A Review of Cuyana’s Classic Leather Zipper Tote and Tote Organization Insert

When I updated my review of Cuyana’s Leather Travel Case Set, I realized that I had never written a review of their Classic Leather Zipper Tote as I’d intended. I’m here today to fix that!

This post is not sponsored and I purchased the products shown, however, this post contains affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking one of these links.

Many leather bags have come and gone from Cuyana’s website, but this one lives up to its name as a classic. I purchased the Classic Leather Zipper Tote back in January 2018 to serve as both a travel bag and a daily carryall for work, and have been using it off and on for the better part of four years.

A note: Cuyana has sunsetted the Classic Leather Zipper Tote for the new Classic Easy Zipper Tote

Today I’ll share why I chose this bag, how it functions with its coordinating insert, and how it has held up over time (all while taking a fun stroll down memory lane thanks to a few old blog photos!).

WHY I CHOSE THE CLASSIC LEATHER ZIPPER TOTE

I was very into curating a small collection of black travel accessories at the time (and while my other wardrobe accessories have lightened up over the years, I’m still really happy I went with black), and needed an oversized bag for all the things I carried to the office. Sure, my Le Pliage Tote had served me well, but I finally felt ready to upgrade to a leather option. At the time, open-top leather bags were trending and readily available from retailers at all price points – but I always insist on traveling with bags that can securely close, so I wanted one with a zipper.

The Classic Leather Zipper Tote met my needs, with its full zip top, large interior, pebbled black leather (perfect for hiding inevitable scratches), and minimalist style. And it also met the needs of my budget – while I paid $195 back then, today it retails for $228. The large open compartment can be a major asset when packing for a trip, but I was also relieved when Cuyana debuted their Tote Organization Insert (more on that later!).

Looking for more honest style reviews? Check out my index of reviews, sorted by brand

The bag is described as “softly structured” and I feel like that is a pretty accurate description. You can kind of prop it to stand up straight, but mostly the bag seems to want to flop over from the weight of the zipper when empty. This has proved handy for travel as it is technically too large to pass as a personal item on some budget airlines. But in a pinch, you can squish it inwards, even though it hurts my heart a little to do so.

The Classic Leather Zipper Tote includes just one item of built-in organization: a flap that hangs down from the top of one of the sides and has a slip pocket and a zip pocket. When I worked in an office, I primarily used these pockets to hold business cards and tampons, and even though there’s no shame in the latter, it was nice to not feel like I was broadcasting to the other staff when I was on my period. Otherwise, the large compartment typically held my smaller purse, some snacks, and a lunch sack.

PAIRING THE CLASSIC LEATHER ZIPPER TOTE WITH THE TOTE ORGANIZATION INSERT

Eventually, Cuyana released the Tote Organization Insert, and it continued to go in and out of stock while I debated which color to purchase. I figured the light blush color would certainly show every mark and scuff and spill, but it also would make it easier to see into the depths of the bag. The black color has the benefit of making the bag feel sleeker when opened, and would likely do a better job of hiding any imperfections.

My waffling ultimately paid off, as I ended up purchasing a very gently used secondhand insert from eBay, saving me $28 over retail and from the headache of making a decision. I wound up with the black version, although a stone option is now available (which seems like a happy medium between dark and light).

The Tote Organization Insert comes in two sizes, but the larger size fits the Classic Leather Zipper Tote more snugly. It also is a great companion to any of their other Classic Totes as well as the 16″ System Tote, so if you own more than one of these bags you might find it easy to switch the contents back and forth.

The insert includes four pockets of varying sizes: a bottle pocket, a wall pocket, a patch pocket, and a side pocket. The bottle pocket is a bit too small for my water bottle, so I haven’t really used it (presumably it would be the right size for a single-use bottle, but please try to make the switch to something reusable if you haven’t already!). The wall pocket is perfect for my MacBook Air, and the patch pocket is great for the charger. The side pocket would be a good place for my phone, but I usually keep it in my coat or pant pocket instead.

One of my favorite features of the insert though is the key clip. It is *so* easy to lose your car keys in the depths of the bag, and when I’m traveling, it’s great peace of mind to know exactly where my keys are at all times.

So, does it add significant value to the tote?

There are definitely a few positives to adding the insert to your Classic Leather Zipper Tote. The first is that it reduces the amount of shedding from the unlined leather interior all over the items in your bag. Over time the shedding has slowed, but if I placed a white tee in the bag today it would still likely emerge with little black flecks all over it. A more obvious benefit is that the insert really does help with organization – if done correctly. I find it’s easiest to place the smaller items in the various pockets before putting anything larger in the center of the bag.

My main gripe with the insert (aside from the size of the water bottle pocket) is that the wall pocket and patch pockets are too voluminous. You can even see in the product image on Cuyana’s website that the pockets sag very far into the center of the bag, and I’m constantly trying to move them out of the way when packing it. I wish they had been sewn on a bit tighter.

Color-wise, even though the pocket linings are light-colored, I haven’t really experienced any issues with color transfers to or from the bag. I’ll update this post if that ever changes, but in the year and a half I’ve owned the insert it hasn’t been an issue.

FINAL THOUGHTS: HOW THE CLASSIC LEATHER ZIPPER TOTE HAS HELD UP AFTER FOUR YEARS

Overall, this bag is in really great shape after pretty significant use over the years. There are some small scuff marks on the outside from accidentally scraping against things, or having to be placed on the floor or tucked in a desk drawer – but they are only noticeable up close.

I think it was wise of Cuyana to only offer this bag in pebbled leather, as I can only imagine how much worse my tote would look if it were made of a smooth leather. Don’t get me wrong – I love a smooth leather or suede bag just as much as the next person, but I expect this tote to work (and it does).

The zipper still feels sturdy and smooth, and the straps have held up well and feel very secure still. I admit I probably don’t condition this bag as I should, and writing this post makes me want to treat it a little better!

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Thanks for reading along! Are you considering one of Cuyana’s totes or inserts? Which one(s) are you looking at, and how would you use them?