Interesting Patterns from Vera Bradley...

As I've mentioned before, I'm a huge fan of Vera Bradley bags.  They are by far my favorite bag/accessory/luggage company for a few reasons.  The first being that they are practical, and affordable, appropriate for every day use.  Also I love American companies, especially those with a good mission statement.  I love how much money they raise for Cancer research, it's really great for a company to give back as much Vera Bradley does!  If you check out their blog, insidestitch.com they frequently have posts about various volunteer work members of the company partakes in.  Seems like a really fun place to work to me!!

Anyway, that being said, I'm wondering what's going on with the patterns for the next few seasons.  In the past I've found it very hard to choose just one new bag, because so many patterns are adorable!!  But the upcoming patterns for the next season are just...weird (to me).  There's a wonderful vera lover and blogger over at ohmyvera.com who often posts pictures very early of upcoming pattern.  She just posted the patterns for summer 2012, and before that she posted the upcoming winter patterns, and then spring.  I liked one pattern for spring (Ellie Blue) which I was able to purchase at the preview... but that's it!  The rest of them are SO BRIGHT, and huge flowery motifs.  Would it be so difficult to bring back something like the old classic patterns??

Nantucket Navy, my very first Vera was in this pattern.

Houndstooth Brown My second Vera!

Alpine Black my third :).

I wish my bags from Highschool had survived, but Alas, they are long gone!  And now there's nothing at all like them available.  I miss the simplicity of these patterns, they really went with anything as opposed to the more vibrant colors available now...

This is Happy Snails, my favorite for fall/winter.  I think it's beautiful but boy it's just so different than what Vera Bradley used to mean!  

 One result of the company's change in direction (Much more stylish) is fantastic bags like this Flap Satchel from their delightfully named Middleton collection!  I fell in love with it when I saw it in the catelogue, and lucky girl that I am, my boyfriend bought it for me!  So I guess it works out well that I'm not into the patterns for the rest of the year!  I'm wondering what other vera fans think of the new patterns/collections.  I find that the special collections are a lot preppier these days, but that's just me...

Two bags that came out this spring.  I love both of them so much, I do hope bags like this continue to be made!  

XOXO B

Pattern images from verabradley.com