Product review: Disney Store The Nightmare Before Christmas handbag

 

This bag is part of the 25th anniversary The Nightmare before Christmas range that the Disney Store, or Shop Disney if you’re talking about the online stores, is currently selling. Officially this is called the The Nightmare Before Christmas handbag, but I like to refer to it as the Lock, Shock and Barrel bag, just because I feel that it actually describes what it is. Plus, there’s a lot of Nightmare before Christmas bags out there at the moment. 
I first saw this on the UK site, and because I was going to France last week and vastly prefer seeing these things in real life (because let’s be honest here, Disney Store quality can be very hit or miss), I held off buying it. 
To be honest, I had kinda forgotten about it ‘till I was in the Disney Store in the Galeries Lafayette. 
But I got it in the end, so now, let’s talk about it! 

The bag is quite sizeable, even though it’s not a large bag. 
I can comfortably fit everything inside that I need to pack. 
The bag itself is 30cm wide, 19 high about 10ish cm in depth. So the site measurements are fairly accurate. 
It comes with a black cross body strap, so if you don’t want to use it as a handbag, you have that option. I haven’t actually unpacked the strap, I attached my trusty Zatchels strap, because that’s just easier for me personally (plus that has a strap slider for extra shoulder support). But that’s personal preference and nothing else. If I didn’t have the Zatchels strap, I’d totally use the one that came with it! 





 

The detailing on the bag is really nice, although the stitching is a little bit shoddy. 
As you can see, there’s a loose thread on Lock’s mask, that I’m afraid to cut because I worry that the entire mask will slowly come loose. I will have to colour it black with a marker so it’s not so obvious anymore. It wasn’t there when I bought it, but after having used it for nearly a week, I’m happy to say no more threads have come loose. 
I really like that their bodies and Shocks trident are on there in a nice gray, that makes for a really nice detail. 

The zipper closure is another thing you should be careful with. Don’t pull it all the way to the other side to open the bag, because it tends to get a little stuck, and that happens too much, you might damage your bag by breaking the zipper altogether. And whilst I’m sure you can get the zipper replaced, these kinds of repairs tend to be on the pricier side, so they’re best to be avoided when possible.

 

I like how you can fold back the handles, so if you want to wear it as a crossbody bag, and display the image without the handle being in the way, you absolutely can. Without the handle poking in your side uncomfortably (they’re really rather soft) or getting in your way.

 

Another bonus is the plain black back. Sure, it has a metal plate on there, but it is very subtle. So if you find yourself in a situation where the Boogie Boys aren’t really appropriate, for whatever reason, you can simply turn it around. Of course, if the situation asks for a properly plain bag, this isn’t what you’re looking for as that metal plate is there to stay.

 

The attachment for the straps, as well as for the handles seem sturdy enough, but I would still avoid putting in a lot of weight, as this is all cotton lining and fake leather, so not the kind of material that will support a lot of weight! Now for the inside.

 

The entire bag is lined with black cotton featuring a white Lock, Shock and Barrel print. 
One side has a sizeable open pocket, which is very practical. I use it to store my Duffy cup sleeve and Instax photos, and so nothing I put in there has fallen out. 
The other side features a zipped pocket, which I use to put in lip balm and my inhaler, and just like the open pocket, it’s not given me any issues since I started using it a little over a week ago.

 

I have taken this bag into Disneyland Paris, so it’s seen some proper wear on the second day I had it, and other than the issue I noticed with the zipper, and that small thread poking out, I have not had any problems yet. 
I think that if I don’t overload it with heavy things (it doesn’t say how much weight it can hold, but I wouldn’t go past essentials just to be on the safe side) and pay attention to the zipper, I’ll get a lot of use out of this for the following years. 
At least, that’s the impression I have at the moment. 

I do feel that if you’re not set on branding, you can find a plain version of this bag for cheaper. 
But if you’re really into The Nightmare before Christmas, and want something from the 25th anniversary range, this is a good choice, even though it is at the €42 (or £34) price point, which personally, I feel is a little out there. 
Had it not been for the fact that it matches so many of my things so well, and that my dad gave me €50 to buy myself a Halloween treat, I probably wouldn’t have gotten it. 
That said, however, it is one of the more practical and more comfortable bags to carry that I own, so I do feel like it’s money rather well spent. 

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