Thanks for your thoughts and help, everyone! Now that FWAAA has pointed it out, its dimensions are legal if you look at what's published on the B&R website, but illegal by my measurements (even my unpacked measurements). Since I'm not sure when I'll be flying next, I need to decide whether to start trying to get it exchanged ASAP (since I've had it for about 3 weeks) or hold out and give it one more try when it's not packed with a week's worth of clothes and Christmas presents. Decisions, decisions... Good thing I hadn't thrown away my old luggage.

And to the posters who pointed out that some pieces only fit in headfirst or with the handles in certain directions...I've had my old bag for years, and because the handle protruded, I could never fit it into the overhead bin wheels first. I was positive I'd tried every combination. Flying home from Thanksgiving, a flight attendant tried to rearrange it and I told her not to bother, I'd tried. Then someone in the row in front of me boarded and as he started to try, I told him, "Don't bother, I've tried," and he replied, "Just humor me." Lo and behold, it fit wheels first if the wheels were pointed toward the ceiling...didn't I fit like an idiot!