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This Hogwarts castle mini backpack by Loungefly just might be my favorite bag of all time. It’s beautifully designed and easily recognized by Harry Potter fans anywhere. Every element is gorgeous, right down to the colors, zip pull, and inside lining
I have seen this many times on my visits to Universal Studios and I admire it every time I see it. And it’s not just me. Other people, both known and unknown to me, point it out and compliment whoever is wearing it for having such a pretty bag.
It was inspired by the magical school that Harry Potter attended after he turned 11 years old. It was there that he met his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and his future wife, Ginny Weasley. He spent six years at the school and only missed out on his final year of study because he went on a quest to destroy various Horcruxes so that he could ultimately defeat Lord Voldemort.
This bag is perfect in every way and I can’t think of anything that would have made it better. Can you tell that I like it? Loungefly outdid themselves with this design. I love it so much that I hinted to my husband that this would make a perfect Christmas present for me and there is currently a box just this size sitting in our closet waiting for December 25th so he can give it to me.
By the way. I wrote and published this review on September 1st. Potterheads are very aware of the significance of this date, which is the day each year that young witches and wizards board the Hogwarts Express to go back to the castle for another year of education. That’s just a fun little side note that I thought some of you would appreciate.
Are you considering getting this for yourself or for someone who is a fan of J.K. Rowling’s magical world? Then read on for specific details about this bag, including pictures to help you see every aspect of it.
- Fandom: Harry Potter
- Brand: Loungefly
- Model Number: HPBK0121
- Material: Vegan manmade materials
- Officially Licensed: Yes
- Year Released: 2020
- Exclusive: No
Images used with permission from treats4mywife, who has an amazing selection of fandom inspired bags.
QUALITY OF THE HOGWARTS CASTLE MINI BACKPACK
The Hogwarts mini backpack lives up to the level of quality that I’ve come to expect from Loungefly products. This is built for everyday use, which is good because it’s so pretty that fans of Harry Potter will find it difficult to resist using it. From the zipper hardware to the material, this is meant to be used.
DESIGN AND COLOR
Yes, I’ve already said this, but it bears repeating. I think this design is absolutely gorgeous! Not only does it show the magical school that Harry Potter and his friends attended but it also shows the rocks below it and the sky above. Regarding the sky, it’s a night scene and you can see twinkling stars, a full moon, puffy clouds, and a flying owl that looks a lot like Harry’s pet, Hedwig.
The appliqué castle, which shows windows that are lit from within, is stitched onto the surface of the bag, giving it a 3D relief effect. The top of the tallest tower sticks up above the rest of the bag. I’ve seen Loungefly extend beyond the mini backpack like this just a few times, and it’s an effect that I like.
I’m an over-thinker so I often think of things that most people don’t. Right now I’m wondering if the top of the castle sticking up could potentially bend if care isn’t taken, such as by careless toss into a car where it lands upside down. I recommend taking care that it doesn’t ever fall upside down, just to be safe.
The color of the castle is green, which is an interesting choice. The movie version of the castle is more beige but almost all of the LEGO® Harry Potter sets of the castle are a similar shade of green on the roofs.
The majority of the rest of the bag is dark blue for the night sky and silver. The front pocket has grey for the rocks that are the foundation of the school, greyish-black for the tower roofs, gold for the moon and stars, white for the clouds and owl, and yellow for the light in each of the windows. The white used for the clouds and owl has a pearlescent sheen to it, which adds to the overall magic of the design.
TEXTURE
Most Loungefly bags have just one kind of texture to them but not this one. There are multiple textures, which give even more depth and magic to an already wonderful design. The material used for the castle is relatively smooth but the rocks, sky, and back have a suede feeling to them.
MATERIAL
There might be multiple textures on this bag but they all have one thing in common. They are all made from man-made materials, but it’s created to look and feel like various kinds of leather. That means that no animals were harmed to make this backpack.
STITCHING
This bag’s stitching is a little more visible than is found on most Loungefly items and that is because thread outlines the castle and sews it to the front of the bag. It is subtly done and not easily seen unless you are looking for it. This backpack has been sewn with strong thread that will keep it in good shape for years to come.
HANDLES / STRAPS
There is a small handle at the top of the bag, on the back. This handle is perfect for quickly grabbing the backpack or for hanging it when it’s not in use, which is also a good way to display it since this is worthy of being looked at.
You need to be able to wear a purse, which this is, so of course you need a way to do that. On the back you will find two padded shoulder straps, which is how you wear it.
Both the handle and the straps are silver. The part of the straps that rest on the shoulders are padded for comfort, and the lower parts that are adjustable are made from a nylon-like material similar to seatbelts. Splitting the straps like this is a good thing because the nylon material is easy to adjust. I have a Loungefly backpack where the straps are all padded and they are very difficult to adjust, which isn’t a problem here.
EXTERNAL POCKETS
There is one external pocket, found on the front. The pocket unzips right under the bottom of the castle. Some pockets on Loungefly bags stick out by two inches but this one doesn’t and it would have looked very strange if it did. That means it is smaller but it is still large enough for things like keys, lip balm, cash, or a small bottle of hand sanitizer.
The pocket is well hidden when it is zipped shut because the opening is underneath the appliqué of the castle.
ZIPPERS
The opening to the bag has two zippers with bronze-toned hardware. I prefer that my purses have double zippers like this because it allows me to choose where the bag is closed. Left, right, or center, you get to decide.
DECORATIVE ITEMS
It is common for Loungefly to include decorative items on their bags, and this is no exception. One of the zippers used to open the backpack has a bronze-colored pull charm that is in the shape of the Hogwarts crest and has a fancy ‘H’ on it. This is a lovely detail that adds to the beauty of the bag.
I wasn’t surprised to see the charm but I was surprised to see that there was yet another decoration. The back has “HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY” imprinted on it in white, which nicely contrasts the blue of the bag’s back.
OPENING AND BOTTOM
If you look at the picture above of the Hogwarts zip charm then you can see that the opening of the bag is placed near the front of the bag.
This is my preferred placement for the opening because I find it easier to access the contents insides the bag. All you need to do is completely unzip the zipper, then pull the front flap forward to put things in or take them out.
The bottom of the bag is the same mottled dark blue as the sky on the front of the bag. To me it looks like the Black Lake, also known as the Great Lake, that surrounds Hogwarts. This is the lake where the second task for the TriWizard Tournament was held, for those of you who watched the fourth movie.
LINING AND INTERNAL POCKETS
The inside of the backpack is completely lined with a polyester material that is grey with stars, clouds, and Hedwig white owls printed all over it. The grey gives it a dusky dark appearance like nighttime, which makes it the perfect design to match the exterior.
There is one pocket on the inside of the bag, which zips closed. Internal pockets that zip shut are better in my opinion than slip pockets because they keep items from spilling out and are perfect for things like glasses, small wallets or cash, and medicine, and will help keep the contents inside the bag organized.
DIMENSIONS AND SIZE
The dimensions for this bag are 10 1/2″ H x 9″ W x 4 1/2″ D.
This is the typical size for a mini backpack so it will fit quite a few things in it. You can put a water bottle, eBook reader, cell phone, wallet, snacks, pens, an umbrella that telescopes closed, and various other items inside.
CAN THIS FIT IN A THEME PARK LOCKER?
If you never plan on going to a theme park with this bag then you can ignore this. However, fandom bags are very popular at places like Disney and Universal Studios. If you even plan on going to a theme park with your bag then you probably want to make sure that it will fit inside their lockers.
Yes, this is small enough to fit inside most theme park lockers, including the free ones at Universal Studios.
WALLET THAT MATCHES THIS BAG
I am delighted to say that there is a matching wallet to go with the Hogwarts Castle backpack! It has a smaller version of the castle found on the bag, zips open and closed, and they perfectly complement each other.
The best place to find the matching wallet is on Amazon or eBay.
PROS
- The design is gorgeous!
- There are various textures on the bag.
- The bag is well made.
- The straps are padded and adjustable.
- The internal pocket zips shut.
- There is a matching wallet.
CONS
- The tallest tower sticking up above the bag could potentially get bent.
SUMMARY
Oh my gosh, what more can I say? I LOVE this bag! I have a lot of Harry Potter mini backpacks, most from Loungefly, but this is easily my favorite design. It’s just so lovely that it’s almost more a work of art than it is a functional purse.
This is sure to be perfect for Harry Potter fans of all ages, either for yourself or as a gift for someone else. Trust me when I say that this will be well-received.
Of course, it’s also a good size and can be used to take with you if you visit the Wizarding World at Universal Studios and I can practically guarantee that you will get loads of compliments if you take this there.
Check prices for this bag on Amazon and eBay
Now that you’ve seen pretty much everything about this bag, what do you like most about it? Tell me in the comments below. My favorite aspect is everything! I truly love everything about it.
