Review! J.Crew Berkeley Bucket Bag

I can't believe this week is Thanksgiving! November is flying! I know this time of the year is just a blur with one holiday after another until New Years. Everyone is busy with the holidays and I'm not going to travel at all this year. It'll be me and my cats. 🐈

Today's review is a comparison between J.Crew's Berkeley Bucket Bag vs. The Row Medium Park Tote. They really look quite similar. Let's take a look at some photos.

For reference I'm 4 feet 11 inches tall. 

The Row Medium Park Tote

J.Crew Berkeley Bucket Bag Nubuck

The style is simple. It's a bucket bag. No frills. It's a classic bag that will never go out of style. It's very minimalistic and if you're The Row, it's considered quiet luxury. Now, I know this is not a 1:1 review because I didn't buy The Row bag to compare. I was just not ready to spend nearly $2K on this bag, especially since there really isn't anything unique about the bag to say, that's definitely a bag by The Row. The J.Crew version costs $228 for the nubuck. There are other versions to choose from, one with full leather in black for $118.50 (40% off) and a third version that's half leather, and half suede for $154.50 (also on sale).

The Row Medium Park Tote

J.Crew Berkeley Bucket Bag Nubuck

The sizing is very similar, they're almost identical. The Row Medium Park Tote measures 13" x 11" x 6. The J.Crew Berkely Bucket bag measures 12.5" x 13" x 6". Both bags are quite slouchy, so I would say it's close enough in size that it's not much of a difference. The base of the bag is probably the easiest way to tell the difference. From the looks of it, The Park Tote has more of a rectangular shaped base, while the Berkeley Bucket bag has a rounded base. You all know I love two bags from The Row. Actually, I have not done a review on the large Banana bag in burgundy. It's going to be my next bag review, so stay tuned.

My Margaux 12 has very smooth leather, so soft and supple that it scratches way too easily, but that's part of the look. It's going to look worn in and I can't wait to see what it will look like in 5 years. The Banana bag is made of grained calfskin leather. Also very soft but more resistant to scratches. I'm going to assume the Park Tote would be made out of similar leather. They are offered in both smooth and grained calfskin.

Is this J.Crew bag an unspoken dirty little secret? Is The Row version worth 10 times the price? 

J.Crew Berkeley Bucket Bag Nubuck

also wearing:

Naked Cashmere Cardigan (old)

Mother Denim Lil Petite Rambler

For $228, I decided to give the Berkeley Bucket Bag a try. I think nubuck is the best choice out of the available options. I wasn't crazy about the half suede and half leather version. The full leather in black wasn't bad, but the leather looked a little thin to me and not as luxe. The nubuck is thicker and feels velvety soft. 

What exactly is nubuck anyway? Nubuck is made from the tougher exterior leather that's been sanded or buffed to give it a velvety feel, while suede is the underside of leather which is softer and harder to maintain. I love suede, but it really doesn't hold up well. The only disadvantage to nubuck, is that it stains easily. I've only worn this bag out once so I can't say if this is true, but I am going to assume it is. This is the first bag that I've owned that's nubuck.

I think this size is great for my petite frame. It doesn't look overwhelming on me. I admit, the hobo style is not my favorite because the strap tends to slide off my shoulder. I think it's because my shoulders slope downwards. Definitely jealous of those who have shoulders like bicycle handle bars. My best friend is built like that. 😆

When I do carry bags like this, I tend to have to keep the bag tucked behind my elbow with my hand holding on to the strap by the front. This helps keep the bag from sliding off my shoulder. 

How gorgeous does this bag look? I think it makes a great fall bag.

Let's take a look at the details of the bag.

J.Crew Berkeley Bucket Bag Nubuck

This is a very simple design with minimal seams with very clean lines. Even so, I do love the way it slouches. I love slouchy bags and I can not lie. You can really tell how the leather has that velvety feel. 

The bottom of the bag is flat, and is actually pretty sturdy, so the bottom of bag will not sag. I kind of like that. You can lay it flat, and it'll sit nicely.

The handle is fairly thin, it's maybe a little more than half an inch wide. The inside of the bag is unlined, but it does feel like they may have sanded and buffed the suede to feel rougher and I don't mean that in a bad way. The inside should hold up well overtime. Suede can get matted and it is hard to keep clean. 

The inside is very spacious for a medium sized bag. This bucket bag can fit a 13 inch laptop, not that I would suggest doing that, but it does it. If you would like to see what fits, make sure to check out my video.

This bag has leather ties to cinch the bag to keep closed. I do demonstrate how I tie the bag in my video as well, it's quick and easy to do.

I think this is a fantastic bag for the price. It completely satisfies my want for this style bag. I think if you do want a bucket bag like the Park Tote but not convinced about spending $1850 like me, this J.Crew version is a great option. Let me know what you think of this bag! Would you choose J.Crew or The Row? 

Shop

Berkeley Bucket Bag Nubuck

Berkeley Bucket Bag in Leather (on sale)

Berkeley Bucket Bag in Leather and Suede (on sale)

Berkeley Zippered Pouch in Leather and Suede ($29.50)

(I have this on the way.)

Shop the J.Crew Black Friday Sale Up to 60% Off!