Here is a handbag fashion tip for all you ladies out there. When buying a handbag, make sure you do not buy a handbag that has its brand name written all over the bag. The last thing you want to be is a walking billboard for the company.

Bags that are acceptable:
- Jumbled letters that don’t quite reveal the brand name.
- Monogram prints that are repetitive that are depicted as a logo or symbol.
- Small signatures of the brand name on the handbag.
- Emblems or metal hardware with the logo on the bag as long as the logo is not dominating more than 30% of the bag itself.

It amazes me what the shoe maker / shoe repair shops can do with old tired leather. The image above is an old bag re-dyed a different color with all the hardware polished up. If your not willing to give up that bag thats been with you for ages, try restoring it via a shoe maker / shoe repair shop near you. Or if you are really daring people have done it themselves with leatherique. Leatherique is designed to be used in cars but i have seen similarly amazing results. Good luck to all the DIYers, im not touching this one with a 10 foot pole.

Yep, its just sexier when they match. Handbags and wallets always go together so why shouldn’t they match? Too often I see women with a gorgeous designer handbag only to have a terrible looking wallet. What is up with that? Come on just spend the extra money to get the wallet. It completes the look plus that way people won’t think yours is a fake! I can’t even tell you how many times I could spot a women trying to fake it. Tacky, just tacky, really.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone! Remember to wear green so that creep guy in accounting doesn’t have an excuse to pinch you. Or wear a green pin, that way if you want that cute guy in sales to have a reason to interact with you, you can take it off and hope he notices. Tricks of the trade baby! Whatever you do please don’t paint yourself green, this isn’t a football game and we still have to go to work! Have a good one everybody.

The trend for the coming Spring seems to be something small, something lightweight, something easy on the hands. Shoulder and cross-body bags have become such a big hit again, making a revival from the early 90’s trend. This coming season, go for something bold: bold color or bold pattern. Dress simple and carry a bright and bold bag to get yourself noticed.

Did you buy a bag that you thought was cute, only to find that everyone else and their grandma also thought the same thing? Well, fortunately there is still a few ways to keep it fresh without having to toss that bag into the closet.

• Buy a few great looking scarfs to accessorize your bag by hanging it off the handles or tying it into a bow.
• Charms / Keychains or similar bangles and dangles are a great way to differentiate your bag for the crowd.
• Studs, Gems, Spikes can be glued or mounted to key parts of your bag to accent the designs and make it look stunning.

This seems like a topic thats not often talked about but it should be. If your the type to carry pepper spray in your bag, wouldn’t you just not want to talk about it all the time? Well I sure think so, plus I wouldn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea so something like this is perfect. It is a lipstick sized concealed pepper spray / mace spray. It can temporarily disable an attacker with out giving people the wrong idea if someone happens to see inside your bag at the office. But the best part is you can leave this in the car too and not worry about it melting. =)

 I had one person ask me about scotch garding a handbag. And I just have one thing to say. PLEASE DO NOT SCOTCH GUARD YOUR HANDBAG! Scotch Guard is for carpets not for designer handbags. It will ruin your handbag, the waxy like substance may permanantly damage your handbag. Never use it on leather or vinyl, it will leave splotches that cannot be removed. If you really want to protect your bag for the daily grind try being a little more cautious with it. If an accident happens make sure to spot clean it with mild soap and water or get it dry cleaned professionally. For leather, use a reputable leather cleaner and preservative.

A great work bag not only fits all your work stuff, but can hold up to the daily grind. Wear and tear is my primary concern with work bags. They need to be made well and with good materials. For example this Maxwell Scott (I keep wanting to say Michael Scott from the Office) Ladies Leather Rivara Large Work Bag is made with Italian leather, and is large enough to put files in. But has little organization capabilities, and your probably more likely to use it more often if it did have it. So I would pass on something like this. Save your $250 and look for a bag that has some organization, i.e. cell phone pocket, side zip pockets or even outside pockets.

Which do you prefer? Matching or Contrasting outfit combinations? Seen here Eva Longoria in contrasting bag /dress /shoes combination. What do you think? Like it? Hate it? Why? She has a pair of green satin Rickard Shah shoes with a yellow Gustavo Cadile dress and I am not too sure about the clutch. But it definitely contrasts with the entire out fit. Stand out boldy and loud? or keep it classy and traditional?