What Do I Wear: The Perfect Alaina-Marie Nautical Laptop Bag

“Fishing is quite a good metaphor for life. You do your prep, you do your thinking, you put your bait out, and you wait, confident that you’ve done your groundwork. But a lot of life is luck.” ~ Jeremy Wade

Work Fashun

Make it work, but make it fashun friends! People are beginning to return to the office though I am staunchly flat out refusing to see summer as over! it isn’t! Anywho, the summer months are always insanely quiet in New York, with everyone taking vacations and working remotely. But this last year and a half we had the added curve ball of the pandemic where EVERYONE was working from home. Athleisure was the new en vogue trend, and who needed a bag? We didn’t go anywhere! With that changing, why not freshen up your wardrobe and with it your accessories?

This laptop tote bag by Alaina Marie is the perfect mix of fresh, chic, and as always nautical! As someone who always carries my life with me, when I saw Alaina’s newest design I knew it was a must with my up coming move and working from an actual office in the future.

Alaina Marie

I love supporting local, small businesses, bad ass boss babes, and anything nautical and when that is ALL combined, I know it has my name on it! I have been a fan of Alaina Marie’s since she began her company in 2013, then known as Bait Bags. In fact I have written about her numerous times on this blog already! Her talent, kindness, innovation and amazing designs makes me a life-long customer.

Her bags have that nautical flair that I love so much in spades! Made from marine grade mesh, it is the same material that lobstermen and women use to hold their bait. Alaina makes it look chic, and with its’ durability as well as easy to clean – her bags are machine washable- they are made to not only last, but be in your closet for years to come. When she first began her business, Alaina only made clutch bags, over the years I have watched as she has grown and expanded her business, designing totes, to her newest, and what is my most favorite design yet of hers, the Laptop Tote.

Alaina’s New Design

I own several of her day totes, and while they have always been big enough to (pun unintended) tote my life around the streets of New York as well as be the perfect carry-on, on an airplane, when I saw her newest design, I KNEW it was the bag for me! I am literally obsessed with it!

The bag is made with her signature marine grade mesh, canvas bottom, and nautical roping, so it is sturdy! It has a magnetic closure and three large pockets making organizing easy, especially if you own some of her clutches, which make the BEST pouches in bags! Another favorite feature is that the bag expands at the sides so I literally can fit my life in it!

Customizing The Tote

One of the reasons I love Alaina Marie’s bags is that she truly makes it a custom experience and works with YOU. When she moved locations from the Old Port to near the Maine Mall, she fulfilled a dream of having part of her store (which in of itself is an Instagram dream!) set up as a design bar, where customers can design their own bags, have parties and even partake in some rosé.

Alas, I wasn’t able to go to her store until I picked up my bag, but even working with her over e-mail was such an easy and quick experience! She was so helpful when it came to color scheme offering her advice while still making sure it was personalized to my tastes. It was also incredibly quick! Once we finalized everything, the bag was ready in under a week!

In homage to my New England roots and love of Maine, I decided to go with her Portland Chart print, so that I will have a reminder of home when I move. I paired the gold pattern with a navy bottom, and for a pop of color added a mauve pink mesh strip. (a signature in all her designs) I am so obsessed with how amazing it came out! It truly is the perfect bag and elevates any outfit! It truly is nautical “Fashun” at its best!

Have you shopped Alaina Marie? Are you excited to wear more work-wear fashion?