TIME:
15-25 minutes (depending on how much personal baggage we're dealing with!)
YOU’LL NEED:
All handbags, clutches, wallets, overnight bags, backpacks, suitcases.
Scarves
Your REHOME, REPAIR and REFUSE bags
Your shopping list
ACTION:
Straight up, let's remove those handbags, clutches and wallets that are peeling, cracking, faded, discoloured, have broken straps, zips or catches or that you’ve not used in the last 2 years, checking all the compartments for any stray coins (or notes!) that dwell in there!
Have a look for scarves to tie onto the handles of handbags, to style them up.
Give your wallet and everyday handbag a good clearout and sort.
Thinking back to the belt hygiene situation, when was the last time you cleaned out your handbag and wiped it over with anti-bac wipes, especially if you’re one to put it on the floor at a café or restaurant? Hmmm. Let’s give them a clean.
Do an audit on your backpacks, overnight bags and suitcases – what do you really need? What hasn’t been used for over a year? Let any go any that have broken zips, tears, dodgy/irreparable wheels.
Add to your shopping list as you see fit.
STYLIST’S TIPS
Once again, a selection of bags – styles, sizes, colours, functions – is nice to have to complete an outfit.
Thinking about a handbag for everyday use, functionality is important, with style coming a very close second. Think about the colours you gravitate towards when buying clothes and work in, colour-wise. It might be a neutral such as black, navy or tan or maybe you have a bold colour that you have a lot of, say red. No longer does your handbag have to match your shoes, so this makes things a little easier and definitely more fun.
An animal print such as leopard is also a neat alternative to a plain colour bag, particular if you find yourself drawn to plain garments and colours and want to amp up the fun factor or experiment with patterns, rather than embrace them with your garments.
Think about the size of the bag you actually need and go for the smallest option possible. There’s no need to be adding bulk to our silhouettes, in the places we don’t really want to ie. waist, hips.
I'm quite fussy about the internal structure of my everyday handbag – I like it to have a couple of compartments and preferably not a black or dark interior. How many times have you not been able to locate something dark - like a ringing mobile phone - quickly when you needed to? Frustrating, huh?
My thoughtful mother-in-law, a few years ago, gifted me a handbag insert that has multiple compartments to organise everything in. I've loved it and highly recommend these for anyone who carries their life around in their bag.
Clutches are great to have in a couple of colours – black, nude, metallics and then your statement colours and patterns once you’ve covered the basics, as your budget permits.
Now, to your baggage! Back packs are ok for travelling, depending on the type of travelling you’re doing. I have a bit of a thing about looking like a tourist when I’m travelling! I feel it can potentially attract unwanted attention or potentially set me up to be taken advantage of or worse, a victim of crime. I personally prefer to opt for a tote bag as my carry-all, but one that clips or zips up to keep my belongings safe from pesky pick pockets. Utilise the safe in your hotel room, rather than carrying around excessive cash and valuables too.
Suitcases are a personal thing, but I'll always choose something that is lightweight to begin with and has a few interior pockets for organising things. Any compartments on the exterior need to be able to be secured with a lock as well (you know, so there’s less likelihood of being Shapelle’d!). While you’re there, remove any old travel tags, check your suitcases have your contact details on them (name and email address makes sense to me, as I may not have my mobile phone working while I’m overseas and I don’t like my address on there, as it’s pretty clear I’m not there and my unattended home could become a target for crafty crims). Am I just paranoid?
Do you currently have RFID blocking protection in your wallet or sleeves for your cards & passport? Might be worth considering too. Add it to your list, if you please – they can be purchased online through eBay or your travel goods retailers.
FOLLOW UP ACTION REQUIRED:
Act on those requiring removal.
Set aside the REHOME options.
Start seeking out the pieces you need to fill the gaps or replace items that needed to be replaced.
Pick up some RFID blocking sleeves.
Gold Coast, Brisbane & Northern New South Wales Stylist, Louise Chambers is available for personal styling, photo shoot & media styling, style workshops, fashion event MC bookings and media bookings.
Instagram: @stylechambers