My obsession with Vera Bradley’s Harry Potter merchandise is growing and I’ve been actively searching eBay for some older bags that I can add to my collection. I’m currently looking for a wallet and during my search, I found one that looked a bit worn. Well, that’s not exactly accurate. In truth, it was filthy.
For those of you not familiar with this particular item, it’s from the very first line of Harry Potter merchandise that they sold called the Home To Hogwarts, which they released in 2020. Most of the items in this line had a very busy paisley print that you can see here, but they also offered some purses, totes, and wallets in black corduroy like this one. This is the All-In-One RFID Crossbody, which is (as the name implies) a wallet that is just large enough to also be used as a small crossbody purse and it originally sold for $100.
Although I still want a regular wallet, I was intrigued by this item. The seller was offering it for the really low price of $26.99 plus shipping and my guess is because of how bad it looked, and because it was missing the crossbody strap and wristlet strap. I strongly suspected that all the bag needed was to be washed so I took a chance. But, I wasn’t willing to pay the asking price and since the seller was accepting offers I sent an offer of $17. I was totally okay with the seller rejecting my price because I didn’t NEED this bag but she accepted my offer and it arrived today.
It actually looked worse in person than in the pictures and it had an odd smell so I hoped that I was right, that all it needed was a good cleaning. I didn’t even want to touch it any more than I had to. I tried using the Scourgify spell but, alas, my Muggle family’s electronic devices interfered with my magic.
According to Vera Bradley’s website, their fabric products can be cleaned by washing them in cold water on the gentle cycle, with no bleach, and then letting them air dry. I confess that I forgot about the part where I should use the gentle cycle or cold water and I washed it with my clothes on a regular cycle. I did, however, remember about not using bleach so I didn’t do that. Not that I would have on something black… Fortunately, it doesn’t look like I did any damage by not using cold water or the gentle cycle.
I think this might be the most excited that I’ve ever been for the washing machine to finish and I immediately transferred all the clothes to the dryer while looking for this wallet. I finally found it and was delighted by the results. But, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words so read on to see the before and after pictures, then you can decide for yourself if I got a good deal or not.
BEFORE THE CROSSBODY WALLET WAS WASHED
This is what the front of the bag looked like after I opened up the package that it was sent in. The front wasn’t as bad as the back but there were still stains on it. The embroidered Hogwarts crest was the worst on the front side, it was very dirty, as was the striped fabric along the edge.
The back, however, shows just how filthy this was. I could be wrong but I’m going to guess that some of those spots are probably food stains from dirty fingers. This bag was clearly well loved by the previous owner in the one year that she had it.
I forgot to take a picture of the inside so this is from the eBay listing. Like the front, the inside wasn’t too bad, but I can still see some marks from use in the middle section.
AFTER THE CROSSBODY WALLET WAS WASHED
One wash later and it looks like a new wallet! Wow! What a difference.
FYI, my iPhone’s camera is so sensitive that I can see dust spots and cat hair in the pictures below that I can’t actually see with my eyes.
I was honestly shocked by how much more vibrant the embroidered Hogwarts crest looks now that it has been cleaned.
The only area that still looks a bit grungy is the striped fabric along the edges but it’s such a small part of this bag that no one would notice it unless I pointed it out.
The back tells this story the best. Remember how filthy it was? All the stains? I was honestly worried that the corduroy might have been damaged beyond repair but look at it now. The stains and spots are completely gone! Before, the black of the material looked faded, grey, blah. Now it looks truly black.
The bottom looks new, too! I was very relieved to see that the corduroy was not damaged, that all it needed was a good cleaning.
Check out the inside. All the stains and scuffs are gone. The plastic window where my driver’s license will go looks a bit foggy but that’s only because of the moisture behind it from being washed. It looks better already now that the wallet is drying.
I’m super excited to use this as soon as it is completely dry! No doubt I’ll take it with me on a future trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios. I’ve got this same purse in the Forbidden Forest design so I can use the strap from that bag. It might not totally match but it will do until I can find a better option since Vera Bradley doesn’t sell replacement straps (I asked, they said no).
Now that you’ve seen the before and after pictures, what do you think? Did I get a good deal? Let me know in the comments below.