A Woman's Handbag Speaks 1,000 Words

Womens handbags are a significant medium in society. On a micro level, they display a woman's personality and level of affluence. On a macro level, they illuminate characteristics of a womans overall lifestyle. Ultimately, branding plays an impeccable role in making their consumer feel trendy, sophisticated, or affluent.

Handbags can display a woman's personality. If one is carrying a trendy, non-affiliated brand named bag, they can be portrayed as strivers, or hipsters. However, if one carries a bag with a well known logo (LV, Prada, Dolce&Gabanna, Coach, etc.) they can be perceived as stodgy, solemn, or conservative. If the handbag has a rigid structure (briefcase, tote, business bag, etc.) one can assume the person is working in the corporate world or studying at a business school. Usually people in those environments have more structured handbags then women at liberal arts schools (carry laptops, heavy textbooks, etc). Handbags are liberal arts schools are hobos, satchels, or cross body bags. The shape in more moldable and less structured then a business school bag. Thus, women who carry rigid handbags can be perceived as intellectual, business minded individuals. In addition, women who carry loosely structured handbags can be perceived as care free,

These bags can illuminate a woman's level of affluence. If a woman is carrying an authentic Louis Vuitton monogramed bag, a current season monogrammed Prada clutch, or monogrammed Dolce& Gabanna structured bag, this shows she is affluent. Usually, women who carry "logoed" bags are seen as flashy and gaudy. Hence, the birth of a nondenominational bag. These bags are plain, simple, and market themselves as having good quality leather and infrastructure. Many international women carry non-logoed bags to show sophistication or class and not give into the world of tacky logos. Thus, this leads to an issue of fake vs. real bags. If there is no logo on it, one could assume it's from a local thrift store or Forever 21. The rise of fake purses ensue, and the medium is tainted with the question "Is that a real ?" and causes handbags to be a question, rather than a statement of wealth. Thoughts?

Branding in pivotal in defining the lifestyle of a consumer who carries their handbag. Brands drive consumer preferences and are a very important factor in defining their consumers lifestyle. For example, Louis Vuitton defines their customers lifestyle as exotic, well-traveled, durable, serious and chic. However, Coach defines their lifestyle through innovation, trendiness, and amiable. However, the overall branding world is being affected by regulation. We see this demonstrated in the Croteau & Hoynes reading last Wednesday. Although they do not directly mention "brands" in the reading, they discuss de-regulation/regulation, and state "Regulation whom to benefit whom?". This regulation directly correlates with brands being advertised to the public and censor consumers from brand preference or brand awareness (since the censorship would also deal with the advertisement on the radio, TV, etc).

I believe there can never be true regulation of the radio, TV or media. As demonstrated in these media blog postings, mediums are everywhere--which ultimately yields the formation of media. Thus, if the government tried to regulate any forms of media, they would have to regulate human life, interaction, and individual choice. Handbags are just a building block to this building, which will ultimately topple if the government keeps a philosophy of "Regulation whom to benefit whom" (pg. 82).