My new Cath Kidston bags

Hello!

I hope you are coping with the month of January OK.  It's a dark long month isn't it?  I think being busy at work, whilst stressful at times, is helping the month to go by faster.  I'm already trawling the internet for pictures of beaches and sunshine though.
I wanted to post about a couple of bags I've recently acquired.  One was a Christmas present from my brother and the other I bought in the boxing day sales.  I have had a love for Cath Kidston for a few years now.  Whilst there's a part of me that longs for everything to be white and pale and minimalist I can't help but also be drawn to the 50's floral patterns that adorn everything in the Cath Kidston stores.  There's something so cheerful and cozy about them.  I do struggle to find I can afford the prices in there so every time the sales come around I come out of the store with something.
The most common Cath Kidston purchase is probably a handbag.  I can justify spending money on a Cath Kidston handbag because I find that they last really well.  They are also really light.  If there's one thing I can't stand with a bag it's it being heavy even when it's empty.  I hate having a heavy handbag pulling on my shoulder and am very susceptible to neck and shoulder pain if I'm not careful.  These Cath Kidston bags are made from the oil cloth fabric which is very light, almost weightless.  The oil cloth is also water resistant so you don't have to worry about any belongings getting damp in the rain.  The fabric of the bags I've been using for a while now has no damage to the outside or the fabric handles.  I've found them to be extremely durable.
Because of my neck problems I try to use a hand held handbag when ever possible so I went for the white floral handbag in the sale to replace a dotty green one I'd had for a couple of years.  The green one is still completely usable I just really wanted a new pattern!  This hand bag is slightly roomier than the green one I own and has a pocket on the outside which is useful as I like to keep my keys or oyster card there within easy reach.  It also has loops on the outside which I assume means you could add a shoulder strap if you wanted to.  It would be useful to also have a pocket on the inside but I have a handbag organiser that fits inside this really easily so it's not needed.
The other handbag with the shoulder strap was the Christmas present and it's also really useful for times when I want a strap.  I tend to prefer to use a handbag with a shoulder strap when I'm going to be in a busy city for example because I feel more secure.  I love the red print with the birds on it, I haven't seen that print in Cath Kidston before.  It's a really good size to fit just your essentials in, you wouldn't want it to be any bigger and pull on your shoulder even more.
I'm really pleased with these bags and can't wait to take them out with me in the coming year!