Everyday Bike Bag: The Bike Pretty Satchel

You guys, I feel like I've been locked away in bike bag land for months. My Bike Pretty Satchel is finally now on sale. It's a big milestone in my journey as a designer/entrepreneur. And a good moment to remember what inspired me in the first place.

Bikes are amazing machines. Stick one between your legs, and distances magically shrink. An hour wasted in traffic becomes twenty minutes of pure bliss.

I've been a hardcore bike commuter for over ten years. I first got the bug in Portland. (Still the closest thing to a cyclists's paradise that we have in the US.) Even when I got my first Real Fashion Job--as a handbag designer in Italy--I would still bike for two hours everyday. 

Going from one end of Florence to the other I got lots of funny looks along the way. I never felt like riding a bike cramped my style. Instead, I embraced the challenge of how to dress as cute and colorfully as I liked while I biked. I mean, I love putting together outfits, but once I'm dressed, I don't want to have to think about my clothes until the end of the day. The clothes should be serving me, not the other way around. And if a cute dress works for my thirty minute commute, then it should be great for the rest of the day off the bike, too.

Eventually I mastered the art of selecting bloomers, tying up my maxi-skirts, and biking in heels. But I never really figured out how to carry my stuff. I knew that the really clever trick is to have your bike carry the load. Psychologically, it's freeing to ride around unburdened. Physiologically, sweat doesn't get trapped against the skin. It was easier when I had a bike with a rear rack, but tying down my messenger with bungee cords was nerve-wracking at best. Being resourceful, I made it work. But I always wondered if there was a better way.

Then a light bulb went off and I realized that I had to design my dream bag myself. Sure it seems obvious now. Like, what else would a bike-riding, purse-designing creative-type do when faced with such a conundrum? But seriously guys, it took me a while to figure this stuff out.

Mostly because I didn't want to compromise. And I didn't. So I made a bag that is easy to clip on to my bike. And easier to clip off when I'm ready to lock up (because I'm usually running late, let's be real). Even better, once the Bike Pretty Satchel is off the bike, it blends perfectly into my wardrobe. Like when I pair it with a little black dress.

Or a little blue dress. Or a green skirt. Or Rainbow! I've been testing my designs for nearly two years and I'm so excited to have made a bag that I love to carry everyday. Try one out yourself and feel how good it is to fall in love with biking all over again.