My lovely friend, Kap, needed a good ‘work bag' and asked me to go on the hunt for her. It had to be practical but still stylish. And it couldn’t weigh too much because she needed to carry it all day long and fill it with a lot of stuff. She reminded me, "Every ounce counts!" Whether we are looking for a ‘work bag’ per se or just carrying a purse, ladies’ bags get heavy—wallets, eyeglass cases, personal items, phones, and seemingly everything but the kitchen sink ends up in there.
When selecting your everyday bag, think lightweight in terms of the fabric—nylon is great for work bags, everyday purses and backpacks. If you want a beautiful leather “It” bag, be aware of the weight of the hardware or leather itself. Some softer leathers are much lighter than their structured counterparts.
And then consider everything you’re throwing in there. What doesn’t need to be in there on a daily basis? I use colorful pouches to keep things organized and easy to find (the color of the pouches fends off the ‘dark abyss’ of a black purse—it’s just so frustrating rummaging around in there looking for my wallet!). These pouches are also great because you might need one of them on a certain day, but not the next. When I see clients, I carry a pouch containing thread, needles, fashion tape, jewelry pliers—but when I don’t, I leave that pouch at home. No need for the extra weight, even if it’s only a few ounces. Right, Kap? :)
Here are some everyday lightweight options for Spring 2018.
“Have you ever stood in front of a full closet and thought, “I have nothing to wear!” It may be true. Maria helped me clear out about three-quarters of my closet, eliminating outdated or ill-fitting items (and stashing a few beloved but no longer worn pieces in an “archive”) and showed me how to work with what remained. She didn’t try to make me conform to someone else’s idea of fashion and she worked with my own particular challenges (bad feet which demand not-so-attractive shoes). She took photos and sent me a reference document featuring outfits she built from my closet. She also recommended a few key purchases to round out my wardrobe. And because I loathe shopping, Maria also coached me to be patient as I searched for the right pieces that would both do the trick and be comfortable enough that I would actually wear them. It may seem like an indulgence to hire a stylist, but working with Maria has saved me a lot of aggravation, not to mention money that I would have wasted on clothing that would just take up space in my closet.”