Featured Articles

Some people love Thanksgiving for the food and time with family. The turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and all things pumpkin spice. While it’s a beautiful time to give thanks for all your blessings, let’s just admit the best thing about Thanksgiving comes the day after. That glorious day when prices are slashed and we get to shovel leftovers in our mouths as we motor through websites for amazing deals. But, like eating over 5,975 calories in one sitting, it’s a tantalizing yet sometimes troubling task to uncover the very best deals out there. 

If you’re in the market for a new backpack or tote bag, you’ll soon find out that you’ve got some decisions to make. What style is right for your daily needs, and will it double well as a travel bag or weekender? What material will hold up to lots of wear, and rain or snow (which is especially important for those of us who have suffered through a wet commute to the office)?The answer to all these questions (and many more) is Holly & Tanager’s Pro Nylon Backpack Tote. 

Fall is here and well under way, with changing trees and cooler days. And with the season change, we are extremely excited to introduce our Fall and Winter colors to our recycled nylon handbag line: forest and berry, available in our Companion Nylon Crossbody Clutch, Commuter Nylon Tote Bag and Insider Nylon Wallet. 

At Holly & Tanager, we’d never miss the chance to celebrate National Handbag Day! Handbags are our passion and we never stop innovating and improving our collection. In fact, earlier this year we introduced our sustainable handbag line made from recycled, water- and dirt-resistant nylon. An exciting next step for us as we continue to commit to providing our customers with beautifully and responsibly made bags.

Who doesn’t love a long holiday weekend? As we close out the summer, an extra day to savor the sunshine and spend time with family and friends is just what we need. And, when you’re not doing those things, we’d like to invite you to shop our Labor Day sale and snag yourself one of our gorgeous and sustainable products.

Big news: we’ve added the Protege Nylon Mini Backpack and our always in-demand Commuter Nylon Tote to our recycled nylon line!

We pride ourselves on creating intelligently designed bags that allow for effortless organization and consumer responsibility. Our new recycled nylon
bags are lightweight, durable and dirt- and water-resistant. With the positive response our sustainable products have received from you all, we knew we had to bring back two of our most loved bags.

For a tiny backpack, the Protege Nylon Mini Backpack holds more than you might expect thanks to its sleek and intelligent design. Set your wallet aside and store your ID, credit cards and cash in the front zip-around pocket. Fit your iPad or small laptop inside with room to spare for other essential items. And keep valuables secure in the semi-hidden zipper pocket on the back of the bag. Comfortable, adjustable straps top this bag off, making the Protege Nylon Mini Backpack the perfect partner for travel, or even just exploring your own city.

By popular demand, the Commuter Nylon Tote is also back in action, with a slightly updated look we think you’ll love. It now has an updated vertically oriented main compartment that is exceptionally roomy and can hold a 15” laptop, in addition to all your other necessities. The inside of this nylon tote bag also features a zipper pocket to keep your valuables secure. From work-week to weekend, it’s the perfect catch-all, grab-all, tote-all bag - easy to keep clean, and looking sharp, in our recycled nylon.

We hope you enjoy these two additions to our recycled nylon line!

Everyone loves an endless summer, and at Holly & Tanager we’re no different. So we’re keeping the summer vibes going with our 20% OFF Summer Sale. What's included? Well our trendsetting summer colors of course, Glacier and Sunshine. Plus, to make the deal extra sweet, you can also enjoy free shipping through the end of the year! 

We’re offering 15% off everything on the Holly & Tanager website between May 27 and 31 with the code MDW2021. Why? Because it’s Memorial Day weekend, summer is kicking off, and we sense that we all need a little extra fun, especially when it comes to our wardrobes. 

It’s March! The meteorological equivalent of Hump Day. Look outside your home office window: Is that greenery that’s not pine-related? 

The one advantage of this year’s Valentine’s Day is that the pressure’s off. Stay home. Snuggle. Repeat. That’s our Valentine’s Day tip for you. 

We’re very happy to see 2021. We’ve heard from our community throughout the past year, and we’ve been so touched by everyone’s kindness and resilience. The juggling of family, friends and work has turned into…well, let’s just say, something way beyond juggling. But we continue to adapt, connect and grow — and frankly, we’re in awe of our Holly & Tanager family.  

Advice from our co-founders on how to get the most out of your Monday and keep your head above water.

We all know that feeling when the weekend is coming to a close and we are faced with a daunting week ahead (aka the #SundayScaries). For our Holly & Tanager co-founders Lindsay & Kathryn, jumping into Monday feeling prepared, motivated and centered sets the tone for a successful week.

So we sat them down over Zoom to ask them what they do to kick their #SundayScaries to the curb and ensure their weeks are as fabulous as they are. Here are their #MondayMotivation tips and tricks:

Somedays you walk out the door and hit your stride immediately - your coffee is the perfect temperature to sip right away, the bus comes as soon as you step up to your stop, and the sun shines as cars politely stop for you to cross the street towards work. 

Whether you’re trying to shop local, organic, or cruelty-free, a lot of us are familiar with the process of scanning labels or “About Us” pages to make sure the product or service we’re choosing fits our standards. In a world of endless choices, and 2-day shipping on most of them, it’s important to so many of us that we “put our money where our mouth is” and support businesses that align with our values.

Listen, we don't know everything. 

If you’re a fan of live music, summer tends to become synonymous with festival season, that glorious time of year where you can find a music festival going on almost every weekend in our home city of Chicago. Really, is there anything better than your favorite bands, street food, and a summer breeze? Our short answer is “Yes, enjoying those things in comfort!” We know from experience that summertime and crowds can get a little hot and sticky, so here are our top five hacks for staying happy, hydrated and having a good time.

You know the old saying “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it?” It’s almost always true. If something works, customers love it, editors rave about it (you see where we’re going with this) then why change it? You’ve got a good thing going, right? 

Summer always calls for an update to your wardrobe, whether you gravitate towards breezy dresses or your favorite t-shirt and shorts combo. Additionally, comfort rises to top of mind as temperatures heat up and we look to stay cool, calm and collected. At Holly & Tanager, we look to redefine "neutral", while also remaining functional and practical, when it comes to seasonal styles. Therefore, we're very excited to announce that your favorite Holly & Tanager designs are now available in Ocean Blue and Cream!

When you look at the finished product of our bags, or any fine leather good really, it’s easy to think it looks effortless, straightforward, even simple. Of course, that’s what we want you to think. The truth is, months of work goes into the sourcing, design, and manufacturing of a bag.

Ahh, wedding season. With the traditional start of summer last weekend, it is officially upon us. We know lots of you will be planning, participating in, and attending weddings this summer. And for you blushing brides-to-be, we made a list of our top three tips to help guide you through the planning process. And, of course, congratulations!

Memorial Day unofficially marks the first day of summer. Bring on the barbeques, beach, and concerts. The team at Holly & Tanager also loves a good getaway. This summer we are documenting some of our most favorite trips. Recently, our marketing associate, Emily, took a fabulous trip to Cancun, Mexico and shared her day to day with us. Needless to say, the rest of us are dying to go. We asked Emily to give us some guidance on what one MUST do on a 5 day trip to paradise and this is what she shared with us.

Our team member Betsy recently got married (Congratulations Betsy and Rafael!) and went on a stunning honeymoon to Fiji. While those of us at home in Chicago lived vicariously through her as she enjoyed paradise, we got to thinking. What are our go-to items and go-to bag for traveling, daytime, and date night?

Spring is here and it has us thinking about personal growth and a fresh perspective. What brings out the best in you? Is it that perfect nights sleep? A meaningful conversation with a friend? A compliment from your boss? Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve been able to “live your best life”, as they say. Life comes with unexpected challenges, but as long as you keep an open mind and welcome the sometimes chaotic changes, you can come out stronger than before. Here are some of our favorite suggestions for blooming into the best version of yourself.

Take a look at who we are, and what we do, in our own words!

It’s International Women’s Day! New to this holiday? Here is a little information behind it. Each year on March 8th, this day is celebrated globally as an “important moment to showcase commitment to women's equality, launch new initiatives and action, celebrate women's achievements, raise awareness, highlight gender parity gains and more.” The first IWD gathering was in 1911 and 27 countries observe it as an official holiday to date.

Word on the street is Valentine’s Day is not just about romance anymore. It’s also a great day to highlight the special bonds between female friends, also known as Galentine’s Day. Here at Holly & Tanager, we are very excited to be spending February 13th celebrating each other at the office. Heart-shaped doughnuts anyone? If you and your gal pals are planning a get-together in the near future, we’d love to share some ideas on how to celebrate.

Think about the way you carry your favorite bag on the daily—do you typically grab it and arrange it on your arm (or shoulder) the same way, no matter what? It could be that it’s a totally random decision. It could just be comfortable. Or it could hold a deeper meaning and reveal characteristics about your personality. We highlight the fact that our best selling bag, the Professional, can be worn three different ways but... we lied. There are numerous ways to hold your prized Professional and we are revealing it right here. And just for some fun, we’ve matched personality traits to each way you can carry this bag.

Every year, around this time, the catch phrase that seems to motivate us all is “new year, new me!” For many of us, January 1st is an exciting opportunity to set resolutions for the upcoming year. From health to finances to love and more, we’ve set goals for 2019 to conquer life's challenges and make the most of the year. An effort on top of many a resolution list is to dig in, clean out, and clear the clutter. It's truly incredible what clearing physical clutter will do for your mental state. A clean and organized space gives us peace of mind and margin to be our best selves. Here are four of our team’s favorite tips to tidying up your abode and beyond.

In the world of women in business, we are often taught to compete with one another in order to build our brand. But what if we were allies? What if we talked up each other instead of just ourselves?

It’s the season of giving!

At Holly & Tanager, we like to keep things fresh. We’re excited to introduce two new colors this season - Emerald and Navy. A lot of thought went into selecting colors for the fall season and, most importantly, to deliver on the requests of customers for colors that would compliment their cold-weather wardrobe. While your mom, friends, and co-workers may have told you “neutral tones are best”...we disagree. We prefer to break the mold and confidently wear bold colors that become our new neutrals.

Fall in Chicago is a magical, time where the weather is perfect and everyone is fueled by pumpkin spice lattes. With frigid temperatures and snow looming around the corner, we choose to embrace the season of change here in Chicago. At Holly & Tanager, we came up with a list of our top reasons to look forward to fall.

She’s finally here! The hero bag that inspired us to launch a fashion startup got a makeover. As if our best selling bag wasn’t fabulous before, she’s even more extraordinary now. With 3 ways to wear The Professional, you’ll never grow tired of her. The Pro effortlessly converts from a backpack to a tote to a crossbody bag, making it an extraordinary, every day, carry all bag. Crafted from luxurious Italian milled-grain leather available in caramel, black, and grey, this thoughtfully designed bag offers a wealth of styling options.

Today, it’s becoming more and more common for business professionals to be able to work from home or anywhere outside their office. While it may sound like a luxury at first, it’s key to be mindful of how you find balance, in order to keep your productivity level high.  

July has been a fun month for Holly & Tanager. We’ve been hard at work, filling our fall calendar, finalizing plans for some very exciting product launches (keep an eye out!), and soaking up positive energy that encompasses Chicago in the warmer months. One of the biggest highlights of the past month, however, has been working with a group of incredible women for our #HTandMe series.   

At Holly & Tanager, we are women making bags for other women. When taking stock of how women use their handbags, we’ve made some interesting observations. One that has really stuck out to us is our unique ability to accumulate things throughout the day. We’re guilty of it ourselves, but can't seem to pin down exactly how it happens. But, without fail, we always seem to come home with more in our hands than we left the house with.

Two weeks ago, the Holly & Tanager team had the pleasure of hosting a lunch for a group of truly amazing female leaders from around the Chicago area. Though we had hoped for a great view, because we hosted these lovely ladies at the top of the John Hancock, one of Chicago's most recognizable buildings, we were greeted with rain and clouds. Nevertheless, the atmosphere in the room could not have been brighter, with the purpose of our lunch being to spark a conversation about what it means to be "women with vision".

From the desk of CEO and co-Founder Lindsay Lingle

Why start a handbag company in a highly-competitive luxury market within the fashion industry? A bold and important question brought up in the early stages of Holly & Tanager. For our founder and CEO, Lindsay Lingle, there was a simple answer: “We saw a gap and had the idea for a better solution than what we had encountered.”