Handbag tales

I stand in the department store's accessories section, and wonder at the array of handbags up for sale. They are laid out in great variety, ranging from unassuming clutch purses to flashy designer handbags. They are in several shades - made of felt, cloth, leather - and decorated with different embellishments. Yet, most of them don't fit my needs.

I wonder whom the bag makers are targeting - women to whom the style of the exterior matters, while the interior can pretty much be the same? I see that bag after bag has just two compartments, a larger one for make-up, papers and such; and a smaller one for money. A few bags have a third, and smallest compartment - for coins, perhaps. Why should there be only two, or at most three compartments? What is the point of this many bags, if only the exterior looks different?

Perhaps the bags are made for women who would use them merely as an accessory to match their dress? Or, it could be that the handbag designers haven't caught up with the modern day working woman...

A handbag to me is not a style statement. Its a snapshot of my lifestyle, in a sense. I do not have the time - or the patience - to match my handbag with my dress and nailcolor everyday. I wonder how many working mothers would have the patience to get up each morning, and repack their driver's license, credit cards, store cards, library cards, insurance cards, bits-and-pieces, hand sanitizer, child-size band-aids, contact lens liquid, and mints - into a different color-coordinated handbag each day and still manage to not miss anything.

And I wonder how many women will feel that they have to settle for a bag that falls far short of their expectations. Perhaps some women will buy a wallet in addition, and place it inside the bag.

At any rate, handbag shopping leaves me in disbelief at how little thought has gone into the design of most women's handbags. Perhaps the designers are mostly men, with no clue as to what a woman may need, or want? Here's what this particular woman wants, and she suspects many other women may want too:

1. A bag in black, brown, navy, off-white or even a cool metallic shade - basically, one color that matches all clothes.

2. In addition to the standard 2 or 3 compartments, a pouch for a cellphone - in an easy-to-reach place.

3. A pouch for keys, badges and such.

4. A separate area to stack ID cards, drivers license, credit cards, insurance cards - you name it.

5. Another area for coupons, and receipts.

6. A smaller place for an ipod, perhaps.

7. A sturdy strap, to bear all the weight we carry. Working mothers carry an awful lot of things - and we don't want a leather-strap-stitched-to-the-base-by-thread kind of deal. That kind of strap is pretty much useless, as it comes off the base in a few months. For better durability, the strap should be attached to the base with steel rings. The steel bears the weight much better, and transfers it to the base more easily.

Now that is a handbag that I can live with.

After searching in a few stores, finally there is one that fits my needs. But the bag comes in two rather insipid-looking colors: mustard brown, and grey. I settle for one, glad that the search is over, but as I leave the store, I can't help wishing that the handbag were more sexy-looking.

Come on, designers!! Women have evolved over the decades and are balancing multiple roles. Still the humble handbag hasn't evolved at all. The sexy-looking handbag has a dull interior. The dull-looking handbag (found after a LONG search) has all the features I want. Why should handbag selection be almost as difficult as mate selection? :-J Can't I have a handbag with beauty, brains and a generous heart in one place? :-)

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P.S: Valentine's Day shoppers - if you're going to gift a bag to your lady love, do consider the above points while shopping for one. Your lady will be pleased at your thoughtfulness. You can come back and thank me :-)