Handbags
By Chandroo D.
Why are women attracted to handbags? Is it ordained in the female genes or is it a choice? Have you noticed that whenever you enter a department store or a shopping mall, your female companion would always make a beeline towards the handbag displays? The store owners know this and intentionally display their handbags on the entry level with huge attractive signs. When you question the reason of buying another bag, since she has countless stored in her wardrobe, her simple answer would be, “but I do not have this design and color and moreover this would definitely look great at my next social meeting”. You become a sucker once again!
Handbags have been one of the necessities of life for women ever since 18th century. It was important to have the items that one used often close at hand and articles found in a handbag have ranged from fans, needles, thread and scissors to today’s mandatory cosmetics, mobile phone and credit cards.
Wonder why women carry their belongings around and men just have their pocket wallets? I believe women are main caregivers of the family. As a mother, when she is out with the children, she makes sure she carries all the necessity to meet their needs prior to leaving home. Tissues, pampers, milk bottles, snacks etc are the order of the day. Later on in the stage, she finds that her spouse too starts depending on things like pen, paper, spectacles and tissues from her bag. This gives her an opportunity to buy bigger and better fashionable handbags.
Once she is used to carrying the bag, she obviously looks for expensive branded handbags to keep up with her friends. My wife once asked me if I had ever heard of a genuine Birkin handbag. Puzzled as I was, I later learn that Birkin handbag is manufactured by the "high-end" manufacturer Hermès. Generally, the price of a "Togo Birkin Bag" starts at approximately US$7,500, but can reach 5 and sometimes 6-digit prices, For croc Birkin normally range from US$30,000 to US$40,000 and ostrich Birkin can be priced at US$10,000. This is a big investment and should be approached with care and knowledge and not to be taken lightly! One has to book for this bag in advance and hopefully obtain it in later years! Wonder if I should invest into Hermès, who created this sudden attraction and demand.
Handbags have come a long way and today, you can easily be like an upcoming new actress who has a new designer handbag every week...Coach, Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and more. Simply join a handbag club and you can carry "The Real Thing" for as little as US$20 per month!
Biologically, females are the best caregivers in the world and I believe this role has been thrust upon them since the beginning of Homo sapiens and as caregivers they are the best choice to carry their handbags proudly and in style. However, remember one thing - never ever argue with the carrier when she is holding a loaded handbag. She can surprisingly use it as a weapon against your head, if you ignore her request for a real Birkin bag as a gift.