Okay, up until yesterday, the MY envelope bag was just a handbag. A handbag that had all the things that MY by Michele & Yvette customers love - nice smooth generous adjustable strap that can fit over a coat, wipeable surface, key fob, inner security pocket, outside tech pocket, zipper closure and fashionable style. You would think that the envelope bag had done all it needed to do to warrant its fame.
Lately, we started to notice customers sizing up the envelope to see if it fits their iPad. Guess what, it does! So low and behold our clever customers now have a super stylish iPad carrier. What a cool idea! Now we find that almost everyone is buying the envelope bag to hold their iPad. We’ve tried it with our iPads and it is perfect. It’s not too big and not too small. We slide in the iPad plus our wallet and a phone in the tech pocket and we are good to go.
Currently, the envelope…. oh, we mean iPad carrier comes in two luscious colors, limeade and bon bon. If you or any of your girlfriends has an iPad or is soon to have one (wink, wink), grab an envelope (oops again, we mean iPad carrier) - the perfect iPad toting accessory. Think of all the books you can read, movies you can watch and all the amazing apps you’ll use or play with wherever and whenever you want – Fun!
Watch this video to see how the iPad fits and visit our site to explore and shop!
Best,
“Think Pink!” That is the MY motto for the month of October as it is breast cancer awareness month. Unfortunately, we all know someone who has been affected by this disease. The stories are tragic but they can also show us true courage, hope and survival. The goal for all who have committed themselves to this cause is to have all the stories end in survival and ultimately to eradicate the disease.
MY by Michele & Yvette want to do our part, so for every MY bonbon (pink) handbag, tote or accessory sold during the entire month of October, we will donate $5 to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Susan G Komen for the Cure was founded in 1982 and since then has invested close to $2 billion to the cause of curing breast cancer.
We are inspired by the story of its founding by Nancy G. Brinker, whose sister, Susan G Komen died of breast cancer at the age of 36. Nancy made a promise to her dying sister, “that she would do everything possible to end the shame, pain, fear and hopelessness caused by this disease”. In 1982, there was no internet and the newspapers were reluctant to use the word, breast! So, think about Nancy’s struggles to begin this journey that would come to have a global impact. If you want to know more, read her book Promise Me or visit the Susan G. Komen for the cure website. In the past thirty years, the foundation has helped to advance awareness, treatment and research by providing of outreach and grants.
Join us in supporting the largest grassroots charitable foundation for breast cancer and support Susan G Komen for the cure. There are many events in your area, check them out, or treat yourself or a friend to a MY bag in bonbon and we’ll make the donation.
Best,
Buy a MY bag and help support Susan G. Komen for the cure
We love our customers, especially when they take the time to write a review on one of our products. They range from ”OMG!, best bag ever” to a 200 word in-depth-up-close and personal 20 point inspection. The insight we gather from these reviews is very valuable and help us decide on which design elements to keep, which ones to toss and which ones to improve. The first thing we do before we head into production for next season is, that’s right, review the reviews.
Here’s one we received this summer:
As a lot of women I know, I have been on a quest for the perfect purse for years and this one is 99 percent perfect. (The one percent downside is the weight - a little heavier than I like.) Organizationally it is superb! - and love the oilcloth. 7/31/2011
We love the word “quest.” When we’re designing it’s our quest to make our customers 100% happy. For instance, her one percent, the weight, is something we are constantly discussing. Should we line the wide tote with cotton instead of coated cotton? Should we eliminate the hardware and attach the straps directly to the bag? That would reduce the weight by around a half a pound. Decisions, decisions, decisions.
Reviewing reviews is also a wonderful way to get fresh ideas of how MY bags are being used organizationally. Here’s a review from a couple of weeks ago”
I also like the cylindrical small water bottle holder on the inside because it's just right for holding my sunglasses in a soft case.
When we started the business 5 years ago, sunglasses were sized similar to eyeglasses, now they’re huge and the cases are humongous. So the water bottle sleeve is the perfect solution.
The other good reason to review reviews is “free marketing ideas” a customer recently wrote these words to describe our oilcloth.
“Impervious to weather and worry-free”
We’ve always said that our “oilcloth is the softest fabric ever to repel a raindrop” but we always appreciate fresh descriptive language to include in our marketing materials.
So, take a minute MY fans and let us know how you feel about MY bags! We really appreciate it!
Thanks!
Another Autumn is upon us. It is always a time of reflection and resolutions. These are some of the ones we’ve heard from MY fans.
- This season I will be more organized.
- I will Holiday shop little by little and when the gift giving season begins, I’ll be done!
- I will take better notes in class (especially with the stack of new notebooks and pens I just bought).
- I will revisit my New Year’s resolutions and really do them, there is still time, the year’s not over.
- I will clean out my closet. If I didn’t wear it in the last two years, it has to go.
- I will buy something that I really want at full price instead of waiting till the end of season and buying it on sale in a different color and different size
- I will stop using my water bottle sleeve in my MY bag for miscellaneous items and bring my reusable water bottle everywhere I go.
- I will listen to Michele & Yvette and clean out my wallet and handbag every few days.
- I will fill my MY lunch tote with only healthy foods.
Summer has come to a close. Do you have any back to school or back to work revelations?
MY by Michele & Yvette laptop case in limeade
Here we, Michele & Yvette, share our tips for having a totally organized wallet. Start with a full size zip wallet …we recommend the MY zip wallet – of course ‘cause it’s the best! The MY zip wallet is nice and slim, so it’s narrow enough to fit comfortably in the hand. Its size and bright exterior makes easy to find in your bag. It also slides in and out of the handbag making it easy to retrieve quickly.
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Now, you’re ready to have a fabulously organized wallet. Here’s the low down on Michele & Yvette’s wallet organization system.
LARGE SLOTS
Use one large side slot for cash.
Use the other large side slot for receipts which (to stay on top of your organization game) take out every few days to either file or toss out.
CHANGE COMPARTMENT
In the change compartment of course you’ll stash coins but there’s more. Try our favorite trick for keeping those frequent buyer cards handy – collect only the key chain size cards and click them together on a small keychain ring or carabineer. Then keep the whole bunch in the change compartment. You’ll never miss out on a good deal again.
CREDIT CARD SLOTS
Now for the credit card slots –think of these as a mini portable filing cabinet where each slot is a file where like themed cards sit together. Here’s what ours look like:
Money - ATM card
Mind - library card
Body – medical and dental insurance cards, medical reimbursement account card, health club membership card
Shopping – major credit cards and store credit cards
Transportation – drivers license, AAA membership card, train pass, parking pass
Of course, we realize that our MY gals have wallet organization ideas of their own. Please share your wallet organization tips by commenting here!
There are times when the big picture is what is most important: Where you live, which career to choose and who to marry. And then there are the times you’re in a meeting only to look at the mirror and realize you did your entire presentation with a big piece of spinach stuck between your teeth and it’s that moment when you truly understand the importance of details! (We just made that scenario up by way, as that has never happened to the MY gals who have perfect dental hygiene.)
For most women, choosing a handbag is an up close and personal experience. We love watching our customers choose a bag. It is so interesting to watch her check the depth of the cell phone pocket, put her coffee cup in the water bottle sleeve, and inspect every little pocket of the interior over and over and over again. We can only assume that she is imagining what she is going to put in each of the many pockets, because that is what we do when we design.
We have recently added a zoom function to our site to enable our web customers to have the opportunity to get up close and personal with our bags even online. Now, our fans can see the gleaming branded hardware, the signature tangerine interior, the exterior tech pocket, embossed leather trim, water bottle sleeves, security pockets and more. We’ve even photographed a real live MY fan carrying each of our MY bags so you can see the size relative to a real person.
We spend an extraordinary amount of time developing accessories that are beautiful, yet practical, so if you have a MY bag, you don’t have to sweat the details, we’ve done that for you. We even made a pocket for, ahem…….a toothbrush………
Best,
MY by Michele & Yvette wide tote interior: 2 water bottle sleeves, 1 security zip pocket, 3 open pockets, 1 key fob. Bag is lined in "I can see everything in MY bag" signature tangerine oilcloth. The exterior has a zippered tech pocket that keeps your cell phone handy. Amazing bag!
Are we the only ones who hate to pack? We always say that we put it off because we’re just so busy running our business, when, in truth, we just dread doing it. Also, because we know that our favorite outfit is probably at the cleaners and starting to pack will lead to endless chores, laundry etc… that quite frankly we just don’t want to do.Well, unless we just want to buy everything we need once we get there (actually that is sounding really good right now) we have to, “just do it.” Here are Michele & Yvette's top ten packing tips that will help you get through the process.
- Make a list. The key is to keep this list, on your phone, computer or dresser drawer. That way the next time you don’t need to make a list. Different list for different travels. Yvette actually has one for going to the gym that she keeps in her MY wide tote. Trips to the gym without goggles or socks are no more!
- Wardrobe check. Do this earlier in the week so that you can react to what you find. Clothing repairs, and dry cleaning won’t get left behind.
- Go shopping. Okay, this the fun part. Our customers always buy a new MY bag for vacation, it’s almost a ritual. For us, it’s shoes.
- Take multi-use items. A nice beach cover up paired with shorts is a tunic. Patent leather flip flops go to the beach and to dinner. MY wide tote can be a carry-on and a beach bag. That oilcloth just wipes clean!
- Accessorize. Accessories don’t take up much room and can change any outfit. Check out our MY skinny envelope. Change the bag, you’ve changed the look. Our MY bags pack flat !
- Take a lightweight bag. A bag on wheels gets heavy lugging it in an out of the car, up stairs or into the over head bin on a plane. Chances are if you take a bigger bag than the MY weekender, you’ve taken too much!
- Organize. Separate items in your bag using large ziplock bags or packing sacks from a company such as Eagle Creek. It will make it easier to locate your beach items (bathing suit coverup, sunscreen, hat, googles) from the rest of your wardrobe. This way you can grab and go.
- Check the list: That way you won’t forget the hostess gift or your extra pair of prescription sunglasses.
- Don’t stress, most likely there are shops where you’re going.
- We can't think of one - Can you help us out and add your best packing tip by commenting on our blog?
Happy Vacation!
Today, I was in line at the grocery store and the women in front of me had on a MY chocolate envelope. It is always exciting to see someone with a MY bag, and it also gets me some points at the MY office for having a MY sighting before coming to work. I wasn’t going to say anything while I snapped an iPhone pic, but then the conversation began. The woman bagging said, “That’s a really nice bag” and the woman with the bag replied, “Oh, I love this bag!” They went on and on until I couldn’t stand it anymore and had to reveal that I am the Y in MY. She told me how much she loved the pattern, the size, the shape and then she confessed that she took off the MY tangerine label because she thought it was too big!
You've got to love the MY customer. She is just like us, Michele & Yvette, looking for the ultimate bag that just suits her needs. We receive rave reviews every day about one of our bags and boy, does that feel great. We also get lots of suggestions, for example: For every 100 customers that praise the water bottle sleeve, there is always one that will confess to us that she has cut it out. We love getting reviews and suggestions from our customers. The feedback is always welcome and many of the suggestions have been used in our collections. For instance: We added a large inside pocket to the MY weekender in this latest collection (BTW it’s on sale for $99 until July 31!) and we changed the zipper on the MY envelope bag to sit atop the webbing so it is a little smoother and gives you more room. We really haven’t changed a thing on the MY wide tote because our customers have told us they like it just as it is.
So, take advantage of the review section of our website. It might help you to choose your next MY bag or gift. The customer that uses her MY wide tote as traveling office might inspire you more than the person who uses the MY wide tote as a beach bag. Do you know what I mean?
We’re in the process of designing a new collection, so tell us what you love about your MY bag and what you would like to see from the MY team in the future.
Best,
P.S. If you are looking at this picture and are craving "chocolate", unfortunately the MY chocolate envelope is sold out, but the MY satchel and the MY convertible are still available in chocolate and on sale. Woo Hoo!
Everyday Michele and I have a contest as to who has the most MY bag sightings in a day. Of course, if you spot a celebrity with a MY bag, then you win for the week. I have big plans to win tomorrow as I am going to the Regattabar in Cambridge, Massachusetts to see Yoko Miwa perform. If you’re a jazz fan, you’re probably pretty jealous of me right now. Yoko is an acclaimed jazz pianist who has released four CDs on major labels in Japan. If you are an NPR fan, you’ve probably heard of her as she has been interviewed on the radio many times. She moved to Boston about ten years ago and performs regularly with her trio when she is not on tour in Japan.
We recently added Yoko to our MY inspiring women gallery. Check it out! She was born in Kobe Japan and studied classical piano from age four. She won a Scholarship to Boston’s Berklee College of Music and after graduation became the personal accompanist for Grammy award-winning jazz singer, Kevin Mahogany.
Yoko is a huge MY fan and I’m wondering what bag she’ll be sporting tomorrow night? It could be one of the following: The MY double-zip, the MY satchel, the MY cosmetic case, the MY envelope, the MY flat tote, the MY weekender, or the MY wristlet as Yoko owns them all!!! Well if you can’t catch Yoko tomorrow at the Regattabar at 7:30, you can listen to her on your iPod and enjoy the fact that she is part of the MY sisterhood and so are you!
To learn more about Yoko, visit her website YokoMiwa.com or her page on the MY inspiring women gallery.
Best,
Yvette
It began at the beginning. On October 25, 2006 Katherine purchased a pile, literally, a pile of bags from us. It was our first sale here at MY.
Actually, this first collection of MY bags was produced as a test. Katherine, responding so passionately to our product meant we received an A+ and couple of bonus points for extra credit. Katherine is one of the many women in our circle of friends who is truly inspiring. Although, we didn’t change our tag line to MY by Michele & Yvette inspiring oilcloth bags for inspiring women for a few years, the sentiment was there, sewn into every tech pocket and water bottle sleeve.
Katherine is one of those people who I would describe as just plain brave! She is an interior designer, whose list of clients includes several celebrities (right there the cool factor is off the charts). Several years ago, Katherine picked up her American family and moved to Italy. She had fallen in love with the country when she was in college and just went for it. I’m certainly not that brave, are you?.
I guess you can say that the bravest thing Michele and I have done is to start MY. It was not as difficult as one might think as we had friends stepping in to help and inspire us through every process from production, to marketing. Kelly helped with the first iteration of MYoilcloth.com, Laura stepped up and paved the way to production, Benna hosted our launch party in her drop dead gorgeous home. Holloway described our fabric as “the softest fabric ever to repel a raindrop" and our bags as aesthetically practical. Sarah brought our MY brand to life with the MY video and photos. Of course, we have an army of customers to thank who have become ambassadors for our brand that keep us going and inspire us every day. So check out our MY inspiring women pages. We’re going to start adding devotees every month. Let us know who we should include!
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Pictured is one of the inspiring MY bags sold to our inspiring customer Katherine in the beginning. Boy, that vintage convertible bag looks good! Should we put a floral back into our collection for next spring?
MY by Michele & Yvette, MY vintage floral convertible.
Best,