I am a bag whore. I have a big love affair with them and can always justify having more. You could call it an addiction. My main chick Julie AM with Timbuk2 really hooked a sister up in this department! I have some T2 goods from the past and wanted to make sure they were still rocking in the free world. They are. Julie AM got me into a Lula backpack, a Kabuki make up case and the jazzy slim wallet. I also got me a slick code so that I could try their custom bag option. That was a little too much fun. I designed a medium tote because, well, I have about 27 messenger style bags and I wanted something different. Let’s be honest. I have about 23 totes, but you know where I’m coming from here.

Anyways, I logged onto the site and the “Build Your Own” option is available in the upper left hand corner. You can choose sizes, colors, accessories right down to the logo color. The Messenger is available in five sizes, one being my very favorite X-Small which is a fantastic purse size. I’ve had that one for awhile. The Laptop Messenger is also available in Small, Medium and Large. I did find that for my honking computer, I would need an XL, which is not available. As I stated, I chose the Market Tote for my masterpiece. The ease of picking colors was comforting. I probably could have made 3 or 4, but I settled for the Pink/Brown/Pink with a pink case for the iPod, phone or what have you. The best part was that you could see the actual bag as you picked the colors. I know that sounds dumb, but I believe they used to have just a sketch of the bag. There is something to be said for the reality of it all. If you thought that it couldn’t get any cooler, I got my bag in 4 days. A custom item in 4 days? Unheard of!

I also was thrilled to receive my Lula. I was torn between the pink and green color choices, so I had Julie AM surprise me. … and that she did! I got this sweet little pack in the greens and it is reminiscent of one of my favorite movies of all time, Drop Dead Fred. The size is fantastic. It arrived right before my trip to Arkansas, so Lula got a sweet test ride! It was the perfect size for the airplane. I got 3 magazines, a paperback book, my Patagonia Morning Glory dress (stay tuned for that review), charger for the phone, gum and a few other personals in there. It was small enough to fit under the seat comfortably, and not allow me to over pack. One of my favorite options was the little iPod pocket with a cord opening in the top of the pack so that I could jam through the airport. There is also a slim pocket in the back that could be used for a small water reservoir with the valve coming out the top. I can’t wait to take this riding. It has a great fit without the bulk and can fit more than enough inside. I’ve always had a hard time finding something this size with such a great fit. Ladies, this was made for us.

The Kabuki made me mad at the current airport security guidelines. My little green piece of magic (it also comes in Pink) is sturdy and has a little window so I can see all my stuff in there. I think the larger size would have been able to actually hold my makeup brushes, but I can see it as a killer little stash for a ride. As always, the quality was awesome. My favorite detail was a mini pocket on the inside in which they allotted extra fabric so that you can actually fit something in there. That’s ingenious. Really. It is.

Another treat I got to enjoy was the slim wallet. This too is a rad design. Because there is no room for a checkbook, this is slim as slim can be. This makes Lance Armstrong look chubby at the peak of his training! This holds everything from change to coupons, credit cards, and oh yeah . .. cash. The cool thing is there is a mini card holder for an ID and a credit card that can slip out and go on a ride with you without having to rip your whole world apart in the process. I love that the wallet fits into my little purse and yet doesn’t get lost in my larger bags. This is definitely a must have.

Some other areas of note for Timbuk2 are their new Cargo Tote, The gorgeous Marina Computer Handbag and of course, the Bike Seat Pack. Go on their website and have a little fun. You deserve it.