We recently discovered a cool new bag brand we had never heard of — one with a cause whose aim is to give back to American youth. The STATE BAGS line includes both material and leather totes and backpacks and for every bag purchased, STATE hand-delivers a backpack, packed with essential tools for success – to an American child in need. I love this. Their STATE BAG DROP EVENTS are where their team of “PackMen” and “PackWomen” lead motivational rallies that leave participating kids with a renewed spirit and belief in themselves, which frankly I think is so important today — how many of us had real mentors growing up? Most of us didn’t and I’d argue that it’s even harder to grow up as a child in the U.S. today than ever. They’re based in Brooklyn and the husband wife team’s real passion is to help kids in America’s most at-risk neighborhoods.
The Smith — our favorite — is their fashion heritage backpack with a modern twist. It features a fold over design in a basketweave fabric finished with leather shoe welt trim and an antique brass fireman clip closure, a front stash pocket and a small lower side pocket, zipper pulls and a black rivet. The material is made of a 70% polyester 30% cotton blend.
Truth be told, I really loved the leather choices but we opted for a more fashionable and feminine style instead – their Smith bag in ROSE (below), which is available in denim as well.
Below is the same fabulous bag in leather — we love the size. It’s around 15-17 inches in height and 11 inches in width. It’s a fun and simple option for quick trips — it doesn’t have inside pockets so is limited for longer trips, but for a Saturday “head off to the beach” day, it’s a great option.
More information on them including how to get one can be found on their website at https://www.statebags.com.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored over 90, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity. She is also the founder of the Magdalene Collection, a jewelry line dedicated to women’s unsung voices and stories, and the award-winning author of the bestselling book Magdalene’s Journey
She is founder of Blue Soul Media and co-founder of Blue Soul Earth as well as the producer and host of the award-winning Blue Soul CHATS podcast, that bridges science, technology and spirituality. Renee also founded Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
