Meet Paul, Sea Bags’ latest It Guy. He is the volunteer spokesmodel for our re-designed wallet. Paul’s enthusiasm for the versatile accessory is based on his persistence and the wallet’s function.

Paul’s sister discovered the Sea Bags store in Freeport. She told him that men’s wallets were sold there. Paul was raised around the water and his father raced Hobie Cats. Therefore, he was intrigued by the possibility of a wallet made from recycled sailcloth.

As shopping is not a high priority for Paul, by the time he went to the store the wallets were sold out. Throughout the next few months, Paul was in Freeport often for business and as time permitted, he would come into the store and ask about the wallets. He left his name and cell number to be called when they were available again.

Meanwhile, back at the workshop, Sea Bag designers were collecting the best variety of recycled sailcloth and designing for even greater function. A very limited supply of wallets was re-introduced as part of the holiday Employee Recommendation promotion.

Then it happened. The call came. As a gesture of appreciation for his persistence and interest, Paul was given a wallet by Sea Bags for Christmas.  He received his gift in the Freeport store and immediately moved his credit cards, identification and cash into his new wallet.

“I have been using this wallet everyday since then,” says Paul, who admits that the leather wallet his girlfriend gave him for Christmas remains in the nightstand. “I can get everything in here and it still remains flat. I like it because it is thinner than nylon or leather and more durable.”

According to Paul, he recommends the plentiful pockets for credit cards and appreciates how easy it is to remove his driver’s from behind the clear window that protects it. He demonstrates how easy it is to organize receipts within the billfold.

Paul checks in with us every couple of months. Meanwhile, he spreads the word about the durability and function of these colorful wallets made from recycled sails on Custom House Wharf.

And, as our spokesmodel, Paul says he doesn’t mind signing autographs!

The Right Accessories are Key to Being Organized

The cavernous inside of a tote can be perceived as a threat or as an opportunity. Is it a wide, open, deep space that sucks in important objects and requires endless search and rescue for a pen or a comb? Or is it the opportunity for the land of compartmentalization that thrives with a place for everything?

Each Sea Bag tote has a slip pocket that can be command central for your smartphone or keys. However, the rest of the space is available for you to develop as needed. I have found that the right accessories really do help organize the space that naturally invites entropy.

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The cosmetic pouch is appropriate, well, for cosmetics but also for keeping a checkbook, pens, small calculator, business cards and note paper in one place. As parent of small children, I keep a package of wet wipes with straws and utensils in another cosmetic pouch for “just in case” instances. 

The anchor stamped change purse is a perfect size for credit cards. Or, of course, this accessory keeps coins from bulking up wallets or rattling around at the bottom of the bag.

The vintage change purse is easy to spot because it is made from brightly colored Dacron sailcloth. It is a little larger than the anchor change purse so a cellphone or iPod with earbuds fit nicely.  

Don’t forget the wristlet. Latch it to the handle for greater access. Often times when I want to downsize or need to travel light, I gather essentials in the wristlet and depart from the mothership tote for quick trips to the grocery store.

What else do you carry in your purse or tote?

What shape are you in(to)?

I am a traditionalist by nature. I like the simplicity of the tote. I appreciate the large and open design with boxy, tailored corners and a handle centered atop each side. The open space inside actually helps me be more organized.

However, after spending time with the spring line in the Freeport store, the relaxed lines and softer silhouettes are calling me like sirens of adventure convincing me to consider a fresh look this season.

The crescent shaped hobo bag has a long strap that can be worn cross body and magnetic closure at the top of the bag. I especially like the bold front zippered pocket –available in either silkscreened Breton stripes or with a pop of rare colored Dacron.

The courier bags, with a magnet closure, and the messenger bags, with a folded flap for added privacy, live at the intersection of where form meets function. Both bags have a large zipped pocket sewn inside for easy of access of essentials. Again, the adjustable straps make for a comfortable cross body fit.

The Summer Satchel most resembles the traditional tote but offers a more relaxed, casual summer silhouette. I like the large, bright geometric pocket outside in addition to the traditional back panel pocket. The hemp rope handle knotted through grommets is a nice touch. And at a lower price point, this is a good Mother’s Day gift.

Spring is for fresh starts and a good time for a change. Try one of these new shapes. They may just become your new tradition!

Beach Vacation

By now Mainers have removed their snow tires. Even though it was a mild winter, we are conditioned to not be surprised by a snowstorm in March or April. It is after that when we typically usher in Mud Season, or spring, as the rest of the country enjoys around the same time of the year.

In Maine, we make the most of our summers and enjoy every moment of warm weather. And, most of us are not easily persuaded to leave the state during those months. We spend hours and days ritually preparing for summer by opening up camps, purchasing beach passes or preparing the boat for the water. Summers in Maine are the best.

But between now and summer is an interesting time for Mainers. Naturally our thoughts turn to vacation. This is the time of year - especially facilitated by the fact that school spring break is the same statewide - when some folks flee the 60 degree days to spend time on beaches elsewhere. They trade Maine’s rocky shores and coarse exfoliating sand for warm water and white beaches and 80+ degree-days.

However, a beach day is never a bad day no matter where it is. It is in that spirit that these photos are shared. Do your vacation plans include visiting Maine this summer?

A View from Bow Street: There Really is a Bag for Everyone

At Sea Bags we are firm believers that you should love your bag. Every bag is made from a recycled sail that has had its own journey. Most bags are made two-ply so the inside and outside of the bag is different with stitching and character of individual sail panel. Each bag is as unique as the person who is carrying it.

There have been two bags in the Freeport store that I have been wondering about. Both bags are size large. One has large fluorescent orange letters spelling MALIBU. The other has large gold metallic numbers 90210.

Unique, right? I do not know the origin nor the significance of these two place-based totes or how they ended up in Freeport. In a collection of navy anchors, whale tales and vintage numbered images, these two have definitely garnered curious attention.

Each time a customer picks up one of the bags and remarks something to the effect of either, “Who knows someone in Malibu?” or “Wasn’t there a show on television with this zip code?” I wonder if this is going to be the right person for either of those bags.

I have been on Bow Street long enough to know that every bag finds purchase. Some take longer than others. And I have to admit that the neon letters and tony zip code have created much lighthearted exchange about how some day the right person will find these bags.

Then it happened! A gal, who had been working at a local jeweler, came into our Freeport store at the end of the day. As she was gathering her materials before driving to Boston for a flight back to her home in NYC, she noticed a woman carrying a Sea Bag. Immediately she fell in love and was encouraged that there was a store around the corner.

Lightening struck. Magic happened. She was excited to find the MALIBU bag. Her name is Aria and she bought the bag as a gift for her dear cousin and best friend who grew up in Los Angeles. Every time Aria visits they go to Zuma Beach in Malibu. Yes, Malibu. This bag is perfect for her. Score!

Aria was a good sport. From my reaction, she could have thought that she won the in-store lottery (by the way, there is not one). But it was a happy ending. I know that the bright orange MALIBU bag from Maine is going to have some good beach times.

Next? Anyone feeling Beverly Hills?