Solar handbag lights up contents

The contents of a woman's handbag have long remained a mystery - often even to the owner - but a new design offers to shine a light on the problem. A solar-powered handbag designed by a student from Brunel University promises to make finding keys and other items at the bottom of a bag easier.

The handbag, dubbed Sun Trap, uses a solar cell attached to the outside of the bag to trap energy from sunlight. The energy is stored in an internal battery which lights up the lining. The lining is made from an electroluminescent material similar to that found in mobile phones and is lit up by the bag's zip which acts as a switch. The bag goes dark when the zip is closed or after 15 seconds if it is accidentally left open. Safe and useful. A secondary use of the portable battery is as an emergency charger for mobile phones and other wireless devices. Safety and usefulness were uppermost in Rosanna Kilfedder's mind when she came up with the design. The battery should not need conventional charging as it will be topped up every time the bag is outside, but it does have the facility to be charged from the mains as a back-up. s Kilfedder's bag design has already won a competition held at Brunel University aimed at finding a new generation of entrepreneurs. Brunel Enterprise Centre, an organisation set up to help students develop their ideas commercially, is helping her apply for a patent and eventually get the bag on the High Street.
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The Handbag Revolution

In 19th Century Victorian England the handbag came of age. They were made of all manner of materials and decorated to co-ordinate with the dresses of the day. They also began to appear in a variety of shapes and sizes, from the heavily embroidered carpet bag, as immortalised in the film Mary Poppins, to the more delicate woven silk clutch bag. They were decorated lavishly with embroidery, beads, ribbons, or anything really, and instructions for personalising them appeared in the magazines of the day.

The carpet bag was not only the standard luggage of nannies in the 19th Century, but was more likely to be identified with the carpetbaggers of the newly re-United States of America. The carpetbaggers were essentially opportunistic entrepreneurs who travelled light with a bag made from two pieces of carpet stitched together. They toured the country, particularly the South, in search of advantageous business or political opportunities, and became synonymous with ruthless, cutthroat tactics. By the turn of the 20th Century women could not leave home without their handbag to carry their essentials. The bags continued to be made in a range of fabrics including metal and latterly plastic, and became even more flamboyant in colour and design. In the 1920s and again in the 1950s the handbag became a true fashion statement.
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Budding Star Handbag Designers?

For some women, handbags are an obsession. And we may have learned of handbag household names of the future Wednesday night when the latest Independent Handbag Designer Awards were handed out in Manhattan. Twenty-five finalists were chosen, and their designs are in the window at the famous Henri Bendel's on Fifth Avenue. But only five were called the best. And Early Show viewers got a look at them Thursday when Emily Blumenthal, founder of The Independent Handbag, stopped by. The categories: Best Student-Made Handbag, Best Handmade Handbag, Best Green Handbag, Most Socially Responsible Handbag, Best Handbag Overall. You never know -- perhaps one or more will become classics! Blumenthal is herself an independent designer. She made it big after her "Yasmena" bag was featured in the fourth season of "Sex and the City." She wore her bag to the Early Show set.

WINNERS AT A GLANCE: Best Handbag in Overall Style and Design: Best Handmade Handbag: Designer makes bag him or herself, by hand or machine. Darren Wallace, Best Student-Made Handbag: Students who have successfully started their lines while still in school. Clara Yoo, Most Socially Responsible Handbag: Bags that meet certain ethical and moral standards with respect to production, employment and philanthropy, and have impacted the local culture of the country of manufacture. Best Green Handbag: Bags made FROM sustainable, recycled or organic materials.
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Fashion Handbag News!

Want to shop for trendy purses ? But don't know where to look for ? Come to The Accessory Shoppe. You don't have to look elesewhere. "Purses makes the outfit”. A fashionable purse can enhance the dignity of a women. It makes her more fashionable and hip. The Accessory Shoppe is a one stop shop for trendy products like handmade purses, fun purses and stylishly designed Fashion purses, trendy bangles. Handmade purses or fashion purses can make you feel exceptional and chic.To flaunt your own style choose the fashion purse of your choice. We have handmade purses for every occasion. We design purses with unique patterns, materials, fabrics, and trims to produce high fashion purses, beaded evening purses or every-day purses.

Your requirements and the current trend are kept in mind are kept in mind to make you feel comfortable while holding these handmade purses.handmade purses are available in a wide variety of designs, shapes, colors and patterns. For those of you who do not want to settle for anything less than the best we have authentic fashion purses. Our intricately designed fashion purses can complement any attire you wear – be it Casual or Modern.
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How To Use Your Handbag To Make A Fashion Statement

Since the early days woman have been using handbags as a fashion statement. From the early days to the present day the handbag is still a fashion icon, and over time the styles have changed but carrying a handbag still means class and fashion. With so many handbags each having its own personality it is impossible to every get bored. Some look very basic and others very elegant and luxurious, some are made with luxurious materials and designs and others with simple but beautiful designs.

Fashion handbags come in different shapes and styles such as The HOBO, Satchel, and Tote bag. With all these shapes and sizes you are sure to find the one that suits you best, whether it be a celebrity fashion handbag or a tote bag. Fashion bags come in a variety of sizes so you are able to put what you need in your bag or even just carry it around for that great new look. When searching for a fashion handbag you must ask yourself what you want this bag to do for you, and how much are you willing to spend? If you don't want to leave the comfort of your home then you can always find great handbags online. With this variety of handbag retailers online you are sure to find what you like.