Style, Function and a Dash of Personality

Everyone has their own unique style. From choosing colour and texture of socks, to the appeal versus revulsion about hats, each of us has our own way of expressing ourselves through our clothing and accessories. I used to buy a generic black handbag and wallet, use them until they fell apart, and then replace them with as close to the original design as I could find. For some, this is the most sensible method of carrying around necessities. I did it and there is nothing wrong with it. Frankly, up until I backpacked around central Europe and had to live out of a single bag, did I begin to understand that the bags we carry are important to us. It was not only that my sturdy, well picked, ergonomic backpack saved me aches and pains, but also that I had time to stroll along and experience with my eyes, the diversity of outfits, accessories, shoes, and yes, handbags of multitudes of strangers. Heaving my at times heavy pack onto my back, I gazed longingly at a red lip stained, brilliantly coifed woman in a sharp looking pant suit carrying a dainty yellow cross body bag with shiny hardware and matching vibrant shoes. Not only was her navigation of cobblestone in such high heels magnificent, but the idea that a person could carry all that they needed for an outing in a tiny little bag, made me wonder if I needed everything I usually hauled around in my shoulder bag, neverminded the heavily laden pack beast that I was hauling around on my shoulders.

How to Choose a Statement Piece

With all of the options out there, how do you know when a bag is the one for you? What does it bring to have a little piece of art in your outfit? What is the appeal of handmade? Is it fine to be bold, to clash, to be both cute and sophisticated? Does it make a difference to have a splash of colour inside a lining or a snippet of texture in a pocket that are only there for you to see? These are some of the questions that I ask myself every time I start to build a handbag. My answer always is "you'll know". You know the taste of a great meal, you know the feeling of a sweater that fits just right and when you see or pick up a handbag that speaks to you, you know that too. There is something special about moving your things into a new wallet, your items into a bag, or packing your travel gear into a pack for a trip. The bag will travel with you and you will rely on it: to be sturdy, to be handy or simply to be extraordinary! Beauty, function, uniqueness, originality, reliability, sturdiness....all of these things make handmade handbags worth consideration. How in the end do you choose though? Take a chance, trust your instincts, and let yourself smile at crazy pockets!

#handmadehandbags #spashofcolour #handmadestyle