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Carpetbag Luxury for Your Laptop - the Wirkin from Veronica London

I have a great affection for carpet bags. They always remind me of Anne of Green Gables, who arrived off the train at Bright River with all her worldly goods in an ancient carpet bag. Anne's carpet bag had to be carried a certain way or the handle would fall off - not very functional for the young orphan on the go.

Fortunately, the Veronica London Wirkin Laptop Carpet Bag is not your grandmother's carpet bag - it's definitely a carpet bag for the new millennium. It has a unique look and is really well-made; the vintage fabric is whimsical yet chic. The rich texture of the fabric and the pebbled leather trim and handles make the Wirkin a great marriage of classic and Bohemian style.

I'm a fan of the handbag-style laptop tote and the Wirkin's shoulder straps make for comfy carrying. I also liked that the Wirkin has the same fabulous little feet I loved so much on the Veronica London Monogram Laptop Tote. I was a little worried that the buckle closure on the front of the bag would be fussy, but it turns out the front is just a clever illusion! The bag actually zips across the top, which makes for much easier access.

There is a little gap at the top of the bag, even with the zipper closed - so between that and the vintage fabric, the Wirkin's not really a rainy day bag.

The Wirkin is very fun and fashion-forward but it isn't just about looks - inside, this bag's all business. It comes with a padded, removable laptop sleeve, which fit my MacBook Pro very comfortably (my MacBook also liked the leather detail on the laptop sleeve - a nice touch).

The laptop sleeve has its own compartment, which is also padded for extra laptop love. The laptop compartment is secured with a Velcro strap - if you're not toting your laptop around, the compartment is the perfect size for files, binders, magazines, etc.

The middle compartment has room for your eyewear, PDA, iPod, cellphone, pens, business cards and anything else you might need. None of the interior pockets are zippered, however, so I wouldn't toss small, hard-to-find items or loose change in there. The front compartment runs the length of the bag - more room for files, notebook or wallet.

The Wirkin is quite a roomy bag and has just the right amount of structure - not too firm, not too floppy. Even if you overstuff it a little (my Annotated Anne of Green Gables hardcover takes up a lot of room), the carpet bag fabric is sturdy yet forgiving, which I appreciated.

Ellen and the fine folks at Veronica London let me pick which Wirkin bag I wanted to test and review - it was a tough call, but I chose the green Wirkin (green does suit us redheads). The bag also comes in burnt orange carpet bag fabric, which I loved almost as much as the green. If you like the Wirkin style of bag but are not feeling the business Bohemian attitude, you can also get the Wirkin in red and black microfiber.

While I will always associate carpet bags with Anne, the design of the Wirkin bags are actually an homage to the famous Hermès Birkin Bag!. But while the Birkin typically starts at $7500 US, you can get a fabulous Veronica London Wirkin Laptop Carpet Bag for only $140 US at CareerBags.com.

UPDATE: It seems this version of the Veronica London has been retired.

O Yikes! - Bags for Urban Parents

The lovely Lisa at O Yikes! was kind enough to send me one of their sporty, colourful Slingback 9-2-5 Packages to try out a while back. It's a very compact, good-looking bag.

I did have a couple of size issues with the Slingback, however, so I was unable to perform my usual "week of use" testing prior to my review. Just wanted to let you know up front - I have touched, poked, prodded and admired the bag, but have not taken it into the fray.

The Slingback's laptop sleeve fits up to a 13" screen and my MacBook Pro is 15". FYI - O Yikes! *does* make a large laptop sleeve that fits up to a 15" laptop - but the large sleeve will not fit in the Slingback. The other thing the Slingback doesn't fit is me. I didn't get out the tape measure, but let us say this: if you are at the upper limit of size at Lane Bryant or are very large bosomed or barrel chested, the Slingback is not the bag for you.

That all being said, there's much to recommend the Slingback. The 9-2-5 Slingback Package (the Slingback, the matching laptop sleeve and accessories pouch) is a great value and makes for a very versatile bag. Leave the laptop sleeve out and use it as a diaper bag - or leave the Slingback at the office and take the laptop sleeve to your meeting (it has its own shoulder strap!).

The Slingback is made of sturdy nylon material with solid, good quality hardware (zippers, clips, etc.) I love the cheerful colours it comes in - I chose the Tangerine Raspberry colourway (my wedding colours!) but it's also available in more subdued tones if you prefer. The Slingback itself is well thought out and offers plenty of organizational options. The smaller front compartment has a generous gusset and a mesh pocket to help keep things in place. The larger main compartment has plenty of zip pockets and pouches for your valuables and other daily essentials, from USB keys to talcum powder.

The Slingback's ergonomic strap fastens across your chest with Velcro and a buckle to keep it secure. And the chest strap has a holster pouch for easy access to your cellphone, mp3 player or PDA. I also like the exterior bottle holder - excellent for your water or, when riding public transit, your flask.

The laptop sleeve is as padded and sturdy as the Slingback. As I said, it comes with its own shoulder strap, but also has handles for easy toting. The laptop sleeve has a back pocket as well, for a notebook or similar, and it comes in the same bright colours as the Slingback. The square accessory case was my personal favourite part of the 9-2-5 Package - it's big enough for my powercord and mouse and the see-through mesh pockets let me see what's in there without having to empty the thing out every time I was rooting around for a memory card or lozenge.

Would I recommend the Slingback to a smaller person with a smaller laptop? Without reservation. It's a cool, unusual shape as well as being a well-designed bag. And, in the spirit of disclosure, when I pass it on to someone who can use it, I'll be selfishly retaining the accessory case. Bigger gals with bigger 'books (or bosoms) should check out the O Yikes! 9.2.5 Messenger Package.

UPDATE: The O Yikes! Slingback has been retired.

Erin Briefcase by Abbi

Dum, dadda, da dum. Bum, badda, ba dum. It's spring time. I've got a bounce in my step. Easter is near. Time to throw off the shackles of winter, dear. Dum, dadda da dum .... Bum, badda, ba dummmmm.

OK, so I'm not MUCH of a songwriter. But after all the snow that is hammering a fair chunk of North America, we need to be singing about something. I've been desperate to cast off my heavy winter coat. Junk my clunky boots. Trade in my big bulky laptop bag for a light-weight slim, colourful case. And Abbi has just the thing. They sent over a briefcase from their new Erin Collection to test drive and hopefully perk up my winter blahs.

The Erin Collection has three great bags and is decked out in four springy colours. I tested the Erin Briefcase in "Dusty Miller".

Now, like spring, I am a little fickle and slightly peevish. And I'm conflicted about the Erin Briefcase. I am DELIGHTED by its silhouette and form. It is slender and lightweight. The exterior is water-resistant nylon and the trim is patent leather. I particularly like the hardware appointments: the zipper pulls, accent rivets, rings and buckles are high-quality. However, I feel the carrying strap is a real design mis-match for the Erin Briefcase. The camel colour of the strap matches only one of the bags and the texture disconnect between the patent leather and the nylon strap (in my mind) reduces the richness of this bag. Also, the strap isn't long enough to wear the Erin across your body if you're dashing somewhere in a hurry.

The Erin does come in a surprising colour range: cherry blossom and lime green - perfect for spring; dusty miller - for those for whom grey is the new black; and saddle brown - when you want a bag that will go with EVERYTHING! Oddly, the interior colour of the Erin Briefcase is a neon orange. It is extremely well padded and soft, but, it is *orange*. The Erin is meant for those who travel light, so there isn't a full internal compartment for your laptop - simply a strap that will keep it from banging around. There are two other pockets for cellphone, wallet, etc. There is also a pocket on the back of the Erin Briefcase that can hold your power cord, boarding pass or other sundries.

I took the Erin Brief with me on a four-day trip to Toronto. It was light and comfortable to carry through the airport. However, getting through the security line quickly was difficult. The strap that holds the laptop was awkward to unfasten and pull out the laptop for inspection; it was IMPOSSIBLE to then put the laptop back in after going through the detector without pulling out everything, strapping the computer in and refilling the bag. So, I cannot recommend this bag for road warriors at all.

However, if you want a light, stylish bag for carrying your laptop to and from the office (particularly if you have a power cord and other accessories at each locale so you don't need to carry much), the Erin Briefcase is perfect. This is one case where it really does depend on your lifestyle and what you need from a laptop bag.

The Erin Briefcase retails for $149 USD and fits laptops up to 15.4" widescreen.

UPDATE: The Erin from Abbi has been retired, but you can check out their other briefcases at myabbi.com

 

Review of the GiddyUp by Pinder

I am a child of the 60's. The really late 60's, mind you, but the 60's nevertheless. As such, certain colours, shapes and textures hold a special place in my heart. Like aluminum glasses and FiestaWare. Kitchens decorated in orange and brown. Marlo Thomas who played Ann Marie in "That Girl".

I often think of Ann Marie in her kicky beret, fashionista mod wardrobe and charming smile. Now Ann had to take a number of temp jobs to support her budding acting career, a few of which were in a corporate environment. I don't think she would sacrifice her mod style, but she would dress appropriately for the job.

And if Ann had had a laptop, she would have carried an appropriate laptop bag ... something mod, yet a little understated. Something a little retro corporate chic.

Well, I have the perfect bag for you gals who have a special place in your heart for Ann Marie and share here sense of style. I knew it from the second I opened the new GiddyUp from Pinder that Bob sent over for review.

The GiddyUp tote's shape is reminiscent of a vintage bowling bag .. slightly tapered with gently rounded corners. The GiddyUp has a great array of base colours (Black, Chocolate, Dark Green, FIre Red) and coordinating trims (Lime, Pink, Red, Grey - among others). The GiddyUp is made of water-repellent ballistic nylon. The handles as well as the trim are faux leather (Pinder doesn't use animal products on their bags for ethical reasons) and the hardware is all nickel plated. The handles on the GiddyUp are generous - easy to sling over the shoulder or carry in traditional handbag fashion.

In addition to the shape, my favourite thing about the exterior of the GiddyUp tote is that the colour trim on the front isn't just decorative! It cleverly conceals the zipper and pull for an external pocket! Finally, a sleekly silhouetted bag that has an external pocket. Thank you, Pinder! A place for Ann to keep her compact and her giant sunglasses! And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the feet. I'm pleased to see the trend for stylish laptop totes to have feet. Because no one wants to get the bottom of their bag sticky from whatever is on the floor of the Metro.

The design of the interior of the GiddyUp is as sleek as the exterior. The GiddyUp has two separate compartments; both are lined with a bright coloured nylon lining in a complementary colour to the trim. The back compartment is where you stash your laptop. It is well padded and generous. If you are concerned that it is a little TOO generous, especially for those of you who have an ultra-thin laptop, then you will likely want to add on a Pinder THIN sleeve to your GiddyUp.

The front compartment is where you stash the rest of your gear. There are two smaller pockets on the back wall, complete with velcroed flaps for other electronics, pens, etc. The front wall has a zippered pouch, handy for important travel docs, receipts, etc. The rest of the front compartment is very generous and easily holds my power brick, mouse, and camera. Plus my lunch.

Both the front and back compartments are zippered with coloured zip tabs. The ones on the back compartment have an additional nickel decorative rivet so you can distinguish which one your laptop is in by both look and touch. The zippers extend quite far down the side of the GiddyUp which allows easier access to its contents. But Pinder has cleverly included a gusset on each side to prevent items from slipping out of the compartments. Well-designed!

I am a big fan of the GiddyUp tote by Pinder. I love its retro chic lines and its colourful modern interior. So "That Girl!" 

UPDATE: The GiddyUp from Pinder seems to have been retired.