Review and Reader Discount! Babymel Diaper Bags

My good friend has a hobo style purse that I've been drooling over for the past few months. I've been carrying a backpack style diaper bag around for nearly two years now, and as awesome as I've thought the last two backpacks that I've owned were, I'm getting a little tired of very obviously carrying around a diaper bag. I still need the organization and the space that a diaper bag provides, but I've been feeling ready for a new look. The other day, I was hanging out at Tot Spot Cafe, an indoor playplace in Woodinville, WA, and I saw this incredibly cute diaper bag sitting on one of the counters. The owner was away chasing her children, I'm sure, and I didn't want to look too suspicious, but as a detective constantly on the search for great baby products, I just had to know who made the bag. I nonchalantly crept over and took a peek at the tiny red label: Babymel. Being short on paper, I had to quickly commit the name to memory and hope that I didn't forget later. Because I still don't have the iPhone that I'd love to have, I had to wait until I got home to learn more. What I did learn is that Babymel is a relatively new company based out of London rather than a city in the U.S., and I was beside myself when they asked me to review their brand-new Amanda Quilted slouchy hobo style bag. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I've been trying out the new pink Amanda Quilted bag, and I'm completely smitten with the hobo style bag as well as the fantastic pink color. Yes, pink. (Don't tell Nadia, but I think pink might actually be my new favorite color!) Click on Read more below for my full review of the new Amanda Quilted bag from Babymel.

Review based on a 4-star scale:

Functionality *** - The new Amanda Quilted bag is still a diaper bag which means it comes with all the pockets, etc. that you are hoping for in a diaper bag. Inside you will find one big zippered pouch and two elasticized pockets on side of the bag, and three smaller elasticized pockets on the other. My zipper bag is going unused right now, but I store my Flip camera in one of the small pockets, my regular camera in another and the third houses my emergency snacks. One of the larger pockets on the other side stores my wipes container. My wipes are in a standard-sized wipes case and they fit perfectly in the pocket, and I never have to dig around for them. In the main body of the bag, I carry my first-aid kit, spare clothes for both kiddos, snack cups, water cups and my Vera Bradley wallet/purse. I am notoriously bad about zipping up my bag, and while it's true that there is a handy little zipper across the top of the bag, I hardly ever take the time to zip it, and the slouchy hobo style of the bag really works to keep everything tucked away inside, even with the zipper open! For those of you worried about losing things in the main pocket, I rarely have to take anything off the top to get to what is at the bottom. The bag is roomy, but not so big that you'll feel frustrated when you're looking for something important. If you're wondering if this bag is big enough for two kids, I'll say that I could definitely fit a couple of tiny baby diapers in my bag right now, even with everything that I'm currently carrying. I'm not carrying jars of baby food anymore, but I am carrying snack cups. I don't know that I would recommend trading up to this bag if you feel like you need something bigger than what you already have, but if you only have one child, or are feeling like the bag you currently carry is too enormous, then the Babymel Amanda is for you!

OK. Here is a shot of what I currently carry around in my Amanda bag. I apologize for the glare. Down by the Clif bars is a bag of clothes. Inside is a spare outfit for a three-year old as well as a toddler. There are two diapers in that stack, too. We're rarely gone long enough to need more than that, but I could easily fit more in!

On the exterior of the bag there are two pockets on the front. This is where I throw my sunglasses and phone as well as Nadia's little disposable cup with a straw. As I'm reaching my hand in the pockets right now, I've also found a pack of gum, a handful of miscellaneous receipts and straw wrappers, and the grocery list that I wish I would have known was there when I was at the store this morning. Along either side of the bag, you'll find an insulated zippered bottle pouch. It's been a long time since I've needed to carry bottles, thank goodness, but I'm pretty certain a standard-sized bottle will fit just fine. I like that they both stay closed with a zipper and are completely inconspicuous. Remember, I'm going for as much of a not-a-diaper bag look as possible at this point. Finally, the back of the bag has a long open pocket with a magnetized button closure. This is the pocket that houses all of our restaurant distractions: markers, crayons, stickers, sticker books and tiny packs of animals. The only thing out of my old bag that I'm unable to fit in my new bag is a standard sized coloring book. It will fit lengthwise in the pocket, but I can't get the strap buttoned. No real loss, though considering my kids would rather color on the restaurant menus or themselves.

Clearly not nearly as perfect of a photo as the ones I got from Babymel, but I wanted to show you how I store my car keys. They clip perfectly to the metal, not plastic, rings that hold the shoulder straps. This way I always know where they are, right?

If you've read my previous diaper bag reviews, you'll know that the number one make-or-break diaper bag feature for me in the past has been the stroller strap. You'll be happy to know that the new Amanda Quilted bags include Babymel's patent pending stroller strap! The design of the strap means I can strap it easily on my Bugaboo, my Bumbleride Indie Twin or my Maclaren, all of which have completely different handlebars! You can find easy three-step directions directly on the site, too. I just put the stroller straps in action again this morning, and they really are super simple to use. The Amanda Quilted bag has one easily adjustable shoulder strap for carrying the bag around. I've really appreciated how easy the strap is to adjust as I'm typically trying to find a comfortable fit while on the fly!

And here are the stroller straps in action. I love that I can put this on any stroller without the use of special clips. We have three strollers in the rotation right now, and I'm all about convenience.

One last feature of note is the wipe clean lining. I've yet to spill anything but water in my bag, but I'm sure I will eventually appreciate how easily the bag can be wiped clean. I haven't washed my bag yet either, but I'm guessing a trip through the gentle cycle and hanging to dry won't cause too much damage. Obviously, if I have a different experience, I will be sure to update you.

Style *** - I heart this hobo style bag. It's exactly the look I've been wanting. I also adore the pink color. I was a little worried that the shade was going to be too babyish, but in person, the pink is a deeper color and a little more "grown-up." I also don't subscribe to the rule that if you have a boy, you can't carry a girly bag. The bag is for ME, not my toddler son, although as he seems to love to dump it all over the floor daily, I'm not sure he totally gets that fact. Your only other color choice for the new Amanda Quilted bag is black which is still stylish, but a little more understated than pink. Don't be scared of the quilted heart design, either. It's not as cutesy as it sounds. In fact, you have to look really hard to even notice that the quilting is in a heart pattern. My friend compliments me on the bag every time she sees me. If you want to branch out from the pink color, know that the Amanda hobo style is also available in a wipe-clean fabric with a broader choice of patterns including the older print on the left which is the one that started my Babymel obsession! You can check out the current Amanda Printed bag styles here.

Price **** - As a designer bag, this is where the Babymel bags really stand out. You can get an Amanda bag, quilted or printed, for less than $100! That is a hard-to-beat price for a designer bag that is so big and functional, but also so chic. In fact, Babymel was started by the designers of the Storksac, which I'm sure you know is a much more pricey brand. They were going for a stylish bag at a price point that more of us could afford, and I believe that they've succeeded.

Overall Rating ***1/2 - The only reasons why some of you might not love this bag are purely on a personal level. Maybe you don't like messenger bags, or maybe you want a backpack. However, if you've been looking for a hip new bag that doesn't scream "DIAPER BAG" then I think you're going to love the new Amanda Quilted bags from Babymel. They are very cleverly functional, and have I mentioned that I love how they look?

OK readers. If you're feeling like treating yourself to a new bag, then now is the time to do it! In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Babymel is donating 10% of the profits of the sale of all of the new pink Amanda Quilted Bags in the month of October to The Breast Cancer Foundation. Note, that this is only on the sale of bags directly from the Babymel site. Plus, for ONE WEEK ONLY, Kid Buy Product readers can receive free shipping on all bags purchased from Babymel by using the discount code: KBPFREE. This discount will expire on October 22nd, so SHOP NOW!