#FashionistaEvents Sponsor Spotlight: Maggie Bags

You all know by now, I am a true fashionista. I have a LOT of clothing. So much in fact that my husband is cursing me under his breath as we unpack and settle into our new home. My wardrobe fills an entire walk-in closet, 2 full-sized dressers, and there's still more that we're going to have to find a place for. (Thank goodness we have a ton of built-in storage in our home!)

Okay, maybe it's hard to be glamorous all the time with 2 toddlers climbing on me. And I admit, I love my yoga pants and comfy tees and basically survive in them while I'm at home. But I still love dressing up whenever I get the chance and I love bright, fun shoes and accessories to complete the look.

For the past few years, I have been trying to buy as much eco-friendly fashion as possible. I love bamboo clothing since it's super soft, and I also love organic cotton. Another thing I adore are up-cycled or recycled products. They're so unique and they help keep waste out of our already overflowing landfills. It's really a win-win situation. I get posh clothing and accessories that are truly unique and I do my part to help the environment.

So you can imagine my excitement when I was contacted by the folks at Maggie Bags to do a feature here on Newly Crunchy Mama Of 3. These handbags and totes are simply stunning, and they are made from recycled seat belt webbing! I know what you're thinking...Seat belts are used to make handbags? Sure, it sounds unconventional, but the results are amazing.

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Here's a little more about this eco-conscious company and their mission:

As more of us become aware of our social responsibility to recycle, it is important to make eco-friendly buying decisions that minimize the negative environmental impact of manufacturing consumer goods. Now women can carry a fashionable handbag and be eco-conscious with Maggie Bags!

When it comes to recycling, Maggie Bags believes that the greenest option of all is to create something new from something that is not being used. We are proud that the construction of our handbags is a simple cut-and-sew operation. There is no environmental impact of manufacturing new material and no need for typical recycling processes that consume large amounts of energy and other resources.

Maggie Bags uses genuine automotive seat belt webbing that is built to meet government safety standards and to protect you for the life of your car. Due to these high standards, millions of yards of seat belt webbing are rejected by automakers each year. Maggie Bags takes this high-quality material and gives it new life by creating a sophisticated line of handbags that are eco-friendly. We call it eco-chic! Maggie Bags are constructed with quality components such as YKK zippers and nickel-plated hardware.

Maggie Bags come in a wide variety of colors, sizes and styles, so you're sure to find something for anyone on your gift-giving list this year. There are small totes, large totes, and even elegant handbags worthy of any date night or special occasion.

The awesome folks at Maggie Bags sent me this stunning red Cicily Tote specifically for the Fall Fashionista event! It arrived quickly and I was absolutely shocked when I opened my package. I knew it would be nice, but I didn't realize it would be a work of art!

The Cicily Tote is incredibly well-made and is very durable. After all, it is made from recycled seat belt webbing, and we all know how sturdy our seat belts are! So the durability didn't surprise me any. I knew this would be a bag that could withstand years of use and abuse. (Hey, I have toddlers, remember?!)

What really surprised and delighted me about this tote is the fact that it's beautiful and has loads of feminine details. The pattern used makes it look completely elegant, and unless you told someone, they'd never guess that it's made from seat belt materials. It looks more like a higher-end, woven silk.

I also love the interior of the bag. It features a soft, satiny lining in a regal shade of plum, and it also features the Maggie Bags logo throughout. Red and purple are my all time favorite colors, so this bag is just completely me!

The Cicily Tote also features convenient inner-pockets perfect for pens, keys, cell-phones or other necessities, and it also has a secure zippered pocket. This definitely helps me stay organized and all of my must-haves are always easy to locate.

The Cicily Tote is also the perfect size for everyday use. It measures in at 12" L  x 5" W  x 7" H, so it's large enough to hold a lot of stuff without being cumbersome, and small enough to be completely chic. I am notorious for carrying purses that feel like they're loaded with cinderblocks, and I found this bag to be a great size. It carried all of my girly-gear easily and I don't feel the need to over-stuff it like I do with my larger bags.


Overall, I couldn't be more impressed by Maggie Bags. These bags are sensational! They're built to last, are very unique, and I have already gotten a ton of compliments on my tote. It's neat because as I tell others about my Maggie Bag, I also get the opportunity to open a dialogue about being more eco-friendly without seeming pushy or fanatical. I know a few people who plan on purchasing a Maggie Bag for themselves!

I also love the folks at Maggie Bags. As a blogger, I have worked with hundreds of different companies over the years. Most are wonderful to work with, but very few truly stand out. I have to say, Kerri over at Maggie Bags has been fantastic. She is friendly, enthusiastic, and very passionate about her company. She's been an absolute pleasure to work with, and has been extremely helpful. I don't know about you, but as a consumer, I like seeing companies that are dedicated to excellent customer service. In this respect, Maggie Bags gets an A++.

I would definitely recommend Maggie Bags to anyone looking for a beautiful, unique, and eco-friendly way to step out in style this Fall season. (Or any season, for that matter!)

HOW TO CONNECT :

You can check out the awesomeness that is Maggie Bags on their website.

Special Discount!
From now until December 24, 2012, you can enjoy a whopping 25% off anything in Maggie Bags Premier Line! Just use the following code at checkout:

crunchyfashion

You can also become a fan and join the eco-chic revolution by following them on Facebook and on twitter! You can also find them on Pinterest!


STAY TUNED FOR THE FALL FASHIONISTA EVENT FOR A CHANCE TO WIN YOUR VERY OWN MAGGIE BAGS CREATION! THIS EVENT WILL BEGIN AT MIDNIGHT, OCTOBER 11, 2012!


***Disclosure: I received a complimentary product to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***