“OOh. That is a nice bag.”
“Thanks Babe! I love it. I am so so so happy with it. Not what I expected…but better…”
“How much did it cost?”
“Umm…well…came from my account sooooo…….”
“Jeeeeeeeez-us! You & your giant, expensive bags!”
:) Ah, the joys of having your own money. I am a HUGE fan of having my own bank account. I have a business account & a personal account that are all mine. THEREFORE, I can make no-questions-asked purchases that seem like excess to a certain someone who just doesn’t get it. My theory is this: the more expensive the camera, the better the bag ought to be…right? RIGHT!
So my Kelly Moore Libby arrived this week. I fell in love with her caramel color a couple of months ago. Seriously needing a space upgrade from my pretty pink Kelly Moore Classic (honestly, this was a need, not a nice to have), I decided to bite the bullet. She arrived & is SO MUCH BIGGER than I anticipated. In the most beautiful bigger-is-better way. These pictures do not do it justice, but I will try to help you understand just how much this bag can hold.
I ask my bags to do many things. I want them to multitask, just like I do. I want diapers. snacks. water. big expensive cameras. sippy cups. wipes. memory cards. iPad. an extra lens. & easy access to it all. But I want it all tucked away when I want it to be safe. The Classic was great for shooting, but failed at multitasking. So…I’m afraid she just got fired. :( Here’s the dirt:
KELLY MOORE CLASSIC
really great for: shooting. especially shooting little people that move fast. you can strap it on & it’s coming effortlessly right along with you.
not so great for: being a diaper bag + camera bag, if you have a big camera. It might work if you shoot with a Rebel & a prime lens, but my 5DMKII + 24-70mm could not fit in it, with a diaper & toddler necessities.
what I love: the color. the pockets in front & back. the adjustable insides. the easy access open top for shooting. the adjustable cross body strap for shooting.
what I wished it had: more space. a zipper top for safety of my equipment. more space between a camera & a sippy cup because leaking scares me. a shorter strap for shoulder wearing.
[note: I am 5’3″ & I still love big bags]
KELLY MOORE LIBBY
really great for: being a mama with a big fancy camera and wanting to carry it ALL with you at once. Incredibly versatile, both for personal & professional use.
not so great for: people who like small bags.
what I love: ohhhh the inserts. This bag has FIVE removable inserts to vertically organize your gear along the velcro strips. There is ALSO a sixth strip that is the entire length of the bag. It fits OVER the gear, keeping it safe & sound at the bottom & allowing personal items to stay on top of the gear, hiding your gear from anyone who can see in your bag. It also has a padded side, so you can slip your MacbookPro or iPad in right next to the organized gear. This bag also comes with an additional strap so you can wear it like a messenger bag while shooting. PLUS…it has a ZIPPER. I love bags that have zippers. & don’t forget all the exterior pockets. Endless space.
what I wished it had: I’ll have to get back to you. Right now, it so versatile, I can’t tell you anything I don’t like…it might be a little big to wear as a messenger bag, but that is probably my personal preference. It might also be a bit big to use daily as a diaper bag. But give me a week. I’ll be totally used to it.
This is worth noting–as I did not grasp how much bigger the Libby was just from looking at the image on the website. If you look at the image of the inside of the Libby up above, the sippy cup is actually on top of a snack trap–so that tells you how deep it is!
So this is my plan: I will use Libby if I ever take my camera & my daughter with me on an adventure. I will still use my Cake Cosmopolitan Carryall diaper bag on a daily basis…for now. I’ll let you know if that changes though. I’ll probably sell my Classic eventually.
I also have to add how wonderful the service is over at Kelly Moore Bags. Not only did they honor a coupon that I had misplaced (and later learned expired) but they also immediately (within 12 hours) shipped out a replacement bag for the one pictured above after I noticed a manufacturing defect. I love small businesses. I REALLY love small businesses that care. I will be a fan of Kelly Moore for a very long time!
Next up–diaper bags!! :) Stay tuned! I am bringing my favorite FOUR your way!
