I have given up trying to figure out what my wife is upto with her obsession of massive handbags. Big new ones appear each week at home. In the morning, a new one is selected for the day. It takes a while for complete ‘content transfer’. In the car, the phone in the handbag rings, and since the bag is almost the size of a cave, it takes forever to find the irritating ringing thingy in the tunnel – by which time the caller gives up and hangs up. Each new store we visit, she first heads to ‘women’s bags’
Why are women fascinated by big handbags? And why do they buy new ones ever so often?
- It’s primitive DNA gene:
I think women were the hoarders or safe keepers in the caves and that’s why clutching bushel like parcels is hard wired in their brains. The bag replicates that experience – it makes them feel that they are in possession of something very material and hence the comfort of the big wobbly cushiony thing near them.
- It is a baby-cradling fetish:
The bag is a surrogate baby. Cradling and holding it delivers the same effect. Stuffed with things women never use, the weight and proportion is almost that of a baby. It’s a good way to feel.
- It’s that industrious feeling:
In India, women in rural areas carry large water vessels on their heads. Or on their waist. It makes them industrious. Some toil with sickles in the paddy fields. Are handbags the avant garde tools of industriousness of the modern woman ?
- It feels like protection
These large handbags are perfect for swinging and protection. Think of carrying a soft manageable boulder hanging out with you. A swig or two can do the job. It’s a nice feel safe thing.
- None of the above – women are just richer than men.
The economics of the handbag business are mind boggling. Women buy them like clothes and its just plain simple economics – They have a better cash flow than us men.
I’ve given up reasoning and hope to get some answers. And watch out – the next handbag is going to become the trolley bag. I’m gonna get my car an overhead bin!
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Sarfaraz Hassan
Just like the shoes, a woman’s handbag and how she holds it can give a clue about her mood or personality.Author Kathy Eisman spent 2 years of research carrying out a handbag analysis. This culminated in 40 different personality types based on the style and contents of bags.Women who regularly lug oversized bags are practical and down-to-earth and prefer to keep things easily-at-hand.
Prachi Mishra
Haha!! Thats because you can’t carry your make-up essentials, pepper spray, water bottle, mobile phone, tablet , ATM cards, important papers, bills, change and may be something to eat in small bags 😉
NIKHIL CHANDRA
Hi Rodinhoods this is my first communication…
Thanks to these lovely women & their penchant for Bags of different sizes our Brand Alessia74 launched 15 months back is Cash flow positive & that too we are focussed on retailing online only 🙂
Im continually learning everyday & this business is absolutely amazing ….
Perzen Darukhanawalla
Alok,
In fact there is a whole sub-industry that capitalises on women’s penchant to change handbags every day – the handbag organiser brands such as Pouchee. This is a small pouch with various little pockets for the multiple things women carry so everyday when you change bags, you dont have to shift everything – simply remove the pouch from one handbag to the next and you are done.
Yes, I too am one of these strange creatures with a handbag fetish – agree it’s mostly the ‘industrious’ feeling and ‘protection’ for me. I feel quite lost without my big bag on my shoulder. The one day I left it at home I needed all the things that are normally there in my handbag!
Perzen Darukhanawalla
Prachi – don’t forget the keys, a notebook, 3 – 4 pens, some perfume, moisturiser, tissues, hand sanitiser, crocin and a small book to read in case you get stuck in traffic and are bored 😀