Bags of Blog

With Valentine’s Day just a week away, you may be wondering what thoughtful present your partner has carefully selected. If you, on the other hand, know that he is utterly useless when it comes to gift-giving and are trying to accept that he has inevitably bought you the fuzzy socks ‘you’ve always wanted’ then fret no further. Below are five of the best ways to hint subtly what you want as your valentines day gift, whether it is a diamond ring or a new leather bag.

 

1.  This trick involves patience. While on your computer, open up a tab with whatever you are aiming to receive and then go about your daily business, waiting for him to use the internet and voila! Job done, he will see what you have been looking at and even where he can buy it from, and almost definitely order it then and there! (TIP: this also works on tablets, laptops and phones, maybe even try them all! He’s bound to get it if he sees it every time he goes to Google.)

 

2.  A fool proof way to let him know what you want is to show him, without him knowing. Do this by planning your route to pass the shop (e.g. a jeweller’s) and as you go past it, glance in the window, long enough for him to see, but not long enough that you stop. He will hopefully look where you are looking, and buy you what you want! Sometimes a glance just isn’t enough, in these cases the only thing left to do is to cast aside all subtlety and full out stare, maybe point, and in desperate circumstances even say ‘that’s nice!’.

 

3.  Another great way to use the internet to get what you want is to post said item on social media. From tweeting the company to posting it on a friend’s Facebook wall, he will see that you’re interested in the brand/object, and hopefully get the idea! Another benefit of doing this is that even if he doesn't get the hint, maybe one of your friends/family might!

 

4.  You should also mention what you want around him as much as possible, just not directly at him. If you have friends over, go into the next room and loudly proclaim that ‘there is this one thing’ that you’d really like, or, even better, pretend to be on the phone and say something along the lines of ‘He’ll never guess that I want a new [insert ideal gift here]!’

 

5.  It’s the oldest trick in the book but it still works; leave a magazine or catalogue somewhere in his view with the item you desire circled in thick black pen – he won’t be able to miss it. Better yet, leave a few scattered around the house – if he doesn’t get this hint he certainly won’t get any of the others!

 

Hopefully these tricks will come in handy but remember, the most important thing is that he must think it was all his idea – as soon as he thinks you’re telling him what to get you, he may just decide that you’d love those fuzzy socks after all!

After hearing that the cast of tv show 24 were filming the new series in London my first thought was whether Jack Bauer (played by Kiefer Sutherland) was still carrying his super cool men’s satchel.  

 

After a quick search I found a brilliant photo of Sutherland falling to the ground having been “shot” with his tough bag breaking his fall. It’s great to see that four years have passed and he’s still using the same bag – surely evidence that satchels really are the bag to get if you want one that is hardwearing yet still manly and cool. And we all know that Jack Bauer really is one of the coolest as you can see in this article which was one of the first blogs I wrote about men's satchels on the screen almost a year ago.

 

[caption id="attachment_472" align="aligncenter" width="413"] Jacks Back - So Is His Satchel (Express Newspapers Photograph)[/caption]

 

Being a fan of the show I can’t wait for the new series to start, this time with Bauer now a fugitive, wanted by the CIA but still finding himself in the middle of the action. The most recent pictures of the set show an overturned taxi on fire and Sutherland and his co-star Mary Lynn Rajskub (playing Chloe O’Brian) hobbling away, covered in bloody makeup and bruises.

 

Hopefully this series will be just as exciting as the previous ones. It airs in the US on May 5^th and will come to the UK shortly afterwards on Sky 1.

 

Of course, if you want to get yourself a stylish and practical men's leather satchel, you know where to have a look.  If you need a little reminder, then this super secret link may help you remember!

We are now a whole month into 2014, and if your new year’s resolution was to improve an aspect of your health, you’re not alone; 7 million others had the same idea – from quitting smoking to cycling to work, everyone wants to get fit and healthy. With such a huge number of people tackling their wellbeing, it’s no wonder that not everyone manages to stick with it, but if your aim for this year was to go to the gym more, and you've found yourself struggling past the five week mark, don’t give up just yet, a stylish new leather gym bag may be just the extra bit or motivation you need. 

 

As us ladies know, there is nothing like the thrill of a new bag, so surely, with a new one in tow, (like one of our leather duffel gym bags, starting from £90) there’s no way you’ll dread your workout anymore! Instead you’ll want to show off the gorgeous leather to as many people as possible, while able to say that you have stuck to your resolution and that you are on your way to a healthier, happier and (most importantly) a more fashionable 2014!

Is it a suitcase?  Is it hand luggage? No, its Superbag!

 

I recently wrote an article about travelling with my Vida Vida Large Weekend Bag and although this is a beautiful and practical leather bag, its bigger brother is regarded as even more special according to the press.

 

The Extra Large Leather Weekend Bag has been mentioned in just about everything; from iD to Cosmopolitan, to The Times and The Telegraph – this bag is causing a real stir!

 

It is “the answer to carry-on luggage” according to BA Highlife magazine and Sarah Walters, writing for the fashion magazine Red, says the Vida Vida handmade, leather hold-all is “the right size…affordable and looks stylish”.

 

As well as this, our beautiful travel bag has been named as one of the “accessories that make a difference” by Vogue, an “essential” for your summer wardrobe by The Daily Mail and one writer’s “greatest discovery” after spending “decades endeavouring to discover a durable weekend/hand luggage affair of suitable aesthetics, with a Tardis-like capacity for feminalia without causing bankruptcy.”(Hannah Betts, The Telegraph)

 

As you can tell, this bag is making waves in the fashion world, and as a practical, beautiful and durable large weekend bag for less than £200, you can probably see why. So whether it’s a gift for a loved one, or a well-earned present to yourself, you know this bag will stay strong and stylish for years to come, whether it is used at weekends for trips to the countryside or as hand luggage on long haul flights – this really is the perfect travel companion!

 

Take a look at one today - The Extra Large Leather Weekend Bag - also known as "Superbag"!

 

I recently took a trip to Edinburgh for a one night stay by the incredible Edinburgh Zoo. Although the point of our trip was to see the pandas and they weren’t allowed out because of the pregnancy, I still had an amazing couple of days in the beautiful city. We visited the university and the city centre as well as going to the old castle and even the Scottish version of Oxford Street! And all this in less than two days – I was impressed at how we managed to fit everything in! Not only did we have to rush around and explore the area in a tiny amount of time, we also had to fit everything we were taking in hand luggage! 

Now as a woman, I can do a lot of things; I can multi-task and organize, but one thing I can never seem to do is pack lightly. It was only one night yet I still felt the need to bring three outfit changes with me along with different shoes and hair straighteners ‘just in case’ I needed them. It would have been a disaster – suitcase dragging behind us while we were looking at the Koalas at the zoo – but I needn't have worried, my Vida Vida Large Leather Travel Bag could fit everything in. and more! Somehow this satchel is larger on the inside than first appears and so I could fit in my endless outfit changes and unnecessary objects and still take everything into hand luggage. It was a miracle! Not only is it a tardis, this bag is absolutely gorgeous – with soft, suntanned leather and a design inspired by the beautiful satchels of the past. This really is a lovely and practical bag, which you will want to take everywhere with you!