Bags for all Occasions

We've all been there, we're going out and we have a lot to carry; so much in fact that there's not enough pockets in the world to cater for your three wallet, Blackerberry, iPod, notepad, stationary, train tickets, tissues, chewing gum and every other piece of junk you own. There's always a slightly scary sight of anyone over the age of 12 with a turtle back rucksack and (in my opinion) they should be banned except for mountain climbers and little kids. Women have a million options for handbags yet us men aren't too aware of all the options we have. For one, there's the drawstring (perfect for the gym), the messenger bag (perfect for a casual day out), the pouch (ok, slightly chavvy but we can dress it up), the holdall, the newsboy's bag and (dare I say it?) the bumbag!

Now, bags don't tend to go out of fashion very quickly, I mean, look at the messanger bag, it's been around for what seems like centuries: therefore I highly reccomend investing in the more expensive bags that will last centuries in your wardrobe.

My favourite style of bag is the messenger bag, it is worn with one strap over the shoulder and then drapped around the lower back. It is very contemporary and can be dressed up or down to make for a laptop carrier at work or a day out bag with the family. Ok, what type of journalist would I be for running an article on bags and not mentioning the renowned Louis Vuitton? One of my favourite messanger bags this Spring is in the LV collection. Entitled "Roman GM", this bag is heavenly, made from leather and detailing the Louis Vuitton label across the strap this bag is perfect for the more sophisticated man wanting to ooze confidence, at a wallet deepening price of £1,190 not everyone's gooing to want to buy it, but after many hours searching the net and shopping in a million stores I genuinly can't find another similar bag that offers such quality. If you've found one, please do let me know! (Leave a comment, Twitter me, email me etc and I'll feature it and you!)

(Can be brought from: http://www.louisvuitton.com/web/flash/index.jsp;jsessionid=3QLBG3CQRTQ1KCRBXUDVAFYKEG4RAUPU?direct1=ebou&langue=en_GB&buy=1)

The next type of bag is appropriate for travelling, it's called "the holdall" and is pretty self explanatory. My favourite is available from Ted Baker for the small(er) sum of £55.


(http://www.tedbaker.com/gifts/men%27s/80238-micro_check_document_bag/detail.aspx)

This bag is definately for anyone of any style, the light grey tones really add a sense of Spring to any outfit and differ fro mthe usual blacks. Another bonus is that it definately doesn't appear to be a tacky holdall brought from a camping store. Top marks for Ted Baker for this bag!

Now, a bag for the students wanting to inject some colour into learning!


(http://www.tedbaker.com/accessories_+_shoes/men%27s/bags/80242-flight_bag/detail.aspx)

Drawing on the style from aircraft pilots this bag really screams "SUMMER!" to me. With the use of white and blue this bag really brightens up an outfit and can also draw the eye away from any disasters going on with a garment. Once again priced £55 it seems Ted Baker is the place to be for bag buying this season.

Similar styles (and prices) can be seen in FCUK and TopMan's collections:
http://www.frenchconnection.com/product/Man+Collections+Accessories+Bags/TBAA3/Airline+Pu+Shoulder+Bag.htm

http://www.topman.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=17551&storeId=12555&categoryId=172032&parent_category_rn=39002&productId=1480823&langId=-1

For any man going to the gym or doing any sort of sport, they're going to need a bag to carry equipment in. If a holdall is too big, we go to the "drawstring". Republic has some classic drawstring bags available for a small price. My favourite being this "gym sack bag" by Soul Cal for £5.99.


(http://www.republic.co.uk/Bags+Wallets/Soul-Cal-Gym-Sack-Bag/invt/78845)
What more can I say? Simple, practical, affordable. Get your credit card out and order it immediately!

Bizarrely it appears that male tote bags are becoming more and more popular, I'm not too keen on this idea (yet) but I suppose as more a more fashion houses bring them into their collections the idea might take off and be the next fashion must have (or an epic fail like male poncho's!)

(Check out TopMan's tote bag and let me know what you think:
http://www.topman.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=17551&storeId=12555&categoryId=172032&parent_category_rn=39002&productId=1619805&langId=-1)

I've had my fair share of disasters with bags in the past. Everything from snapping off my back and breaking, leather being scratched off within a week, buying overpriced bags then finding them in a half price sale the next week and overloading my bag to the point it looses it's shape. I don't want anyone to become a victim of any of these natural disasters, therefore I've included a list of rules.


Rule number one of bags: Bumbags need to be destroyed, they are not acceptable even if you are a tourist.

Rule numer two of bags: Never overload you bag, it'll loose it's shap and look bulky.

Rule number three of bags: Invest in a top of the range bag for long lasting and quality.

Rule number four of bags: Supermarket carrier bags are not acceptable. Sometimes designer shopping bags are. (Except JD Sports bags, come on, you're not a 13 year old chav plus they break easily.)

Rule number five: The colour of your bag should match the colour of your t shirt (if a jacket is worn) or the colour of your other accessories if not coat / jacket is worn.

Finally, rule number six: Think before buying. Is it a good price? Will it last? Can I fit everything I need to in it? Is it stylish? etc.

I hope you've enjoying my little "bags" artcile. Let me know what you think and share some of your bag disasters.

Wicked the Musical - 2009 to 2010 Cast Review

So, last Wednesday I had the opportunity to see the last Wednesday matinee of the 2009 / 2010 West End cast of "Wicked". Having already seen the show numerous times before I knew what I should be expected: the fun "Popular", the spectacle "Defying Gravity" and the twists and turns of the story.

Among the theatre world many people often look down upon the show, saying that it's not well written and has a sloppy score. I completely disagree with these, I think the show is fun, has great songs and has a storyline that anyone and everyone can relate to.

The first time I saw Wicked was all the way back in 2006 when it first opened with Idina Menzel as Elphaba, this time I saw Alexia Khadime as the green girl. I loved her portrayal as the Wicked Witch, however, I wasn't too keen on her singing all the way throughout. She had some great belting moments, but during the softer songs she sounded very nasal-y. However, her acting skills definately brought up her marks. I loved her sense of vulnerability during Act One, helping her to grow and definately giving "Defying Gravity" a meaning behind the lyrics. Her rebelious side in Act Two can clearly be seen from the development of events during Act One. (In fear of getting eaten alive by the Idina Meznel fangirls, I shall refrain from saying "Alexia was better than Idina").

Dianna Pilkington played the role of the ditzy Glinda. Her comic timing was to die for and her vocal skills were definately top notch. Her rendition of "Popular" had the audience in stitches, definately something hard to do on a Wednesday matinee. My personal highlight of her performance for me was her performance during the song "Dancing Through Life", seeing her less ditzy and more intelligent side as she schemes to make Elphaba look a fool and get rid of her "stalker" Boq. Not giving her a horrible side but more of an innocent character unaware of her horrible doings.

The rest of the leads and ensemble cast were absolutely perfect! It was clear to see that the cast enjoyed the performance. One day I hope to play a role in this show! Probably the most suprising part of the show? When the audience gave a standing ovation! A rarity for a Wednesday matinee audience.

The new cast - Rachel Tucker as Elphaba and Louise Dearman as Glinda - definately have something to live up to! I'm interested in seeing how their interpretations differ from the previous cast.