Illustration Friday - Glow

Meet the Accessory Specialist - Rhiannon

Name –  Rhiannon     

Star sign – Taurus

A bit about you – I am Canberra born and bred. I have an intense love for shoes, handbags, fashion and event management. I am currently finishing off my Diploma in Public Relations.

Previous jobs – Many many years in retail, a couple in real estate, currently at the ABS.

What is your favourite H for Handbag? – Way too hard to pick just one! I love anything with a light coloured lining, numerous pockets, that fits all my stuff and matches my outfit! H for Handbag ticks those boxes with almost all their bags.
(Clare says - Rhiannon is the new proud owner of Dolly -featured here)

Most interesting fact about yourself – I own approximately 200 pairs of shoes

How would your friends describe you in 3 words? – Fun, smart and generous (I asked them)

What is your favourite movie? – Breakfast at Tiffany’s

What would you do if you have a time machine? – use it ;)

Who is your favourite designer? – Clare of course ;)

(Nice one Rhiannon, love Clare x)

If you would like to book a H for Handbag party with Rhiannon contact Clare clare@hforhandbag.com

Meet the Accessory Specialist - Ellanor

Name – Ellanor

Star sign – Leo

A bit about you – I'm from Victoria and moved to Canberra in Sept 2011 from Melbourne. 

Previous job experience - I spent 5yrs with the Military and 1yr as an Australian Immigration Officer at the High Commission in Fiji, I'm also a qualified swimming teacher and a musical theatre sound and lighting engineer... I know, they don't seem like they go together, but why not ask me about it at your next party :)

Favourite H for Handbag?– My favourite handbag in the range is are the Willow Shoulder Bag because they are fun, practical, robust and hide a multitude of sins

Most interesting fact? – As much as I love the girly things in life, I also love to watch and play Ice Hockey!

How would your friends describe you in 3 words? - Fun, bubbly, organised

If you were an animal what kind of animal would you be? - Dolphin, I love the water... my mother always called me a water baby.

What is your favourite movie or song? - My all time favourite movie is Mary Poppins

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be? - To fix muffin tops on women all over the world :)

What would you do if you have a time machine? - I would tell myself not to worry so much as a teenager

If you would like to book a H for Handbag with Ellanor contact Clare clare@hforhandbag.com

Meet the Accessory Specialist - Betty

Name – Betty

Star sign – Aries

Other jobs? – I’ve worked for the Government (no, I’m not a secret agent J); and I’ve worked in Jupiters’ Casino on the Gold Coast and that was a lot of fun – yeah!)
 
Favourite H for Handbag style? At the moment it’s the Harper Satchel -  very versatile with pockets in all the right places for work, meetings, and it fits the IPAD!

How would your friends describe you in 3 words?  Kind, funny and loyal J

Last book you read?  I’m reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series (again!)

Favourite songs?  I’m an 80’s tragic... you know the ones – Duran Duran, INXS, Human League – the list goes on!

If you could be any character in fiction, who would you be? Lara Croft (ha ha)

What would you do if you have a time machine? Go back to the 80’s!

Do you have any pets? Gosh I’ve had every pet – The favourite was my childhood dog – a corgi! Then there were guinea pigs, rabbits, chooks, a cat or two and even gold fish and tropical fish (well, until the cat ate them L)

Who is your favourite designer?  Can’t afford them though!  Collette Dinnigan, Stella McCartney 

Anything extra? I also enjoy creating beaded and chain maille jewellery and mosaics, you might find me at the Gorman House Markets from time to time.

Betty also has a bag named after her... if you would like to have a bag named after you, contact Clare clare@hforhandbag.com to source you a style we dont currently stock and if you buy one we'll name the bag after you.

What type of Handbag are you?

Have you ever wondered what your wearable friend reveals about your personality?

Bowling bag – This lady is fun, flirty and modern. The bowling bags have popped up in fashion a few times during the 20^th Century starting with the 1950’s. This lady can be young and trendy, or more mature and sophisticated, either way they have a zest for life that is addictive. Using the bowling bag to project the ‘inner colour’ of their personality, these are ladies are spot on trend. Follow them if you dare!

Saddle Bag  - The saddle bag was originally... wait for it... a saddle bag – carrying your ‘everything’ whilst travelling by horseback. This is the bag for the woman that needs everything with her, but wants it to be secure. This accessory allows weight to be distributed more evenly using the long adjustable over the body straps and is  ideal for the woman who is ready to take on the world! Great for mums with toddlers, as your arms are free for grabbing and wiping. Some of the new styles are actually waterproof, great for those accidental spills– yucky!

Shoulder Bag - This bag usually has big top openings for easy access to your belongings. It is the bag of choice for those on the go women who are ready to get down to business! This lady should regularly empty her bag of irrelevant items or risk becoming a mini hoarder. Although aware of fashion trends, she sometimes plays it safe by opting for a black or dark colour to match into her existing wardrobe – this is her undeniable mistake, instead she should be using her handbag to show off her individuality and take a risk with the wonderful rich modern colours that are so popular within this seasons’ trends. She’ll get noticed and get the job done – two birds, one stone as they say!

Clutch - The clutch handbag is usually slim and elegant. Discretion is the keyword for this personality type. They are very resourceful ladies, how else could someone survive an evening with just a credit card and a lipstick? This lady is smart and sassy and knows how to look after herself. You wouldn’t want to meet one of these down a dark alleyway.

Designer Bag - The designer bag shows that you have money and not afraid of spending it! The woman who carries this bag can sometimes feel as if they can take on the persona of the designer, becoming a rock star or a fashion model! Your handbag should be an extension of your personality and not replace it. Remember to show yourself off in the best possible way by tapping into the trends, but by still being true to you. Don’t get swallowed up by the hype, create your own.

Why 'Party Plan' is the new black... and it is so definitely back!

I have just re-launched my handbag design business with a new direction... in your own home Party Plan. As soon as I mention the word 'Party Plan', I feel people around me cringe and suddenly switch off listening... images of stacks of Tupperware fill their heads and thoughts of being trapped in a room with someone giving them the 'hard sell' fills them with dread. I must admit I have been to parties just like that, waiting for a timely moment to slip out the door without being pinned to my chair and being lectured about joining the company as a demonstrator, with this incentive or that % of commission. BUT wait, things have certainly changed for this area of retailing especially in the last 2 years.

The Party Plan industry has been re-vamped. Showing that this type of direct sales opportunity is a growth market, with sales between $1bn - $2bn per year, in Australia alone. Proportionally these increases are rivalling those of retail and Internet sales. What has changed? Rather than buy from a faceless big company or a 2D screen, customers are now demanding more of a personal touch when buying their products. It is now being seen as a more convenient and better way of shopping.

Customers are feeling they want more for their money, better customer service and more personalised way of shopping. How more personalised can you get, if a company brings their products to your very own living room and surrounded by your friends you can touch, try out for size and shop in a very relaxed social way.

This is why I chose to go down the Party Plan direction with my business, because not only are the proportionate 'sales to time' ratio greater than I have ever achieved within my business, but it is also beneficial for my business to work at this personal level. I pride myself for actually listening to my customers hearing what features they desire in a handbag, what they like and don't like is very important to me. I don't want to be one of these companies that are so far removed from their clients that they leave them behind and become alienated from them. I like to work with the women who ultimately wear my bags. It keeps me real and down to earth and I design functional and desirable handbags because of it.

The reason why I believe my way of  the 'Party Plan' idea is working, is that I don't need to 'sell' my products at these parties. I display them and they sell themselves - they are such an individual product that the ladies are desperate to have a look at them once they arrive. I work around the party and alongside the hostess, answering any questions, explaining the features and benefits of each style and organising great fun games and prizes. Everyone leaves with something and even if I didn't get any sales I would be happy to have had the valuable customer contact to help me design new and even more desirable ranges. It's a win win situation.

So when someone invites you to a 'Party Plan' party make sure it's a H for Handbag party because we have brought it back with style! www.hforhandbag.com

Book review - The Finishing Touch by Imogen Lamport

I have had the great honour to review and blog the following e-book entitled “The Finishing Touch” by Imogen Lamport. This book is the essential guide to all accessories; Jewellery, belts, shoes, scarfs and my personal favourite... Handbags. 
 

A lot of people forget about accessories, but as Imogen puts it, they are “ The icing on your cake” and she is right. A very ordinary outfit can be transformed into something quite special, by the correct use of these essential items. Accessories can bring alive your outfit in so many ways and it is a perfect way to express your personality. Not all of us have the courage to wear bright bold colours in a entire outfit, but a cute pair of yellow earrings that match a pair of yellow ballet flats can give you that little bit of edge to get you noticed. In this book, Imogen says by grouping similar coloured accessories and changing them daily you could even look like you are wearing a different outfit everyday.

Accessories can be thought of as an non-essential items, but they can seriously make or break an outfit, Imogen shows you how to use them to the best effect and has some great little tips you could use for speedy dressing of a morning.

 Imogen helps you to decide what accessories to buy and whether they should be a cheap fashion spend or an invested classic. What size you should buy according to your bodyshape or what feature you would like to enhance and the all important how to store them. If you don’t know what you have you may as well not have it.  In the chapter ‘levels of refinement’, She talks about what fabrics go together and why. She touches on the fact that many modern day women are not wearing enough accessories in fear of getting it wrong this book helps you to trust your decisions with straight forward facts and images.

A lot of the tips and suggestions really are common sense, but written down in such a simple way, with diagrams to help, Imogen helps to establish the rules firmly in your mind so when choosing  glasses, a hair style or that killer handbag, you clearly know what shape or style to complement your face shape and body frame. I love the chapter of your ‘balance points’ helping you to divide your body up into points you should highlight with certain accessories. She has come across a lot of women who had the right accessories, but were not wearing them at the correct heights it’s sort of Feng shui of the body.

I would not suggest you reading this book all in one hit. There is far too much information to take on board, this book is ideally suited as a text book, as you can dip into it regularly to find tips and hints. An ideal coffee table book and a great addition to your book shelf.