My Fall Bucket Bag

(My new fall bag.)

I lugged around my nautical bag all summer and loved it, and then September snuck up on me.  Even though it still feels like summer, and probably will for months, it’s time to put away the sailing stripes in favor of something more colorful and textured.  I found this Convertible Bucket Bag by One Mango Tree, a fair-trade store that carries beautiful products while working to educate consumers and provide job security to women in impoverished areas of the world.  My bag is now sold out, but One Mango Tree has similar styles here and here, and the navy version (which is also gorgeous for fall) can be found at Greenheart Shop (on sale!).

The bag itself is a piece of art, and the cotton fabric is quite sturdy and durable, as well as beautifully printed.  It’s a deep sack, and I love that I can carry all of my necessities in it, while also adding the boys’ things when needed, too.  This bucket bag has two short straps and one detachable long strap that can be worn cross-body style.  I prefer a shoulder bag, so I shortened the long strap as much as possible, and that works perfectly.

(The Convertible Bucket Bag by One Mango Tree.)

The small detail that really drew me to this bag is that each one is stitched by hand, and One Mango Tree’s craftsman, Mpande Eric, attaches the straps and rivets himself.  I love knowing about the person who made this utilitarian item for me, and that fact reminds me of the time I asked my dad to help me lengthen a purse strap when I was in high school, and he carefully punched holes and added rivets to a purse I had bought with my babysitting money.

I’m really happy with my new fall bag, and it will be my constant companion over the next few months, and then again next year, too.