Staying Stylish

As a new mom I will admit that most days you can find me either in yoga pants or, if I'm actually leaving the house, my maternity jeans.  I lost most of the baby weight, and am even noticeably thinner around my ribs, but my hips are a different story.  I'm hoping to be into my normal jeans by the time my maman comes in January.  I also am lucky if I think to put on mascara and some concealer to hide dark circles.  I figure I'll get better at this over time, but most days I could care less because I spend most of my days cuddled up with Nora in bed.

I do have to leave the house sometimes.  Whether for errands or simply to get out and live a little.  Right before Nora arrived I had purchased another Gerard Darel bag off of ebay (a Midday Midnight).  Love it, but carrying a handbag and a diaper bag is a little bit of a pain, so it will be sitting in my closet.

However, I got lucky this summer when I won a Timi and Leslie Rachel diaper bag from a blogger (whom I've actually known IRL since I was much younger).  I was a little shocked to win it, but super excited because it's stylish and not something I would have splurged on for myself.  (And it kept me from even thinking about splurging on the Gerard Darel BB bag...)  But I thought, awesome, it's stylish, but how well will this thing work out for me?

The answer is: really well.  It looks like a bag I might carry normally, has a ton of pockets, and has been such a godsend.  I use it to function as both a handbag and a diaper bag.   It can carry several diapers and wipes, a wet bag, a spare outfit for Nora, Sophie the Giraffe, a soft elephant, a swaddle blanket, deodorant (am I the only one who obsessively carries this with me?), my sunglasses, my wallet, my iPhone, toffee espresso beans, gum, her hair brush, and even my make-up bag without being overly full.  (It also carries a ring sling when I need it to.)

Another big thing for me is how easy it is to carry.  For this bag I carry it either on my shoulder or in my hand, and it is super comfortable either way.  It doesn't slip off my shoulder or dig in.  And while it's big enough to hold everything, it isn't so big that it's a nuisance.  Overall I'm in love with this bag, all it's little (and big) pockets, and it's stylish-ness.  They're a little pricey, but if this one ended up dying on me in a couple years and I needed a new one for another child, I would definitely splurge on another by Timi and Leslie.

*I was not asked to sing this bag's praises nor given any compensation. I just loved it and thought I'd share in case any of my readers are expecting or looking for an awesome gift for someone who is!