Women have had a passionate love affair with handbags for ages, and the fashion world doesn’t see that changing anytime soon. New glamorous, sophisticated, and practical styles are popping up all the time, with each symbolizing the needs of the sagacious 21st-century woman. Today, most of us chose handbags for their functionality, weight, and appearance, but I think emotions play a huge role too. Whatever your reason, BESIDE-U Handbags have got the perfect bag for you.

BESIDE-U has been in Canada for over 2 years now, and their wares are sold across the country. They offer trendy, lightweight, and durable handbags, backpacks, wallets, and more than meet the lifestyle demands of a growing and active family. Beside-U has 17 different collections with each one offering a different type of nylon and a variety of stylish bags. Each collection has its own unique touch with distinctive linings and zipper pulls. The guys will be happy to see the handsome items created just for them.

My mother is a fashion-savvy senior, and her closet conceals a stash of over fifty handbags; each bought for its color, texture, and personality. She adds a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘bag lady.’ I, on the other hand, have less than five handbags that serve more for function and comfort than anything else. They’re lightweight and basically meet my needs, but suffer in appearance and are seriously outdated.

I was so thrilled to learn about BESIDE-U handbags and test drive a few of their lovely bags, the Luisa from the Creed Collection and Mika from the Endeavor Collection. I’m totally smitten and impressed with both of these bags. They check off all the boxes in what I want in a practical and attractive handbag.

The first feature I want to mention is that most of the BESIDE-U products are RFID protected. RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identity. The RFID-blocking feature is designed to help insulate you from electronic pickpocketing, called RFID skimming. Some credit cards, passports, and driver’s licenses now come with embedded radio frequency identification chips, and savvy criminals have devised a cheap wireless way to steal this information. None of my other handbags have this security feature and that’s a big concern. But Beside-U is one step ahead of other companies. They use a German material that blocks the radio frequency found on our credit cards. This is a big plus for me. Just a note that not all of the bags currently offer RPID protection.

Another important feature to me is how lightweight all of their bags are. I carry a lot of stuff in my bag so I don’t have the extra weight and strain on my shoulders from the bag itself. This is a huge factor not just for myself, but for a lot of people when considering buying a bag, especially if you have back and shoulder issues.

The Luisa

The Luisa is a fair-sized nylon tote (40cm L * 31cm H * 11.5cm D) that’s ideal for students, work, and travel. This sleek beauty has a lot of attributes that make are so appealing. I usually fly to the US once or twice a year, and I board with my purse plus a carry-on bag. I seem to need both just to accommodate my travel needs. With the Luisa, I can manage with this bag alone should I choose to.

I can’t get over all the pockets, zippers and clever compartments the Luisa has, I’m in my glory. On the exterior, it has a huge zipper pocket on the back and two on the front. They’re all quite deep so you can fill them up if needed.

The inside has a harmonious striped and polka dot print that’s quite attractive. On one side there’s a separate soft padded area for a 13-inch laptop, tablet or iPad, that features a velcro closure. On the other side, there are two large pouches for your cell phone, notebooks, pens, and other necessities. The center of the bag has ample room to keep your wallet, books, and other travel needs all organized. It’s big enough to put your purse inside too if desired. It comes with grip handles or a handy crossbody strap if you want to keep your hands free. The Luisa is available in several different colors to choose from.

The Mika

The Mika handbag is perfect for everyday use and I love it. It’s just the right size to carry everything I need for daily use. The outside has a roomy zipper pocket on the front and back. Most purses only have one zipper pocket on the outside, so I’m delighted with the extra storage space for quick-reach items.

The inside has a zipper compartment on one side and a cell phone and pen holder on the other side. The center has lots of room for a wallet, lotion, tissue, and keys. Last Christmas, my husband bought me the new iPhone 6 plus, and it’s a lot bigger than my previous phone. My old purse does not have a pouch big or deep enough to accommodate it, but the Mika does, so I’m pleased. It has an adjustable crossbody strap, and two more safety features; a detachable security whistle, and locking click-hook. These features can deter a would-be thief and make you less of a target. The Mika is available in several neutral colors; black, wineberry, purple, and zinc grey.

I use this bag every day and as corny as it sounds, it makes me happy. It harbors everything I need to function on a daily basis. It’s incredibly lightweight, roomy despite its size, and it’s edgy look keeps people from pointing at me.

I was also happy to learn that the nylon fabric is waterproof and very easy to clean with soap and water. These bags could not be any more practical and user-friendly. They tolerate the use and abuse of an average family and still maintain their shape and splendor.

Disclaimer: I received products to facilitate a review. All opinions are my own, yours may differ.