Designer Handbags - Can Men Buy Them?
No, this isn't a question of should we men buy handbags for ourselves.
It's more a query of can we buy them for our wife or girlfriend? (I suspect that in some cases it may
sadly be a question of can we buy them for our wife AND our girlfriend/mistress - but I don't think I'll dwell on that!)
Now -- I'll be the first to admit then when it comes to handbag 'buyable' wives, I'm very lucky.
I can ask my long suffering wife an obviously loaded question such as "So what handbag would you most like to own?" and have her forget the question and answer she gave within a matter of hours.
Looking through a magazine or catalog, idly flicking the pages and throwing in mild questions such as "Do you think that looks nice?" or "Wow -- wouldn't that go with your suede skirt?" are seen by her as nothing more than a passing question, asked in a moment of idle curiosity.
The fact that the queried item then appears for her birthday or mothers day or at Xmas is still a huge surprise to her, causing her to question how I knew she'd like that particular style/color etc.
I've also managed, after 23 years together and quite a few coaching sessions that I'm sure I wasn't even aware of, to be able to see for myself exactly the type of thing she'd like. I can even boast modestly that my wife will ask me what I think about a particular piece of clothing and actually consider my answer before buying or not buying, assured as she is that I will reply honestly and with love and kindness. (Although the joke question occasionally thrown in is always "Does my bum look big in this" to which the standard joke answer is "Do I look stupid?")
So I can -- within reason -- look at something in the designer handbag lines and think to myself "Yes, she'd like that" and actually be right.
But apparently - some store assistants don't agree with me on that scale.
I recently went to the LV store in Selfridges, Bond Street of London to buy my wife a Xmas present. I had gone in with a mind to buy her a Papillon 26 but, as ever, was open to the power of seeing and deciding as opposed to deciding before seeing.
It isn't the largest store by far, being more of a concession stand size, situated just inside the main doors at the west of the main building. More than 15 people in there and the cat knows it safe from being swung, you'd never be able to get it over your head to start with!
Being as how I was going in during a snatched lunch hour between meetings, I was dressed in what would be described as City Worker style, i.e.
short hair, smart dark suit, shirt and tie.
Now I do fully understand that, in the pecking order of who gets served in a designer handbag shop fastest, I rank fairly close to the bottom of the ladder, if not being the one who actually holds the ladder for others to climb!
I was quite prepared for the looks of curiosity from the female customers and even the odd stiletto on the instep in the fight to get to the counter. I wasn't prepared, however, for a store with only 7 people in it -- me, two other customers, three members of staff and a security guard.
Taking this surprising amount of space to be a good omen I decided to have a little stroll round the store, left to right, starting with the Damier items and finishing with the most anticipated area, the Multicolore and the Suhali ranges.
The stroll and look went exactly according to plan, a few ideas springing to mind as I took a leisurely wander past the shelves of rich, leathery smelling prizes.
I would have half expected a member of staff to gently enquire if they could help but wasn't to phased to be left on my own. In reality it was quite a treat not to be pounced on! (I have terrible trouble when I go into any store and I'm pounced on by an over eager staff member leaping out from behind their hiding place, the war cry of "Can I help you?" finished before they even land in front of me. All I ever want to say to them is a disgruntled "yeah, you look round and I'll wait here!")
But you could have knocked me over with a feather when they didn't want to serve me at all!
Having finished my ramblings and with a couple of possibilities firmly chosen, I came to a halt in the middle of the main counter, looking over to the three staff members huddled together, quietly talking.
The security guard had by this time finished his assessment, obviously deciding I was more of a danger to myself than the stock and left.
It was just me and the two other customers, a mother and daughter on a day out to London by the looks of things who were in the far corner, seemingly arguing over the merits of a scarf versus a bag.
So I politely stood at the counter for a couple of minutes, waiting quietly. I was fairly sure that both of the girls saw me but chose to ignore me -- but hey, I could be wrong.
But I wasn't wrong in guessing that the male assistant saw me when he turned round, looked right at me then turned back to his discussion.
So a polite cough was called for and duly given.
And just as duly ignored.
So a louder cough followed.
Which was followed by even more ignoring.
And that was when I coughed loudly and -- please forgive me dear reader -- made that awful hawking sound at the back of the throat that children make when they are about to do something they really shouldn't in polite company!
That got their attention alright. Three startled faces whipped round and all looked at me with what could well have been a look of respect - but I suspect was much more likely to be one of thinly veiled disgust!
Reluctantly the male assistant tore himself away from the safety of the herd and ambled over.
"May I help you?" Did you notice the lack of a "sir" at the end of that greeting??
I did!
"Well, I was looking for a handbag for my wife as a xmas present" says I "something a little different and unusual".
"Everything in here is different. Did you have anything particular in mind?" says he, simpering at having scored the first point.
Ever had that urge to just be rude back to someone and say "Grow up!" whilst cuffing them around the ear?
Difficult to resist, isn't it!!
"Well, I was thinking of a Mono Papillon but I'd like to see a Damier Ribera as well please.
Oh, and if you have an Epi St. Moritz I'd like to have a quick look at that as well please."
That got him. You could see him almost rock back on his feet!
I knew the secret.
A man, a man knew the secret of the store.
I knew the names of the bags!
A thin sheen of perspiration glistened on his previously dry forehead as he threw in a delaying tactic.
"I think you might prefer a Speedy instead?"
"No thank you, it's a bit too samey samey. The Ribera will do just fine thank you."
He turned towards the shelves, shoulders tense and body ramrod stiff, fighting to think of a way to regain the high ground.
"Make that the Ribera MM, not the GM please" I whispered, just low enough for him to hear, in short and clipped tone, the words slicing into him like machine gun fire.
His shoulders slumped as the last vestiges of defiance ebbed away.
Meek as a lamb he spent the next twenty minutes retrieving item after item for me to review, paw and discard. He was asked question after question about origins, materials care, style variances, range histories and named designers contributions.
He failed badly on some and confessed to not even knowing the basics of deciphering the date codes.
Finally, when he was just about all done in, I threw my ace on the table.
"Actually, I'd really like to look at the new Marelle please."
"We don't have that bag sir" says he "it's not been released yet!" A small smile of satisfaction flickered at the corners of his mouth. Could he manage to salvage a mild defence?
"So the bag on the top shelf, just....there, that would be what then??" says I.
Game, set and match.
Can men buy handbags?
Some can - if the store staff will let them. .
BIBLE OF CROSS-BORDER SHOPPING IN CHINA A RUNAWAY SUCCESS!
In fact, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post called the first edition the ?bible of cross-border shopping'. The book sold out in just 10 months. In her current release, The "Updated Version", she mainly focuses on fashion but has also included a new section on buying original Chinese antiques. First time author and Hong Kong resident Ellen McNally says her motivation for writing the book was to make a shopping spree to Shenzhen, a short 40-minute train ride from Hong Kong, a fun and pain free experience. "Tourists and local residents alike have so little time to shop that they want to make their experience efficient and get value for their money.
I want to make it easy for them and give them a comfort level even before they cross the border into China," McNally explains.The first edition was snapped up by English speaking Hong Kong shoppers eager to find bargains in the world's newest shopping Mecca.
Tourists to the area have endorsed the book as well.
"McNally...
Handbags > BIBLE OF CROSS-BORDER SHOPPING IN CHINA A RUNAWAY SUCCESS!
Hand Crafted One-of-a-Kind Fashion Handbags Are Made from Used Truck and Tractor Tire Inner Tubes
Richmond, VA (ContentDesk) August 22, 2005 -- Fashion can develop from some of the simplest ideas such as, the inner tube of a truck tire.
Passchal, a handbag company in Richmond, VA, has created environmentally conscious handbags that are converted into chic and fashionable styles for every age. Collected, cleaned and created by hand, Passchal produces a unique alternative to leather. Each bag is original in the form of markings that come from the factory where the tube was manufactured. "Every single one of them is different," said Ken Kobrick the President of Passchal.
"They're like fingerprints."
Smooth grain, leather trims, and a detachable shoulder strap add character to each bag. Smartlyte?, a system that illuminates the interior of the bag when opened, along with modern print linings make the inside of the Passchal bag just as creative as the outside.
The bags are waterproof, stain-resistant and guaranteed for life.Even the stars are already...
Handbags > Hand Crafted One-of-a-Kind Fashion Handbags Are Made from Used Truck and Tractor Tire Inner Tubes
Fashion: Revisiting Classics of French Style
Copyright (c) 2006 www.21onlinedating.com
It seems for the last few centuries, the French have had the final word when it comes to fashion and style-Parisian style, in particular, retains its essence of what is the height of couture with its distinctive looks and timeless staples of wardrobe and accessories.
Yet, one does not have to live in Paris to show off their cosmopolitan flair for dress.
The subsequent article reflects on some classic French designers, styles, and elements of a distinctively French wardrobe.
It was Coco Chanel who first gave us a glimpse of that little black dress in 1926.
Chanel is also noted for many other fashion innovations including the two-tone sling back pump, the two-piece tweed suit and a range of clothing that is both elegant and unconstrained.
Adding a little black dress to your wardrobe is a must because that single dress can be worn casually with flats and a sweater or may be transformed...
Handbags > Fashion: Revisiting Classics of French Style
Top 5 Most Often Carried Handbags
Handbags have become the most popular accessory on the market and theres no reason to wonder why. There are so many styles and trends to choose from that its hard for a woman to choose just one handbag. Each outfit calls for a different type of handbag so its hard to distinguish which types are most popular. In order to help you determine which types of handbags are in style right now, I have compiled a list of the top five most often carried handbags. You do not have to choose one of these as the type of handbag youre going to carry but use this as a guideline illustrating which are in fashion at the moment:1. Shoulder Bag A shoulder bag comes in many different sizes and shapes.
They are usually larger, providing more space for essentials such as your wallet, books, makeup etc. Shoulder bags are meant only to be worn over the shoulder and provide a combination practicality and style in one handbag.2. Handheld Handbag Handheld handbags are handbags which are designed to...
Top 5 Most Often Carried Handbags
Handbags > Top 5 Most Often Carried Handbags
Finding Wholesale Distributors Made Easy
Do you ever wonder why some people can sell items on Ebay cheaper than other people?
The point of selling items on any site or in a brick and mortar store is to make money.
So how can some people sell items so cheap and still make money is the question that begs to be answered.
The short answer is by finding good wholesale distributors.
This morning I googled wholesale distributor and found that 14,000,000 sites were listed.
That's 14 million sites!
And the problem is getting through that mess to find legitimate wholesale distributors that are willing to work with you.
You know, when I first started selling on Ebay, I did what everyone of you has done.
I went to google or msn and typed in wholesale or wholesale distributor, and I expected that it would be easy to find the perfect wholesale distributor for whatever item that I wanted.
Well let me tell you something: there is a lot of garbage out...
Handbags > Finding Wholesale Distributors Made Easy
Handbag News, Information, and Trivia
Henrietta's Handbags has just added it's own RSS feed and handbag blog to keep you up to date on recent handbag news events, popular purse designers, and the latest in the world of handbag fashion.Our information is updated weekly with trivia and news, including the best handbag shape for your body type and how buying fake designer handbags can hurt the economy. So what harm does it do to purchase a fake designer handbag? There are a multitude of reasons to NOT buy knockoffs, beginning with the fact that we, as taxpayers, carry the burder for this tax-free business. According to government sources, 200 billion dollars is approximately the amount that counterfeiters do not pay - this means that honest taxpayers make up the difference! Another reason is organized crime. By purchasing a designer fake handbag, we are supporting illegal activity. There is even some evidence that part of the money for bombing the World Trade Center came from the sale of counterfeit goods.
There is also...
Handbag News, Information, and Trivia
Handbags > Handbag News, Information, and Trivia
JP Lizzy Designs Unveils Its Latest Collection of Fashion Forward Diaper Bags, Totes and Purses
Denver, CO (ContentDesk) October 24, 2005 -- JP Lizzy (www.jplizzy.com), a fashion forward manufacturer of baby-friendly tote bags and purses is pleased to announce the launch of its winter 2005 collection.
Made for todays discerning and busy women, the line is the perfect blend of form and function with stylish shapes and patterns that meet the needs of mothers, businesswomen and gals on the go.
Four new designs are available in both totes and handbags and prices range from $42 for purses to $94 for totes and diaper bags. The collection features a little something for everyone -- from the classic black and robins egg blue Tiffany set to the sassy apple green and giraffe print Giraffe set to the green, brown and blue argyle Diana bags, the winter 2005 JP Lizzy line is a best bet for any shopper, mom or not. The collection also features a chocolate brown and pastel striped bag adorned...
Handbags > JP Lizzy Designs Unveils Its Latest Collection of Fashion Forward Diaper Bags, Totes and Purses
Designer Handbags are all the rage
Without a doubt, designer handbags are all the rage!
Women seem to collect them the way young boys collect comic books.
Without a doubt, there is a handbag to suit your many styles and moods, from sophisticated and chic to adventurous and playful.
Designer handbags all have unique traits that distinguish one brand from another.
Designers purposely create unique symbols or details to accentuate the differences between themselves and other designers.
Louis Vuitton is one of the most popular and best-selling handbag designers.
These bags are known for the high standards of quality and state-of-the-art craftsmanship put into each and every design.
Elegant, but astonishingly innovative, Louis Vuitton guarantees perfection in his multitude of high quality products.
Uniquely branded with a patterned design, Louis Vuitton handbags tower above the competition.
Chanel handbags are well known for their clean...
Handbags > Designer Handbags are all the rage