kelly moore/jo tote/epiphanie.. I'm lost

[krystav]

My husband is looking to get me a new camera bag for my birthday,
but I'm having a tough time deciding which one to get.

I'm pretty tiny (I'm 5"1 ish) so I want one that's not too big, but will still
hold my camera with lens attached and other purse items. want to consolidate into 1 purse/camera bag.

I absolutely LOVE the epiphanie bags, but shipping to my neck of the woods is a whopping 60$ on top of the bag being quite pricey.

Does anyone here have experience with Kelly Moore or Jo totes bags?
Afraid the Jo totes wont be such great quality as they're quite a bit cheaper then the others.

[SarahDanyelle]

I can't tell you about the other tow, but I love my epiphanie bag. It's simply the best. I even asked for a second one for Christmas! I am a solid five foot even and I have the Lola and it's not too big for me. At least I don't think so!!

[beehive50]

Well, gosh... I feel tall! LOL (hahahaha... I'm pushing 5'5"! ) I don't have any experience w/Jo Totes or Kelly Moore, but I DO have an Epiphanie bag (red Lola) and LOVE it!

It's totally NOT too big (and, no, I'm not really a big/tall person!) yet it's incredibly roomy! And, it's soooooo stylish! I took it to Thanksgiving dinner at a posh resort (hosted by my nephew and his fianceé!)... everyone loved my "purse" and were amazed that I pulled out my big ole camera! I only had my wallet and my 60D w/the 18-135mm lens on and the 50mm lens inside. I also took 'Lola' on my Europe trip last spring and it easily held my Rebel (at the time!), the same two lens (50mm, 18-135mm), my wallet, passport, gloves, two scarves, reading glasses, sunglasses, make up... yet it easily zipped up and looked totally chic! I know it's a tad pricey, but I don't think you'd be disappointed at all!

Can't wait to see which one you choose, Krysta!

[Aino]

OH what a question. I am 5" bull's eye and I am drooling over a Ginger Epiphanie - NOT even considering if it is too large for my frame. BUT, like you said, the shipping is a little stiff to my part of the woods too.
On the other hand, I wouldn't even consider any of the other bags....

[anke]

I love my Ginger bag, it's not too big at all and I can fit my camera with lens, an extra lens, my large wallet and quite a few other things in there. Love it. Although I totally understand your reluctance with those shipping prices. I don't know anything about those other bags, so sorry!

[MIDA78466]

I bought the Lola with the intention of using it everyday to carry my camera and use it as a purse. I am a petite 5' and found the bag too big to use on an every day basis as a purse. I don't like big purses and found the Lola to be just a tad bit too big to use as a purse. Just to clarify how small of a purse I have---I only carry my wallet, lipstick, and cell phone in my purse.

However, when I went on vacation I did use the Lola as a purse and camera bag. Wanted my camera with me all of the time and didn't want to carry two bags.

I do love the Lola bag and it is so stylish.

[tylertooo]

WOW, $60 for shipping! I was debating over the Lola, the Ginger, and the Kelly Moore Classic bag. I decided to go with the Kelly Moore in purple in the end, because it seemed like it was the biggest bag, and I wanted big. I am tall, and I feel I needed a big bag. I use it as my everyday purse now, so I have my camera with me at all times. Kelly Moore does have smaller bags as well.

I would love to hear from all the girls that have the different Epiphanie bags or Jo Totes about what they like about their bags, what they can carry and also what they would change about their bags.

My bag holds my camera w/a 50mm lens on it, my flash, my 70-300 lens. The 4th compartment can hold my other lens, if I decide to take it along. The 2 outside flap pockets are for my regular purse contents, and a battery charger. The 2 end pockets hold my cell phone, lipstick and a pen, so I can always get to these things quickly. The outside long zipper pocket holds a small makeup bag and a small note pad. The bag is well made and seems to be very sturdy. The inside lining is nicely padded satin. I am very happy with the bag.

What I would like to change on the bag: I'd make it an inch wider, and would have the inside made of the same material as it looks like the epiphanie bags have, so the dividers can be positioned anywhere, and the velcro will still stick to it. Even though it has a shoulder pad, I would redo the strap to have a softer edge, as with all the heavy equipment, it can take it's toll.

Sounds like you need to decide how much equipment you will be carrying and which bag will hold it all and then decide if you could carry a bag that large. Sarah is saying she doesn't think the Lola is too big for her, but from Debi's description, the Lola sounds like it can hold more than my bag, but it really doesn't seem that large in the photos. I think in the end, I will eventually have to get the Lola - but what COLOR???

Good luck with your decision. Be sure to tell us what you get.

[Starlite9711]

Oh you all are making me want to go back to that website and buy the bag already....Im drooling over those Epiphanie bags...

[5angels]

I have been in the market for a new camera bag for a couple of years and still haven't found "THE" one.

I am loving the Epiphanie Ginger but at USD$220 incl postage then having to take into consideration the exchange rate, it is more than my weekly grocery shopping bill I just can't justify that.

The Kelly Moore Classic is up there as well, it would come to USD $248 including postage. And then there is jill-e Medium Black Leather Camera Bag, seriously it is exquisite and the bag I have lusted over for a long time but at USD$240 not including postage it can stay in my dreams.

One day when things start going right and the economy improves, maybe I will be able to make the investment, but until that day, I will stick to what I have and continue trying to "win" the bag of my dreams in competitions.

[krystav]

ooh ,thanks so much everyone for your comments.
I dared show my husband all the options last night (lord knows he only sat through it because he was feeling too sick to complain ) and atleast that's narrowed the options a bit.

He told me not to worry about the costs, but to make sure to pick the bag I REALLY wanted. He veto'd the Jo Totes Rose bags though, I had to drag it out of him, but could tell from his face he was not liking the idea of walking next to me with one of those.. silly manfolk.

I LOVE how sturdy the interior of the Epiphanie bags looks, it looks comparable to the inside of my indestructible (yet soooo unstylish) Crumpler bag. I think that all of those bags would be too big for me though.

Spent all day yesterday shopping (and picture taking) with my current purse and basically everything i "need" on a given day with my camera in it too and quickly figured out that I really dont want anything bigger then my current purse.
(Now this is a 13" wide, 11"high and 3"deep purple suede number thats about to fall apart). Most camerabags seem to be much deeper and wider atleast.

I *think* I'm going to go with the Kelly Moore Posey. It looks tiny enough to fit me, and big enough to hold my daily essentials, I need to de-clutter anyway, no need for half eaten rolls of droste chocolate pastilles ^^.

The new dilemma though... what color to get.
Orange is out of the question because my skintone looks ghastley with orange and I dont want people commenting it isn't time for a big soccer event (orange is our national color). I LOVE the fushia but am afraid that it might be a bit too *look at me* at certain formal affairs. the slate grey is pretty too, but it's a bit, bland for lack of a better word and also afraid it would get dirty quickly because it's so light.

Ah.. decisions decisions..
Off to set up a blog with the sole purpose of proclaiming my love for this bag in order to recieve a $30 discount ^^

[Kayleigh]

Oh i hear ya!! .... I am on the brink of purchasing a turquoise Belle Epiphanie bag with the lime green on the inside... It looks so beautiful & the colours look so nice! My husband was egging me on last night to just purchase it but i am so on the edge.

Does anyone have the Belle & can let me know what they think?

[tylertooo]

Krystav, I was thinking about the Posey when you said small. I'm excited for you. I love the fact that you have the credit card/memory card flap in the front (a feature mine doesn't have). I think you will like the construction, and the hardware is a nice brushed silver. Tell us when you receive it.

[krystav]

I'm in luck it seems, our local ebay like thing (marktplaats) has an add up from a woman in the Netherlands selling the Posey in pink for less then it would cost me to get it from KM herself. Emailed her what the catch was with her selling a brand new bag and she's setting up a webshop to sell Kelly Moore's bags and atleast one or 2 other brands with fashionable bags too.

So now it's a double dilemma: if I go for the pink one, I can get it cheaper and way faster, even delivered tomorrow. if I take the grey one, it's more expensive and will not even arrive in time for my birthday.

My *hidden under oodles of layers of tomboy-ness* girly girl inside is screaming "Pink, Pink, PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINK!! but then there's that little beta-scientist *i always know best* voice going "but slate grey is so much more practical and demure"

I need chocolate, or a brainwave, or both!

[tylertooo]

That is a dilemma. I wondered if there were any distributors of her bags anywhere overseas. The more an more I look at the pink, the less shocking it looks to me, but you are right, the grey might be more practical. Whatever one you decide I, I think you will really love it. The more I carry mine, the happier I am and I can't believe I waited so long to get it. My problem is that now I have all these leather purses that I will not be getting much use out of because I will be carrying my Kelly Moore. Now I want another, but am wondering about the Lola - what a beautiful bag.

Krystav, I don't think you can go wrong either way.

Also, for anyone in the 48 mainland states, if you buy the bag from Adorama, the shipping is free. Just make certain it includes the shoulder pad, as for some reason I received mine without. I called them and they promptly sent it out to me. It saved me $18.00, not having to pay for shipping, so it almost made me feel it was on sale. Also, no sales tax for buying out of state as well, another $17.00 savings (I'm soooo cheap!)

[Aino]

Originally Posted by krystav

I'm in luck it seems, our local ebay like thing (marktplaats) has an add up from a woman in the Netherlands selling the Posey in pink for less then it would cost me to get it from KM herself. Emailed her what the catch was with her selling a brand new bag and she's setting up a webshop to sell Kelly Moore's bags and atleast one or 2 other brands with fashionable bags too.

So now it's a double dilemma: if I go for the pink one, I can get it cheaper and way faster, even delivered tomorrow. if I take the grey one, it's more expensive and will not even arrive in time for my birthday.

My *hidden under oodles of layers of tomboy-ness* girly girl inside is screaming "Pink, Pink, PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINK!! but then there's that little beta-scientist *i always know best* voice going "but slate grey is so much more practical and demure"

I need chocolate, or a brainwave, or both!

I think you and me are quite alike!!! Love the way you think. And write. Have fun choosing.
Meanwhile, I will drool some more over "my" Epiphanie Ginger....

[TU_Jenn]

Kayleigh - i have had the belle in turquoise for awhile and love it (although I'm seriously wanting one of the new bags that can hold a laptop too, but I need to figure out if my Dell 16" will fit!). I usually have in it: my nikon d40, with the 18-55mm lens attached, my 55-200 lens, my 35mm prime lens, my sb400 flash, plus my sony dcr-sr220 handycam, plus a small container with extra filters. In the inside pockets I usually have a couple of extra sd cards. Then, when we travel, I stick in my slim wallet, cell phone, credit card sack, and my small olympus waterproof point-n-shoot.Usually tuck my nook on top with airline tickets and I'm good to go. Fits perfectly under airline seats and I can sling it over my shoulder. I treat it as my Purse, so still sometimes have a roll-aboard bag with my laptop and all of munchkins stuff. Only thing I wish it had (which I think some of the new ones have) are the little silver feet on the bottom. But sizewise, it works great for me as all my gear fits. Sometimes I tuck in my cell phone charger, but I usually pack all my other charges in either my other carry-on or my checked bag, so I don't have to fit those in.

Hope that helps...
Jenn

[Kayleigh]

Thanks so much for that info Jenn! I am so close to just purchasing it, but still on the fence. I think the newer ones are perhaps too funky for me, that is why i was leaning towards the belle.

[krystav]

Ok, ate *too much* chocolate, got the sugarinduced high/brainwave and decided.

my Posey is shipping on monday!

[janedee]

We're away on vacation in Cambodia/Thailand/Vietnam right now. When I saw this thread I thought I had to respond as I got the Kelly Moore Hobo bag just before we left. I'm loving it!! Its the size of a large purse, carries my T2i with telephoto on it and my wide angle. Then I am still left with a section for purse items, so basically I didn't bother to bring a carry on bag at all. I can reposition the sections in it and it has three zipper pockets in which to keep, extra battery/pack, cards, etc. I think the only thing I would change about it is to have made it an inch wider. Shipping on it was also half the price of the Epiphane bag to Canada
HTH

[echogirl]

this is a dangerous thread made more dangerous by more options than I knew about....you are all enablers...and I love you for it!!!

[esther_a]

What Doris said! I've been wanting a bag just like that. I thought I found what I wanted - until I watched all the videos on the site! Oh my those bags are to die for!

[Janet22]

FYI - a review of the Jo Totes that I found useful (I love mine):

Jo Totes Camera Bag Review and Giveaway | Becoming Mom | mommy tips and photography tricks

[mariap]

Thanks for posting that review. It was very helpful! Off to look at a Jotote.

[anxela]

Originally Posted by krystav

Ok, ate *too much* chocolate, got the sugarinduced high/brainwave and decided.

my Posey is shipping on monday!

I just had a peek at them - great choice!

[kb7496]

I received a Jo Tote for Christmas and I LOVE it already... can't wait to carry it around!

[AllynD]

Finding the right camera bag has been so difficult-- First I bought the LowePro sling (thinking that my husband would not be embarrassed to carry it, too). It was a pain.

Then last Christmas, I bought the Crumpler 5 Million Dollar-- and it was much too small, so I exchanged it the very next day for the 6 Million Dollar. But it is stiff, and unpleasant to the touch (and I feel like I get a hangnail every dang time I reach into it!). Plus, I bought the brown/orange, so my husband won't carry it. I basically hate it, and have hated it ever since it was too late to return it.

This Christmas I bought my daughter the Jill-e Small Weatherproof Black Leather Camera Bag with Croc Trim Exterior at Adorama for $120. She loves it. We'll see if she still likes it in a month, huh?

I am about to go back to the little old soft beige canvas bag I used for my Nikon EM 25 years ago (that's probably before you were born).

If DD still likes the Jill-e, maybe I will get one of those in a month or so. It really takes me a month to figure out whether I like a camera bag....