Ethical Elegance: Moop Bag Review

letter bag You’ve probably heard me mention one of my favorite bag makers plenty of times: Moop! Today I’ll tell you about a few of their bags and wax poetic about the one that serves as my Mary Poppins bag.

The Tiny Clutch 2 is a great bag for tossing into a larger bag when you want to keep necessities–phone, debit card, cash, lip stick–all together. I use it all the time when I don’t want to carry a handbag and a tote.

I reviewed my Paperback bag here (scroll down to the end of the post). Now that I have an iPad mini, the bag holds even more. I especially like this bag when I’m biking to do my errands. It also makes a terrific clutch when I snap off the strap.

I’ve long been on the search for the perfect handbag, but I already own the perfect work bag: the Moop Letter Bag in waxed canvas. Like Mary Poppins’s carpet bag, this bag can hold it all (almost)! Mine is gray waxed canvas, with one of my favorite details–a gorgeous turquoise lining, which makes it easy to find all the things I stuff into the bag. Most days, the slip pocket holds my bullet journal and pencil case, the front pockets hold my reading glasses and sketchbook, and the inside pocket holds text books, work folders, student papers, articles I need to read–you get the idea. And there is a key fob, the handiest detail on any larger bag! The inside pockets are great for my iPad cord, Altoids, and other bibs and bobs I need throughout the day. While I love the look of leather bags, this one is so much lighter than my leather briefcase. I can carry it, stuffed to the brim, with little pain. I also get a lot of use of the shoulder straps–I don’t often carry bags messenger style, but I do like having the options the adjustable strap offers.

It’s more than a terrific bag for work. You can see the Letter Bag at the Louvre when it served as my second carry-on and day bag during a weekend in Paris. Moop makes many styles that are refined enough to wear with more sophisticated looks.

Of course, the fact that the bags are manufactured in the USA using ethically produced materials goes a long way in my love of them.

Stay tuned for an interview next week with Wendy, the genius behind Moop.

In the meantime, spill in the comments–which is your fave Moop bag?

Ethical Elegance: a Definition

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This picture, a view from my cot in Maine, embodies my definition of ethical elegance, which I first wrote about here. A shawl I knit, my 12-year-old jean jacket, my Breton shirt made in Brittany. The definition may shift, develop, grow as I delve into my newest style project. I can’t wait to see what I learn in the next few months.

Ethical Elegance means maintaining a minimalist wardrobe, avoiding excess and unnecessary consumerism.

Ethical Elegance means making my own clothes using as many sustainable, organic, or up-cycled materials as I can.

Ethical Elegance means purchasing from indie makers who use as many sustainable, organic, or up-cycled materials as possible.

Ethical Elegance means purchasing from manufacturers that support workers’ rights and decent working conditions.

Ethical Elegance means mending and wearing clothing out.

Ethical Elegance means turning to vintage and used clothing before buying new.

Ethical Elegance means not settling for frumpy clothing just because it is made ethically.

I’m going to return to the definition, refine it as I understand this project more. I’d love to hear what you think defines ethical elegance–won’t you share your ideas in the comments?

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