Bags Archives - The Classic Editrix by Megan Cuadrado

The Standard Baggu

Leave a Comment / Bags, Style / By Megan / August 25, 2023 August 26, 2023

Baggu launched in 2007 with one product: a reusable nylon bag. The standard Baggu is spacious, holds up to 50lbs, and folds into a 5″ × 5″ matching pouch. I bought my first one in the middle of my long-gone color era. It was neon pink, and I loved it so much that I carried it daily as my primary bag.

The brand has since expanded with other styles, but the original is the most unique and practical. I bought one in blue-and-white sailor stripe last month from a boutique in Cape May to haul bottles of spring water across the sand. Post-shore, I carry the Baggu in its pouch at the bottom of my Boat and Tote for unplanned visits to the grocery store. (They’ve banned plastic bags in Philadelphia, and I refuse to pay for a paper ones.)

On a recent excursion to see Blackpink at MetLife Stadium, I carried the Baggu inside my compulsory PVC concert bag. Before and after the show, I reversed the arrangement with the PVC bag inside the nylon one, a few bottles of chilled water added for good measure.

Work Sighted

Standard Baggu (sailor stripe)

Wine Totes

Leave a Comment / Bags, Style / By Megan / February 17, 2023 February 17, 2023

That sinking feeling when we arrive at a Main-Line restaurant for dinner without a bottle of wine. Everyone else will surely have theirs. Some even bring two. We’ve left our Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc at home—again. Maybe a wine tote would have reminded us to bring our own bottle as the acronym says. The Main Line is dotted with BYOBs, and life here requires a wine tote. I intend to acquire one soon; displaying it artfully by the front door seems like a good idea.

Works Sighted

Olive St Leather leather wine carrier // Mark & Graham canvas double wine tote // Awl of the Small Things leather wine bottle carrier // Mark & Graham leather wine tote

Mark & Graham essential wine tote /// Uashmama wine bag carrying tote // Elizabeth and Marin personalized two bottle wine tote // Preferred Nation dual wine dual bottle wine caddy carrier

Picnic Time bottle basket // Uncommon Goods recycled cotton bottle bag // Silver Crafts leather wine holder // Sprinkled with Pink shadow monogram wine bag

The Ironic Boat and Tote

Leave a Comment / Bags, Style / By Megan / October 17, 2022 October 31, 2022

I never get tired of looking at pictures of L.L.Bean’s iconic Boat and Tote. I take notice when I see them out in public. When I’m home, I conduct my search for vintage and one-of-a-kind totes via the #boatandtote Instagram feed. (Apparently, they are a hot commodity in Japan.) But these days, I’ve been gravitating to another hashtag. Scrolling through the #ironicboatandtote feed has proven therapeutic. I don’t believe in trends, but there’s a way to turn this one classic.

Although Air-Mail-writer Gracie Wiener wasn’t the first person to have her Boat and Totes monogrammed with text other than her name, she has made the trend viral. I wouldn’t be so bold as to emblazon The Heiress or PRADA on a timeless accessory, but I don’t see anything wrong with requesting a non-name monogram that is equally as timeless. The text should be carefully selected. Does this monogram have personal meaning? Will I tote it around next year? What about the year after? Is it crass? (A winning answer key: yes; yes; yes; no.)

Opting again for the Editrix monogram, I finally purchased the L.L.Bean medium Boat and Tote with long handles. You may recall that I had my eyes on it in April 2021. This is my second Boat and Tote with this monogram (the extra-large tote being the first). I have a few other classic monograms in mind, but this one means the most.

Works Sighted

L.L.Bean medium Boat and Tote with long handles

The Bigger Carry-On by AWAY

L.L.Bean Boat and Tote: Art Supplies Repository

Leave a Comment / Bags, Lifestyle, Organization, Style / By Megan / August 22, 2022 August 20, 2022

It’s official: I now own at least one L.L.Bean Boat and Tote in all four sizes. The extra-large tote (my first) has arrived to help me return to my creative roots. As a child, I was fortunate to have a playroom that encouraged my artistic expression. I painted on paper affixed to my easel but also on the walls—only on the walls of the playroom, not on walls in any other part of the house. I don’t have a room set aside for the purpose of art now, and, until recently, my supplies were stowed out of sight in closets and woven seagrass baskets. Out of sight, out of mind. Eventually, I realized that my art supplies needed to be stored in a highly-visible place if I wanted to use them more often. The extra-large Boat and Tote personalized with Editrix provided a viable solution.

The dimensions of the extra-large tote are 17″H x 19″W x 10″D; it’s imposing as totes are concerned. Its capacity is 56 liters, substantial enough to hold an array of watercolors, watercolor pencils, sketching pencils, colored pencils, pens, Sharpies, pads of paper, a calligraphy instruction book, a Paris-themed coloring book, and whatever non-art-related book I am currently reading. The tote, filled to the brim, sits beside one of my bookshelves. It’s impossible to ignore. The title, Editrix, embroidered on the front reminds me daily of my artistic purpose and encourages me to fulfill it.

Works Sighted

L.L.Bean Boat and Tote

The Leatherology Edit

Leave a Comment / Accessories, Bags, Lifestyle, Organization, Style / By Megan / August 12, 2021 August 22, 2021

My urgent need for a new keychain led me to Leatherology. I’d included some of the company’s products in past collages on the blog but only recently made my first purchase—the circle keychain. I decided to order it in electric blue with light gold hardware and a gold monogram. When it comes to style, no detail is too small to overlook.

As I perused other products on the site, it became clear that Leatherology’s design team prioritizes functionality. Founders Rae and David Liu “draw inspiration from [their] daily routines to design fresh and familiar pieces to enhance [the] everyday.” I can’t think of anywhere else to buy a sophisticated, travel-sized tissue holder. The website is incredibly user-friendly and allows customers to preview their monogram on item(s) of their choice prior to purchasing. Personalized purchases aren’t returnable, but the preview feature will allow you to add your initials to any product with confidence.

Works Sighted

cirlce keychain // lipstick case // small tech bag

small accessories pouch // passport holder // small crossbody

tissue holder // belt bag // cord wrap set

The Neely & Chloe Edit

Leave a Comment / Accessories, Bags, Style / By Megan / July 26, 2021 July 26, 2021

Although I can’t recall when I first became acquainted with Neely & Chloe, I remember that it was the mini lady bag that sold me. It reminded me of the Mark Cross overnight case that Lisa Carol Fremont (played by Grace Kelly) carries in Rear Window (1954). The lady bag and the overnight case differ in size and price, but they both embody the same classic spirit.

Sisters Neely and Chloe Burch established their brand in 2015. One of the founders stated the following in a behind-the-scenes video: “The product should be more about you than it is about us. That’s why the logos are all on the inside of the bag.” In a society ruled by consumerism and fast fashion, it takes some effort on the part of the consumer to seek out designers with this mindset. The products in this edit speak for themselves:

mini lady bag // Out to lunch at La Grande Boucherie.

laptop sleeve // Working remotely from Ralph’s.

billfold // Picking up a book at Albertine.

small vanity case // Montauk for the weekend.

ring tab // Home sweet home.

large vanity case // Disconnecting in Tahiti.