Like most women, I wear many hats. I’m a busy professional, a board member at a non-profit organization, and a blogger—and that’s not even taking into account my very rich personal life. I valiantly try to keep all of the balls in the air, but sometimes, it gets ugly. Recently, I looked around my living room and realized that I had three different tote bags, a backpack, and a couple of handbags hanging on chairs and door knobs. I tend to use a different bag depending on my agenda for the day.
Regular readers know that I’m a very proactive person. A few weeks ago, I thought, “Enough is enough!” I had an upcoming business trip to the Washington, D.C., area, so I set out on a quest to find the bag to consolidate my baggy madness. I combed the web for a cute laptop handbag, and I even took my quest to the Mall of America, to no avail. Then, I saw a story in the Star Tribune about a local designer who had created a handbag system. Bingo!
I visited the HeddyFreddy website and decided that I had to try this system. The designer, Aimee, agreed to let me try her HeddyFreddy executive package, and I offered to share my story here. I visited Aimee’s showroom in St. Paul, MN, and learned more about the ingenious system, which is based on an eight-pocket module. You load the module with your essentials and then move it from bag to bag. It fits perfectly into all of the HeddyFreddy handbags and totes.
HeddyFreddy sign at St. Paul, MN, showroom
HeddyFreddy founder and designer, Aimee
I took off on Wednesday for Washington with my carry-on bag and my HeddyFreddy executive tote, and I packed the floral handbag in my carry-on so I could use it for evening events where I wouldn’t need my laptop. The system was so great, and I got several compliments on my totally unique bags. A man at the workshop even commented that my bag matched my outfit.
I loved being able to remove the module from the tote and stick it in the handbag for dinner. So simple! And the executive tote fit under the airplane seat perfectly, so I was able to carry it on along with my suitcase.
Now that I’m home in Minneapolis, I’ve decided to retire all those frumpy totes and just use them for bringing home the groceries. Now I have a stylish, professional-looking bag that I can use every day, plus a fun handbag. The bonus is that I can also attach a strap to the module and use it as a handbag on its own.
The only downside for me is that I’m not used to carrying much of a bag at all, so my executive tote does feel a little heavier to me. My other totes were made of 100% cotton, whereas this bag is more substantial—a nice sturdy fabric with leather trim. I don’t generally bring my netbook to work, so this business trip was the first time in a while that I’d needed to travel with my computer. Now that I have this bag, I see myself bringing my netbook with me more often, and I think I’ll enjoy my tote even more as I break in the leather straps. They’re gorgeous, and like a new pair of shoes, they need a little more loving before they’ll fit my body perfectly.
I’m happy to recommend HeddyFreddy for any woman who needs to consolidate the bags in her life. Aimee likes to call it an “intervention.” At the workshop I attended this past week, one of the speakers mentioned a clever acronym for “system” that I hadn’t heard before: Save Your Self Time, Energy, and Money. Yes! This system will absolutely save you time and energy. In the long run, it could even save you money, depending on your current handbag habit.
While the bags are not cheap, the bags themselves are not cheap! These are high-end handbags, and the prices are extremely fair for the quality of the product: Made in the USA, brilliant designs, great attention to detail, high-quality materials, and—perhaps most attractive to me—versatility. With my new trio of bags, I feel prepared for any personal or professional event that might come up this summer. And, I’m happy to support a local female entrepreneur who has created such a hip and innovative product.
One lucky reader, Megan from Rochester, MN, won the HeddyFreddy module of her choice, with strap, and a $10 certificate that can be used toward the purchase of a shell. Blog-with-integrity disclosure: I received complimentary products for this review, but the opinions are mine entirely. I received no financial compensation. The giveaway was sponsored by Aimee of HeddyFreddy.
Emma with her new executive tote
Emma's new strap shell
Module with strap
