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Fascinating Handbag Facts

November 6, 2018 by
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For women, handbags are more than just something where they can put their essential (and non-essential) items into. They are more than mere accessories. They are dependable companions and great friends who share all the days with them, either good or bad. Not to mention that handbags make the perfect partner for women whenever they want to make a strong (or subtle) fashion statement.

Here are some fascinating facts about handbags (that may make you obsess more over them!)

1) It was during the ancient Egyptian era where the first handbags were used. The evidence was recorded on 14th-century hieroglyphics. It was not uncommon for ancient Egyptian men to carry pouches (that resembled purses or handbags) which they would tie around their waists in order to carry tools and items in.

2) Do you know that Louis Vuitton burns all its unsold bags? This rumor appears to be true. If the bags are not sold, the company just burns them in order to prevent marking a lower price in them.

Why is that so? It seems that Louis Vuitton’s reputation and image as a luxury goods brand will suffer greatly from selling bags at discounted prices.

3) The developing technological advancements during the 17th century paved the way for the creation of bags made of various fabrics. The increase in train travel and the growing number of railroad constructions means that people needed a practical and spacious item that would carry and store their important belongings. And so the handbag was invented!

4) It is said that an average woman has six handbags.

5) 2 out of 10 luxury handbags that you see on the street are knockoffs. Many women fall into the trap of buying replica bags. You may not know the difference at first glance because they practically look the same. Those cheap knockoffs may look beautiful and stylish, but obviously have a poorer quality compared to genuine designer labels.

 

6) During the early 20th century, handbags were called “briefcases” as they were once considered as male accessories. Funny, because you cannot call a man’s briefcase as a “handbag” these days.

7) The first handbag with a zipper was introduced by Hermes in 1923. Before that, bags were typically closed by drawstrings, since they were a common accessory used to carry coins.

8) In the days of rationing during the World War II era, Gucci started to use canes as bag handles because leather was scarce. Nowadays though, this piece has become fashionable.

9) The Guinness Book of World Records awarded Mouawad for creating the most expensive handbag, in 2010. Called the “1001 Nights Diamond Purse” this heart-shaped purse is encrusted with not just 1,001, but 4,517 diamonds in colorless, yellow and pink. It costs a whopping $3.8 million!

10) If given the chance to splurge, 22% of women said they would choose a handbag, while only 9% would spend on shoes.

Some of the most popular and enduring handbags in history (like the Hermes Kelly Bag) are listed here on this fascinating article, Top 7 Handbags for Women in 2018

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Affordable Handbags That Look Expensive

November 6, 2018 by
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Many women are on the lookout for the latest and the coolest handbag styles that are hung over the arms of many fashion models on fashion magazines, billboards and websites. But most of these designer labels have a price tag that’s too steep for most average women to afford.

But we have heard someone who says “Luxury does not have to be expensive,” and that’s true. Fortunately, there are many incredibly affordable handbags that otherwise look quite fancy. Not surprisingly, most bags today also look definitely IG-worthy. You won’t regret snapping up any of these cheap but luxurious-looking handbags!

1) Zara’s crocodile-embossed handbag
The rough and embossed print of this Zara bag looks and feels like it is made from the crocodile hide, but it’s actually a mock crocodile “leather” that explains this bag’s affordable price tag. Nevertheless, it looks and feels luxurious.

2) Cult Gaia Ark Bag
The Cult Gaia Ark Bag became the most trending bag at the moment (and a big seller) when it was first launched. There may be three reasons why it has received such a huge hype: it is made of wood; it has a peculiar round basket-like appearance; and it is not so expensive, with prices ranging from $138 to $168. It is a fashionable and a surprisingly practical bag. And fear not, your contents will not fall off despite its apertures or gaps

3) Sophie Hulme Exclusive Nano Milner Crossbody Bag
If you have to pick a bag for night-out with your date or with your girlfriends, you may want to consider this elegant-looking crossbody bag. With its gold-colored brass strap, this bag looks like you bought it for a hundred-thousand dollars when it’s actually priced at mere $415.

4) Any elegant-looking pouch bag
Pouch bags are small, cute and pretty. They’re also an easy way to carry your smallest essentials. If you are the type who doesn’t like to carry too many things, this pouch bag is an ideal accessory for you. You can even find and purchase some luxurious looking bags on Etsy but in a small fraction of the pricey designer pouches.

5) Satchels
Satchels are very versatile, as they are both utilitarian and trendy at the same time. You might as well choose a satchel that has a faux cow, crocodile or snake leather but make sure that they do not look cheap and tacky.

6) Shoulder bags
Shoulder bags are small and have space enough to carry your essentials. They’re versatile, easy to carry and stylish at the same time. Check out these 12 Classic Mini Shoulder Bags that look so expensive but are actually easy on the wallet.

A few reminders on how to choose cheap bags that look expensive:

1) Don’t fall for knock-off versions of designer bags. You may look trying hard for making yourself to appear well-off and besides, buying fake and counterfeit designer goods may even get you into legal trouble. It’s always better to go for generic bags with a classic design and with no logo (or just a small and subtle logo) on them.

2) Choose faux leather and hard plastic over cloth (like cotton) and other fabrics. Bags that are made of cotton, nylon, or other types of clothing may never look expensive and luxurious. For the untrained eye, bags that are made of faux leather look really indistinguishable to the real ones especially if they’re embossed and textured (such as crocodile or snake leather).

3) Look for cheap bags that have heavier hardware. Cheaper bags usually have lighter hardware, which make them even flimsier. But there are other cheap bags that include gold-colored brass hardware such as chain straps that surprisingly feel heavy on the hand – this is the kind of bag that you’re looking for.

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Tips for Choosing a Practical but Stylish Handbags for Women

November 6, 2018 by
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Being practical doesn’t mean you have to give up on your style. It applies on everything – dress, shoes, hats, accessories and most of all, bags.

Bags are made to serve their purpose – to carry one’s belongings. At the same time though, they also represent a one’s personality and taste in fashion.

That’s why women’s handbags, in particular, usually serve the double purpose of the functional and of the aesthetic.

So here are the following points on how to pick the perfect handbag – not just as an “everyday” bag but also as a fashion accessory.

1) Comfort
Comfort is the number consideration when choosing a handbag. Make sure that it is easy to handle and comfortable to carry around. It all boils down into the make and the design of the bag. The sling or strap should not slip or fall easily from your shoulder, and it should tuck comfortably under your arm.

2) Pockets
It depends on a woman’s personal needs or preference on how many pockets or compartments she would like in a bag. Some women would be fine with a couple of main compartments. Others though, would prefer bags with multi-compartments, plus smaller pockets for their pens, make-up, smartphone and its accessories, car keys and other odds and ends. Some handbags are so spacious inside that they can hold a folded umbrella or a mineral water bottle.

3) Zippers
Security is also one thing that most women look for a good handbag. They want a bag that can be fully zipped or closed up to prevent the contents from peeking out or dropping. Especially in the case of bigger bags or totes, they should have a full zip closure to make sure that the contents are kept safely inside.

4) Weight
If there’s another thing that women look for in an ideal handbag, it should not be too light and flimsy, but it should not be too heavy, either.

While genuine leather handbags are durable and can withstand scratches (which make them a good investment), they otherwise tend to feel heavy, even when empty. A heavy bag can hurt the shoulders and back, and that’s not good. So before buying a bag, make sure first how light (or heavy) it is before you can put anything into it.

5) Versatility (in function and in looks)
There are bags that are made for specific purposes (such as an evening bag or a make-up). But the handbag is considered an all-around bag into which you can fit everything. Not just that, a handbag should look fashionable and chic too, no matter where you carry it – for the office, for catching-up coffee dates with your girlfriends, for getaways, for parties and many other occasions.

If ever you’re on an errand or a surprise meeting with a friend or loved one, you don’t have to stand too long in front of your closet and playing “eeny-meeny-miny-moe” while trying to decide which type of bag you are going to use.

With an excellent combination of functionality and style, the perfect bag you have chosen will be your all-around companion no matter where you go.

Functional handbags can look great and even unique in their own way. Check out this article “25 Functional, Fun, Unusual and Strange Handbags“

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I’m Starting A Juice Cleanse!

August 31, 2018 by
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I’ve had lots of fast food cravings for the past few months. I know they are not as healthy as we would want them to be. But I really just wanted a quick answer to my hunger during those days. And it is the to-go’s and Drive Thru’s of these restaurants that really made it easy to convince myself that it will fulfill my tummy’s cravings. I was also too lazy to cook even the simplest meals each day at that time.

What worried me more is the coming holidays. It’s so hard to resist all the food temptations and cravings. The whole month of December, each day of it would be a feast. Oh my!

Now having shared all these, I know my body is now taking its toll on me. I haven’t gained much weight though. But my entire system just felt so heavy most of the time. The feeling that there really is something wrong within my body and that something needs to be out of it. Now, it wants revenge from all those unhealthy fried and fast food I had. I am now feeling so unhealthy and I am so sick of it honestly. Definitely not a good feeling. And it is now that I’ve decided to clean it up. If you’ve also been feeling the same way as me or would just simply like to be healthier, join me on my journey to a healthier and happier Nina in the new year as I am starting a juice cleanse to kick start 2019 with a fruit or veggie blast.

This journey wouldn’t be easy though. A lot needs to be considered when going through a juice cleanse or fast. I know I have to prepare my body first prior to starting this new routine for a few weeks. I plan to have a list of the juices I will take for a week or two and the specific mixture. Cleansing doesn’t have to be a bitter experience, right? Having the right mix of sweetness and healthy fasting would surely make the journey fun and fulfilling at the same time.

I also need the right juicer to make life easy and ensure I am getting the best and healthiest juice possible.  I decided to look at the best juicers for vegetables because I definitely wanted to focus beyond just fruit juices.  I decided to go with the Aicok juicer – we will see how it goes when I start my cleanse!

I haven’t had enough fruits and vegetables in my previous meals or diet. And to start the year right, I am into this commitment to maintain a healthy body. As I begin this juice cleanse, I not only start to remove toxins from my body, it’s also a start to a better me.

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Time To Find My Soulmate

July 27, 2018 by
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I know I have been enjoying my life for the past few years just all by myself without the support and comfort of anyone. But recently, something has changed within me. I am not sure how and why but what I know and pretty sure as of now is that I am feeling sick. Not physically ill but is so sick of being alone without having a special someone to share my success and daily life experiences with.

So, beginning today, I am now on a journey of finding my soulmate. I am now out looking for the one truly meant for me. I know this is starting to not sound like me but trust me when I say that I know it would be worth it and of course I am more than willing to give it a try. Nothing to lose really, right?

Having decided to finally stop myself from isolation and be with someone worth my time and effort was not easy for sure. I tell you. I had to convince myself a hundred times and more. And now I’m up for it.

Let me share my journey with you. And please stay with me as I continue to explore deeper relationships.

Ever since I had this big leap of a decision, I’ve searched the net. Mr. Google and other search engines out there. Name it, I’ve tried it. And I mean a huge amount of time spent searching and typing the keywords and at last found a few related sites and blog articles that are worth checking of my purpose in finding my soulmate.

I know, this might be the not so intimate or personal way of finding the one but this is my best option at the moment since I am just starting to explore. Please give me a chance.

Okay, so I have searched and searched all over and stumbled on these sites suggesting of dating sites, dating apps and going on blind dates. Wow! And I say to myself, this is getting serious.

I wouldn’t lie, this had not been easy but I know this is the perfect time for it. I have registered to a few dating websites like EliteSingles, OkCupid, Zoosk and the like. These sites have helped me meet lots of different people and professionals in and outside my city. I also get to have dating and relationship advice at some point received in emails or at the site itself. A great start! I said to myself.

Aside from the dating sites, with the modern, evolving and innovating times, I am also trying the mobility that some dating apps offer. One of the most popular dating apps I’ve searched is Tinder. It is most probably the widely-used one as well as I can also see it being advertised in various social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and others. Registration is free, smooth and easy. After I have answered the personality tests, I am now ready to meet other people in Tinder. Just a simple swipe to the left or right and I can soon meet my soulmate hopefully. Another dating app I am using is the Zoosk app. In addition to their dating website, they also have this app perfect for on-the-go individuals like me. No need for chunky PCs or laptops. My soulmate could just be a mobile away.

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Why I Drink Coffee Everyday

April 3, 2018 by
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Oh?! Hello there, my fellow coffee addicts!

Well as many of us say, “A great morning starts with a cup of coffee.” And this is soooo true to myself.

I am a self-confessed coffee addict. I am simply incomplete without coffee. I would have two to three cups of coffee on a daily basis.

We have all heard of the different arguments each and every person has when it comes to drinking coffee. Lots of issues had been raised to the health impact, may it be beneficial or harmful, of drinking coffee especially for those heavy drinkers. With all these in mind, it seems like coffee is not just an energy booster for me. It can definitely do more than just waking me up in the morning with its aroma making me get up from my bed and awaken the sleepy me.

Okay, so let me just set everything straight. Yes, I drink and love coffee so much. And I believe and feel that it is impacting me more positively than the opposite.

I drink coffee everyday because as a writer, it is greatly important that ideas flow freely in my mind and for me to put it effectively into writing is by having my best cup of coffee by me. This certainly increases my productivity.

I also get to focus in all aspects of my daily life whenever I drink at least one to two cups of this aromatic liquid every single day. Focus is important for me as a lawyer as well so that I get to study and defend cases I handled efficiently.

And no doubt at all, since recent studies have proved as well, that my well-loved coffee has apparently awesome health benefits too. Just imagine the goodness of the healthy anti-oxidants that the coffee beans have. It even beats the green tea and cocoa with the level of anti-oxidants it offers. Coffee helps in keeping our cells from damage and some chronic diseases. Could you imagine?

Coffee is also healthy for our heart and liver. Studies show that there’s a lesser risk for heart and liver diseases for active coffee drinkers.

So whenever someone asks you why you drink coffee everyday, just raise your cup!

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Distracting myself with a ping pong table and bat

August 16, 2017 by
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I can’t be the only person in the world that struggles to stay focused for more than 15 minutes. Anyone else? Please?

If you are out there, hi. I’m also a very inconsistent person that needs constant distractions to get anything done. I don’t think this is an inherently bad thing, it’s just the way my mind works.

Has anyone else ever realized how certain activates can allow you to switch your mind off? I need those moments. From my last post you’ll know I’m working on becoming more present. My mind is often full of such mindless drone that it is impossible to switch off. My friend recently suggested ping pong as an outlet. I hadn’t played a game of ping pong since I was in college and to be honest, I sucked at it. But I needed an outlet. I found a bunch of ping pong tables on Game Room Mania that can be folded for a single player (as I’m unlikely to ever have a counterpart!) and off I went.

I’ve been playing on and off for days. Really, it not only allows my mind to silence but I’ve been moving around more than I ever have before and my mind has been less jumpy. I can finally concentrate on work and I find that answers I’ve been searching for are coming to my more fluidly.

I’m starting to realize that the very act of thought is actually counter productive, which The Power Of Now really highlighted to me. Rarely has the answer ever come to me with through thought. For example, when something is on the tip of my tongue, it’s incredibly rare that the answer ever comes to me just by actively thinking bout it. In fact, it usually comes when everyone has left the room and you’re no longer thinking or talking about the topic – go figure!

I’m going to explore this avenue more. Perhaps I need a creative outlet as well. I was reading more information on www.gameroommania.com and I found that they had a whole list of other items that might be helpful for me.

This might even help me to become a better lawyer ultimately and although it wont save the world, hopefully it will save my sanity.

I’d love to know if anyone else has a method they use to switch their mind off from the world in times of need. How do you silence your thoughts? Comment below!

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Learning how to be more thankful

June 19, 2017 by
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Last Thanksgiving I made a particularly strong effort to be pay attention to what I’m thankful for in my life and I found it to be such a great exercise that I’ve continued to practice this daily. It’s actually a form of personal meditation and I find that the more I realize I’m thankful for, the more thankful I become.

Believe it or not I’m not speaking ironically, those of you that know me outside of this blog and in the real world may be suggesting that I am speaking ironically but rest assured I’m being deadly serious. And no, it’s not because my latest case finished up recently and for the first time in years I have a few weeks to myself.

No. I’ve actually found a way to be thankful daily. What I’m realizing is that being thankful can involve so many things. I don’t only need to be thankful for the time I get to spend with my family or for the fact that I am live in a great country. I can actually be thankful for the very beauty of life.

I suppose many of you are wondering where this new found sense of self came from. To be honest, I was informed by a friend of the existence of someone called Eckhart Tolle who wrote the book The Power Of Now, and maybe some of you have heard of it. This man is German and previously was so depressed he wanted to kill himself until one day, it says in his book, that the extreme amount of suffering he experienced one night pushed him to consider the very self that he couldn’t bare to live with. Who was it, he asked. If he can’t live with himself then there must be something else that he isn’t living with when of course there is actually only one of us that exists.

This lead to his entire theory on the ego and it’s dominance on the human psych. I was immensely interested in his studies almost immediately due to my fascination in criminology and how the mind of  psychopath works. Perhaps these people are not just the existence of themselves but the very ego itself – the inability to feel any type of remorse. is this what someone who entirely lives through their ego is like? I mean, all the signs are there. They’re often accepting of of any type of criticism towards themselves. Maybe this is an example of the ego in it’s prime, and the very resistance of criticism is a way for the ego to prevent it’s own self destruction. This is too scary for me to think about because I know far too many people like this (and some quite personally, too).

Another book I was thoroughly interested in recently was The Celestine Prophesy. This book is an older but a goodie and until recently I hadn’t been able to pick up a copy of the book. I didn’t have the time. I also couldn’t gauge the right amount of interest to finish reading it. I finally accomplished this and I’m so glad I did. The story goes through a series of insights as discovered in a manuscript. The book then follows the main characters journey to Peru to discover the insights.

These books really found their way into my life in the right time. It’s funny actually that The Celestine Prophesy talks about coincidences – call me crazy but I have found this to be true. It’s just too coincidental that this book should fall into my hands the very time I need it most. Plus, I have someone in my life I was thinking about very recently. I couldn’t shake the thought of them and I had utterly no idea why they kept crossing my mind – I hadn’t seen this person in over 5 years. Who they are is not important. When I was on my way to the store I actually bumped into them without warning, even stranger they they said they’d been thinking of me recently too!

I don’t want to sound like I’m getting crazy on my readers – those of you that know me well enough will know that is simply not my style. However I do think it’s important to consider the beauty of our lives and just how we are living them. Is there a deeper meaning in things? Who knows. All I can do is be thankful for the moment. Be thankful for today, because as Eckhart Tolle says, this moment is the only thing we ever truly have.

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The saving grace of reaching a verdict

May 31, 2017 by
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You’ll all be well versed to many of my complaints about working in the legal profession by now. Besides for the obvious day to day politics there are other things that make whatever you’re doing a part of your life. When you’re involved in legal disputes, they become your life. There is no longer a night where you can go home and relax by the television. No. Relaxation no longer exists.

When you’re a lawyer your life becomes about the case you’re working on. This is at least my experience. It’s incredibly rare that a single second will go by where I don’t think about the case I am currently working on. I am sure there are many lawyers out there that can echo this and perhaps sympathize with me. And then, I am sure there are others that can’t even begin to understand this. To those I want to say – I envy you. Teach us your methods. Please. I beg of you. It’s ironic actually that the same people that are reporting about increasing suicides among lawyers are the ones leaving us so stressed. Our cases are often highly publicized in the media and even when they’re not, they become the focus of someones life for that time.

This does have one advantage however. When the case is finally over, when a verdict has finally been reached, I can breathe a collective sigh of relief with other members my legal party. When the case does run into conflicts, such as the jury being unable to reach a verdict or there being some unforeseen event, the stress again piles on. The only time I truly have a break from the stress is the short amount of time between when a verdict is reached for the current case I am working on, and the time before starting another one.

And then the next case hits me and it happens all over again. Sometimes the anxiety this creates is exhilarating. I feel like there really are people depending on my skills as a legal professional to save their lives. And then other times, this anxiety is overwhelming. It can be extremely difficult to concentrate on anything other than the case in front of me, and sometimes this also works against me. I guess this is a personal fault more than anything. I am an all or nothing kind of guy. I either want to invest 100% of my time into the case I’m working on or I want to be working on something else.

To be honest, if you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that I haven’t taken a proper break in years. I’m really tired. I am starting to become resentful of having to deal with other peoples problems when my own continue to exist, however I’m not exactly sure how to go about properly tackle this issue in my life. Do I reduce my 80 hour working week? This would be incredibly difficult to do when you work as your own boss. There really is no one else to pick up the work.

I will say that the case I’m currently working on is a pretty clear cut one. Obviously confidentiality applies, but I don’t have someone expecting miracles. This is refreshing in a profession that seems to believe the more money you spend, the better your case will be. Although this does ring true it’s also one of the things I dislike about the legal profession. People believe that the law is black and white but the very existence of our court system gives evidence to the contrary. Good lawyers know this and this is how they win.

I’d love to hear from others that are working in the legal field and fail to detach from their work when they’re at home. It may make me feel less alone. Although I’m succeeding in my professional life, sometimes I really do feel like I’m failing in my personal life. Conversely I would also like to hear from those of you that work as lawyers and yet are able to detach themselves from work and home. What is your secret? Is there a magic formula that I am somehow missing?

I’ll update everyone about how the current case I’m working on pans out when it’s okay to reveal more details. Until now I’ll look forward to the verdict. Hopefully then I’ll be relieved of some of this stress.

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Time needs to start moving at ludicrous speed and go

April 9, 2012 by
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I’ve set myself a goal this week of reading through some of the books I need to read for an upcoming case. There’s only 3 and I say only because this is considerably less than my regular That’s going through 3 very thick books of previous cases to find a precedent for my current case. To some people that may seem hard, but to me it really isn’t anything out of the ordinary.

I’m a busy person. It’s incredibly rare that I ever have any time to myself, besides for in between verdicts and some holidays, but I’ve got an even bigger problem. I over commit. This is such a big problem for me because once I’ve committed to doing something, I have to do it. It stays on my mind (although sometimes at the back bubbling away) until I actually find the time to get whatever it is done.

This leads to two other problems. The first is self neglect. Unfortunately I’m not looking after myself the best lately. The start of last year was excellent – I was regularly attending the gym, finding time to eat home cooked meals and even catching up with friends of a weekend. Now, I’m swapping breakfast for coffee, home cooked meals for granola bars and the gym for running from one court room to the next. It’s not healthy and the evidence of this is starting to show. I’m noticeably more tired lately and I haven’t been able to keep to personal commitments such as meeting friends for dinner.

And then there’s the second problem where people begin to see you as lazy and unreliable. I take a lot on and because it can take me time to fulfill commitments people often resort to thinking I am a lazy person, which couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m just busy. I’ve been implementing some strategies that have helped me to stop listening to people’s judgements however as it was really starting to effect me.

This month will be better. I plan to sleep in until 6am everyday (a luxury). I also want to get that haircut I’ve been putting off (not only because it’s time consuming, but it’s also expensive!). I also want to make it a personal goal to meet my friends for lunch at least once. You may even wonder how I find the time to write this blog. I don’t. I’m actually doing this while I am listening to an audio file of one of the books I need to read (you’ve gotta love technology). I guess I’m just a natural multi-tasker, or someone who is destined to be perpetually busy.