Style :: Diaper Bag Dilemma

So you’re PG.  And you KNOW that you’re going to have a gazillion and one things to carry around once that blessed bundle arrives. Wipes, diapers, a change of clothes, bottles, hooter hiders, etc, the list can seem endless. And next to impossible to put all in one single bag.

So unless you plan on having a nanny to carry it around for you, a diaper bag is in your future.

But the term diaper bag conjures up images of cutesy pink or blue bags with fuzzy wittle bunnies, or puppies or rainbows. *gag* Luckily, the baby industry has realized that the babies aren’t the ones carrying the bags, and that as grown up, fashionable women, cute just ain’t gonna cut it.

With my first child, I did favor a print over a solid. It was my first baby and while I didn’t want something”cute” per se, I did want something interesting. So I chose a nice cherry blossom print from Skip Hop, that was kind of funky and cool, yet not too over the top and in a muted brown color. It was a great bag for me 3 years ago… but now I’m looking for something a little more grown up. A little more chic, and something that I’m not going to look ridiculous carrying around if, god forbid, I don’t have my baby with me.

How about this?

I am officially in LOVE with this bag from Timi and Leslie.

I love the color, which they call pewter, and all of the accoutrements that come with it. A wristlet/clutch for mom, a bottle holder, stroller straps, a changing pad and a wet bag… I mean, does it get more fabulous? It comes in a myriad of colors, from the wild side (teal blue or mustard yellow) to the more mundane (brown, black or tan) and is just too fantastic for words. This is definitely on my must have list for my next kid.

My first bag was a Skip Hop and I have to say, this company knows how to make diaper bags.

This is the Skip Hop Versa. I used my last one exclusively for 2 plus years and it never looked a minute older than the day I bought it. They have tons of pockets and a TON of room for everything that you might need for your little one. This one is one of their most fashionable, with the gorgeous contrasting orange color and beautiful print. The best part is that you can actually zip the bag to be bigger or smaller depending on your needs.

If you are looking for something little bit more of a feminine touch, there is no better place to look than Petunia Pickle Bottom.

When I was looking at bags the first time around, the pretty pastels and the girly prints weren’t exactly what I was looking for, and the backpack design just was SO NOT ME. But now, PPB has grown up a LOT. They have expanded their repertoire to include a line called Cake by Petunia Pickle Bottom that includes gorgeous prints in modern colors, and new shapes that are feminine, but still chic. Their Cosmopolitan Carry All in Black Forest Cake is particularly lovely, with Black European cut-velvet featuring a Parisian-inspired framed lily wallpaper design and coordinating black tweed and black water-resistant lining. I really do love it for the retro bag look.

These are all lovely examples of great handbags for a fabulous Mommy, but what about Dad?

There will come a time that Dad may be responsible for the kids and carrying around a Black Velvet purse might not really fly for him. If this is case, then OiOi has your back. Their Jungle Leather Bag has distressed leather and a casual manly look, but it is all function when it comes to carrying baby’s necessities.

Whether you’re having a boy or a girl, are modern or retro, there is a beautiful bag out there for hiding carrying everything that baby might need. After all, don’t sacrifice your style simply because you have to carry a diaper bag.

What’s your favorite style of bag to carry (diaper bag or not)? Are you retro, feminine, classic or modern?

- Ashley

Married to a commercial pilot (swoon), Ashley Fitting juggles life in NoCal with a toddler and a wee one on the way! When Ashley is not ‘with child’ she drinks a $#*T ton of wine and knows a thing or two about chickens and living a sustainable lifestyle. Twitter: @ItsAFitting

Disclosure: On occasion, contributors of The Trend Tribe receive products, compensation and/or services gratis or at discounted rates. This practice does not influence the contributor’s point of view or the outcome of the review. All descriptions are factual and accurately reflect the reviewers experience. The opinions are their own.

Ashley (14 Posts)

Lives life with her professional pilot husband (*swoon*) while sneaking in some cooking, cleaning, crafting and the mayhem of a toddler (with another on they way!) Oh and drinking a $#*T ton of wine! Twitter: @ItsAFitting