The word accessory originates from the Latin word “accedere” which means “to add”. But well-chosen business accessories are more than just an add-on to your clothes. Accessories tell a story, make the look complete and can even be sign for achievements and positions. With this blog article we want to help you on what to select and what better to avoid- making your routine in the morning easier.

Watch

Watch out for the right watch to wear. A watch is firstly made to show what time it is. Select a design which allows to really seeing the clock face and the hand.

The design follows secondly, or as designers call it “form follows function”. First of all a watch is a tool, secondly an accessory for the look.  Even if before the 20 century it most of the times have been women wearing watches around the wrist only for decorative purpose.

When selecting a watch you should buy a quality piece. Not only that this will be seen easily if it is a fake brand for example, but keep in mind as well that you will wear possibly the watch for many years. Select quality for good functioning and long lasting. Swiss watches are still the most known but you can find as well great watches made in Germany or France.

Select the colour according to your skin and the dominating jewellery colours you wear. You prefer gold, so go for it; you are rather the silver type, ok as well. Just try to match the watch.

Pay attention to the strap as well. Either a classical strap of leather or fake leather, or a metal strap- the importance should be quality and comfort. You will wear the watch each and every day, so assure you will be comfortable with it.

Last but not least select a size which suits your wrist. Over-sized watches will look imposing. Better to go for a watch which will be easy to read, though not too big.

Belt

Wearing a business pants or a dress on which you want to highlight your waistline, belts are a typical and as well functional accessory for business looks. You need belts in different shades and sizes depending of usage but what is important is the quality. Nothing worth than wearing a belt which looks used.

Select a belt which fits in colours to the outfit, means black pants which black belt. Blue pants with a blue belt- always match the colours when wearing pants as here the belt is only a practical accessory.

When wearing a dress to add a belt to highlight your waistline can be of interest. Here you can be more creative in terms of colours. Select colours which still match, but allow some shiny effects or some structure in the belt.

What is important for both cases: Big buckles are for cowboys. Select buckles which look classy but which are neither huge, nor shiny, nor in a special shape. Same as for watches form follows function- first of all select a good closure and not just design.

Scarf

In winter to keep you warm or during summer to add some colours, a scarf can be a very effective business accessory. Plus a scarf is super easy to add on an outfit but as well to take off in some seconds.

A scarf can be worn around the neck, over the shoulders, wider or shorter- this accessory is so versatile. Big or small, of linen, cotton or silk, a scarf is always a nice piece to complete your look. You are free to choose what you want just one basic rule: Your outfit is kept in colours without prints, take a printed and colourful scarf. But if you wear already a printed dress better select a scarf in one colour to harmonize. Always choose the opposite of your outfit to assure the look not being too busy.

Business bag

Not just for business but also during every other day, a woman needs a handbag. A business bag needs even more thoughts as it is also your mobile office. Select a bag in which you can carry all you need during the day.

The possibility to carry the bag in multiple ways is important to assure comfort. The bag will be heavy and you need to assure that the handbag will not be a burden.

In terms of colours you need a bag which fits your work outfits. Colours like black and marine blue are easy to match, but as well neutral colours as beige go well with everything. The bag can be a highlight of the look, but first of all is a practical piece. The handle, the metal pieces etc., all should be highest quality possible. This is where you can see if a bag will last over time. This is the reason why at Bag Affair all materials are made in Europe.

Jewellery

Jewellery is the only accessory with truly only adds to the look without any function. Here we are talking about necklace, rings, bracelets and earrings which are only there to fully complete the look.

Select colours according to your skin, means you are rather pale take warm gold colours instead of cold silver- and the other way around.

Always select according to your morphology. If you are a round O-shape take bigger jewellery, long necklaces and pieces which will be seen. If you are not very tall and slim do not overdo it and select rather smaller pieces.

Always keep in mind that jewellery is only there to complete the look, so do not select too much or too dominant pieces. In business too much bling-bling can be seen as imposing.

The basic rules to choose your business accessory

• Select quality

Quality always makes the difference and if you buy pieces which can last you will have more of it. Allow yourself to spend some money on it.

• Choose opposite to your morphology

When you are a tall lady, do not select tiny and small accessories. But if you are rather small do not go for an oversized bag or the big necklace.

• Match and associate colours

You can find more in our blog about business colours on how to select your outfits. Match the accessories to these colours.

• Form follows function

For many business accessories this rule is important. You need real tools as a watch, belt or a business bag and you should select according to this.

• Less is more

Too many accessories will make the look seem overloaded. Select well but to not overdo in what to wear.

With these guidelines you can easily choose the accessory you need for business. And most of the pieces you can use as well outside of the office. Just always keep in mind to select well and buy pieces you really like. Sustainability means not to buy too much but to have things to use over a long period. Make yourself some pleasure when shopping and buy less but quality.

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And to tell you: this is no surprise! Handbags have been initially made for men! We want to tell you the story of the origin of the handbags, made for men and how finally it became a woman’s accessory.

The first type of handbags

Handbags were historically speaking male accessories. Judas Iscariot for example was the first purse owner as written in the bible that he was wearing a bag with him. Same for priests in Africa, who carried time before women their belongings in beaded purses around. Looking at Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs you can see men with pouches as well.  

The first handbags carried by men and women have been pouches in the 13^th to 15^th century- these did complete the outfit and have been worn on the side of the belt or on the girdles. Through the middle age especially men did use small pouches to keep money and valuables together- you have for sure seen this in a movie or series. Smaller bags did imply class and style- if you have been in a high position it was enough for you to carry a small bag with you. When you went to travel or hunt, you did take shoulder bags or bigger formats- these implied hard work.

pockets instead of handbags

In the 16^th and 17^th century the dresses of women got wider, which allowed them to store belongings in the skirts and in inner pockets- most of the time not sewn to the dress, but as a separate bag, which you could take off. For men the pockets got bigger, which did lead them to store directly in these instead of a separate bag. With these bags which started to complete the outfits, women had no further need any more for men to carry a fan or another belonging for them and they started to appropriate handbags to themselves. Women did win liberty thanks to the bags around their wrist.

In 1790 the first handbag was born in Paris: a pocket to be carried in the hand with a string. The name was “reticules”, coming from the Latin word “reticulum”, meaning small net. But as French like to make fun of new things it was quickly called “ridicules” which means ridiculous.

Handbags to empower women

From 1805 on the women did reshape fashion, wearing underwear as outerwear and becoming more creative towards style- from this time on, handbags have been a must-have accessory for every woman, every day. The accessory was lost to men, who rather had what they need in their pockets. That time the ‘imperial weekly gazette’ wrote “while men have their hands in their pockets so grand, ladies have pockets to wear in their hand”.

From the 1860s on bags have been made of leather and not just linen and cotton, the formats got bigger and the first pieces of luggage to travel have been created. The term “handbag” comes from early 1900s’ and was referred to hand luggage for men.

towards the freedom of women

Nevertheless, was this the last step to full freedom for women- the bags now have been big enough and practical to carry all belongings and there was no need any more to ask you husband to put anything in his pockets for you.

So, why women today do carry handbags with them? Being just feminist, wanting to have the same as men? Did men get weak and are not capable of carrying their belongings anymore? (Let’s be honest we all already carried an item of our boyfriend or husband in our bag as he had none and it was more comfortable for him.) Is our handbag purely a fashion item and as one lady started, we all wanted one?

It looks like a full mix of it in the history of fashion- women looking for style, looking practical solutions and looking for independence through their handbag. And honestly: Who cares! We love to be women and we love our handbags. And while men mostly use bags for work we want to carry our handbags with us day and night. Handbags which are reflecting our personality, which are feminine and beautiful and though adapted to our busy lives.

Todays a woman owns in average 6 handbags and we think we deserve this little treat of independence, don’t you think so?

The history of business bags

Just one part of history need to be written: the story of business bags.

Looking back, you will see that already the bags made to go hunting in the middle age have been kind of working bags, for a different kind of business sure, but still to serve to accomplish something. Business bags are nothing else: bags to carry what is needed to exercise a profession. Most of them masculine as somehow the classical image of working persons are still men.

Handbags in the early 20s

But there have been some moves like in the early 20s when more and more girls started to work in the office as assistant or secretary. They needed and wanted a bag and first women business bags have been some square or envelope bags.

With World War II though came a different approach to the bags- they got bigger and more pragmatic. Women took over the jobs of men who went into war; the women rode bicycles and needed bags with free hands. The bags got broad, wider and often have been made of plastics or canvas. This has been the precursors of many styles of work bags still out there today.

Business Bags in the 80s

In the 80s another move for business bags for women: the need of a system. Bags have been accessories before, but now should carry all for a day at work, going for a drink up to sports. Donna Karen has been one of the first promoting the idea of satellite bags which had smaller bags in a bigger one. 1985 Prada did launch a nylon backpack, able to contain an office on the go (you like the design or not but the idea was born).

In the 90s the business ladies loved messenger styles and to put bags into bags have been a rule since for being able to organize the work days. Ferragano launched in 2001 for example a bag with a lower compartment can be zipped off where you could stock a spare pair of shoes.

But the story did not end here- ever since there have been some trials to launch business bags for women. They should be fashionable but practical and (at least in our opinion) this has never been perfectly accomplished. When Taiseer and Ronja started to search for a bag being practical, yet fashionable in 2015 they could not find what they have been looking for. Most bags have been too small to really fit a laptop, too masculine if they did or not advanced enough in design. This is when Bag Affair was born.

The future of handbags

Business bags which actually are practical and fashionable at the same time with minimalistic design but spacious inner parts with pockets and the possibility to organize all what is needed. Further as both founders had a more sustainable approach the bags got as well ethical: produced only of European materials, made from people who are known, where work conditions are transparent and where the work behind the work bags is done in best fashion.

We went a long way from handbags for men to business bags of today, which want to empower woman at the workplace – let’s not stop here.

Let’s all of us take handbags to a further lever- for men and women at the same time. For all of us the best manner, for every need and for every look – your purchase is a choice and shows what fashion is about!

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