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From Around the Shop: Have a Nautical Wedding

February 16, 2012 9:16:00 AM EST

Have A Nautical Wedding

St. Valentine’s Day is the most popular day for couples to become engaged. It is heart warming to consider all the people who committed to take their relationship to the next level yesterday. For brides who may pause to bask in the engagement glow or for brides who are already pouring over bridal magazines, arguably one of the first important steps to getting started is considering what type of wedding it will be.

At Sea Bags, admittedly we have a special fondness for all things nautical. It is in that spirit that I offer three aspects to consider when planning a wedding with a nautical flair.

Add water. This suggestion is not to infer that planning a wedding is like mixing a pitcher of kool-aid. It is more involved than adding water and stirring rigoriously. But a nautical wedding should include water in the form of pond, ocean, lake or river. It doesn’t have take place on that body of water but it should have a view (even if it is a peek between trees or through window pane) and ideally a fresh aroma (even if from a scented candle) for ambiance of being by the water. Beach and sand are optional.

navy anchorAnchor yourself. The symbolism of an anchor is perfect for a wedding. The image represents a particularly stable or grounding relationship. It is easy to incorporate this emblem of hope at your wedding through favors and centerpieces. Our bucket bag adorned with a navy anchor looks great hosting a flower vase as a centerpiece or being carried by a darling flower girl tossing petals from it or use it to welcome out-of-town guests by loading it with essentials.

Customize. Don’t compromise your personal style or the expression of your love. Consider customizing totes made from recycled sails for the bridal party. More than the subjective promise of a bridesmaid dress than can be worn again, these totes will be treasured and used for years to come. Let your creative flair show with your favorite colors or wedding date or even longitude/latitude degrees of your ceremony.

bucket bag with flowersCongratulations to newly engaged couples. Maine is a great place to be married. Even if you cannot make it to the Pine Tree State, let Sea Bags add just the right nautical touch. It would be an honor for our products to be a part of your special day. Call us. We love weddings.

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0 Comments | Posted in From Around the Shop By Jennifer DeChant

A View from Bow Street: Can't We All Just Get Along?

January 18, 2012 10:52:38 AM EST

Can't We All Just Get Along?

A kind looking woman visited the store recently. She immediately identified herself as a boater and took interest in our vast selection of totes. I explained how easy it is to have a clasp added to the tote of her choice or how we could make a bag with a zipper if that was her preference.

We talked about our shared loved of pockets. And agreed that pockets are like closets, you can never have too

many of them. I showed her our “baby bag” style of tote with six pockets and metal clasp.

Suddenly the conversation turned quiet. After a pregnant pause, she asked if I had a bag with powerboats on it instead of the primary colored tiny sailboats that decorated the bag we were admiring seconds ago.

This was the first time I became aware of the Hatfields/McCoys aquatic feud between power boaters and sail boaters. She admitted, “I could not possibly carry a bag with a sailboat on it.”

The change in the woman’s demeanor and her adamant refusal of a sailboat image made me curious about the origin of her attitude. With a little informal research, I found that boaters do favor either one type or the other and often hold some perceptions (valid or not) about the “Other.” It is rare to find a person like myself –referred to as bi-boaters or transvesselites*- with “oars” in both boating worlds.

It comes down to a matter of personal preference on what type of experience is sought after leaving the dock. Powerboats with shallower drafts provide greater access to shallower water and can get closer to the beach. Whereas, sailboats -relying primarily on harnessing the wind - can offer an unlimited range of quiet travel. There is no wrong answer. I would not refuse either.

Anyway, the woman decided to customize her own version of the pocketed “baby bag”. We agreed that a durable, domestically manufactured bag made from recycled sailcloth with an overt nod to nautical lifestyle is the best accessory of all – no matter what type of boating experience you prefer.

*For more on the differences, read: http://www.liveaboardliving.com/power-vs-sail.htm

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1 Comments | Posted in A View From Bow Street By Jennifer DeChant

Custom Bags: Symbolically Speaking

December 2, 2011 2:24:06 PM EST

We receive requests for designs on bags and we are not familiar with the symbols requested. Even though we don't know what each symbol means, that's okay because each one has a special meaning to the person who has ordered the bag. Here are few examples of the some of our favorites:

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0 Comments | Posted in General By Amy Vintinner

The view from Bow Street is été est la marinière

June 22, 2011 1:58:48 PM EDT

Although that title exhausts my high school French, it is true. Summer is perfect for the nautical style of la marinière, better-known as the Breton, or sailor stripe. From the Bow Street window, I have noticed many women wearing shirts and dresses of this simple, classic and timeless style.Sailor Shirt

And, of course, this style catches my eye because at Sea Bags we are partial to anything with a nod to the maritime. But it is my mother’s voice that I hear warning me against the risk of wearing unflattering horizontal stripes. I like the look –on other people.

Striped ToteI think the original version is blue stripes against white background. This concept was the inspiration for our new designed bag with neat blue stripes silkscreened against the white sailcloth. For an extra dose of fun, an anchor, star or number is layered on top of it like a pendant. So this bag is perfect for incorporating the sailor stripe without worrying about the bug-a-boo of wearing horizontal stripes if you are larger than a size 6.

No matter the fashion era, sailor stripes will always be on trend and offer the chance to create your own personal style. If horizontal stripes are a no-no for you, then the striped Sea Bag is a yes-yes or Oui Oui.

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0 Comments | Posted in General By Jennifer DeChant

Reading Between the Lines

April 29, 2011 2:45:27 PM EDT

No one is denying Stripes are a humongous fashion trend this year.  The linear momentum keeps building to new heights, with no signs of slowing down.  Stripes are very impactful, classic, sporty and a bit masculine in feeling.  A trend this aggressive, and of this magnitude, is no doubt going to influence all areas of style. 

Stripping has added personality and a fresh modern twist with powerful lines and colors combinations.  At the forefront of this craze there was a strong varsity and nautical stripe influence. These popular classics continue, but now fashion designers are manipulating these traditional styles.  Creating their own looks by offering stripes in a multitude of shapes, colors, widths and designs. 

Stripe infatuation is occurring on so many different levels, clearly making this trend a simple and ideal look for just about everyone! That said - I would be lying if I told you I had an undeniable love for these stylish striations. I have a tendency to struggled with the masculine nature of stripes and that is NOT to say I dislike them at all.  I am just extremely picky and cautious when it comes to selecting the right stripe.  Stripes are personal to me, some are incredible and others just don’t do the body any favors.  To tastefully pull off stripping I would suggest that LESS is more.  Dresses, tops, accessories best represent this look and are easily integrated with other piece in your wardrobe. Pairing stripe with solids also helps brake up the silhouette and adds interest. My favorite look is a classic two-color stripe background with a solid pop color(s) shapes on top.  This approach really helps to achieve depth and, is a more appealing sophisticated stripe composition.

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0 Comments | Posted in General Fashion Fridays By Shana Aldrich
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