I recently purchased the Hampton Hobo as a holiday gift to myself to close out this year.
This style of bag was one that I had been looking at for some time as I thought it could make a wonderful substitution for the Gucci Jackie that I have had my eye on for a while.
The biggest issue I was having thought was that I couldn’t find a color way I was in love with when it came to the Coach Hamptons Hobo.
That all changed with the release of the Coach Candy Crystal Collection.
As someone who has always gravitated towards colorful and vibe-y prints and patterns; a rainbow crystal collection was always going to be right up my alley.
So of course I got it the moment that I could.
I normally like to wait a bit before I review a bag because I strongly believe use over time is so important.
But the Hamptons Hobo is a bag that actually has a lot of reviews out there already.
So instead, I’m going to share with you my first impressions, and why I’ll be keeping this bag even though I do think it has some design flaws.
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Shop in demand Coach Crystal Collection items available at Macy’s
The Hamptons Hobo Bag History
Originally released in 2005 the Hamptons Hobo embodies the y2k aesthetic that is currently trending.
The ‘limited’ run for the Hamptons Hobo is part of Coach’s ‘Originals Collection’ to pay homage to the brands more timeless and vintage styles.
Similar to the Prada re-edition though, I do think this style will stick around for a some time as it’s a design that people really like.
The popularized crescent moon shape is one that fits prefect under the arm, making it an ideal shape for those who are on the move.
The addition of a buckle provides both security but also a textural elements to the bag that gives it a highly stylized look similar to the Gucci Jackie.
Originally, this bag was released in leather styles. However for a few collections–the crystal collections included; Coach decided to release this style in canvas with a their signature jacqured print and leather trim.
I personally love this print from Coach and I think we’ll see more of it as it is trendy, nostalgic and cheaper to produce.
Shop the Gucci Mini Jackie in crystal at Fashionphile.com
About the Crystal Collections
What fits
- 🎀Louis Vuitton PM Agenda
- 🎀Romy Wallet
- 🎀Small lip gloss
- 🎀AirPods
- 🎀Compact Mirror
- 🎀Cell Phone
- 🎀Eyedrops
- 🎀Tower28 Spray
There will be some argument about this, but I would consider the Coach Hamptons Hobo to be on the smaller side of medium for a handbag.
I could stretch the bag a bit and fit my work phone as well but then it starts becoming a bit harder to zip close. So I have to choose between my planner or work phone when I carry this purse.
It’s not tiny link a Pochette or WOC, but you’re not fitting a whole bunch in it either.
Comfortably, I’m able to fit my romy wallet, my AirPods, a small compact mirror, my cellphone, a small mp3 (I have become quite the bibliophile as of late), eye drops and a lip product.
When it comes to categorizing bag sizes, a lot of it is subjective. But based on the limited amount of things I can carry at a time, I would call it a small bag with a larger foot print.
Shop Crystal Collection pieces at Selfridges
Quality
One thing that I appreciate about Coach is that I rarely run into quality issues with them as a brand.
I always worry about the quality of collections that come out with a lot of fan fair because it feels like certain companies skip QC now days.
But again, this is rarely the case with Coach and this crystal collection seems to be no expedition.
While they did forget to gift wrap my bag ( I did ask for this service), all my crystals came intact, the stitching is even and the leather in great condition.
My bag was produced in Vietnam, which I feel is important to say because many still hold on to this notion that the best atelier are in Europe.
But as I wrote in this blog here, between the factory conditions in Europe and training, some of the best tailoring work is going to be found in Asia.
And in fact, most of the European brands are first produced in Asian markets before finishing touches are added in Europe, so they have very skillful artisans and leather craftsmen.
What I’m not loving
First of all the strap— I’m not a huge fan of them on this bag.
Part of this is due to my own biology because I naturally have a more slender slope to my shoulders, but this bag doesn’t want to stay put.
This is a shoulder bag but I mostly end up wearing it in the crock of my arm because it’s always sliding down.
I think this problem may resolve over time though as the leather naturally softens and the strap becomes more mold-able to my body.
The functionality of this bag is also a bit annoying. I like how the buckle looks, but I honestly find that it gets in the way for most day to day functions.
Shop Coach crystal collection at Bloomingdales.com
But beyond that, because the zipper is on an up curve under your arm pit, the bag isn’t easy to unzip while still on your shoulder. This is a bit different than the Louis Vuitton Pochette which is flat and easier to get in and out of.
The Hamptons Hobo is also a little bulky for a smaller bag too, so it feels like it’s a big fuss just to move in and out of it.
It leaves me with the urge to want to leave it unzipped while I’m shopping. Except I can’t because then the bag would be completely exposed to pick pockets ( or in my case more likely to spill all over the place).
Lastly, because this bag is tapered at the bottom, it doesn’t stand on its own. So again there is a high chance of the content of your bag spilling out.
I would consider all these things minor inconveniences. But I feel they are important enough to bring up as some people might not want to deal with these issues at all.
And all together they could be deal breakers for buying the handbag for many.
Why I’m Keeping the Hamptons Hobo
Despite the issues I have with the bag, I find myself not wanting to return it.
Part of this is because it is a piece from this particular collection. Like I said earlier, most anything rainbow or crystal will grab my attention.
If I’m being 100% real, I KNOW this is the biggest factor for me. If this was any other color way, I probably would have passed on this bag again.
But there is something about the silhouette that I’m just loving as well.
There is room for improvements with the overall functionality of the bag, but the general silhouette gives me that YK2 vibe of my formidable teenage years that I’ve been craving lately.
And while I did complain about the flat design of the bag earlier, I do like how it sits flush against the body. So while it might not stand up on its own and may be fussy to deal with at times, it does feel comfortable to wear.
It’s almost as if it blends into my body and I can forget that I’m even wearing the bag, even when its squished up in the crook of my arms like a clutch (which in fact I have on a few occasions and it has cause temporary panic lol).
Again, the Hamptons Hobo isn’t the prefect bag by any stretch— at least for me. But for all its faults and quirks, it’s a bag that I just keep coming back too.
Final Thoughts
If I’m being 100% honest, I truly believe that the biggest draw for me is that this is from the Candy Crystal collection.
I feel that I’m more in love with the color way than anything else with this bag.
This is okay because the bag is functional enough for daily use despite its challenges.
Since starting this blog, I have done a bit of traveling with the Hamptons Hobo and it does hold up in planes, trains and automobiles–so she’s traveled approved for me.
Even still, there are many other bags that I have that I feel would normally be better grabs for travel options.
This bag isn’t terrible to use but I’m always left feeling like it needs a little something.
With that said, if you’re on the hunt for a new Coach bag, I wouldn’t necessarily count the Hamptons Hobo out, but maybe play around with some of the other styles in store first to see if there is a style that you like better.
Figure out first if you’re looking for a true medium sized bag or something on the smaller end as I feel like size expectations played a role in how I feel about this bag as well.
If you would like to seem more styles from Coach, I suggest reading this blog right here on the Tabby.
