Wohoo! We are so happy to announce what we think is a very exciting giveaway… You may remember when we posted about Vuela Boutique (here) and named many of the great hard-to-find designers the online shop carries… One designer in particular, Ellen Truijen, really caught our eye with her array of leather handbags and totes. The simplistic totes are as functional and easy – all made of soft leather that comes with that perfect “worn-in” look it takes years to achieve. Ellen was kind enough to send us one of her leather handbags to giveaway to one lucky A Piece of Toast reader! As much as we would like to keep it for ourselves, the bag you see in the photos above is the Shopper Bag, and it will be sent to a reader that Ellen herself will choose based on the comments left on this post…
To enter, check out Ellen’s site, and leave a comment below with your name and email, telling us the answers to any of these questions or a combination of them: a) what do you love about the bag, b) why you think it should go to you, or c) what does an everyday handbag mean to you. Entries must be posted by next Friday, November 23, 2012 at 6:00pm CST, and one winner will be chosen at random and announced at the end of this post on Saturday, November 24th. Good luck!
**This giveaway has closed. Congratulations to Mai-Britt for winning the bag from Ellen Truijen! Winner was selected by Ellen herself. Thank you to all who entered**
[No purchase necessary to enter, open to US readers only. Please leave your email or web address in the allotted comment boxes only. $385 total value. Winner of the giveaway will be contacted via email once comments close and announced on this post soon after.]
Images by MBM for A PIECE of TOAST
(Ellen Truijen Bag // Madwell Python Top // Kate Spade Bangle // Kate Spade iPhone Case)
These bags are gorgeous and I love how they have an "aged" look. I consider myself a pack mule, of sorts – I am always lugging stuff to and from work and the gym. The Shopper bag would provide the perfect place to stash all of my necessities for trekking to and from work. I love how deep the bag is, too. I could definitely stash a lot of stuff in there! An everyday handbag is like a tangible brain dump of what is going on in my life — work, food, gym stuff, make up, notebooks of ideas, etc.
Email address: borojenna at yahoo dot com
Beautiful bags! I would like this so I can replace the Longchamp I use for everything with something a bit more grownup.
I love love love Ellen's bags because of their soft, worn-in, and super stylish look. I consider my style a little boho, so I feel like her bags are a great addition to my personal look. Combine that with two kids, a job, and constant carpooling, I feel like my purse is like my car–we could live out of it for days if need be. I can always use the extra room so I love a big bag! Email address: a.leatherman@comcast.net
These bags are perfect for my 'jack-of-all-trades' lifestyle. They are beautiful and strong, great for flitting between all five jobs with a camera, and attachments, notepad, kindle, phone, wallet, cold weather gear up here in D.C. now, maybe lunch, and whatever else I might need for two or three different activities in one day. There is a sophistication to the bags, without being too stuffy, so that they can easily transition from casual brunch to office ready.
After seeing Ellen's bags, I was struck instantly with the thought, sometimes the simplest things are the hardest to achieve. These bags are simply exquisite, in both the simplicity and detailed craftsmanship. The Shopper that is being offered reminds me of my mom's purse growing up – a worn, simple leather tote that was a fixture on her arm and in the back seat of the car as she raised and chased four of us kids around. She has had it since college and while it's no longer her everyday purse, she still has it hanging in her closet and pulls it once in a while – more than 40 years later.
That is what an everyday bags means to me – something that is not reserved for a special occasion, something that does not feature too many studs, tassels, hardware, etc. that will lose luster and interest as trend changes. It’s a bag that you gravitate towards and that can hang with you, not just for one chapter of your life, but for all of them. Simply put, and Everyday Bag is not the "IT" bag, it is "THE" bag.
Q: what do you love about the bag?
A: um…pretty much everything. it's universal (work, weekend, travel…), beautiful, and of obvious quality.
these fingers are tightly crossed!
Holy heck, this bag is my dream bag. You know how, when you are looking for shoes, jewelry, or a great bag and you feel vaguely disappointed by everything offered because you have this amazing image in your mind of the perfect item? I do not feel that way AT ALL about this bag. It offers the roominess I need to toss LIFE into my bag: sunglasses, book, pens, Twizzlers and the assorted Disney princess/hairbow paraphanalia associate with my toddler. But it oozes style and it is so well crafted. It is perfect for containing bits and pieces of my life as a Mom on the inside; on the outside it says 'this lady will not be forced into carrying a merely functional tote by motherhood'. I adore the weathered well-aged look and the color means I will carry it every single day. As a working mom, I fall into the cliche of putting myself last more than not now. This amazing every day luxury would be the ideal 'win', the type of thing I would keep promising myself…'someday'. Please?
I absolutely love the timeless and weathered look of these bags. Right now I have a Michael Kors purse which I love, but it's smaller and getting worn because I use it everyday! This Ellen bag would be my daily work bag. With the notepads/laptop/planner I need to bring, this bag would be so handy yet stylish too! I've tried to become a 'small bag' kind of girl, but that never works for me.
This is the PERFECT example of an everyday bag. It's large enough ot hold my planner, water bottle, wallet, etc yet not a giant tote with no style that I couldn't unload in the car before dinner. The color is classic and yet edgy. I love that it already looks well loved and worn in and that ads an extra bit. Having just moved 3000 miles away from home, I can definitely say that I'm living out of my ONE purse. Anything that i know I'll need for more than a day gets put in there, to stay. And Stay it does. I could definitely use an upgrade, so Im crossing my fingers.
These bags are beautiful! I especially like the one in the post above and the "Mommy Dearest" one on the website. The leather looks so soft and amazing!
I've gotten in a bad habit of carrying either my diaper bag or nothing at all so I would definitely put this to good use! Thank you!
Lovely! I adore how the color of this bag can fit w/any and all fall wardrobes (or fast approaching winter!). And who doesn't need a bag that you can toss gloves, scarves and hats into while "shopping"? I love a deep handbag! An everyday bag to me allows me freedom to choose what I will or won't allow to weigh me down and what I choose to keep close. Simply digging into it, I can be reminded of things that need to be tossed out and the reasons why I keep going. Anything from girly things, grown-up things, sentimental things but most important – FUN things! If I can't have fun with a bag I am not interested, and honestly from what I can tell… this bag is just waiting for fun times with me
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This bag is perfect for the one day off I have every two weeks and need to run all my errands. It's hard to find a stylish bag big enough to hold everything I need for a trip to pretty much every store in town!
I love that these bags can be used for just about anything, I can carry my books and everyday items when I go to class. When I'm out with friends it's the perfect bag to go out during the day. As of now I have a number of purses that don't quite work all the time. Some are too big or small, a lot of them are getting really old. It's really time for me to get a purse that I can rely on daily and really enhance my wardrobe–this very well may be it.
This bag is the perfect mix of chic and utilitarian. I love the option of two handles…one is just not enough. I typically use a bag until the handles are about to fall off so think this one would be a perfect fit for me! My fingers are crossed to have one more thing to be thankful for this Thanksgiving
This is a beautiful bag! I am a graduate student, so it would be a perfect and chic way to carry my books!
What a gorgeous bag! The color is so versatile and would go perfectly with my winter coat!! I would love a new everyday bag, one in which my belongings would be safe from wandering hands during my commute on the El in Chicago!
Such an amazing giveaway!! I love the look of this bag– sort of a mix between leather and suede, and the fact that it's large enough to really house all your essentials, but so not big that it looks like you're trying to pass off a weekender as a handbag
I love the understated vibe of the bag as well.. it's just chic, it isn't trying to be, if that makes sense. I think it should go to me because I'm desperately in need of a new bag!! It's been ages since I treated myself to one, and my current bag is in a sad state at this point.
i looove this bag. i love totes but sometimes carrying the canvas ones can get dirty and they might not be sturdy enough. this leather one would be perfect for work and play.
suzanna
suzannabunny(at)gmail(dot)com
Love these bags! They are the perfect soft leather, and I love the size! Would be thrilled to be the proud new owner
An everyday handbag –
perfect for days out & about in the city,
the shopper will collect many "she's pretty"s!
loads of necessities it holds,
the statement is classic yet bold.
here's hoping luck is on my side,
and this lovely bag will be my new pride!
Love the bags! I own my own business and am constantly running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I need a huge and functional bag so I have anything that I might need with me at any given moment. One of these bags would do just the trick.
Function, classy, beautiful- need this bag for everyday!
georgia.a.thompson@gmail.com
Super cute bag!
I love this bag! Everyday handbag to me is style meets function, as a mother to a 2 year old monster having a handbag that is stylish and functional is soo important!!
what an amazing color for a bag! this would certainly make my commute a little more glamorous
I love the tailored slouchiness of this bag-perfect for everyday use-it would hold everything I need!
vnwyatt@gmail.com
I love big slouchy bags that can hold my life! The soft leather makes it comfortable and useful for everyday while the metallic color makes it a little more glam than your average tan leather bag. This could go from a weekend trip to the Farmer's Market and shopping on 2nd Street in Austin, to my English class, or to a casual dinner with my girlfriends. It's girly-casual and that rocks!
This is the PERFECT travel bag. I am in love with the color and shape. It is simple and functional, yet very chic. PLUS my family is from the Netherlands and I am all about supporting artists and designers from there.
An everyday handbag should become a part of you. An everyday bag is not merely an accessory, slapped on your shoulder and toted from your local Starbucks and morning cup of coffee to the kitchen table where you carelessly abandon it upon returning home from a long day. Your everyday handbag should not simply leave a knot in your shoulder and be the reason your boyfriend suggests you buy a smaller purse when you force him to massage your tired back. An everyday handbag shouldn't just be a mule carrying your daily essentials.
An everyday bag needs to assimilate into your – wait for it! – EVERYDAY life. It should effortlessly and seamlessly accompany you on all of your adventures.
This bag, in both it's style and practical design, would mold perfectly against the puffiest of winter coats or the tiniest of summer tank tops. It could hold the latest issue of Glamour magazine and a Ziploc bag full of pretzels (double bagged, of course! We all know what it's like to discover a flimsy Ziploc has been torn open by keys and who wants crumbs on the bottom of a gorgeous handbag like this?!) when joining your best friend for an afternoon lounging in the park. Or, it could hold a stuffed-to-the-seams planner filled with important business meetings and clients' phone numbers. This is the kind of bag that leaves your hands free to bend down and pet the adorable dog beside you on the sidewalk or hail a cab with only minutes to spare before your dream job interview.
That's the kind of everyday handbag I need, anyway. Something practical, and yet effortlessly chic. Something that works WITH me. This classy everyday bag does not scream a designer's name. It screams mine.
would love to win this! the bag is great because it just looks so versatile and could carry so much stuff, easily go from work to school, weekend to weeknight!!
elallzs(at)gmail(dot)com
What I love about the bag is the minimalist design. It's minimal but also beautiful and looks like it would last forever!!
email: livingoffproceeds[at]gmail[dot]com
I am a huge 'cart everything with you at all times' person, and this giant bag would be perfect for me! I'm talking band-aids, advil, needle and thread, iphone charger, 5 types of lip gloss, ipad… everything goes with me. Always. I definitely would love such a beautiful bag to lug my junk in all the time! Oh, and also, I fly a lot.. and I live by the motto 'the bigger the carry-on, the happier my overpacking self will be'. SO this would also help with that too haha.
Omg that bag is heavenly and of course it should go to me because I'm a Mom of 5 and a blogger and I always have tons of stuff to carry around with me. I checked out her site and the stuff is gorgeous beyond!!!
I hope I win
xo
Sharon
ask.fashionisha@gmail.com
I love that there are two handles for this bag – perfect and adaptable to any situation. Cue Anne Hathaway in Batman purring, "I'm adaptable." This would be perfect for looking chic while toting a million and one work related items or looking proper on the weekends. Love it!
http://jax-and-jewels.blogspot.com
Wow, thanks for this awesome and generous giveaway!
I love the simply lines of this bag. I'm all about clean, sleek lines — nothing too fussy or high maintenance is always up my alley.
I'm sure there are many qualified "applicants" for this lovely bag, and I only speak for myself, but I will surely treasure and take good good care of this purse!
Everyday bags must be functional, stylish, and easy to use. I must be able to toss everything and anything in the bag, but also have it be light enough to tote around all day.
Thanks!
a) this bag looks so versatile and could be worn out the run errands or out on the town!
b) I am in a shopping slumo and would love a great pick me up! i am a teacher and am always looking for a bag that i can throw school stuff in but then also use outside the to-and-from school routine
c) an everyday handbag to me is transitional, versatile, and big. I need something that I can throw a million things into and is stylish
my everyday handbag is literally my life in a bag. i feel so lost without it. it holds my notebooks, cameras, makeup, candy – so its really holding my ideas, memories, and those little things that you need to cheer you up
What a beautiful bag. I recently moved to a new state and have transitioned from working full time to working freelance so I could spend more time with my kids. I have been on the hunt for a bag that suits my new lifestyle. It is important that I could use to it to tote my ipad and work stuff into the city as easily as throw in my daughter's leotard and snack for gymnastics. I am a firm believer in being put together everyday even if its just going to be spent shuttling the kids and grocery shopping. This would be the perfect finishing touch to any outfit.
What a BEAUTIFUL bag! I absolutely love that it's structured yet flexible. A seriously perfect combination that can be dressed up or down! (in other words, exactly what I am looking for in a bag!!)
LOVE the fact that this bag is so big, yet fashionable. it's versatile and can be taken most anywhere. love it! – alex, ajacob4@gmail.com
The perfect every day handbag should one that complements any outfit. Whether I run out of the house in my yoga gear or dressed up for a date, the every day handbag will match anything. Simple with an understated elegance. And of course, the basic Ellen Truijen shopper is my idea of the perfect every day handbag!
xo
Martine Nash
mnash@smith.edu
I think the bag should go to me because it would make carrying around all my books to study for law school exams a little happier if I could carry them in such a pretty bag!
Yes! Everday bag = polished with a work outfit & fun/feminine out to dinner with friends. I love the easy slouch of Ellen's bags. Yours looks like the Toddler? I also LOVE the Family T. Love the two handle options on both. Quick moving for the long strap & a stroll around the city with the short handles. Which also = a perfect everyday bag!
I love the bag because it is simultaneously relaxed and polished. Plus, it is such a gorgeous color! I carry all sorts of things in my "everyday" bag, but because I'm a student I love a bag that can handle a notebook, textbook and whatever else I need to make it through a few hours of classes or an afternoon in the library.
It's funny but when I saw the picture of the handbag I thought to myself that is a great bag to carry all of my stuff and my toddlers stuff too all while looking oh so stylish. Then I went to Ellen's website and they actually have a bag named toddler! It was like it was meant to be! Love it! As a mom I need to carry a lot of things and there are very few cute large bags out there that don't scream diaper bag! But, this is a bag that I can use everyday, not only as a mommy bag because it is just beautiful. I would love it especially on date night with the hubby. The leathers are beautiful and like you said has that beautiful worn in look that I love as my style is very rustic. Great giveaway!
i love this bag…has a great colour and i could carry big items there (laptop) daily!
zoinian@gmail.com
What a gorgeous bag! I LOVE the blue color and the size is perfect. I also like that it has two handle options. It's been a while since I've purchased a new bag for myself, and I think a new bag would be perfect present to myself after having my first baby! I've always been very particular about my bags, and this seems like the perfect one to add to my collection. An everyday bag is essential to a wardrobe – a bonus if people continually compliment you on it!
I absolutely love the buttery texture and the cool muted metallic color! Must have!!!!!!!!
an everyday handbag means that a bag is designed well enough to go from day to night without being out of place
Her bags are beautiful, and this color in particular is really nice! It would work perfectly with my mostly gray-and-black wardrobe. I live in a city and don't have a car, so to me an everyday bag means it's capable of stylishly schlepping all my stuff all over the place.
I love all of these handbags. To me when I have on a simple outfit and can't really find the right accessories, I can use a bag to be my statement piece. I love how these are so versatile for any time of year and any outfit. I'd love to have one to add to my collection
Love this bag! Could still tote around all my kids stuff, but look way more stylish doing it. My current bag was so ragged that I just threw it in the trash. I'm bagless and really need this one.
I love how simple, yet elegant the bag is!
I love this bag, besides the color and the perfectly supple leather, it is the perfect size to carry all of my crap, I mean much needed stuff, around and still look stylishly put together.
I love the elongated shape of this bag and this color is the perfect neutral (also so beautiful). It would look so stunning against winter coats or dresses with tights. This everyday bag would be perfect for all of my lipsticks that I insist on carrying everywhere as well as any books or files I need to tote around for the day. Truly love it!
i just love this bag!
i can't decide what i love most about it, the 'i've had this for years' look or how functional it is! my shoulder would be a perfect place for this bag to call home simply because i, just like everygirl, live a busy life and carry entirely too much stuff around with me! i hope i get the chance to stuff it to the gills with everything from magazines, makeup, emergency nail polish and much more. as an everyday handbag it will help me have on-hand anything i could need as i bebop around the city. fingers crossed!
I love the shape of this bag! So versatile, and i can just picture making so many outfits with it. An everyday handbag to me is one that can go from day to night and works perfectly with my lifestyle. I would love to win this bag because it would have a great home with many other bag friends
An everyday bag is wonderful. It's simple enough for every day use, but still allows you to show off your personal style. You don't have to sacrifice your style for the work week by any means! I think I deserve to win because it's my birthday next Thursday and I haven't gotten anything for myself yet.
For me, an every day handbag is something to pile things into and tote around everywhere I go. It is as reliable as a friend and as useful as..my iphone. jordansondler@gmail.com
An everyday handbag is like the blanket my little boy sleeps with every night. Anywhere you take it, you feel at home. This bag is simply gorgeous.
Gorgeous bag! And big enough to lug to and from work!
Such an amazing piece of artisan craftsmanship! I am in love with the simplicity of this bag… It is absolutely perfect for everyday wear, whether you are shopping at a Farmers Market or out to lunch! As a mother of twins and a Fashion merchandising major, I am constantly on the lookout for accessories that fit my lifestyle while still maintaining a level of personal style… The metallic leather and comfy, casual look provide both functionality and "chicness" that allow me to carry all the essentials I need and feel glamorous at the same time. This would be perfect for my life as a metro mommy in Dallas!
Great giveaway. I'm in love with the laid back personal style ( leggings, flats, belted light wight cardigan, hoop earrings,and half up half down hairstyle….) that seems so effortlessly stylish ( think Kate Hudson) . This bag is perfect for easy breezy everyday use.
I love Ellen's bags, it's just so me & my style! The designs are simple, unique & timeless & so lovely with all outfits. I have the 4 Ways bag which I'm in love with & currently use everyday. I've actually had my eye on the Shopper bag & would love love love to have in my Ellen collection!
First off, I love her bags. They are so practical especially for the Holidays because you're doing so much travelling and it's a bag you can throw everything in, which is exactly what I need, but at the sametime Ellen's bags are so effortlessly chic! It's such a statement without trying too hard. That's exactly my style and that's why I think the bag should go to me!!
I love this bag! The leather looks so subtle and soft. You can't beat the feel and smell of leather. The double strap option is a must, makes it more versatile, long or short.
I think it should go to me because I need a new bag to go to work. I want something that looks great but is also functional, this bag definitely fits the bill.
An everyday bag to me means it can make a statement independent of your outfit (so I can wear sweatpants) and it can fit my clunky wallet and my 'can't live without planner.'
my morning coffee
I would love to own this bag, because I am always having to tote lots of things to + from school… and this would allow me to do so fashionably!
Hi!! Thanks for the great giveaway. Pretty sure my life would fit in this bag ( a huge plus! ) and also the color is perfect – goes with black AND brown outfits, work appropriate too! What more could I ask for?
I love that this bag is both stylish and functional! I think it would be the perfect addition for my new job- it will hold my laptop and work necessities, but it can also go from day to evening effortlessly!!
I love this bag! The style is so versatile that it can be worn anywhere. I love everyday bags because I can wear them to work, throw all of my stuff in it and carry it out at night.
I love this bag! Neutral color and big enough to tote my computer for work or a toiletries case for quick overnight trips. It's absolutely beautiful.
Wow these bags are magnificent. As a university student I've been struggling to find an everyday bag that is large enough and useful enough for everything. These bags are perfect. The look and everything about them make them the perfect complement for a busy, inquisitive, bustling student! Thanks
love, love this fab tote – perfect size for everyday or special outings – an awesome finish on the leather too… I would truly enjoy one!
I love the shape and color, SO fabulous!
This is a beautiful bag, it looks so well crafted and large, without being overwhelming. I just got a new job in a new city and will be commuting now – I think this bag would be perfect for holding all of the work things I'll be transporting back and forth on public transportation every day! Love it.
This bag is so beautiful! I love it because it is large enough to carry everything I need for a day on the go.
Love the color, perfect size and comfy look. Must come home with me as I have been looking for the perfect everyday bag since I stopped carrying a diaper bag! I am now a working mother of tween twins – yes! Say that three times fast! Everyday bags to me fit my lifestle – which means carry my life in one container as you never know when you'll need it. However, make it look fashinable and cool – just take out the evening clutch when the unexpected comes up!
A good everyday handbag is one that presents calm and collectiveness to the world while effectively masking the chaos inside!
These bags are so classic–as a grad student I'm constantly hauling stuff and one of these would help me look put together instantly! Would definitely become my every day bag.
An every day bag is one that has room for everything but helps keep you organized–one that hides the insane mess of our lives so we can pretend that we are as on top of everything as we would like to be!
I love the 4 Ways bag. I would love to be the new proud owner of this gorgeous bag!
Erin
readeatcreate.com
This seems like a bag that has the destiny of being given away to someone.When I look at this bag, I think of my son who is only 1,5 years old now.
He is so into my husbands and my leather boots, puts them on and walks around in them, with that, my bag to put things in and take them out again, are his favorites.
Soon he is going on his first big travel and this bag just looks perfect for a boy, to throw all his important belongings in…and show them off to everyone who crosses his path and I can see him in 15 years or so, kissing his first girlfriend with this same bag hanging of his shoulder. Cause I know from my own experience how these bags are like a little home you carry with you for many years. They have lots of stories to tell to your grandchildren. So that's what I dreamed of seeing your beautiful bag!!!
What beautiful bags! I love that she has a section called "Arm candy" – my philosophy exactly!
And the family of bags – love! So clever and completely gorgeous!
After perusing her site I'm now In love with more than just her bags. Did you see that cape? I've bookmarked her acorn necklace for my husband. Simply beautiful! I love her sensibility. Her diverse artistic background really informs her work. Thanks for sharing this designer with us!
When a bag makes you want to reach out and touch you know that you have found your "it" bag. I'm not a collector of bags; I carefully choose my perfect bag by the size, the feel, the color and then carry it throughout the seasons. I would be over the moon to own this beauty to be loved and cherished as I travel to work during the weekdays;to tuck in a toy or two inside when I visit my granddaughters; and have my book club choice ready to read when I'm waiting in line. It's truly the *perfect* bag!
Thank you for the opportunity to own,
Donna Benson
What a gorgeous bag…perfectly distressed! I would love this bag for the length (being six feet tall) and it would replace the diaper bag I've been multipurposing for 2.5 years. Love your blog…it is my daily escape!
This bag is a classic and one that will stick with me for years. I love the shape, not too bulky and slender. I don't have a bag in this color and now I realize I really need one, funny how that works! Fingers crossed!! Caitlinnwillis@gmail.com
To me, an everyday handbag is one that is easily transferable from place to place I go during the day. Right now I'm in college and the size and shape of this bag would be so incredibly perfect for the 'necessities' I carry around with me at all times (the large planner that goes everywhere I do, my makeup bag for times when I'm at the library for 6 hours and look like I've been there for 18+ with smeared mascara giving the raccoon eye effect, a notebook where I scribble in ideas for assignments and ideas for upcoming projects, the few folders for my classes and any other odds and ends).
Right now, I haven't found a stylish bag that has all of the amazing qualities that The Shopper does while being able to fill all of my *stuff* and I would be so happy if I was able to carry The Shopper around campus so I could be fashionable and practical all at once.