Review: LillyMae Bags . . . Boutique Fanny Pack and Purse in One

If you are someone who hesitantly wears fanny packs solely out of necessity's sake or has sworn them off altogether, then you may want to take a look at these boutique fanny packs by LillyMae Bags, which happen to also double as purses.  These bags are compact, fit flat against your body, and are a much funner and attractive way to keep your hands free to work out, carry groceries, or hold your little ones' hands.

Since this 6-1/4" x 4" bag has an adjustable strap and also doubles as a cross body bag, I thought it would be the perfect bag for my little girl.  I let her pick out the specific style and she chose the "Blue/Green Flower" bag, which is perfect for the upcoming spring and summer seasons.  This bag has a zip top closure with an additional pocket on one interior wall that is roomy enough for a compact mobile phone and certainly large enough for your driver's license, debit card, or business cards.  The bag itself is perfect for an mp3 player, small camera, or a large mobile phone (more than enough room to hold my Samsung Focus).  There is a large eyelet for you to run your headphone wires through.  The strap also breaks apart for when you opt to use it as a fanny pack.

I need to make it clear that this bag would not work as a fanny pack for a child.  At its shortest, the strap measures 31" long.  So, if you have an especially slim build, it may be slightly too large for you (luckily, I do not have that problem).

Currently, LillyMae Bags are available in 13 styles and retail for between $16 and $18 at LillyMaeBags.com. For a limited time, you can save 15% off your purchase when you use Code: 15001 at checkout.


Thank you to LillyMae Bags for sending us a complimentary product sample to base this review upon.  This article was written as part of a campaign for the Family Review Network.

Holiday 2010 Review: "Global Girlfriend" Gifts to Benefit Women Worldwide

Global Girlfriend is a company created by Stacey Edgar in 2003 to help women worldwide gain economic security while providing unique products and a simple way to help women in need. Their women-made, fair trade boutique offers a line of trend-setting products including stylish apparel, accessories, and gifts with one purpose: helping women in need help themselves. They believe that economic opportunity for women holds the promise for real change in the world because when women have an income, they reinvest in themselves and in their children, building stronger families and communities over time. Through fair-trade practices, Global Girlfriend brings the work of these disadvantaged women directly to you. Global Girlfriend believes in forming long-term partnerships that provide women a fair living wage with equal employment opportunities and safe healthy working conditions to foster prosperity and reduce poverty.

Additionally, Global Girlfriend directs the charity royalty from each purchase to Camfed (Campaign for Female Education), a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating poverty in Africa through the education of girls and the empowerment of young women. Camfed works directly with girls and women in rural areas of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana and Tanzania, providing educational and economic opportunities. The charity royalty from each purchase at Global Girlfriend is directed to Camfed's seed money micro-grant and micro-credit program. Camfed's seed money micro-grant program is run by young women for young women, creating a bond of female solidarity that is integral to its success. Young women in the seed money program receive an initial micro-grant, which they do not have to repay, in order to launch a small business venture, benefiting themselves, their families, and their entire communities.

Global Girlfriend was kind enough to send me Ugandan Waxcloth Slings and a Café Chic Batik Apron to try out and review. I would say that I was very pleased with the items I was sent. They are all very well made and completely functional. The apron fit me perfectly and I love the pocket on the front, a nice added feature. It is so cute and comfortable and I feel so domestic wearing it. The purses are cute, stylish, roomy, and well made. I have been carrying the blue-print purse since I received it a month ago and it shows no signs of wear at all. It is still in perfect condition. I am very happy with all of these items and am equally as happy to support a company with such a good vision.

You can see these items and many, many more, including handcrafted jewelry at GlobalGirlfriend.com . Please think of this site when you are shopping for gifts this holiday. It is always a good feeling to give gifts that benefit the recipient as well as others. Don't forget to also look for Global Girlfriend on Facebook and owner Stacey Edgar on Twitter.

Thank you to Global Girlfriend for sending complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon.

Shop 'n' Share: Steve Madden "Twist Knot" Tote from Overstock.com

I turned 37 today. That's almost halfway to 75! I had no idea what I wanted for my birthday. I do have a not-so-secret love for handbags and I truly adore my Tignanello Touchables Bright Light Large Tote in soft red leather that I found for half price at Macy's almost a year ago. Still I thought maybe I could use a change. So I found this faux leather Steve Madden "Twist Knot" Tote on Overstock.com. I was really drawn to it when I first saw it. It combines the two popular trends of bows and chains. I decided this could be my birthday present, since it was half off retail.

When the bag arrived, the chrome hardware was just a tad brighter than I had expected. I wondered if I could pull this bag off. In my late teens and early twenties, I wore my black leather biker jacket with everything. Is this just an attempt to recapture my youth? Perhaps, but I do think this bag has some sophistication with a little bit of edge. Will I carry it throughout the upcoming fall and winter? That remains to be seen.

(I also had my husband remove the permanently attached shoulder strap. The design is already slightly complicated, so I did not want that extra set of rings and long strap hanging off those corner grommets.)

This article was based on my own personal shopping experience and I did not receive product or compensation for sharing it with my readers.

Getting Ready for BlogHer: Shabby Apple Black Dress & More

One of the most fun and exciting things about attending BlogHer 2010 will be the evening events I am planning to attend. Since I am no longer a perfect size 5, it is also one of the things that are slightly stressful. I needed to find 3 nighttime outfits I would be comfortable wearing and being seen in. Luckily, Shabby Apple came to my rescue with the perfect black dress.

According to the body type guide, I am an "apple." Loosely translated . . . I am flat-chested, still have a post-twin tummy, and find myself with hips I did not have just a few years ago. The "Tender is the Night" dress caught my eye immediately. It is elegant, but playful. The tiered look is everywhere, as are ruffles. Leave it to the designers at Shabby Apple to incorporate these trends into the perfect tiered ruffle dress.

Because the light plays off the ruffles so much, I think a matte charmeuse was the perfect choice of fabric for this dress. Anything shinier would have been too much in my opinion. This dress is only available in petite, which worked out perfectly for someone like me who is just under 5' 5". This dress hits me right at the knee, so it would be a good fit for anyone taller than me also. Although this dress has a generous fit, I ordered an XL because I needed to camouflage my tummy area. As I previously mentioned, I am flat-chested, so I needed to use a dress clip (or cinch clip) to tighten the dress at the chest in order to maintain the more flattering a-line shape.

The detail of the grosgrain ribbon trim across the chest topped off with a bow are the perfect finishing touches to this dress. The tiers are light and airy, offering a lot of movement with little effort. I also love that the back zipper is completely hidden . . . just another detail which shows the quality of a Shabby Apple garment.

To view more classically chic fashions and accessories for women and girls, visit ShabbyApple.com . For a limited time, you can save 20% off most items when you checkout using Code: Summer20. Keep up-to-date on Shabby Apple news by visiting the Shabby Apple blog, Shabby Apple on Facebook, and ShabbyApple on Twitter.

**********************************************************************************

These are some accessories I picked up to go with my "Tender is the Night" Dress from Shabby Apple . . .

J. Furmani Satin Evening Bag with Bracelet Wristlet (in Black)

from eBags.com

Women's Mossimo Halle Glitter Sandals (in Black)

from Target.com

Robert Laprocina Silver Plated Rhinestone Dress Clip

from the Lita Lapro Jewelry Store

**********************************************************************************

Thank you to Shabby Apple for sending us a sample dress free of charge to base this review upon.

Shop 'n' Share: Matching Mother/Daughter Purses

Now that my daughter is 3-1/2, I've noticed that she is paying more attention to clothing and accessories. Since I did not really know what I had wanted for Mother's Day, I thought it would be a nice treat to find matching or coordinating mother/daughter bags.

Well I looked all over and did not find anything that I liked. I did find some cute bags at JCPenney that had a large and small version, but they were too much money. I just could not spend $40 on a bag for a 3yr old.

Then I stumbled across Tote-ally Bags on Etsy. Their "Toteally Together" collection consists of matching mother/daughter tote bags. This Etsy seller is amazing! I placed my custom order (with my fabric choice and customized handle length) a week before Mother's Day and received these bags in time to show off on Mother's Day.

After a very poor experience with another custom bag company, I was so thrilled with Tote-ally Bags! By the way, both totes only cost $36 plus shipping. The workmanship was excellent and I just really could not have been more pleased.

Can you guess who else was extremely pleased?

This article is based on my own personal shopping experience. No compensation was received for sharing this experience with my readers.