Does anyone have a VB "Symphony in Hue" item?

[Susan in VA]

I've been looking at a Symphony in Hue item that is no longer available on the Vera Bradley site.  It's offered on EBay, but the color looks a little different.  If anyone has a SiH item, could you please look at these two side-by-side and tell me which one is closer to the real thing?

http://www.verabradley.com/product/Category/School-and-Office/Laptop-Portfolio/154874/defaultColor/Purple%20Punch/pc/638/p/154874/sc/644/c/0.uts

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vera-Bradley-Symphony-in-Hue-Laptop-Portfolio_W0QQitemZ170456118248QQcategoryZ1310QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DDLSL%252BSIC%26its%3DI%252BC%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3D20%26po%3D%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D8465952770056671448

The VB site shows it in deep rich colors and the Ebay one appears more pinkish.  Which one is "real"? 

[cc1013]

I have the small duffel in that print and I think the picture on the VB website is more accurate.  The ebay pic looks like it was washed out by the flash.  Hope that helps!

[Susan in VA]

Woohoo!  That's what I was hoping.  Thank you so much.   

[tiggeerrific]

susan are you buying this for your kindle?I just brought the mini laptop in java blue for mt DX and the fit was perfect.
The one you are showing looks like its for a regular size laptop

[pjune]

I have the Betsy bag and the clutch wallet in Symphony in Hue.  I agree, I think the picture on the VB website is more accurate.  It is beautiful, you will love it!  Love the clutch wallet, by the way (not to be an enabler or anything!) 

[loca]

I have the Betsy bag and the clutch wallet in Symphony in Hue.  I agree, I think the picture on the VB website is more accurate.  It is beautiful, you will love it!  Love the clutch wallet, by the way (not to be an enabler or anything!) 

Yea, those definitely look nice.

[Labnick]

I have the symphony in Hue mini lap top bag and the VB is more accurate.  I love it!

[cheerio]

manufacuturer is ususally the best source

[ayuryogini]

I had the mini laptop in "Symphony in Hue" and the VB site is definitely more accurate, but it is even more beautiful in person.
I ended up returning it just because I knew I wouldn't use it; I usually carry fairly large handbags that my Kindle easily fits in
and for travel I have a couple lovely j'tote bags.
The "Symphony in Hue" was so beautiful, though, I just loved to sit and look at it while I had it;
I'm thinking of getting the Bowler, but I really like how the laptop bags are designed; I'm also trying to hold out till the new Summer prints are released, before I make a decision;
I'm sure you'll be happy with your "Symphony in Hue"

[Susan in VA]

susan are you buying this for your kindle?

Nope, I think it would be much too big!  For my Kindle I have two Borsa Bellas, and can't really justify adding more...

But after many and varied computer problems in the past few months, I now have a new/additional larger laptop for doing lengthy work on, as opposed to the tiny lightweight one that I use for KB and carting around with me.  I want to be able to take the new one with me sometimes, at least, and was looking around at various laptop bags, but I'm in a spring-like mood and didn't feel like yet another black bag.

Coincidentally,  I've had a quilted blue tote bag for probably ten years that I bought remaindered at the local supermarket for $ 5.  It's reversible to a lighter blue, and has small pink ribbons on it.  The bag is perfect for crafts and such, and I use it constantly.  A couple of years ago, a woman stopped me in a store to ask whether it was a Vera Bradley....  and at the time I had never heard of VB bags...  I told her it was just a $5 bag from Giant....  and she looked quite offended that I contradicted her.   I looked at VB bags briefly after hearing about them here on KB but didn't really like them  --  I'm not much for flowery prints on purses, and I don't really like paisley.  Well, yesterday I happened to read that VB supports breast cancer research and comes out with new pink-ribbon designs every year, and sells those in all sorts of stores, not just their usual.  So I wondered...  looked on their site...  found pictures of the old pink-ribbon fabric designs...  turns out that's what I've been using all this time!  Either that or an excellent copy, anyway.   So of course I browsed around their site...  saw that they have bags for large laptops....  looked at all the dozen or so colors their site says it comes in, and only liked the one...  and of course it's the one that's discontinued!   EBay to the rescue...   but bidding is going up, so I'm not at all sure whether I'll be the one to get it.  Wish me luck.   

[mlewis78]

I noticed that the VB laptop bag isn't available in Symphony in Hue, but don't you think they will get more?  It's a fairly new color from late Fall '09.  It appeared after the other Fall colors came out and it's very popular.  It appears that it is sold out on the website, but as popular as it is, wouldn't they make more?

[Susan in VA]

I noticed that the VB laptop bag isn't available in Symphony in Hue, but don't you think they will get more?  It's a fairly new color from late Fall '09.  It appeared after the other Fall colors came out and it's very popular.  It appears that it is sold out on the website, but as popular as it is, wouldn't they make more?

I'm not sure...  on the page itself it says "currently unavailable", but if you add it to the shopping cart anyway, you get a message that says "no longer available". 

This is my first time consciously buying a VB bag, so I don't know anything about their policies, or the relative popularity of the fabrics.  I just saw that they regularly add new fabrics and discontinue other ones, so I figured maybe this was an older one and wouldn't be back...  especially since I'd imagine that the large laptop bag isn't one of their best-selling items.

But your post gives me hope that if I don't end up with the EBay one, I can keep checking back and maybe find it again later...

[Susan in VA]

After reading the "who's a fan" thread this morning, I feel somewhat foolish for not having had any idea that the SiH is one of the most popular ones they have....      

I also feel that I really should stay off the Accessories Board until I have full-time work again.    

[Tam]

I'm a VB fan, but I've never bought a bag off of the website. LOTS of nice shops carry them - you can search on the website to see if there are any near you. And I've found that many of those shops are very nice if I call on the phone and ask if they have a particular VB item in stock. and some will order them for me. The price in the stores is the same as the price on the website - sometimes they even have sales!

Another thing I've done is buy new VB's on eBay, but I find that many of them go for as much or more as on the regular price.  Sometimes you can save $5 or $10.

I regularly type "Vera Bradley Gently Used" into the search box on eBay, and that's where I find the real bargains. Just like anything else, you have to look at the seller ratings to decide if you can trust them. But I've found great deals there!

[Susan in VA]

I regularly type "Vera Bradley Gently Used" into the search box on eBay, and that's where I find the real bargains. Just like anything else, you have to look at the seller ratings to decide if you can trust them. But I've found great deals there!

What an evil, evil thing to suggest.      
I've just wasted half an hour looking at all the pretty bags.  And that's considering I only like three or four of their prints.