My Thoughts on the Everlane Form Bag

I wrote earlier that I had put an order in on the Everlane Form Bag. I finally received it after having to exchange it once (the bag I received the first time was oddly wrinkly and it bothered me!). I wanted to share my thoughts, as I couldn’t find very many reviews up (and all of the ones I’ve seen are positive/comped)! 

What prompted my purchase?

I wanted to switch to bringing a bag to work, instead of a backpack. The hesitation to do so was that I love all the function a backpack gives me. I have both hands available to me, can pack a lot of things into it, even weight distribution on the shoulders, great for travel… the list goes on. But it isn’t appropriate to wear a backpack in some professional settings (I hate carrying it when I travel for meetings), can read a little young, and it just isn’t fashionable sometimes. 

These reasons are actually why I was immediately drawn to the Everlane Form Bag. The whole ‘a computer bag that doesn’t look like one’ pitch was an instant sell. I carry my laptop to and from work everyday, in addition to my daily carry which consists of my wireless mouse, airpods, external battery, wallet, 16 oz nalgene, and a little pouch (contains Tide stick, hand sanitizer, emergency period supplies, a mirror, and whatever lip color I happen to be wearing). This expands and contracts depending on what time of the month it is ( - period stuff) or whatever the weather happens to be (+rain jacket, +scarf/hat/gloves). 

Pros of the Form bag: 

• * Really gorgeous design - great leather (par for the course for Everlane)
• * The strap is super comfortable and allows for different wear (over the shoulder, cross body); distributes weight really well
• * Magnetic closure is really nice; closes automatically, opens really easily. Gives the whole bag a really clean look.
• * Fits just what I need, and no more

Cons of the Form bag: 

• * Does not fit a Dell Latitude 13 inch laptop horizontally as advertised but DOES fit my Macbook Air. Have to put my laptop in vertically for it to fit. One note about even fitting a Macbook Air in - it’s really hard to do so, as the top of the bag is narrower than the bottom. You almost have to slide it in diagonally, and then readjust once it’s through the top. Then getting it out really difficult. I cringed imagining fighting with it in the morning in front of my manager. 
• * Note: My Macbook Air is 12.8 inches wide (edge to edge). My Dell Latitude is 12 inches wide (edge to edge). This was annoying, as the Everlane site mentioned that it fit a 13 inch laptop horizontally, and I believe that it does…. if you can get it through the opening at the top (which is narrower).
• * Vertical laptop means the magnetic closure doesn’t work, so the top of the bag stays open
• * Gets kind of lumpy when I put my daily carry (listed above) in. Really takes away from the sleek look of the bag.
• * Fits what I need, but no more

For me, I reluctantly returned the bag as I was looking for something for work. I REALLY wanted it to work out. It was literally perfect, and had my laptop fit while allowing for the top to close, I may have thought to keep it (and just dealt with the difficult in and out). I still recommend if you don’t regularly carry a laptop to/from work OR if you have a small laptop. Definitely measure your laptop before buying this bag if you’re planning to use it that way!