mix and match

one of the best gifts i ever received was my set of vera bradley bags in the pattern i loved at the time. they are beautiful, coordinated and very stuffable (a key element of successful luggage in my life). but what i have found myself wishing over the years was that i had not gotten them all in the same pattern, but rather gotten them in varying but complementary patterns. firstly, this would have been better because the company regularly discontinues patterns (which i didn't know then). this means that even if i wanted to add another piece in my pattern, i couldn't. with the use of several different patterns, i would have been able to continue adding pieces over the years to continue my collection. also, if i tired of the pattern i initially chose (which i now have), i could just phase out that one piece and continue phasing in others that coordinate with the ones i already have.

as i am over my initial color scheme, i am coveting a new collection which i have mock assembled below. i would love to get a piece in each of the patterns below and let the mixing and matching begin. these are great as gifts too because the pieces come in all different price ranges. as a gift, i would definitely give a couple pieces in varying patterns. vera bradley also makes stationery and "fine luggage" but i don't find them to be special at all - there are other designers i would go to for those things, but for these classic, preppy quilted carryalls, vera's the go-to.



















another fun combination of patterns:













and another...














okay i think you get the point. wish list, here i come...