I wanted a nice casual bag that wouldn't fall apart. All purses in the mall are priced $100 or more and most aren't even real leather. I don't know about the rest of you gals, but I don't want to plop down $100+ for a vinyl bag. My old purse was half cloth, half vinyl and fell apart at the straps. I had purchased a Kipling bag for my daughter at the mall. I thought it was expensive, but considering the quality and how it compared to the other bags, it wasn't too bad. Of course, I found the bags much cheaper online. Anyway, I love this purse. It holds everything and is just the right size. I keep the strap short. I like the fact that it is washable. The only downside to it is the phone compartment in the front. It's made to fit the older style phones. My smart phone is too wide for it. Also, shortly after my purchase the price dropped by $10. Sure wish Amazon would give a store credit for that.