Polka Dot Pistachio Leisure Tote by JP Lizzy, $72
With a BA degree in Psychology, Wendy Barry was well positioned in the corporate ladder as Director of HR for a Denver-based technology company. All of this changed when her life was turned upside down with the premature birth of her twins John and Emma at just 27 weeks.
From a career woman to a stay-at-home mom, from fashion-forward to frantic, Wendy’s gear changed from chic clutch purses to gigantic bags toting endless baby necessities. Realizing that other young and stylish mothers are carrying similarly unfashionable boring bags, she recognized the need for a practical bag that is functional but still allowed one to continue to express a personal sense of style.
In 2002, JP Lizzy was born as one of the original diaper bag companies to blend form with function, before stylish diaper bags were widely available.
Today, JP Lizzy carries a stylish line of diaper bags, totes, messenger bags, backpacks, and handbags that are as functional as they are fashionable. The bags take women through all stages of life, from trendsetting fashionista, to career woman, to supermom. As the founder and chief designer, Wendy is in tune with her customers. As an entrepreneur, a designer, a volunteer, and a mother, she wears many hats. Consequently, JP Lizzy offers a bag to match all the hats women wear in their personal and professional lives.
In addition to providing practical chic accessories, JP Lizzy also reaches out to those in need by supporting organizations such as the Denver-based Newborn Hope and the March of Dimes.
We received the Polka Dot Pistachio Leisure Tote from their Tote Collection. It retails for $72.
This tote should really be called a carryall because it’ll hold everything you need. It’s huge but surprisingly, still very comfortable to wear on the shoulders even when full. It’s perfect for the beach or the park. It has a large opening, a super roomy interior and a big zippered interior pouch with insulation.
How many times have you gone to the beach hauling so many things you look like you’re going camping? There’s the beach chair, then there’s the tote with the towel, wallet, phone, sunblock, and other toiletries. Then there’s the cooler with the drinks, a grocery bag with the food, and a plastic bag for the wet garments afterwards. A little tough to look fashionable when you’re carrying bags with supermarket logos all over them.
So this past Memorial Day Holiday, I took my new leisure tote to the beach and amazingly, it carried everything I needed to bring except for the chair. Not that I didn’t try. Maybe I can find a tiny collapsible beach chair next time…. note to self. Anyhow, having to carry just the chair and the one carryall was so painless and chic! Wear it with a cover up like this beach bandeau cover dress by Juicy Couture and you’ll look ultra fabulous.
The insulated interior pouch is so convenient. I stored 2 cold bottles of water in it and it kept a nice temperature for a few hours. It would have fit a lot more bottles but then I’d have to drag it as opposed to carrying it. Everything else, I stuffed inside the large interior – food, towel, etc. On the exterior, there’s a zip pocket and that’s where I put my cell phone and sunblock - for easy access. At the end of the day, I didn’t even need a plastic bag for my wet towel. I stuffed it in the now empty insulated pouch so I can keep it away from the dry things. The sand was extremely easy to clean both inside and outside. I just wiped them away and it's ready for the next outing.
Needless to say, I love this bag and with summer upon us, that's a very good thing as I will be spending a lot of time with it!
Reviewer: Chic Techie
