eBags Blog

New Spring 2010 Handbag Trends Video

Shari — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:57:26 +0000

I’ve written about spring handbag trends several times, but now you can see and hear about them from the experts - the handbags team. Check out their latest video - the Spring 2010 Handbag Trends Video.

Cute Beach Bags For Spring

Shari — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:38:26 +0000

Handbags aren’t the only things that are bright, hot, and new for spring. So are beach bags. Cute beach bags are perfect for looking great while carrying your necessities to the beach or pool. Afterall, you don’t want to put a wet towel or sandy shoes in your designer leather handbag, but you also don’t want to carry some bland tote bag.

One of the most important things to pay attention to when shopping for beach totes is size. If you tend to carry a lot to the beach or pool, look for something with a large main compartment. Also pay attention to material. If you think you’ll have wet items in your bag, look for a canvas beach bag or another material that is forgiving with moisture such as terrycloth. Finally, color and design are obviously huge factors in which beach bag you buy. Remember that bright colors, pastels, and neons are in style right now so think COLOR - bold color.

Check out my picks for cute beach bags below:

Bamboo 54 Tote Flower Print Bag	Elaine Turner Kris Beach Grasscloth Bag	Earth Axxessories Canvas Beach Bag w/ Vertical Bands
Little Packrats Fish Canvas Duffel Bag	Echo Tribal Diamonds Sack Bag	The Sak Cambria Tote

Looking for other beach accessories? Check out some of our outdoor accessories such as picnic supplies, coolers (especially the Picnic Plus Sport Cooler with flying disc and velco catch game included) and the Picnic Plus Leaf Shade (pictured above).

10 Road Trip Essentials

Shari — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:21:19 +0000

Last summer my husband and I took a road trip from Colorado up through Wyoming into Utah and Nevada and California on I-80, down the coast of California to LA, out to Scottsdale, Arizona on the 10 and then back up to Colorado. A lot of miles, but a lot of fun. If you haven’t taken a road trip in a while (or ever) I highly recommend it. It’s a great way to see the country.

Since travel season is rolling around and people will soon be hitting the roads again, I thought it would be a great idea to share some things we’ve learned through many road trips that will hopefully help yours go smoothly. Aside from a good navigator and a sense of adventure, there are at least 10 road trip essentials you should have to make the trip enjoyable and to minimize any problems.

10 Road Trip Essentials

Food, Snacks, and Water: Of course it’s important to have food and snacks. Sometimes it can be 50 miles or more between exits with services and often rest areas are no more than parking lots. Of course, you can always stop along the way at gas stations, in towns, and at restaurants for food, but taking along a few things will help save you money. You should also have extra food and especially water when taking a road trip just in case you happen to break down in the middle of nowhere or find yourself driving at night when everything is closed. One year my husband and I found ourselves driving up from Monument Valley through Utah on our way home in the middle of the night, starving, and, of course, nothing was open. We were miserable. Don’t make that mistake.

Battery Jumper: Again, no one wants to think about car trouble when setting out on a road trip, but it can happen and you need to be prepared. Many people carry jumper cables in their cars and while these are certainly useful if you find you have a dead battery, what if you are out in the middle of nowhere? What if there are no cars to flag down or you are concerned about the safety of doing that? A battery jumper can save you from hours of hassle and waiting for help.

Good Music: One of the best things about road trips is the tunes. Music helps pass the time, keep you awake, and lower stress. Whether you sing along at the top of your lungs or choose to listen to an audiobook instead, make sure you bring along a good selection of CDs in your CD binder or hook up your iPod. Satellite radio is also a great option. Aside from the occasional tunnel, my husband and I had satellite radio the whole way on our last trip and could listen to everything from Top 40 to Soundtracks to News to Comedy.

Jack, Tire Iron, and Spare Tire: Just like the the battery jumper, a jack, tire iron, and spare tire are essential on road trips. You never know where you are going to get a flat tire and chances are it won’t be down the road from a tire shop. Even if you have roadside assistance, if you break down in the middle of nowhere, it could be a long time before help arrives (that is if you have cell phone signal). Knowing how to change a tire and having the tools to do it are two things that will help make any flat tire less of a roadblock.

Travel Blanket and Pillow: If you’re taking turns driving and you plan to drive for hours at a time, it’s always a good idea for the passenger to get some rest. Sleeping in a car, however, is not easy for most people. A travel blanket and pillow can help make the effort a little easier. Even if you don’t think you’re going to sleep, it’s better to have these items and not need them than try to get comfortable and wish you had brought them. Even though we most often take road trips in the summertime when it’s warm, my husband loves to crank up the air conditioning so much that a blanket is a must for sleeping.

Gas Can: With the number of gas stations on the road these days, it’s hard to think of a situation where you’d run out of gas. Still, it happens. Having a gas can will help save you time because all you need to do is walk to the nearest gas station, fill up, and bring it back to the car.

Power Inverter: Imagine this scenario. You brought along a cell phone, laptop, iPod, Kindle, or some other device for entertainment and your battery is running out. You don’t have a charger for the car with you (or it doesn’t have one) and you don’t have spare batteries. What do you do? Well, you can use the power from the car by using a power inverter (sometimes called an AC to DC adapter). Power inverters are devices you plug into your car’s outlet (often the cigarette lighter) and have standard electrical outlets on the other end for your devices. Plug in anything from your laptop to your cell phone charger and never worry about a dead battery on the road again.

Trash bag: With food, snacks, and drinks inevitably comes trash. Nothing is worse than arriving at your destination or home or even setting out on the next leg of your road trip with a car full of trash strewn everywhere. A trash bag is a great solution for this. But when I say trash bag, I am not necessarily referring to your standard plastic, drawstring close kitchen trash bag. I mean a bag designed for your car that is self supporting, leakproof, and perhaps even comes with a lid like the High Road TrashStand. These are handy even in day to day driving in keeping your car clean and organized.

First Aid Kit: No one anticipates injuries on a trip, but it can happen especially with kids. Run around too fast at a rest stop and fall and you might have a skinned knee. So a first aid kit is a must on any road trip. In fact, it’s not a bad idea to have a first aid kit in the car any time. The Lifeline First Aid AAA Adventurer Road Kit is a great option because it combines basic car care with over 45 First Aid supplies. Not only will you have items like an emergency car care guide, pliers, duct tape, and poncho, but you also get standard first aid items like adhesive bandages and antiseptic.

Camera: When you take a road trip, you’re bound to see some sites you’ll want to remember. A camera is a must. From odd roadside attractions to scenic views, you’ll be glad you brought along your favorite camera in its trusty camera bag so you can capture the fun of your journey. The picture at the top of this post is one we took along Highway 1 just outside of Carmel, CA.

Depending on what other items you choose to bring (especially for entertainment like books, portable DVD players, toys, etc.) you might also want to consider one or a couple of car organizers. This will also help keep your car clean and organized and allow you to find things easier. eBags carries a wide range of car organizers including trunk organizers, backseat organizers, and glove box organizers.

Do you have additional suggestions for what to bring on road trips? Leave us a comment with your suggestions. We’d also love to hear your road trip story.

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Toothbrush Sanitizers

Shari — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:34:07 +0000

How clean is your toothbrush? Do you use it, swish it under the water, and put it away? Maybe it’s not as clean as you think. According to the Centers for Disease Control, “Even after being rinsed visibly clean, toothbrushes can remain contaminated with potentially pathogenic organisms.” That means that when you go to use the toothbrush again, you could be introducing bacteria back into your mouth - potentially harmful bacteria.

What can you do? How do you clean your toothbrush?

You can use a toothbrush sanitizer like one from VIOlight. VIOlight toothbrush sanitizers use a germicidal UV bulb to kill germs in minutes. As the sanitizer works, the bulb glows blue-violet. When it is finished (within minutes), the bulb automatically shuts off. That means you can place your toothbrush in the sanitizer when you are done brushing at night, let the unit do its work, and then, in the morning, find your toothbrush ready to go - fresh and clean.

VIOlight makes more than just toothbrush sanitizers for home. You can find travel toothbrush sanitizers, kids toothbrush sanitizers, oral device sanitizers, and razor sanitizers. The kids toothbrush sanitizers are especially cool. The VIOlight Za-Za ZAPI is a coloful weeble-wobble that brings fun to cleaning your child’s toothbrush. I personally love the VIOlight Hi-Ya ZAPI that looks like a ninja.

Check out all the VIOlight sanitizers. To learn more about how VIOlight works, watch the video below.

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New Fossil Handbags

Shari — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:08:31 +0000

If you’re a fan of eBags, you probably already know that we add new products all the time. A new brand here, a couple of new products there, but it’s not too often when we add 45 new items for an existing brand. So it’s truly an event worth talking about when we do. So that’s what I’m going to do today. Who’s the brand? Fossil.

Yep, that’s right. There are 45 new Fossil handbags available right now on eBags and what’s best is that there is a little something for everyone in these new arrivals. Want something trendy? Bright colors are in for spring and there are plenty of brightly colored Fossil bags. Check out the Fossil Maddox Patchwork EW Satchel for colorful patchwork, the Fossil Hathaway Glazed Tote for a solid bright color, or the Fossil Capri Clutch for something truly “springy” (butterflies).

Of course, if you are looking for something a little more timeless, there are several lovely leather bags among the new Fossil handbags. The Fossil Sasha Satchel has a classic shape, double handles, and a lovely glazed leather material. That’s a bag that’ll take you through spring, summer, and fall.

Check out all new Fossil handbags at eBags or shop the entire Fossil collection for even more stylish options.

Types of Wallets

Shari — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:47:02 +0000

A wallet is a wallet is a wallet. Well, not really. There are many types of wallets out there. Certainly men’s and women’s wallets are popular types, but do you know the difference between checkbook wallets and breast pocket wallets? Are you asking yourself, “What wallet should I get?” Can you name some brands of wallets that can be carried by themselves like clutches? Well, this post will help answer these and other wallet related questions. Here is a rundown of some of the types of wallets out there today.

Bifold Wallets: A bifold is a wallet that folds over once - usually in half. Typically, bifold wallets have room for cash as well as a few credit cards. Some have pockets or areas for coins. Bifold wallets tend to be a little less bulky than other types of wallets.

Trifold Wallets: A trifold is a wallet that folds over twice (so you have three folds). Trifold wallets have even more room than bifolds for money, cards, photos, and sometimes even checkbooks. Trifold wallets are usually more bulky than bifolds, but they are perfect for people who like to carry a lot of stuff.

Coat Wallets or Breast Pocket Wallets: These are longer, often thinner wallets that are designed to fit in the inside pocket of a dress coat or overcoat. Sometimes these are called billfolds. In a coat wallet, the wallet folds the long way so that the cash in the money pocket lies flat (and doesn’t fold). These rarely have any room or pockets for coins. The Bosca Nappa Vitello Flight Attendant is a great example of a breast pocket wallet.

Credit Card Wallets or Credit Card Holders: Just like the name suggests, these are wallets that hold credit cards - lots of them. Sometimes sites will lump in card cases with credit card wallets. Card cases are designed to hold only cards and very little else. At eBags, you’ll find credit card wallets from brands like Johnston & Murphy and Bosca and card cases from brands like Ogon and Clava.

Checkbook Wallets: Sometimes called checkbook covers, checkbook wallets hold your checkbook, cash, and cards all in one. They are obviously longer than other wallets to hold standard checkbooks. Look for stylish checkbook wallets from brands like Anuschka, Buxton, and Osgoode Marley.

Money Clip Wallets: You’re probably familiar with money clips. Well, money clip wallets are wallets that incorporate money clips. So now you can visibly carry that wad of cash and have room for your credit cards and ID. Brands that offer money clips wallets include Tumi, Lodis, and Derek Alexander.

Clutch Wallets: Stylish women’s wallets that can be carried by themselves, instead of inside another bag, are often called clutch wallets. That’s because they look like clutches but incorporate the features of a wallet including credit card and ID slots. Clutch wallets are perfect if you tend not to carry or don’t want to carry a purse but you still need something nice looking and functional. Look for beautiful clutch wallets on eBags from brands like Lovcat, La Diva, Cole Haan, and Anuschka.

Front Pocket Wallets: Slimmer and sleeker than your average bi-fold or tri-fold wallet, front pocket wallets are designed to fit in your front pocket (not a huge surprise). Why would you choose a front pocket wallet? Because they are harder for pickpockets and thieves to steal. Look for leather front pocket wallets from Royce Leather and British fashion front pocket wallets from Ben Sherman.

Travel Wallets: Travel wallets can refer to anything from wallets designed to protect your money from thieves while out and about to wallets designed to hold travel documents like passports and airline tickets. However, all travel wallets do one thing - they keep you organized while traveling. For travel wallets that’ll hold your travel documents, you should shop passport wallets and document holders. For wallets to carry with you while sightseeing, look for neck wallets that keep your valuables close to your body or security wallets that have features that make them less prone to theft.

Red Carpet Handbags

Shari — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:45:11 +0000

Tonight was a big night for movies. Not only because of the awards show, but also because of the fashion on the red carpet. People tonight and for a few days will be checking out who was wearing what - from dresses to tuxedos and from jewelry to hairstyles.

But what about accessories like handbags? Too many times the dress steals the show while the bag takes a backseat. That shouldn’t be. Even though an evening bag is relatively small, it can make or break the whole look. Choose something too bold and it can ruin the dress. Choose something too coordinating and you might as well carry nothing at all.

The key to great red carpet handbags is to choose something in line with the theme of your overall look (sophisticated, elegant, cute, etc.) in a coordinating color. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the same color as your dress, but it shouldn’t clash. And you don’t need to spend a ton to get a good looking award show handbag. It’s all about looking like you spent a lot.

At eBags, we carry a huge selection of evening bags that are perfect for special occasions like proms, weddings, and holiday parties and many of these are also worthy of award shows. So check out my top picks in red carpet handbags below.

La Regale Sequined Kiss Lock Clutch	The Jesse B. Collection Kennedy Clutch	J. Tiras Marilyn
Inge Christopher Madrid Silk Clutch With Jewelled Brooch	Urban Expressions Glitter Puckered Square Case	Whiting and Davis Floral Screenprint Top Handle

Laptop Sleeves With Handles

Shari — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 06:36:15 +0000

How do you carry your laptop in a backpack or tote that doesn’t have a designated laptop area? You use a laptop sleeve. A laptop sleeve is a padded laptop case that fits snugly around your computer. It’s designed to protect your laptop and…well…that’s about it as far as function. Sleeves generally do not have any pockets or additional features.

Except for one. A handle. Some sleeves come with handles. Why on earth would you want a laptop sleeve with a handle? I’ll explain with a scenario.

My husband just bought a laptop for school. He carries a backpack to work, school, and home and it does not have its own built-in laptop sleeve. You might think a standard laptop sleeve would work perfectly, and it might, except that he’s afraid of being a little rough on the laptop when he pulls it out of the bag. If the laptop sleeve had a handle, it could be pulled out by that instead of the actual computer where one might put a lot of pressure on the laptop screen.

Laptop sleeves with handles are also handy when you don’t want to carry your bag with you, but you want to carry the laptop to another location. Say, for example, my husband wants to study or do homework during his lunch at work. It would be silly to pack up his backpack and take the whole thing to the lunchroom. A non-bulky laptop bag like a laptop sleeve with a handle is a much more sensible solution.

Below are just some of the laptop sleeves with handles you can find on eBags right now. I’ve tried to give you a range of designs, sizes, and prices to show you just the variety you can find on the site.

eBags Horizontal Laptop Sleeve	Nuo Chloe Dao Nucleus 15.4″ Laptop Case	Dakine Quilted Laptop Sleeve LG
Sumdex ImpactGuard Insert Laptop Sleeve 15.4″	Hadaki Neoprene 15.4″ Laptop Sleeve/Tote	Crumpler The Reginald Transfer

New Designer Handbags for 2010

Shari — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 06:34:02 +0000

Lately We’ve been adding new products on the site left and right and designer handbags are no exception. We’ve just added beautiful new designer handbags from brands like Kate Spade, Cole Haan, and Elaine Turner.

One of my favorite new designer handbags for 2010 is the Cole Haan Britney Belted Tote. Imagine a typical Cole Haan tote and add studding along the side and a belt that cinches the top and you’ve got the idea of this stunning, curvy handbag. This is a great bag for spring and summer and beyond.

Another great new designer handbag that’s perfect for spring is the Elaine Turner Shelly Balinese bag. This satchel comes in a lovely floral pattern with bright colors and is made with black bamboo handles. Don’t like floral, but still want something trendy? There are several other new arrivals from Elaine Turner in bright colors and muted metallics (both spring trends).

Check out all of our new designer handbags to find your next must-have.

eBags is Online Retailer of the Year says Heys

Shari — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:42:15 +0000

Heys Names eBags Online Retailer Of The Year

Several eBaggers are out at the 2010 Travel Goods Show in Las Vegas and while they’ve seen many fantastic travel products and met many fabulous travel brands, it was very exciting when Heys Luggage named eBags Online Retailer of the Year. Check out Vince, Bill, Peter, and Rob posing for this acceptance photo (click the photo for a larger view).

If you don’t know Heys USA yet, you should get to know them. Afterall, why wouldn’t you want to carry stylish and functional luggage from the creators of “The World’s Lightest Luggage”? Whether you’re looking for cute kids luggage, a rolling carry-on for business travel, a luggage set for the family, or designer luggage, Heys has what you need. Some collections and pieces you should definitely take a look at include:

Thank you Heys!