The ultimate freelancing handbag (and WIN your own)
A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be sent a handbag by Mia Tui. This couldn’t have come at a more perfect time: as I’ve been massively struggling when taking trips to London and meeting my blogging pals for a day of co-working in Birmingham. It got to the point when I booked a massage after my last trip to the capital-as a day trying to lug my laptop, notebooks, food (since I’m gluten and dairy-free) and various chargers in a bag that wasn’t suitable had wrecked my back and neck.
In my opinion, there’s a massive market for handbags that look beautiful but also double up as functional work bags. I’ve tried with plain, sturdy laptops over the years and I’ve alternated between my handbag and tote bags; but as soon as the Mia Tui Elise arrived; I just knew I had found my freelancing handbag for life!
I’ve taken this bad boy everywhere over the past few weeks and am completely in love with it: from hospital appointments (great if you have lots of paperwork and prescriptions like me) to meetings to days out. I opted for the new rose gold colour-and at first was worried it might seem a bit too over the top for everyday; but as you can see, it’s a beautiful muted shade.
The thing that I’m most excited about is the bags practicality. As demonstrated by my handy diagram.
The reason I’ve gone into teacher mode and provided an annotated diagram is I just wanted to show how functional this bag really is. When I’ve been looking for a bag, I’ve never known how roomy it is until it arrived. So, with the Mia Tui Elise you get…
- ample laptop space (I have a google chromebook and you can see there is room to spare here!)
- A dedicated space for water bottles-no more leakage.
- A slot with a free plastic wallet; big enough for keys and mobile phones.
- A second slot which comes with a gorgeous matching purse.
- A zip slot on the outside of the bag.
This has literally changed my life! First of all, the plastic wallet is SUCH a simple idea but it has saved me so much time. Everytime I go out, I make sure my keys are in the wallet so there’s no rooting around (and as it’s clear I don’t even need to open it to check). I also store all those bits of paper in here that I’d otherwise lose: parking tickets, prescription forms etc. No more panicking over whether I’ve lost my keys!
The water bottle holder is also amazing! No more leaks! Although I just wish it was a bit bigger. It holds a regular plastic bottle but I’ve recently started using a Hydratem8 water tracker-and it’s just a little too big for that.
The only thing I haven’t used yet is the matching wallet-I imagine this would be great when travelling as it’s the perfect size to stash your passport and travel documents.
I’m so grateful for Mia Tiu sending me this because it’s the bag I’ve been looking for since I went freelance last year. What’s more, it’s made from vegan leather and they’ve also teamed up with Disability Campaigner and Actress Samantha Renke-as their bag is wheelchair friendly too!
As well as gifting me a bag for review, the lovely folks at Mia Tui are offering my readers the chance to win an Elise bag in a colour of their choice (subject to stock availability). Enter via Rafflecopter below-and good luck!
I’m actually a bit in love with the rose gold colour ✨? heard a lot of good things about these bags and I’d love a good bag that I can carry my laptop in when im on my travels and meeting freelance clients (the few that I have so far!)
Francesca x | glutenfreehorizons.com
I really liked the features of this bag and I feel it would hugely benefit me in my daily life, as I always have notebooks and journals with me and I often like to take my laptop with me to work on the go.
This is so pretty and perfect for lugging a laptop about ❤️❤️❤️
Wow, this bag is gorgeous! It would go with everything and I love that it’s big enough to take a laptop, iPad and an A4 notebook. Plus it looks so professional to turn up to meetings with one bag instead of two! Fingers crossed ?
Lisa | http://www.lisasnotebook.com
I had a Mia Tui changing back when my children were babies and I LOVED it! I love the idea of having one as a work bag too!
I too shared the same frustration about finding a bag capable of carrying my laptop, while still looking nice. Mia Tui make such functional, pretty bags. The Elise looks fab!
It would help so much with popping out, not to have to take different bags & risk losing/forgetting one.
The space to fit my laptop!! My current bag doesn’t have enough room, so I have to carry around a separate laptop bag!
I’d use it for bringing all my stuff to my doctor appointments
Hey Jenna!!
This bag is absolutely stunning, you would definitely look the business when going to a meeting wearing this bad boy!! ?
If i had the chance to use this bag i would literally go out to every cafe to work! I mean you’d have to show it off wouldn’t you?! Just simply gorgeous.
So pleased it’s helped you out so much Jenna love things that are stylish & practical! Xoxo
This is gorgeous and practical! How often do you find those two going hand in hand? Great giveaway! x
Love this and the colour is gorgeous! Saw it on your Instagram stories the other day and I was so jealous!
This looks like such an awesome bag! As someone who has used handbags in college for the last three years, I completely agree with you: finding one that is functional and is practically designed is hard. I’ve been through so many in these last few years, and honestly? A lot of them have gone to rubbish after a few months.
I’m about to go into freelancing full time and this bag would be the perfect way to stay organised when meeting a client in person, or when I need the motivation of a coffee shop to spark my productivity. Executive dysfunction because of autism means that I really struggle to be organised, so having client information/my everyday things organised would be super helpful!
I have a lacrosse intolerance, so I’m usually carrying my own food/drink around and a bag that has room for both would be amazing in my everyday life!
I love that they’re disability friendly! I’m not a wheelchair user myself, but as a disabled person, I love it when people go out of their way to make “normal” products accessible! They seem like a super ethical brand from what I’ve seen on here and on their Instagram!
I’m just about to start work so this definitely would be useful! Can fit all my gluten free snacks in but still have room for other bits! Also love that it’s vegan
The bag would really help me out! Now Im on placement again in a community hospital I find myself lugging around a folder with all my books I need signing by my mentor and im forever scared my water bottle is going to leak all over them! Its stylish too 🙂
It would make my life so much easier to have everything in one bag. I travel from workplace to workplace everyday to work with apprentices and am always carrying multiple bags. Also, love the rose gold!
One of these bags would make my life so much easier. Everything in one bag rather than multiple bags which I have at the moment. Travelling from workplace to workplace everyday to work with apprentices means I am always carrying laptop, folders etc as well as a handbag. Also, love the rose gold colour!
Just had a good old snoop at their website & insta! I’m not usually a handbag type of person, but this bag seems so practical! Very reasonably priced & vegan too!! It would be fabulous for the days where I’m able to go and work away from home, or day trips out so that I can take all my medical stuff, and sketchbooks around with me.
I love this bag! Rose gold is one of my favorite colors, and it is so versatille. I carry a lot around with me-as a student, freelancer, and blogger-so to have a bag like this would be really useful, 😀
It would help me having the different compartments- every day I search for my car keys, my ID badge my notebook and phone . My huge bag is like a tardis as it has no separate compartments- this bag would be perfect for me and I love the colours
Such a versatile colour which would suit any outfit. I love that it is both stylish and has so much space that saves me carrying more than one bag and can easily fit my laptop and everything else!
The different compartments are essential in my opinion, I like my handbag to be organised!
My working day involves lots of notes and small pieces of paper that need to be carried around – what a stylish way to do it!
perfect for my wife for here day to day routine
I is useful enough to be able to take all the essentials I need to carry
miatui Silver Lottie is a great choice for an across body bag for me as I like to have 2 free hands to get on and off of the train each day for work
This lovely, stylish Mia Tui bag will help to organise my carry around possessions, having plenty of compartments. I love the colour and design.
Anything that enables me to carry my laptop around all day as well as looking stylish is a winner in my book! I love working away in cafes but taking a rucksack with me is so cumbersome – this bag looks like the ideal alternative xx
I have to take a couple of train journeys per week but none of my bags are ever big enough to fit my laptop and I’m always lugging two or three bags around London. It’s a nightmare! This would be the answer to my prayers!
It would be great for actually finding stuff on the go when I’m trying to do work. Especially on the train!
This bag is gorgeous? It would be perfect for working in the City Centre, I live smack bang in the middle of Glasgow and a commute friendly yet gorgeous bag isn’t always easy to come by!
I’ve love Mia Tui bags for ages but have never actually owned one. I know loads of people who rave about them and, from reading your review I can totally understand why
That’s looks like a really functional, awesome bag. Thanks for the chance to win one.
I love this bag! It’s absolutely gorgeous. Having all of the different compartments is so useful and something I struggle to find with bags now for some reason. It would be great for holidays and day trips, I love to take my phone and camera out with me for lots of blog photos! x
Tiffany x http://www.foodandotherloves.co.uk
if i was fortunate enough to win, i would give the bag to my wife. Hopefully this would help to stop the frequent searches for misplaced car keys.
I’m all about the rose gold so this would be perfect!
It would keep me much more organised
Would help me out, as I would be able to carry more, in one place, instead of having a couple of bags, plus this bag is very chic
Such a good prize! I’ve had to cart my laptop about with me all weekend as I was working-while-traveling, and it was murder on my back. Could really use one of these, thanks Jenna!
OH my days this would help get my crap in order when it comes to stuff in my bag!
This bag would hold everything I need
I’d use the bag to carry all my craft bits when i go out for a day or weekend =]
I’d use this bag to carry my craft supplies when i go out
That rose colour would match my iPhone and iPad so being able to coordinate my bag and my tech would mean every day would be a winner 🙂
Oh wow, how gorgeous is this?! Much nicer than my functional, grey Ikea laptop bag! I could sit and work in coffee shops in style…
This would be so good for trekking around with my laptop and keeping me organised! The key pocket is particularly useful as I lost my keys for 2 weeks, they were at the bottom of my bag haha
My trusted Longchamp LePliage is on the way out and I’m wondering whether to just buy a new one or one of these because one big problem I have with it is I lose the world and its cousin in it. My mother has pockets for everything but this seems like a good compromise between my style and turning into her as I grow older!
As a freelancer, I am always on the lookout for a good bag that actually fits a laptop. The bottle holder is a genius idea, it always makes me nervous having liquids near my MacBook!
It would enable me to only carry one bag rather than 2 and fit everything in.
Gosh – I could be organised – No one would believe it.
A bag like this with lots of lovely compartments looks wonderful! I hate having to remove everything to the pen that has detached itself from my note book or my keys when i get back to the car. Love the rose gold too
This bag sounds great, so roomy. The plastic wallet would be a godsend. I can’t count the amount of time I’ve wasted rummaging through my bag trying to find my keys
Everything is very open with a clear clarification of the issues.
It was truly informative. Your site is extremely helpful.
Thank you for sharing! http://soikeoplus.com
Love that its got all the sections would mean no more rummaging in the bottom
This would save me taking numerous bags to work containing lunch, book, laptop and essential items – love the colour too
Great giveaway – this bag would help me organise the contents of my bag
Not for work for me but ideal for holidays especially when you are only allowed one piece of hand luggage on some flights
I don’t drive and as a paranoid person I carry almost everything everywhere! This looks perfect for me, and it looks good too!
This would be so much nicer than lugging an ugly laptop bag around.
I love that it’s vegan leather. It would be perfect for work because it’s stylish and functional.
Loving that colour and design. This would help me organise all my bag clutter. At the moment, my bag is more like the never ending bag from Mary Poppins – you never know what you’re going to find at the bottom of it.
All those pockets and extras are a dream to someone like me. Thanks for the giveaway.
Love it – Fashionable, Stylish and so so handy
This is a great size bag I carry around a lot of things during the day so this would be perfect
Carry all the bits and pieces I need in one place!
With all its great compartments I could be really organised & the bag is super stylish
The bag would help me to get throught the working day by giving me some beautiful eye candy to ogle and lift my spirits – then, everyone wins, because I will be in a much more productive frame of mind xx
I would use it to carry all my childrens things around.
To be honest it is the size that appeals. Im always carrying so much stuff either for work (laptop, phone, notebook, purse etc) or for the kids (drinks, snacks,pretty pebble they can’t live without) it would be great to have a bag that accommodates it all. And it looks great to!
It’s beautiful !!! I’d love a bag like that
It’s big enough to safety store all the things I need for the new course I’m doing
A girl can never have enough bags. Perfect for this busy mum to carry all my knick knacks in.
It would be great to keep me organised, stylish and perfect for taking everything to my hospital appointments.
This bag would be so helpfull as it has space and a place to keep everything organised and easy to find.
This bag would be marvellous because I could carry everything I need
This would be great for all my work bits and bobs. It looks roomy and organised.
I’d use it for the kids stuff, I like the different compartments to make it easier to find things
I would love to win this for my daughter who takes everything but the kitchen sink to work with her! 🙂
lots of room for my laptop
I always seem to have to dig around to find anything often emptying things out would definitely help me be more organized!
Fabulous giveaway, bag not only stylish but would allow me to carry everything I need. Thanks for the opportunity to win
Perfect for my tablet, phone, keys, purse I could go on, it’s perfect
Must spend a lot of my time looking for my keys, as I have the shop keys and my house keys so the plastic wallet will come in handy. I also like the idea of the water bottle holder too.
Probably wouldn’t help much but would make me look tons cooler!!! X
I hope to win this sheek bag
It would allow me to carry all my study materials in one bag!
I would love to win this for my partner, who I’m sure would make great use of it.
This bag is great! Stylish but also able to take my laptop and notebooks around with me without it being hugely obvious. I especially love the bottle holder too as it will help keep my bottle upright and minimise any spills.
Fashionable and can carry around everything I need? Yes, please!
They are functional, practical & gorgeous! Hard to find a bag that does everything, this would be perfect for keeping all my belongings organised and to hold my laptop too
I’d give it to my mother, as she’s going through a tough time at the moment.
I’d love this for taking to work with me, it is a classy bag, it can organise myself with my bus and train and work pass, purse, mobile phone and cash and cards. I need to have things organised to make my day run smoother, with everything in its place – no more standing on the bus looking for my pass.
My bag is currently a complete mess so it would help to keep my things organised
Not having to rummage for everything would be a godsend – especially at the bus stop, etc!
I’m out and about sometimes from the office and usually have three bags with me… My handbag, my laptop bag and my paperwork bag! This bag sounds perfect for me!
My Macbook goes everywhere with me so this would be perfect for a stylish bag which would also keep it protected.
It would help as everything has its own space, I’m constantly ruffling through trying to find one thing, half the time I end up tipping the contents out and finding things that way, my current bag is chaos if I’m honest
the bag would help me as I can put everything in there looks like there is plenty of room for all my books and paperwork x
What a gorgeous bag! This would be perfect for carrying all the notebooks and paperwork I need for work! And my trusty coffee cup of course!
It would really help me organize myself – love the water bottle holder, brilliant ideas
Im a carer and mum so it will be great to keep all our bits in we have lots of appointments so great for keeping paperwork safe too, loving the rose gold beautiful colour
This would help my working day
As there’s a place for everything
& everything in it’s place
I love the clear pouch for keys
As fumbling around doesn’t suit me
It’s spacious enough for everything I need
Notebook laptop water bottle & more I think
Maybe even the kitchen sink
I love to be organised
As it lessens stress & saves precious time
Now on to the way it looks
It looks lavish & pretty & off the hook
It reminds me of a Mary Poppins bag
I’d expect to pull out a gat stand
I love the colour & the style
& it’s definitely versatile
I could even use it as a changing g bag
& if I win i’ll be more than glad
So here’s hoping your winner is me & ♡Thanks for the opportunity♡
It would be perfect for organising all my tatt that I carry around. Thanks for the chance to be your lucky winner
I always buy a decent size handbag and live the design and colour of this one
It would help me out when I travel to put my passport inside. It would help me daily when I go to family functions, as well.
I would love to be organised and have a place for everything.
Gorgeous handbag. Gorgeous colour. Just what I need.
The compartments and the space would eb so useful to carry everything I need when I go out.
I would love this it would be ideal as work bag
I think this bag would be fab – not only would it hold everything I need but I would also know where everything was with the pockets and compartments x
I love the brown one and being neutral it would go with so many outfits.
This would help me so much to carry my laptop about keep me organised and looking stylish
Great to keep me organised whilst at hospitals having chemotherapy treatment and to keep everything I need in
love the colour would use it every day x
I work from home but sometimes venture out if I can. The bag would be fab for the days where I get out. Lots of space to put the essentials but not a massive cumbersome bag like some.
The Mary Poppins of bags
It would make me more organised
The bag would help my day by allowing me to carry larger things
The bag would help my day by letting me carry more things with me
It would mean I would be able to carry around my laptop with me.
Absolutely gorgeous! Fingers crossed!
Love this-It’s so gorgeous! Fingers crossed x
This bag would help me so much – stylish to help me look polished, big so I can fit in all the paperwork, ipad and all the other clutter I must have with me!
It works quite well for me