A few months back, I wrote a detailed review on the Lo & Sons Seville Tote and planned to write a review on the Lo & Sons Pearl Saffiano Crossbody Bag shortly after. Whoops. Better late than never!
Searching for the Perfect Crossbody Travel Bag
I spent quite some time going back and forth on purchasing the Lo & Sons Pearl Crossbody – I was on the hunt for a plain, black leather crossbody bag that I could use for nights out and traveling (and not worry too much about it getting dirty). When Lo & Sons first launched the Pearl, I was intrigued by its practical design; however, I was unsure about the strength of the soft nappa leather.
At the end of 2015, I was excited to see they launched a saffiano leather version – which is a much more durable (read: easier to maintain) material. I finally pulled the trigger and purchased the Black Saffiano with Gold Hardware version in March 2016, ahead of a few international trips I had planned.
The Design
Like other Lo & Sons bags, the Pearl is very thoughtfully designed – there are plenty of secure inner pockets along with the two main zipper compartments that make up the exterior of the bag. Their website has an in-depth overview of its features, so I won’t go into too much detail here. I was able to fit a surprising amount of items in the bag (more on that below), and the different compartments helped ensure that I keep everything organized. The outer pockets were useful for frequently used items, such as subway tickets, maps and keys. I used the pocket closest to my body to hold my wallet and passport while traveling – I had no issues with wayward hands trying to pickpocket me, even while traveling through busy cities in Europe.
I also liked that they made the crossbody strap adjustable – I often run into crossbody bags that are just a smidge too long, since I have a shorter torso. The adjustable strap made it easy to find the perfect fit – the only thing I would change about this bag is the adjustment buckle, as the oval shape makes it tough to feed the strap through. And (in my opinion), it doesn’t look as nice as a rectangular / square buckle. However, I do like that it’s easy to transform the bag into a clutch by removing the longer part of the strap. This 2-in-1 functionality was great for traveling, since I wanted to minimize my packing.
Durability
Now that I’ve owned this bag for 9+ months, I can say with confidence that it’s made to last. The tough saffiano leather continues to look luxe with minimal wear, despite my banging it into doors / walls / chairs / trees. One concern I had with the original nappa leather version was that it might lose its shape over time – this is something that I haven’t had to worry about with the saffiano version. The stitching on the bag itself and the strap has stayed in place – no visible fraying from what I can see.
How I Packed the Pearl Crossbody
The image below shows what I managed to fit inside my crossbody while traveling – as you can see, it can carry quite a bit for such a small bag. Perhaps not as spacious as the Rebecca Minkoff M.A.C., but still pretty roomy nonetheless.
I can easily slide my Kindle Paperwhite inside the main compartment or either of the zippered compartments. In the second photo, you can see that the bag is slightly overstuffed – everything still fits inside, but the bag won’t button up completely. Typically, I’m not too worried about this if I’m running errands or doing something casual.
By removing my sunglasses and sunscreen, I’m able to fasten each of the three buttons comfortably.
The Verdict
Like the Seville Tote, the Lo & Sons Pearl Crossbody is a practical bag that looks great as well. A+ from me!
UPDATE: January 2020
I still have this crossbody, and it is in fantastic shape more than 3 years later. Recently, I brought it on my travels to Japan & Taiwan (more here on packing for both hot & cold weather in one trip) over the holidays. The Pearl is still one of the best daytime travel bags out there. I would post updated pictures, but there’s no need since it looks exactly the same and hasn’t shown any wear and tear.
Partnership Disclosure: This blog post was not sponsored by any of the brands listed above. As always, all opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links, in which I earn a commission on purchases.
