Should we be designing the perfect handbag for our needs rather than buying an imperfect one??
There are many types of bags to choose from; they come in every conceivable shape and size. But they always seem to be almost, but not quite right. The main problem is that we like to take our technology with us wherever we go. When added to the other numerous items we drag everywhere, we end up with a bulky, messy bag.
If we want to, we are able to sit in Starbucks or Costa (other brands available) to do some work rather than stay at home to do it. But how to transport all the bits and bobs we need without looking like the coffee shop’s Area Manager on their monthly visit?!
What don’t we want?
What we really don’t want is a boring black business bag; a bag with a fashionable look would be much nicer, thanks! It could be fashionably smart or fashionably casual, bang on trend or have an alternative vibe. It should be just big enough for all our stuff; have storage for all the peripherals and yet not have a big jumbled pile sitting at the bottom, never to be found again!
If only we could design the perfect bag, in exactly the right size and shape for our needs.
My blogger/ writer daughter Katie of mami2fiveblog recently asked me to do just that for her. She regularly writes her blog or book and works on projects whilst out and about. As chief taxi driver to the family, she is often waiting for teens, tweens and toddlers while they attend their various clubs and activities. She usually manages to find somewhere to wait that also involves a couple of cups of her favourite brand of coffee.
(I’d like to say here that the very manly hands in the photo are NOT Katie’s which are very dainty!!!!)
So what does she need from her handbag?
She “would like a handbag with a few extra pockets please”- “in all the right sizes for my stuff; and one needs to be padded to protect my ipad” and “if only the car keys didn’t drop to the bottom of the bag, to be hidden away out of sight, that would be great, thanks!”
I also decided that the strap should be made to the right length to suit her size. ( I often find that if you have a large chest/bust, or if you are tall/short, the strap could do with being wider/narrower or longer/shorter). Also; something to stop it from slipping off her shoulder would be great as that is sooo annoying.
In order to start designing her perfect bag, I asked Katie what she normally carries around with her.
She told me that she usually needed the following items in her bag; her ipad pro and its keyboard; a cable or two and block for charging; her phone; money; pens; an A4 pad; debit and other cards and those pesky car keys. In Britain we also need to carry a foldable shopping bag as plastic ones are banned, so “one with its own pocket would be great too, thanks Mam!”
Phew! Challenge accepted! I will get to work on designing the perfect handbag (well for Katie anyway) and let you know how I got on in my next post.