Tribe Bags Tried and Tested by the Sassy Mama team!

Homegrown bag brand Tribe have been a hit with fashionable mamas around town since they first launched their iconic Singapore Sling bag in 2011. With their latest collection, founder and designer Rosie decided to introduce a fresh dose of creativity to their products, with a selection of fun new styles at an affordable price point. And we were lucky enough to take the bags out for a test run to see how they fared in the rough and tough real mama world…

New Mama Kristin  – The Balmoral Bag
The lovely Kristin entered the world of motherhood with a bit of a bang, by delivering baby George four weeks early, while her husband was on a business trip in Europe! She has since found her feet, shipped her parents in from the US to do some serious baby duty, and is taking little George out and about around Singapore on a grand tour that has taken in the Botanic Gardens, some poolside lounging and of course, getting back into peak shape by pounding the pavement along the Singapore river.

The Balmoral ($289) is the perfect new mama bag as it’s roomy enough to hold all the essentials in those anxious first days, and it’s super-durable to guard against leaks and spills. Kristin loved how the stone grey and turquoise colour worked with her existing wardrobe, as well as coordinating with George’s!

Working Mama Rika – The Rocks Bag
Now that Rika’s kids are 5 and 4 years old, she doesn’t really need to tote as much stuff around town, but still needs a bag that can survive the rigours of motherhood and work for every occasion. From business meetings to museum trips, the Rocks ($269) is the ideal hands-free style for mamas on the go (or even non-mamas!). It’s made from the same leather that Prada uses for their bags, which is water-resistant and keeps its good looks under pressure.

Rika loved that the gold studs gave it a bit of an “edge” and made it easy to dress up or down. Despite its diminutive size, it still packs a punch in terms of storage, and useful compartments for phone, notebook, wallet and keys. You can even adjust the strap to wear it either on your shoulder or across your body. Rika loved the neutral brown colour which literally goes with everything, but we also quite fancy getting our hands on the rock chick black style!

After a week of testing Tribe’s new styles, we’re pretty hooked – while we might lust after designer purses and drool over calfskin and other gorgeous but impractical features, you just can’t beat a bag that is both good-looking AND fabulously practical. Thankfully Tribe proves it is possible!

www.tribebags.com