Archive for the 'Handbag Education' Category

Saturday, May 24th, 2008

NO HANDBAG = FREEDOM!

Never again will I bring a purse to a theme park. 

Recently a couple of friends and I went to the Disneyland and for not going to  a theme park for quite some time, I forgot how annoying it is to have to carry your bag around while waiting in line for rides.  Maybe some like to pack goodies to a theme park but I realize I did not need anything inside of it (it’s a different story for mothers).  Since our bodies can be so inefficient, ladies who carry light can feel like they are carrying a brick or two in their handbags after a long period of time.  Carrying my bag did not ruin my day at the happiest place on earth however, I did get tired of holding it and we all know that asking your bf to hold your bag is a big NO NO.  So two weeks after we went to California Adventure (got the two-fer deal) and instead of carrying a handbag, I only brought my cell phone and an ID case containing my ID (of course), a credit card, and some cash.  To be honest, at first I felt a little bit naked, like I’m missing something and I need that little weight on my shoulder for comfort or to be at ease.  We are all so customed to having carrying things with us that having that extra load becomes a part of us but EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY if it’s not there.   It is actually quite liberating.   For occasions such as going to a theme park, you don’t need much and a simple ID case can do wonders.  It is also nice not having to worry about your designer bag for a day or two.  So a little reminder to the ladies, leave your bag at home once in awhile and have a little fun without the extra weight on the shoulders.

Friday, May 16th, 2008

HELP! My Bag Fell Apart!

                          

You’re excited. You just got your new handbag. You spend days, nights, hours, maybe even months picking out the perfect one. And for those of you who are like me, saving up part of my salary each month just for that one perfect designer bag. Then one day, you’re sporting it down the street and KAPUTT! Something breaks! Your first reaction, “WHAT THE HECK!”

Now, what do you do? First find out what the warranty policy from the manufacturer. If you bought it from a department store, it’s highly unlikely that they can do anything for you. Either way you’ll have to contact the manufacturer. Check to see if there is a registration and a warranty card that already came with you bag when you first bought it. It will give you the appropriate contact information and what their policy covers.

Most handbags range from one year to five years and luggages range from five years to life time warranty. Most of the time the manufacturer won’t cover normal wear and tear, but they will cover a defect that has clearly nothing to do with you.

Steps to Make Sure Your Bag Gets Fixed:

1.       Look for and keep warranty cards

          - Read it and store it in a safe place- don’t just toss it in the trash!

2.       Register your Handbag.

         - If you bag didn’t come with a registration card, it’s okay-you can simply go to the manufacturers website and most of them will have a place for you to register you bag. This will help if you ever need to send your bag back for repair because they will already have it on record.

3.       Find the appropriate contact numbers

         - CALL someone before you send anything back. By calling, you can check to make sure what the return procedures are to get your bag repaired. You might also need a case number and an address. This ensures that you can track you bag.

4.       Take pictures of your bag

          - You want photos of you bag and the part that was damaged. It serves as proof just in case anything happens, lost, or is confused later on.

5.       Follow up

         - Make sure to follow up on your bag and keep records. Make sure you insure and place a tracking number on your bag when you ship it back. When you talk to a representative, ask them for a ballpark time of when you bag will be finished and returned. This way if it’s months and you haven’t heard from them, it’s time to give them and call and check up on them.

** Watch out for hidden fees. Some companies like COACH charge $20 for shipping and handling for EACH item submitted for repair. Applicable state taxes apply as well. If you’re unsure ASK!**

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

Handbag Weighing You Down?

Purses and handbags have become essential in our society of overpopulated women. A typical modern purse today holds AT LEAST a wallet (or two), keys and cell phone.  Then for the kicks of it, we throw in a small cosmetic bag, some pepper spray, a digital camera, a planner, a few pens, a coin purse, and last but not least our favorite scented lotion.

Luckily, all women were created differently—some choose to carry fewer items in their bags while others choose to lug an elephant in their purses. Unfortunately, many of the items in our handbags should be categorized as extras rather than necessities. It is true that a woman can possibly get rid of her curling iron and save approximately 3 pounds of unnecessary weight. However, I guess one’s curls may get untangled. The thing that women tend to forget is that big purses already consist of a hefty weight.

It’s been said that women should not carry any more than 10% of her body weight on her shoulder. For those of us who carry laptops, it is very easy to go over that ten percent. Our modern technology is improving by the day, for ladies are able to save some weight by using their Motorola RAZR and pocket Sony Cybershot digital camera. Handbags these days have become larger and more decorative (consisting of heavy chains and hardware). However, carrying too much weight on one’s shoulder or on one’s back may have its consequences.

Carrying heavy bags may lead to neck spasms, shoulder damage, lower back pain, and at times can lead to scoliosis. Though one may not be able to notice these symptoms instantaneously, one’s mood may be affected by this type of discomfort and pain.  So women out there, I hope that this little write-up will remind us ladies to clean out purses or bags every once in a while.

*Future shopping tip: Next time when shopping for a purse, try choosing a bag with wider straps and make sure the bag does not hang too low (exceeding below one’s belly button).

Friday, May 9th, 2008

I Got it on eBay!

Let’s face it, now and days the truth of the matter is, we want our designer handbags and we want them at the lowest price that we can get them at. Because of this mentality more and more consumers have turned to places like EBay in search for the best bargain designer bag. Admit it, if you haven’t bought one on EBay, then you have at least looked at them on EBay.

So what’s the problem you ask? Well, how do you know if the Gucci bag you’re getting for $300 that was originally $1200 is real? While I personally haven’t purchased a designer handbag on EBay before, these are cautions tips and red-flags and were told to me when I was considering it.

1.       Do your Research

          -  Physically go to the retail and department stores and check out the merchandise first hand. Feel the texture and familiarize yourself with the latest styles out by this designer. Look into the company. Where are their factories? Where are the majority of the bags made?

2.       More is not Better

         -  Great! You know the bag you want and you found a listing on EBay. But WAIT! Check to make sure the same seller hasn’t listed the same item multiple times. IF he/she has it’s a sign that what’s they’re selling is a fake.

3.       Home Country

         - Where is the item coming from? Be careful to see if the seller is from overseas. Stay clear of bags coming straight from overseas, but be aware that most designer bags do have factories in third world countries such and China and Italy.

4.       Exercise Active Reading Skills

         -  Leave the “I don’t want to read” attitude behind. When shopping on EBay, EVERY word COUNTS. Be careful of descriptions such as “Designer Brand (insert name) inspired” or “just like designer brand (insert name)”. This can be tricky and problematic later when you want to file a claim against the person for selling you a fake bag.

5.       Be Anal

         - Look for as many items as possible to support the authenticity of the bag. Designer bags usually come with tags, booklets, care cards, and warranty cards. Also ask for the designer tissue paper, the dust bag, and gift boxes that come with the bag when purchased at an authorized reseller store.  Even go as far to ask if they kept their purchase or gift receipt.

6.       20/20 Vision

          - Make sure there are pictures! Then make sure they’re crystal CLEAR! The more pictures the better. Are they just images on the website or where they physically taken? Many of the ones that are taken manually will include the Seller’s ID in the picture. Look at the quality and consistency of stitching in these pictures. Also look for pictures with the serial numbers, patches and designer engravings. Beware of Photoshop! IF IN DOUBT ASK FOR MORE AND CLEARER PICTURES!

7.       Interrogate the Seller

         - Look for seller’s return and exchange policy. You want MONEY BACK guarantee. Make sure they offer safe methods of payments such as PayPal. Buy from sellers that offer insurance and tracking.

8.       Slow down Horsey

         - Many counterfeits auctions end early, so beware of auctions that only last 1-3days. Be wary of PRIVATE listings. Why can’t you see their ID, unless they’ve got something to hide? Look at shipping costs as well. If they have an inflated amount and their policy doesn’t include the cost of shipping in their refund, you might want to reconsider.

9.       CONFIRM ALL INFORMATION WITH THE SELLER.

10.   If in doubt ask questions. There is no such thing as too many or a stupid one.

Truthfully, I’ve seen auctions for designer handbags and the amount they end at, and usually you really don’t save that much from even retail stores. If anything you might end up paying more.  So, word of the wise- try the outlets first for your designer bag. It just may be cheaper and you’ll save yourself the worry in the long run- cuz peace of mind is worth a lot these days.

Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008

FOR SALE - $20,000

That’s right folks, this bag is only $20,000 dollars. Though the decision of purchasing a Coach handbag over a fuel efficient Toyota Camry may be a tough one, I would truly expect one to choose the latter. I mean, who really needs a car that seats five? By the way, to our newer viewers, I usually have biased sarcastic opinions. However seriously speaking though, what makes this Coach handbag so expensive?

So, what makes this handbag a hole in one’s wallet? Well first off, this handbag is made out of alligator leather—one of the rarest leathers on the market. If we were not dozing off in our high school Economic class, we should have a recollection of one of the principles of supply and demand (rare commodity + demand for the commodity = increase in cost for the commodity). Besides the fact that alligator leather is rare, alligator leather is also extremely difficult to cut and prepare. Since alligator skin cannot be stretched like calf hide, it must therefore be trimmed and cut only by skilled and trained experts (this way not to waste the precious alligator hide). Anyhow, let’s talk more about the styling of the bag.

To be honest, I truly dislike the totality of this Coach satchel. As a matter of fact, I would not even consider buying the bag for even half the price. Call me distasteful, for I feel that this bag does NOT make a statement or even portray itself as an expensive bag. I guess this bag is meant for the true alligator enthusiasts.

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Handbag Insurance

 

Would you feel safer about losing your handbag if you had insurance on it? Me neither. But our friends across the pond think differently. Esure.com, a British insurance company, is providing a service geared towards women to give them piece of mind. By insuring handbags from being stolen or lost coupled with a road side assistance that have representatives trained to avoid using technical jargon and vocabulary. Seems silly to me, I’ll listen to “tech talk” and not pay “Opps, I forgot my bag” premiums any day of the week thank you very much.

Tuesday, April 8th, 2008

Backpacks: Geek or Chic?

Everyone has one, but unless you are on the go a lot, not many people need one. Nonetheless, designers have figured out ways to make the dual (sometimes single) strap device that you wear on your back fashionable again. In short, people usually just call it a backpack. The once boring piece used primarily to shuttle school books and classroom accessories is now finding their way back to being excellent fashion accessories. Top designers like Louis Vuitton, Prada, Coach and who could forget Rioni have all made cute backpacks. They have a point, freeing up your arms and shoulders so you can do something else is advantageous over handbags and I am sure not everyone likes to look like a hitch hiker when they are on the go. But, handbags still win my vote; the ability to access all my things quickly is indispensible. So what do you think Geek or Chic?

Saturday, April 5th, 2008

Handbag Photography

Charles, the person in charge of the handbag photography department for X handbag brand, needed to shoot a new handbag collection. He started flipping through his rolodex and found Top Model Agency Inc. The agent emailed him portfolios of several different models. Charles looked over each model’s portfolio vigorously and finally chose model #3E42A. Charles then called his agent to confirm the photography shoot with the model on the following Tuesday.
Prepping for the Shoot

Before the model was ready for the handbag shoot, the agent needed to meet up with the model for a dress rehearsal. The agent researched Charles’ handbag brand and made sure he understood Charles’ handbag clients. With his professionalism in the field, he chose several outfits that he felt were suitable for Charles’ handbags. The model then tried out each of the chosen outfits to ensure that the fitment was correct.

The Day of the Shoot

Tuesday afternoon, the model arrived in her casual t-shirt and jeans. The agent clicked his stopwatch and the timer began; the reason being was that the model was getting paid by the minutes. The model first went to her dressing room where she got her hair done and was pampered with make-up. After, the model then changed into her first outfit. By the time this session was completed, the stopwatch read: “1hr 4min.” Time was not being wasted as the model was being prepped for the shoot, for the photographer briskly tested his camera and lighting setup.

When the model stepped out of her dressing room, the cameras began to roll (I mean flash). After a few different poses with Charles’ handbags, the photographer requested a change of backdrop and outfit. Hour after hour passed by and after 6 long tedious hours, the photo shoot was completed. The model went back to her dressing room to change back to her original clothes and before she left the studio, she signed a waiver provided by the photographer. The photographer then began uploading the pictures for his team of editors.

Upon completion of editing the 800 different shots, the photographer delivered the proofs to Charles for his approval. All was well and Charles was content with the photographer’s work, so the photographer gave him an invoice for his photography services; however, twenty percent of that payment went to Top Model Agency Inc.as a referral fee.

Well, I hope you guys liked my little story (the process of handbag photography). Thanks for reading, folks!

Friday, April 4th, 2008

The Olympics in Beijing is coming! What should I bring?

First I would like to say that I am jealous of everyone that is going to the Olympics 2008 in Beijing! But for those who never been there before I have some advice to share. The last time I have been there was about three years ago and my first time was eight years ago. Granted that three years ago China maybe significantly different from what it is now. It’s almost like comparing dog years to human years. The first time I went to China it was bicycles on dirt roads, few places had running water, and they never even heard of a credit card, the last time I went it blew my mind countless Mercedes and BMWs on eight lane highways, five star hotels and restaurants everywhere you look, and yes American Express don’t leave home without it. Anyway back to the topic, here some things you can bring to be prepared:

1.       A handbag with zipper closure, even though China is no longer the third world country we once thought it was, poverty and theft is still very much at large. Recommended: Rioni is rather meticulous at making all their handbags with zipper closures.

2.       English to Chinese (Simplified) electronic translator, in case you need something you can type it in English and show them the Chinese if they do not understand. Recommended: ECTACO iTRAVL

3.       An unlocked, quad band, GSM mobile phone, whew that was a mouthful. These are sometimes called a world phone; make sure you purchase a SIM card immediately when you get to China. Recommended: Motorola Razor this is fairly inexpensive phone with all the listed hardware.

4.       Travel sized tissues and toilet paper. Most places in China are not accustomed to using as much tissues napkins as we are. Recommended: Kleenex Pocket Packs

5.       Feminine Hygene products, this is important because during my stay I had a very hard time finding a store that carried tampons. Recommended: Tampax Pearl

6.       Your passport and ID along with a color copy of your passport and ID; put it separate from you real passport. Recommended: Rioni’s Air Travel Organizer.

7.       An extra duffel bag for souvenirs, memorabilia, and gifts. Recommended: A duffel bag, if you want to go fancy, Rioni’s Duffel Bag.

Saturday, March 29th, 2008

A Lumberjack’s New Arm Candy

Lumberjacks have to carry pieces of wood on thier shoulders everyday. Should we all go the way of the lumberjack and start carrying wood on our shoulders as well? Most people would say, “NO WAY! How is that a fashion statement?” but designer Timmy Woods believes that it can be fashionable. Wooden handbags are actually handbags sculpted out of wood and used a fashion statements. You might have already seen these and not even know it. They look just like normal fashion handbags with the exception to the fact that it is made of wood. These wooden bags usually end up being designed as evening bags since daily usage of a wooden bag is quite inconvenient. Wood naturally is not flexible nor does it travel so it sacrficies many elements of what makes a good handbag. But that doesn’t mean these bags can’t be beautiful. Wooden handbags are sometimes carved out of a single block of wood and they decorated with beads, gems, or jewelry. So what do people think? Will this catch on? Is this more of a novelty item or destined to be the new fashion statement? This Planet by Timmy Woods, is a great example of what a wooden handbag looks like.