The Mother of All Diaper Bags
Wed, Oct 28, 2009
If you’ve ever seen my closet (and the myriad of bags and purses I keep in there) then you’ll know that the idea of having just one diaper bag is laughable. I change my purse pretty much every day based on whatever I’m wearing and I just can’t imagine having only one diaper bag to use. Now don’t get me wrong, I know that as a new mom, my last concern will probably be whether my clothes and accessories match, but still.
So I recently started my search with the idea that I would just pick out a few basic bags and call it good. That was before I realized just how expensive these things are. I stopped by Nordstrom to see what they had in stock and I got my first glimpse of the Petunia Pickle Bottom brand. They are definitely considered part of the higher end with bags such as this Cosmopolitan Carryall costing $325.00.
As cute as the bag is, it’s not quite my style and it’s definitely not my price budget, so I kept looking. I headed to A Pea in the Pod and found this bag made by Oi Oi:
Love it! But again, a little out of my price range at $140.00. So then I turned to a list of recommendations I found in my Baby Bargains book and I looked up this brand: Reese Li.
These are my new favorite – they’re cute, functional, have adjustable straps to hang off the stroller, and best of all, wipeable.
Too bad they’re $150.00! Speaking of $150.00, I also found these adorable bags by Ju Ju Be:
How cute are they? But really, If I was going to spend that much, I’d probably buy a Stork Sak. Now these are the mother of all diaper bags!
Talk about gorgeous! These particular Stork Saks go for $325 a pop. Of course they offer more reasonable selections such as this one for $185.00.
But as beautiful as these bags are, I just can’t justify it.
I do want a nice bag, one that doesn’t quite look like a diaper bag so that I can use it as a purse too, and I’d like for it to be a good brand, one that will last for a long time through lots of wear and tear. But until I get rich or win the lottery, I will have to continue my search but I’ll be doing it on Ebay and Overstock.com with the hopes that I can find one of these great bags on sale (and by on sale, I mean substantially discounted).
What kind of diaper bag did you use? Which bag would you recommend? Should I just not worry about it and use one of my old backpacks instead?
PS – I should mention that I’ve already got a diaper bag for the CPA so that he doesn’t have to carry mine. It’s very manly and has both a shoulder strap and a handle, much like his briefcase. Plus I got it on sale for $14.99 from Pottery Barn. Now if I could just find a good deal like that on my bag!
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Tags: diaper bags, oi oi, reese li, stork sak
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October 28th, 2009 at 4:44 am
With the first I bought the Lands Ends Do-It-All diaper bag. And the Lands End Little Tripper. They don’t meet your requirements because they look just like what they are … diaper bags. But I also never carry a purse so there wasn’t any previous wardrobe and accessory matching experience going on there.
I found the Do-It-All diaper bag good for overnight trips, but too bulky (read: doesn’t fit in the stroller) for everyday use. It did come in handy when I had two in diapers and one still on the bottle. My sister-in-law said it was great for daycare because you could cram everything in there (bottles, food, diapers, spare clothes, blankies, pacifiers, etc.) with room to spare. The Little Tripper is the perfect size for just general around town running. If I needed a bit more room or a second smaller diaper bag (mainly at church where each kid is in a different room in the nursery) then I just used the (free) bag I got at the hospital.
Joanna´s last blog .."The Zebra Movie" (Madagascar)
October 28th, 2009 at 4:47 am
OHmigosh they’re are so many choices! I love the Oi Oi one too, and the Ju Ju one also. I was a baby shower a few years ago and the girl got a $600 coach diaper bag. All I could think was where else that money could be spent – on the baby, on her OTHER 3 kids!! I won’t judge though – who knows what kind of bag I will want to get.
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is´s last blog ..Carmelized Pear, Figs, and Gorgonzola.
October 28th, 2009 at 4:48 am
Not big into fashion here. I have a large green one from Fisher Price for trips where we’re gone all day and a simple black bag by Eddie Bauer for daily use. It was something my husband could carry without feeling silly too. You might also try Baby Steals, but they only have one item per day and it’s offered until their stock is gone, so it might take awhile to find what you want there. Good luck on you search!
Kristy´s last blog ..What a Tease
October 28th, 2009 at 4:50 am
You might want to consider checking out Etsy – stuff there is obviously hand-crafted, but there are some REALLY cute things on there that are really well put together. Many are by moms in your same situation – unable to find something reasonably priced that fits their needs as a mom. And you’d be able to afford a few different styles.
October 28th, 2009 at 5:17 am
I don’t have specific recommendation–I have seen tons of cute ones on esty–for much cheaper. Someone gave my SIL a Petunia Picklebottom bag–my sister and I of course loved it–but at that much I mighty sell it on ebay and have more money for something else. Good luck finding a stylish one!
Amy Deschamp´s last blog ..Tasty Tuesday
October 28th, 2009 at 5:22 am
Our diaper bag was from Babies R Us which we got over 3 years ago. We ended up getting a green one which looks almost like a messenger bag. The reason we got this one was because it was unisex in that my husband could carry it and not feel like it was too feminine. It’s a pretty basic bag and has been great for our needs and cost around $35-40. Good luck in your search for that perfect diaper bag!
October 28th, 2009 at 5:27 am
I second (third?) both Etsy and BabySteals. I don’t have any idea HOW many things I’ve bought from both sites.
As for me and my diaper bag.. I have a pottery barn messenger diaper bag, but so far, I’m usually carrying around a tote bag with a cute owl or ‘keep our planet healthy’ saying on it. Haha. I never used the changing pads, and I breastfed for almost a year, so all the little pockets just irritate me. What I use most is at the top and if I need to do some digging for bug spray, so be it.
And Joanna noted that you get bags at the hospital. We got two there, and I gave one to my mom and took the other one to daycare with extra clothes.
October 28th, 2009 at 6:20 am
i LOVE that first reese li bag and pattern. just remember that for my baby shower
The Wife of Odie´s last blog ..never wake a crying baby. or husband.
October 28th, 2009 at 6:21 am
I love Vera Bradley bags and price wise they aren’t as costly. They have awesome pockets that work great as a purse and a diaper bag. Plus they are fabric and completely washable in case of spitup, bottle leaks, etc. Not to mention they are pretty light and not so hard on the shoulder. As my kids got older I also invested in a small fabric carrier to throw in my purse (if I didn’t need a big diaper bag) by this company http://www.diapeesandwipees.com
-kriss
kriss´s last blog ..Our Adoption Story
October 28th, 2009 at 6:32 am
My diaper bag experiences were too long ago to do you any good. I will say that I had a very nice one with my first but mostly found that I hated lugging it around. (I’m not a big purse girl.) By the time I had #3 I was wearing a coat with over sized pockets and putting the necessaries in those.
Mindee@ourfrontdoor´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday
October 28th, 2009 at 6:45 am
I have no recommendations for you, since it’s been two decades since I carried a diaper bag and it seems that EVERYTHING baby related has been improved beyond my wildest imagination (I so want my money back on all the strollers I struggled with every time I see these ATV strollers available today!)
However, I will tell you to pick one you immediately feel is too big because it will end up still being too small!
Enjoy!!
October 28th, 2009 at 6:57 am
I don’t have many or any friends in the mom circle yet. But it’s still refreshing to see someone getting ready to have a baby who isn’t only interested in splurging and who is intent on finding a bargain for a diaper bag. I really like your style. Just like I said: refreshing.
I was in desperate need of new clothes the other day and I went to none other than, Gap. Mind you, I used to think that Gap was above me once I graduated from high school/college. About two years ago, I might have headed to Banana Republic, gotten less more expensive clothes, and put it on credit. But I was so proud that I was able to get 4 items for the price that I did.
Carolina Baker´s last blog ..Get Health and Fit, Part 2 – Diet Edition
October 28th, 2009 at 7:52 am
I was going to suggest Etsy but I see some others already have
A diaper bag isn’t something I wouldn’t have thought about as being a big deal, but now that you point it out, duh, of course it is! I love purses (though I don’t swap it out every day) so I’ll have to have something stylish 
October 28th, 2009 at 8:02 am
I have a $10 tote from Target.
Well that and a two gym bags. I keep one gym bag in the car trunk and the other in my foyer closet and both have everything imaginable: first aid, diapers, wipes, changing mat, nose bulb, back-up baggies of formula, changes of clothes for both of us, etc. I’ve never dipped into either bag yet except to keep them stocked with current formula and current onesies, but I like the peace of mind that if I forget something, a quick trip to the car is all it takes. It only took forgetting once with a blowout diaper to convince me to keep back-ups lol.
Sarah @ BecomingSarah.com´s last blog ..All the good mothers were taken.
October 28th, 2009 at 8:38 am
I’m a purse changer too! And that first diaper bag is GORGEOUS!
Kristina P.´s last blog ..Oh Baby, Baby
October 28th, 2009 at 9:52 am
I loved the Land’s End ones too. They are very well made and the Little Tripper is still used in the backseat of our car for the DVD’s and remote, etc.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Holy Cow!! There are some cute diaper bags. You have much more to choose from than the 2 or 3 we had when I was pregnant!! How’s the belly feeling? You doing ok?
October 28th, 2009 at 10:29 am
I found a really cute, wipeable one at Walmart for $16! It’s every bit as cute as any of the pricier ones and comes with a changing pad, too. It’s the perfect size, too- not too small or too huge. I love it!
October 28th, 2009 at 10:33 am
Minus the whole pull-out-changing-pad, you know what I see? A pretty camera bag!
Courtney´s last blog ..Picture of the Day 294
October 28th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Wow, very cute bags!
But Alas, I’m cheap and I’m style-less. Someone gave me a diaper bag at my very first baby shower. Within the year it found its way to the garbage. Since then, I have only ever used used the black diaper bags they give out for free at the hospital And I’ve thrown away four of those!
After a while they get dirty inside. Things get spilled, the lid comes off the bottle, crumbs get dropped… slowly over time, they just get nasty. And the cheap ones you get at the hospital rip and break after a while.
As much as I would LOVE a stylish diaper bag, I have thrown too many away to want to invest any money in one.
Of course, this is coming from someone who only owns one cheap, tiny, black, cloth Walmart purse. Although, I do wish I had a couple cute purses.
Serene´s last blog ..Easily impressed. Sorry, can’t help it.
October 28th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
I think you should get a really cheap one and find out how it serves you before investing in a pricier one. After you’ve used the cheap one a few times, you’ll know just exactly what you want.
October 28th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Those are some Awesome diaper bags. In fact, I’d use some of them as purses. I actually used a freebie I got from the hospital for my first, but for my second I used a large black zipper bag that looked more like a purse.
Whatever works!
-FringeGirl
the domestic fringe´s last blog ..Vegetables I Like
October 28th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
I was in the same situation, loved the petunia pickle bottom “roll” bags but they were too much. I ended up making my own. I bought a cheap convertible style bag from Target and ripped it apart to use as a pattern. Then I went out and found really cute oil cloth that was more my style and made my own. (I did use the Target bag for a while before I ripped it up!) Good luck on your search.
October 28th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Tab! A pimped out diaper bag is something you should get as a gift. Does Vera Bradley make a diaper bag? God I despise Vera Bradley. If you’re a fan, my apologies.
I’m certain my mom still carries a diaper bag around. Her purses are freakin HUGE.
Heidi´s last blog ..You said it, Maurice Sendak.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
That Reese Li bag is AWESOME. If only I were made of money.
Alas, I am not. We have a lovely black messenger-style diaper bag so Brian won’t feel all chicked out by carrying a diaper bag, but the one I use most often is a tote/oversize handbag I picked up from Target for $40 at the beginning of summer. It is quite summery so I do need to find a new one in more appropriate colors for fall and winter.
erin´s last blog ..more soap photos
October 29th, 2009 at 11:00 am
Cute bags!
I agree with another poster that said to get a cheap one first. Etsy has some super cute ones that don’t look like diaper bags at alll. In fact, while searching for a messenger bag for school, I found several large to medium ones (made out of fabric) that could double as a diaper bag. Keep in mind that you can order some custom from Etsy(more pockets, a zipper, longer/shorter strap, etc.) for much cheaper than those you mentioned.
Making my Mark´s last blog ..Memories Rewind: Dust gets rid of Girlfriend’s Daughters
October 29th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
I just went looking and found diaperbagboutique.com when I search discount diaper bags. It looks like it has some good deals. Maybe something you like. If not, I am in love with Amy butler diaper bags and you can probably find them made on Etsy. Or if you want to make one yourself they aren’t too hard and you get quite a few for what you would pay for one of those pricey ones!
Happy shopping. I am a diaper bag fiend too.
Jaimey´s last blog ..Thankful Thursday! 29 weeks
November 2nd, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Cute is a must for our little boy’s diaper bag, but I’ve yet to find one that I like and is also affordable.
My cousin used the Vera Bradley and as someone already said, they’re both cute and washable!
Courtney, Jer.33:3´s last blog ..Homemade Bread
November 4th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
I know what you mean about wanting something really nice and stylish, but many of them are so expensive. I finally settled on a Zosephine (I chose this orange one – http://www.zosephinediaperbags.com/store/diaperbag_minneapolis.html – but I’m funky like that
Anyway, it’s $108, and I absolutely *adore* it. The orange looks good with a lot more than you would think, too!