Archive for the ‘Handbags’ Category

How to Buy Gorgeous Handmade Handbags from Indonesia

Cookie-cutter fashion handbags are a dime a dozen, and thousands of them are produced in factories and sold in every town. But handmade handbags are delightful, rare treasures that any woman can be proud of. When a handbag is handmade, it is unique in many ways and reflects the skill and creativity of its maker. Many women in Indonesia choose to hand-stitch handbags to earn a living for their families. Their handbags are beautifully embroidered with amazing designs, but yet they usually possess the same or better quality as any factory-made handbag.

If you’re just yearning to own an elaborate – but unusual – handbag, here are some great tips. Let’s explore what types of Indonesian handbags are available and how to choose the right one for you.

Look for Practicality

Before falling in love with a certain design, be sure the handbag will meet your everyday needs. Do you need the handbag for work or play? Do you plan on using it every day or only for special evenings out on the town? Also, consider how many items you will need to carry in the handbag. Handmade handbags come in a variety of sizes and shapes. They range from petite to very large travel handbags. Some come with shoulder straps while others have hand straps. There are even very small make-up carriers for trips. It depends on how and where you plan to use it.

Choosing a Design and Color for Your Handmade Handbag

Handmade handbags come with a variety of styles and designs. Embroidery is used to create unique patterns such as diamonds, curved lines, circles, stars, and floral patterns. Indonesian handbags are often creatively labeled to express the type of design and color on the handbag. The words gift, live, great, eternal, recover, morning, believe, and so forth reflect the personality behind the purse as well as the style and color. Choose a style that matches several of your outfits, or that blends well with your body shape and hairstyle or color.

For spring and summer, there are colors such as red, cream, light blue, or olive. For fall and winter, colors such as black, dark brown, dark blue, and silver are excellent choices.

Help those in Need with Charity Bags

Another option to consider when buying an Indonesian handmade handbag is to shop for charity bags (or charity purses). Charity bags are made by those in Indonesia who need the money for daily food and supplies. Some companies in the United States offer to buy the handbags and resell them to Americans or through the Internet. A few companies will even train the workers and provide sewing and embroidery supplies to work with. One such company is Laga Handbags (online), which helps women who were survivors of the tragic tsunami of 2006 in Sumatra, Indonesia. The women workers of Indonesia are able to learn skills for a lifetime while providing a valuable service to handbag lovers.

When choosing a company for handmade handbags, research online to find companies that offer authentic Indonesian handbags, not replicas. The real handmade handbags are usually priced from $35 up to $150, depending on the style and size of the bag. Companies should provide detailed information about how and where the handbags are obtained, and where the company is located. Look for companies that are up-front about their procedures and customer policies.

A handmade handbag from Indonesia can also be a memorable surprise as a gift for Mother’s Day, Christmas, birthdays, or other occasions. The handbags are reliable and affordable, and the remarkable craftsmanship of Indonesian women makes them highly desirable in the fashion world. Go online today to find that perfect handmade handbag for you!

Handbags – The Type That Will Suit You Best

Handbags have become an essential commodity for women. It becomes difficult for a buyer to select a handbag since the market if flooded with different types. While selecting a handbag, it is essential to match it with your body type.

Oversized and large handbags are best for those who are tall and slim. A small handbag can make the person look even taller. Thus it is best to select a small one. The handbags that suits best for tall and thin women are clutches, oversized handbags, and shoulder bags. For the shorter girls, small handbags suit best. The larger handbags can overpower you, and in the process can make you look even shorter. A tight fitting short handbag against your body can make you look taller than you are.

If you are blessed with a gorgeous, curvy body, select a medium sized handbag that hangs just above your waist. It accentuates your waistline and makes your body look all the more flattering. Women of plus size should avoid handbags with short straps and the short handbags. A larger and wider handbag best suits their style since it makes them look smaller.

The handbag itself is classified into various types like the shoulder bag, the handheld bag, back pack, tote bag, and the clutch. The shoulder bags, worn over the shoulder, are usually larger in size. These handbags are available in various shapes and sizes. The shoulder bags provide greater space and at the same time are stylish.

The handheld handbags, with straps or handles, are held only in the hand. Used for fashion purposes and for strolling, these handheld handbags are smaller compared to the other handbags. The tote bags are mainly used for casual purposes. With a simple color and one or two compartments, these tote handbags provide a lot of space. They are big bags and fall around the elbow, in the middle of the body.

The back packs with the two straps, are mainly used by students. They help to carry books with ease since the two straps on the shoulders help to balance the weight of the bag equally on both sides. A clutch, unlike the handheld handbag, does not have handles. Usually used in parties and nightclubs, these handbags are small and needs to be clutched by the hand.

Selecting a handbag depends completely on your style and personal taste. It depends on the occasion when you will be using it, and on the place where you will be carrying it. Select handbags according to your mood, personality, and on what you think best suits you.

Counterfeit Handbags and Terrorism

In most major cities in the world, there is an active and highly profitable shadow economy in phony consumer goods that generates (in some estimates) upwards of 500 billion dollars a year. If have ever been down to “Counterfeit Alley” in midtown Manhattan, you have seen one of the biggest counterfeit marketplaces in the world.
While many of us spend our waking hours lusting after the latest fashion designs from our favorite designers, there are a lot of people out there who purchase knock-off or phony items without fully appreciating the consequences.

I recently read a book called “Knockoff”, written by a fellow named Tim Phillips. It was an insightful read, with a number of interesting and often disturbing ideas presented. I was particularly interested in the section he devoted to the trade in phony luxury items such as designer handbags. These days, it seems I can’t go anywhere without seeing somebody carrying a fake Prada or Gucci purse. Personally, I have always resisted the urge to purchase a counterfeit purse. I have avoided the temptation mainly because such an action only undermines an industry I have grown to love. When one considers the price of some of the higher-end purses, it should come as no surprise that some people purchase fakes.

What will surprise you is the discovery that their money is supporting future terrorist attacks in America and abroad. This book has confirmed my belief in supporting legitimate companies. Have you ever stopped to consider where the money you spend on fake consumer products ends up? This book will provide you with some frightening insights. The “black market” in counterfeit consumer goods provides incredible resources for criminal organizations, and these organizations certainly do not have the public interest at heart.

One of the most disturbing ideas in the book was the suggestion that terrorist organizations, working with organized crime groups, use the profits gained from these illegal sales to support future attacks. I could not sleep at night if I thought I was supporting terrorist campaigns to maim and kill innocent civilians in America, or anywhere else for that matter. I am a firm believer in being a conscientious shopper, and supporting companies that are trying to make the world a better place. I will gladly pay three times the price of a phony purse, to ensure that my money is not supporting terrorism. Check out “Knockoff” when you have a chance. It is a real eye-opener.