached to the bag and this is the pocket you would use to tuck them away.

The zipper pulls are metal on this bag, but on most petunia bags it is a fabric pull, so I like this one better just because it seems a little sturdier.

This bag does not come with a messenger strap, but I purchased one for it because when it is heavily packed this is the most comfortable way to carry the bag.  The two handles are a good size, but they tend to dig into your shoulder and for me it hurts after a while of carrying a loaded bag.

The inside if the bag is a generous size, but I do wish they had more pockets.  The little bottle pockets on the inside are kind of a joke because they are so tiny.  Also, if you do have a bottle on the inside pocket it will be hard to get a bottle on the outside pocket and vice versa.  The zippered pocket is nice, but I do wish it was a little wider to fit my checkbook in it.  I can still squeeze it in but it is a tight fit.  The two pockets on the front will fit diapers and wipes. This bag comes with a glazed changing pad and a wipes case, but I keep all my changing needs in a Ju Ju Be Be Quick, so these pockets are good for toys, extra outfits and toiletries.  The key clip also comes in handy for me, so I really like that feature.

Petunia Pickle Bottom Pros and Cons:

Pros: 

•  Excellent materials are used to make these bags and it feels like you are carrying a luxury bag.  It's like that saying "you get what you pay for", and you really do with this brand.
• Many varieties of colors and styles to fit any mom's personality
• Can be found easily on Ebay and Petunia outlet sale to get a better price
• Different ways to carry the bag
• Bag keeps it's shape even when fully packed.  Many bags I have had lose their cute shape and bulge out in places if the bag is full, but not this one. 

Cons:

• The biggest problem for me is this bag gets heavy fast.  Even lightly packed this bag is on the heavier side.
• Not Machine washable
• Dark colored lining on the inside makes it hard to see things
• Straps are not made to be comfortable
• Not enough organization on the inside
• Bottle pockets need to be made more functional

Overall I love this bag because it looks great for nice occasions and I know that I can use this bag even when all my kids have grown out of diapers.  There are some things that I wish I could change about it and it's weight keeps me from carrying it every day ( I have a couple diaper bags I like to rotate through depending on the occasion), but it is beautiful, pretty functional and I love the high quality of the materials.

Let me know if you have any more questions about the Satchel or the Petunia Pickle Bottom brand.  I have done so much research  that I most likely know the answer:)