Vera Bradley and Greek Life

[GammaPhi88]

I grew up in Maryland, and I will say that Vera was huge at my prep school. I was always more of a longchamp type, but I've got a few Vera accessories.

Here at Syracuse, they do sell Vera in the Bookstore and on Marshall Street. Its big...but most sorority women carry funkier designer purses...this campus is full of New Jersey and Long Island girls, and its more designer label with them. Its funny...my mom, who is non-Greek, would rather me carry a my Marc by Marc Jacobs than any Vera. She thinks they are old lady bags. But then again, she is a long islander.

[When Doves Cry]

so last night, i went to one of our bookstores to get some more letters and i saw some VB bags and I totally thought of GC

[fantASTic]

Originally Posted by barbino

I agree, I was just going to say the exact same thing. They seem to be popular at the college campuses in this area, too- I was recently in the bookstore at the University where my husband goes, and there were both real and "imitation" Veras there. I have one, a tote from a few years back that I love, and I'm planning on adding a couple handbags to it - and I wear Ugg-type boots. This is Chicago and it's cold and there's alot of snow here this winter! But I admit that I did not really like Uggs until a girl that I worked with started wearing hers. She had several, including a pair of medium pink ones that started to grow on me. Mine are ivory and they are really warm & comfy.

Yeah, I don't own Uggs but I own similar boots. I know they get a lot of flack, but hey...when it's -20 F outside [which it is at least once a week around here], then the sheep fur inside keeps my toes VERY warm

[SATX*APhi]

VB is just starting to catch on down here in South Texas. It's been very slow in catching on and I'm not sure if it will catch on that way it has in southern and midwestern states. When I was up in Ohio the other week, I saw Vera everywhere I turned. I joked with my friend and asked her why she hadn't told me to take my VB bags with me so that I would "fit in."

[vamom11]

My daughter goes to school in Virginia and when we visit her campus, it's probably about half and half as to who's carrying a VB bag.

[ktbug10474]

i see VB all the time down here and the only way to distinguish it between who's in a sorority and who's not
is the print/monogram

Granted yes you see some girls carrying the same print as a sorority girl but the sorority girl has the name of the sorority embroidered on the bag

and i definitely think VB is a more southern thing because i've been to Boston and NYC and didn't see a one when i was there this past summer. (which by the way was the best summer EVER because i finally got to see a game in yankee stadium, fenway park, and camden yards!!!)

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by vamom11

My daughter goes to school in Virginia and when we visit her campus, it's probably about half and half as to who's carrying a VB bag.

At District Days this weekend, which is held in VA and 90% of the chapters are from VA, I saw Vera EVERYWHERE.

[ncse88]

as many people have said, VB is big in North Carolina. At the school I go to in NC, VB is pretty popular, amongst all students. However, with Greeks it is a little different. It is popular among some Greeks, but many sorority girls who are in the some of the top tier sororities, debutantes, or bred for sororities, etc, wouldn't be caught dead with VB. Instead, they carry Longchamp totes, Herve Chapelier bags, Vineyard Vine totes, etc. It is interesting how it is different.

[Benzgirl]

Last night, I had dinner with my niece and a bunch of her friends at Ohio State. I asked them if any had ever heard of VB, only 2 had. The two that knew what they were wrinkled their noses when I asked if they would carry one. One said, "it looks like something my grandma would carry"

What are they into? Coach or something vintage, on the affordability level. All want Louis Vuittons in the future.

[LegallyBrunette]

Originally Posted by ktbug10474

and i definitely think VB is a more southern thing because i've been to Boston and NYC and didn't see a one when i was there this past summer. (which by the way was the best summer EVER because i finally got to see a game in yankee stadium, fenway park, and camden yards!!!)

That really surprises me. When I was in college in Massachusetts (greater Boston) five years ago, VB was insanely popular. One of my chapter sisters made really good quality double stiched letters with Vera fabrics (using the napkins I think) for the rest of our chapter. Maybe that was the peak of its Northeastern popularity.

One of my friends who lives in NYC once said about Vera, "You'll see it in Brooklyn Heights and Williamsburg, but never in Manhattan." No idea how true that is, maybe some New Yorkers could comment.

[Munchkin03]

I see VB fairly regularly here in NYC, but I know that's a function of who I'm hanging out with--a lot of Greeks (AXO and others), and a lot of people from the Midwest and South, as well as from Virginia and Maryland's Eastern Shore.

Normally, I just see duffles and larger bags, and the occasional wallet or change purse. We're a pretty preppy group, so we have a lot of VB/Vineyard Vines/LL Bean Boat and Totes in our cabs, especially when we're going on vacation! For every day purses, most of us rock something a little more professional.

My niece, who's 12, says she and her friends love Vera. The not-so-little-anymore munchkin likes Java Blue.

[redryder27]

i have never heard of vera bradley until the op posted this thread. it's not very popular in socal. no body carries them at my school..not very well known.

[Jill1228]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

My niece, who's 12, says she and her friends love Vera. The not-so-little-anymore munchkin likes Java Blue.

My goddaughter is in North Carolina and for the past few years I have been spoiling her with Vera bags for Christmas and her birthday (she just turned 15 yesterday)

VB is big in North Carolina (she is in Winston-Salem)

[LAblondeGPhi]

The first time I saw a Vera Bradley bag was at the Greek Store near UCLA. I was visiting last year to get items for someone (I'm an alum) and was horrified at this wall of, what I now know, were VB items. I had NEVER seen anyone in LA with a bag like that. This Greek Store always had tons of really random merchandise, so I just assumed that the owner had, once again, totally misunderstood his market.

I'm still not a fan and still haven't seen a bag in person, but anything can grow on you when you see it all the time, especially with a strong positive association.

[Cutie_Hootie]

For those of you who are fans and live in the Midwest (or else feel the need), I highly recommend attending the outlet sale in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, where VB is manufactured:
http://www.verabradley.com/Site/Company/OutletSale.aspx

It's held in the Ft. Wayne Coliseum, and it's pretty crazy--just imagine row after row of tables filled with every style and color of bag. I've been the last few years, and when you walk in, they give you a garbage bag. Then it's every woman (and the occasional bored husband) for herself. I "may" have ran across the coliseum last year to get some half priced luggage...