Archive for February, 2008

Friday, February 29th, 2008

RIONI Bellissa

In Italian, Bellissa means ”Fair lady; one that is lovely.”

This bag is meant for the ladies who want to make a statement, want to be different, and have the $$$ to spend on an expensive handbag!

The RIONI Bellissa is an extremely rare and limited piece. It comes in three colors: Choco Brown, Burgundy Red, and Carmel Beige.

- Price: $900 USD

- Limited Edition *Only 1000 units produced worldwide*

- Suede lining with tons of compartments

- Soft, naturally pressed textured contours

- Completely made with top quality rare Italian calf-skin leather

- Made in Italy with printed serial number

- Dimensions: L15″ x W7″ x H11.5″

LIMITED AMOUNTS AVALIABLE FOR THE PUBLIC:

- Choco Brown:     more left

- Burgundy Red:    SOLD OUT!

- Carmel Beige:    SOLD OUT!

Please contact a RIONI Representative as soon as possible.

SO, ACT NOW BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!!!

Wednesday, February 27th, 2008

Oscars 2008-What about the Evening Bags?

So, the Oscars have come and gone. I have to admit, I didn’t really sit there for three hours to find out the end results. I just tuned in for the dresses. Come on, we know we all watch the Oscars to see what the stars are wearing more that who’s going to be winning.

Apparently it was a red trend for the red carpet this year, followed by black dresses. The styles most popular were one shoulder or tube gowns. I was looking at what everyone was wearing online and on television during the news hour, and it seems like no one mentions anything about the evening bags the stars wear carrying. So, I took a closer look on the internet to see what they wear carrying for the fabulous night.

Most of the stars I’ve noticed of course carried the same colored evening bag as their dress. Some carried the exact same material bag as their dress like Julie Christie who was sporting Tanya Gill with pink gloves. Everyone opted for sparkling evening bags that wear oblong or tiny, almost all with a clasp closure. Only a handful chose to carry evening bags with a chain handle.

Turns out, you don’t really need an evening bag for the Oscars after all. When looking at most of the photos of the Oscars, I rarely saw that many of them carrying evening bags. I guess that makes sense-who needs cash, their phone, or lip gloss? Everyone’s watching them. Besides why worry about an extra thing to carry? I guess it’s a little disappointing for us handbag enthusiast, but I still loved looking at the dresses.

Any thoughts on this year’s Oscars?

Saturday, February 23rd, 2008

Black is Boring, How to Travel with Style

Flight from New York to Chicago at 8:00AM for a conference meeting, a flight from Chicago to Atlanta the next day for convention, and a flight from Atlanta back to New York in time for dinner. Whew! I’d hate to be that person, too bad that person was me. At first I was excited, I get to go to two different cities! But then when reality hit I knew I would be indoors all day for meetings and conventions. Since I was going to do a lot of traveling it gave me the excuse to buy Rioni’s Air Travel Organizer. It’s nice because I could put my airplane tickets, driver’s license, credit card, ATM card, airport lounge card (Thanks Boss!), my corporate ID, some emergency cash and a pen all in the same place. There was also room for a passport but since I wasn’t going out of the country I just put a my family picture in there. I really like this piece because it’s not bulky and its really well designed.

Friday, February 22nd, 2008

It’s Not a Purse!

Our focus always seems to be on women and what is trendy and fit their needs. Well to all the guys out there, I know- you have needs too! Why should men have to be stuck carrying everything that they need throughout the day in the limited amount of pockets that they have that are their jeans? Of course, we can’t take away men’s manhood-so the best solution just might be the man bag!

I know, I know- the guys out there are thinking, “I refuse to carry my girlfriend’s purse while we’re out, what makes you think I’m gonna carry a bag of my own.” There are actually a lot of bags out there that those metrosexual men out there might want to look into. All the designers seem to think men should have a bag of their own as well.
 

How to Choose a Man Bag
When looking for a man bag, the bag you’re considering should have the following characteristics to serve the purposes that you want it to: small, sleek, lightweight, and NOT look like a purse. I’m sure it’s obvious to think of briefcases, messenger bags, and backpacks to be man bags, but they’re not really considered so. They’re a tad big to be carrying on a regular basis, especially if you’re not headed to the workplace or school. A good rule to keep in mind is to stay away from fanny packs and bags with fancy designs, patterns, and the color that is flirty-like pink.
 

Three to Get You Started
Below are three man bags that I think are decent and worth considering. If you’re interested in more, there are plenty of designers out there who love men, and think they deserve man bags as well. So do some research!
 

By Coach-Legacy Nylon Flight Bag

This one’s light and compact with adjustable straps that can be worn like a messenger bag. It comes in a great neutral color as well.

Found on E-bags.com-Victorinox Pecision Gear

Carry this around, and it doesn’t even look like a man bag. It has many organizational panels to store different accessories and electronics. It is worn cross-body across the back.

By Prada-Deerskin Camera Bag

It’s made of brown deerskin with golden hardware. Comes with long straps.
 

The best thing about looking for man bags is that they naturally comes in a neutral color tone that doesn’t draw extra unnecessary attention.
 

Wednesday, February 20th, 2008

Handbag Hooks - ARE YOU SERIOUS?

What is my opinion on handbag hooks? Aren’t they the cutest things you’ve ever seen? As if! The inventor of this piece of trash must have been mentally ill when he thought of this idea. No offense to the truly disabled individuals who strive so hard to be normal in our selfishly modern society of course. I sincerely admire their courage. Why do I stubbornly contest the use of handbag hooks? Read on folks and I will explain why this is so.

Let’s cut straight to the chase. I honestly think that handbag hooks are extremely foolish and rediculous. Why would you purposely hang your handbag on a hook when you can simply hang it on the back of your chair? Handbag hook user’s answer: “I use the hook, so my handbag doesn’t get dirty!” I almost want to point at them and explode in laughter for their unfortunate stupidity. Well, I know the actual answer to their use of this obtuse object and here’s why.

Handbag hook users have a certain personality and might I add a personality that is not too likable by many. What kind of person are the handbag hook users? These people make it known to others that they are somehow more special than you because they have a nice handbag. But in actuality they are telling me that they are stuck up and have an uncontrollable desire to show off. But, the unfortunate truth is that they spent their entire previous month’s wage to buy the handbag and it just would be too painful for them to see the handbag soiled. It is possible that these people are just “clean freaks” and I would be terribly wrong for judging people incorrectly. But the next time you see somebody using one of these useless hooks, you will notice that these people are all but neat.

You know what though? I could be entirely wrong, but I could also be undoubtedly right. So people, speak up if you want to challenge me on my point of view on handbag hooks.

Saturday, February 16th, 2008

Do Blondes Really Have More Fun?

Hair color is not often thought of a much when it comes to buying clothes or accessories. However, I believe that it does tend to subconsciously dictate our lifestyles. Naturally, I am a brunette but couple years ago I decided to go blonde, I just wanted to see if what people said was true. At first I didn’t seem to notice any difference when I changed my hair color except for the occasional, “Oh Dawn, I like your new hair color.” or “WoW, Dawn is that really you?” But after the initial shock subsided I did tend to notice that I would get a little more attention and conveniences from not just men but women as well. My social life definitely had a few changes and the funny thing was, so did my buying habits. Usually, I like dark colored clothing, handbags, and sunglasses but when I went blonde I starting buying lighter colored clothing, sunglasses, and handbags. For some reason it just felt like it fit better with my new look. I might be onto something big here!

Thursday, February 14th, 2008

President’s Day Handbag Sales

Happy Valentine’s everyone! I hope everyone’s main squeeze got the perfect gift for all the ladies out there. Now that Valentine’s Day has come and gone, we can get excited about all the sales coming up this weekend for President’s Day. Woo Hoo! =]

Almost anywhere you can be sure to find a deal if you just look. But where to find the hot deals for designer handbags? Here are the top choices and listings.

The best place to find a hot deal is at your local outlet stores. You can Google to find the nearest outlet to you and see what is going on for the weekend. Outlets are the best place to find a deal this weekend. They carry designer and name brand bags already at a fraction of the cost, and this weekend they will have additional percentages off already marked down products.

The next place to hit this weekend are the department stores. Below are the department stores with the respective sales they have going on this weekend.

Macy’s
Extra 25% off clearance handbags. An additional 10-15% off that with Macy’s Card.

Nordstrom
30-50% off original prices

Nordstrom Rack
70-75% off original Nordstrom prices for Nordstrom Designer Collections

JCPenny
Additional 15% off any purchase with JCP card.

Bloomingdale’s
New reductions  of 50-70% off original prices.

ELuxury.com
Additional 30% off select sale items with free shipping on orders $150 or more.

Don’t forget to check back here and in your inboxes for new sales for RIONI and don’t forget to let me know of any red hot sales you come across for this weekend!

Happy Shopping Everyone!

Tuesday, February 12th, 2008

Ladies… Which luggage is for you?

There are three important factors to consider when purchasing travel luggage. The first important thing to consider is convenience. The second thing is practicality. And last but not least, is the size of the luggage. Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s dive straight into the heart of the matter!

Convenience is a crucial determining factor when purchasing a luggage. One needs to ask themselves before purchasing a luggage: “for what purpose will the luggage be used?” For example, let’s say that one is going somewhere for only a weekend. Wouldn’t it be terribly inconvenient to lug around a half-empty humungous luggage? One may also consider trying the Rioni Signature 360* luggage. With its six wheels, one can maneuver this luggage in any direction making it very simple and convenient to roll. Besides convenience, one must not forget about which luggage will be more practical.

When searching for a luggage, make sure you take practicality into consideration. Let’s say you need a luggage with a lot of compartments for all your different small belongings, then DO NOT purchase the classic Louis Vuitton luggage. This luggage is simple and elegant, but not the most practical luggage out there. Instead, try something with more pockets and compartments (ie: Rioni Signature Medium Luggage).

Nowadays, the size of one’s travel piece is crucial. After 9-11, stringent homeland security policies, and smaller airline carry-on bins, size is now a big decision making aspect when one decides to purchase a new luggage piece. To make matters even more tragic, domestic airlines only allow up to 50 pounds when checking-in baggage. Well, unless you are willing to pay the overage; which would probably cost you an arm and a leg. This is why it is important to take into consideration which size of luggage will suit your needs. Let’s say you are only traveling for a weekend; then try a smaller carry-on luggage. And if you decide to travel for several weeks, then go ahead and try a larger luggage that you can check into the airlines.

So, remember the “C.P.S.” for luggage shopping:
“C” stands for convenience.
“P” stands for practicality.
“S” stands for size.

Friday, February 8th, 2008

The Right Bag for Your Body Shape

So our handbags say a lot about our personality, it can give us back problems if we’re not careful, and now there’s the right bag for each body shape. Wow, handbags have a lot more power than we realize on an everyday basis. They can make or break our outfit, show everyone who we are, and reflect if we’re up to date with the latest fashions.

Handbags like clothes can make your body shape look better or worse depending on how you wear them. An important note to remember is where the bag ends and how long the straps are. Where ever your bag ends is automatically where attention is drawn to.

If you’re short and curvy opt for more of a long, sleek, and a rectangular or square looking bag. Choosing a soft fabric or good quality made leather will make it look like you’ve taken off a few pounds.

If you have more of a pear-shaped body, you want to focus more on bags that have shorter straps to shift the focus away from your waist and hips.

If you’re very tall and thin then a droopy rounded hobo styled bag will compliment your body type.

General things to keep in mind is that you want to choose the shape of your bag that is opposite of your body type. So, the more curves you have, the more structure your bag should have-like a clutch for example.

As for scale, how big the bag should depend and be proportional to your size. If you’re a very tall woman, it would look strange for you to be carrying a mini purse as an everyday bag, and for women who are petite, you shouldn’t carry too big of a bag because it will make you look like you’re overwhelmed by the bag.

All in all most women look good with bags that end in mid torso because it flatters the waistline. However, always take into consideration your own lifestyle and usage for the bag aside from style. If you need to carry diapers around then, a vintage bag is not for you.

Friday, February 8th, 2008

“Shoulders to Cry on…”

You’ve just finished your strenuous workout at the gym. You go back into the locker room, throw everything in your duffel and go home right? Right! Well, for most people anyway. However a friend of mine recently had shoulder surgery due to a sports injury. While rehabbing he was told not to do any heavy lifting or to put any excessive weight on his arms or shoulder. He went to the gym everyday to keep in shape and increase the range of motion of his shoulder. But the trouble he had wasn’t at the gym but coming to and from the gym. Sometimes his duffel would weigh up to 20 pounds. I’m not even sure how he managed to carry it the first few days. It must have caused him excruciating pain. But I had a solution for him; Rioni a makes perfect duffel on wheels. It’s lightweight and shaped like a rounded duffel bag, did I mention it has wheels and a telescopic handle like a piece of luggage. This piece was the perfect way to take the weight off his arms and shoulders and at the same time look good while doing it. As soon as I told him about it he ordered one and got it the next day in the mail!