Admission!

OK, I've gone back to Prada.
XX.

DCS: Tried and Tested

Following my flirtation with the idea of hiring the dinky Dior Cannage Small, I decided I couldn't bear to put it straight back on the shelf, so, all in the name of customer satisfaction, I've been using it and enjoying in all its shiny glory. And yes, I have LOVED it. Which surprised me as it is, after all, the Dior Cannage SMALL and the world and his wife knows I carry an awful lot of stuff about with me.....

....So, I was able to fit in all the usual chaotic items (listed many times here!) and a wodge of paperwork I'm ploughing through. Plus a telescopic umbrella. And a can of fizz. Now, I'm not saying I could close it up beautifully like it's so cleverly designed to do, but that's the beauty of a drawstring and frankly I was so happy swishing it about with that lovely dangly D, I couldn't have cared less.

All in all, I think it's a bit of a tardis, or T.A.R.D.I.S. as Dr Who fans will no doubt correct me, thanks Samantha, and a stunning one at that. I loved having a long shoulder strap for a change, so many bags are designed to sit snugly under the arm, aren't they?

Ah well, enjoy.... And do you realise it's a month until Christmas? Gulp, so much to do....!

BTW, if you buy a 6 month Handbag Hire HQ Gift Certificate and (inline with our current Special Christmas Offer) we double it up to a 12 month one - drop me a line at jo@handbaghirehq.co.uk quoting BLOG and I'll add on Christmas 2010 to the membership too, so it'll be for a whopping 13 months membership!

I'm off to browse for baubles.....

Love,

Jo. XX.

Neat little Gucci

I've done another trial. It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it.....

The Stripe Shoulder bag by Gucci has never really jumped out at me. I always thought it was too small for me - regular readers will know I'm a Big Bag Fan, as in I go for whoppers that can carry all the minutae of my insane life, not just that I'm "stocky". Not going to admit either way on that one, anyway. Ah, Sturdy Girl.

So, the neat little Stripe Shoulder. I used it to go to a 10th Wedding Anniversary/38th Birthday Party on Saturday night and it ticked all the boxes. First of all, I was the designated driver that night and I wanted something that could languish discreetly in the footwell, despite a huge pair of husband-feet vying for space - tick, not a problem. Next, I was in moody/chic black with over-the-knees, so I needed a bag that showed up but wasn't cutesy - tick, just the job. Third, I wasn't sure who would be there and who wouldn't, so I was after something designer but not OTT - again, tickety tick. But Then the Big Test, what could I get in such a little bag? Well, I was surprised. A bit like the LV Papillon and the Gucci Joy Boston, the structured shape of this bag allowed for extra space, so I was able to squeeze in the following (note: no kitchen sink. Now, that would be silly....): eyeliner (to compliment black attire of course), lipstick, car keys, my phone, his phone, my OTHER phone (long story), his wallet, my card, my cash, a brush. And a pen. Always have a pen. So rather a lot actually.

As the night descended into drinking games (with me as referee as I was DD, as above!) I was happy to have the Stripe Shoulder languishing on my chairback. It's pretty hardwaring and doesn't feel vulnerable to spillages at all.

So, I am won over. I used it as a day bag for the next couple of days; I even took it to my little boy's rugby training and it served me well. I'm back on a capacious Prada now, OK, I admit it, but if I was a more ordered person this would really suit me.

Actually, the Dior Cannage Small came home today, I might be transferring all my goodies over straight after this.....

Will let you know my thoughts,

Jo. XX.

THIS YEAR'S GIFT VOUCHER SPECIAL OFFER, I'M SOOOO EXCITED!!

Here is your official notification.... we are about to launch our Christmas Gift Voucher Promotion.

I am jubilant. The plan this year is to double the membership length, SO if you buy your nearest-and-dearest a six-month membership they will receive a fabulous twelve months instead!

The Gift Voucher will be sent in our exquisite packaging, all boxed up and ready to go. We can send it direct to the recipient or to you for your approval before handing it over. We will add your special message, so mull over 25 - 30 words that will bring a Christmas smile and just let us know at jo@handbaghirehq.co.uk

Remember, we can create a bespoke Gift Certificate for you - contact me directly at the above email address and I will sort it out. Easy as.

XX.

Balenciaga Giant Besace

Now, apart from the fact I have trouble pronouncing the name of this bag, it has been my weapon of choice for the last two weeks. I have been trying it out, all in the name of HHHQ of course, and I have to admit it is already way up there as one of my favourite day bags.

I adore the colour - it feels really grown up and much more chic than the shiny black patents I've been using lately. When we first got this bag, the leather was lovely, but not as kissably soft as other Balenciagas, maybe that should read "strokably.....". Anyway, the Besace's leather has now softened and aged and it feels just gorgeous.

The shoulder strap can be lengthened using the big gold buckle to make it fit across-the-body, though I tended to use it as a traditional shoulder bag. I could get loads in there and the bag itself is so light that I didn't suffer my usual ache-on-my-lhs from carting so much stuff about.

Overall, this was one of my best trials and I would wholeheartedly recommend the Balenciaga Giant Besace. A headturner, and a practical one at that!

Until next time,
Jo. XX.

Louis Vuitton Speedy 25

Yes, we have a new baby! A new Louis Vuitton Speedy 25 to add to the family. Our first one is out on loooong term hire and so we thought we'd get another in for more frequent ins and outs. It's booked on our Waiting List already, so if you want to join the most classic queue this side of Paris, email me at jo@handbaghirehq.co.uk

XX Jo.

Mulberry Cher

Now, I've been using the delightfully capacious Louis Vuitton Neverfull and I started off with just a few essentials in the bottom, revelling in the glory of such a light bag and oodles of spare space. Then life got in the way and all sorts of things ended up getting stuffed in there. Well, no more. That's it. I'm going Cold Turkey. The Neverfull is on her merry way to one of our members now, so I have to select a new one anyway - and I have decided on the Mulberry Cher.

The Cher is not a large bag by any means, small to medium in fact, so it really is time to get myself and my handbag innards sorted out. I'll be back to let you know how it went next time,
Until then,

XX Jo.

In Need of Inspiration....

Hello World,

We are looking to buy a new Louis for the site, any preferences? Please let me know which ones you would like to see on the site, either here or via jo@handbaghirehq.co.uk

Speedy? Or Galliera?
Monogram? Epi? Or Damier?
Or...?
You decide.
Thank you kindly! XX Jo.

At last I'm getting back to you.....

So. The Green Prada Messenger won. Which was perfect, except it was too windy and so no hot air balloons actually got off the ground. There was, however, a fair there and the Prada was perfect for strapping across myself for all the rides. And no, I didn't hold on. And yes, I did scream "if you wanna go faster"!

HEYELP!!

So, it's the weekend. And Mr HHHQ has gone away on a lads' weekend, so here I am in my usual Friday-evening haze of which bag to test-drive for the next two days. Hot air ballooning tomorrow, so which one of our delights would suit? I think it's between our newest Balenciaga, the City, or the roomy and butter-soft Cush, or do I go for gold and go for Gucci? But then I can't help wondering about going "hands free" and going for a Messenger. I'll let you know Sunday - and I'll let you know how we got on....

Read All About It!

I was just reading through our Testimonials, as one of our lovely members had kindly commented on our service following her hire. Thank you to all of you who take the time to tell us your thoughts - it really helps us and encourages us.
Enjoy reading our members' comments everyone!
XX Jo.

Two years old!

Happy Birthday to us, Happy Birthday to us, Happy Birthday dear HHHQ, Happy Birthday to us!!

Yes, we are now two years old. A huge thanks to all our lovely members. We hope you are loving our Collection and look forward to bringing you many more beautiful bags over the coming years.

Please raise a glass to Handbag Hire HQ and help us celebrate!

Love to all our members,
Jo and Handbag Hire HQ. XX.
www.handbaghirehq.co.uk
jo@handbaghirehq.co.uk

The Fabulous Five

Yes, featuring now.... our five new acquisitions are online and ready to hire. Check them out at New Arrivals!

Here's a quick once-over for each bag, but anything you'd like to know about them please check out their web pages on the site at http://www.handbaghirehq.co.uk/ or email me at jo@handbaghirehq.co.uk

Chloe Paddington Metallic
A lovely bronze beauty. I keep thinking I'm way over the whole Chloe Paddington thing, but then I see one in a new colour and there I go again. It's the way Chloe make them, such fabulous attention to detail and the thick leather is so user-friendly while remaining a design icon. The only thing is I suspect it will be out on hire rather a lot so I won't get to "test" it much! [Big sigh.]
Balenciaga City Classic
Now, we ummed about getting this, but our old red one was really loved by you, our dear members, so it seemed mad not to. This one hasn't got the long tassels but that makes it far more chic and a lot less likely to get caught in revolving doors etc! I do adore the soft aged leather and [like me??] will only improve with age, so I guess at the end of the day adding it to the Collection was the obvious thing to do.

Marc by Marc Jaobs Turnlock Clutch
Our first foray into the wonderful world of Marc by Marc Jacobs, but we have had a couple of requests for this, and also the Faridah. So, let's see how this one goes and we'll get you a Faridah very soon, just having a bit of a tricky time deciding which colour though - there are SO many to choose from, so do let us know if you have any preferences.

Guess Peace
Our Guess Collection is really popular at the moment and when we saw this lovely purple bag it jumped off the shelves at us. It's great to see a bit of colour - I know blacks and browns will always be popular but, by the very nature of hiring, going for something a bit different will bring some much-needed whimsy into our lives.

Marc Jacobs Blake
I have to admit I have added this to the site v e r y s l o w l y - purely so I get to spend some time with it! It's gorgeous this one, perfectly practical with its roomy pockets and yet fabulous to look at - a real head-turner.

Though when I started this post I was crazy about the Blake, now Chloe is calling me back like a Siren. Maybe I'll just get them all out of their dustbags for one last, lingering look before I pull myself together....

Enjoy them!
Love,
Jo. XX.

Time flies, bags come in and go out.....

.....and so the world of HHHQ keeps turning. Five new bags coming online shortly, we're just getting the photographs sorted. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to bear letting at least one of them out on hire - you'll need to wrench it from me!

XX Jo.
P.S. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Amanda from Style Bible on Dating the Enemy this week, did you catch it? A different handbag every shot I noted, that's the way to go....

She's up and running!

Thanks for your patience, World, our shiny new email system is now up and running. I've even got the hang of it, too! XX. Remember: enquiries@handbaghirehq.co.uk or jo@handbaghirehq.co.uk

Black Fendi Baguette and Silver Gucci Britt Hobo

Last Friday was Yummy Mummies Night Out and after much umming and aahing, the black leather Fendi Baguette was my arm candy for the evening. As the white wine flowed I was relieved to have selected a bag with a strap so I could have it casually linked through my arm and could relax knowing its shiny leather bottom was pretty resilient. I loved it, but then we ALL know I'm a huge fan of Fendi, so I guess it was a foregone conclusion. There was one downside though. Considering its small size, I was delighted how many essentials I could fit in, but I did my usual trick of doing without a purse/wallet and putting cash straight in the bag, with a bank card to go to an ATM in case of emergency/empty kitty. This is where I encountered a size issue: my card slipped easily into the inner flap pocket, but when I needed to remove it at the cashpoint it was really difficult to get out. In some ways this could be a good thing, I mean, I did actually take enough cash with me for a night out and so perhaps this was a warning that it was time to call it a night.....! It did come out after a bit of manipulation though, and a good night was had by all. Stinking headache the next day, but as I say, I can't really blame the Baguette for that one....

Review #2....

So, the Gucci Britt Hobo was returned this week by one of our members and as I opened the package I thought, "Mm, you're quite sweet, aren't you?" and I decided to give it a roadtest.

I haven't used a traditional shoulder bag for a long time and it took a bit of getting used to, after lots of totes and armpit-huggers.

For a start, it's a delightful light silver colour. It's incredibly hard to get the colour accurate in our pictures, but its the sort of pale silver that seems to have white in it somehow - it's the sort of colour I would imagine a cloud's silver lining to be!

Then there's the perfect Gucci craftsmanship. The zips glide smoothly and the inner lining is glorious stripes.

The downside? It's a size issue I'm afraid. I really do carry around far too much stuff for something so petite. I got just about everything I needed in there, but it bulged in an ugly way and it ruined the overall look.

So it's back to a large tote for the Bank Holiday weekend. I haven't decided yet, but I'll let you know next week, when I tell you how I got on with it.

Bye for now and have a lovely weekend,

Jo. XX.

P.S. We are having a little work done on our email system, it should be up and running very soon, but if you have any enquiries or problems please call us on 01522 869444 or 0788 213 5252.

Calling all bag ladies.....

We have donated a Lifetime Membership. It looks like a fabulous evening..... xx.

An update

Loved the Christening, well, the whole weekend. It was SO romantic. The Christening was at Warsash, near Southampton, which is where I met James way back in 1994. So it was lovely to go back, with our brood, to show them and to dine at the Rising Sun, looking out over the Solent.
The Christening itself was great, too, and they are such wonderful friends of ours.
Aah bliss.
Though I can hear you dozing off now, so I'll get onto the bit you actually care about.... I took the Gucci twins with me, the two Hysteria bags from our Collection. The big, softie that is the Gucci Hysteria was my day bag, and a good job too, as it housed about 5 phones, a camera, spare batteries for aforementioned camera as they last a nanosecond, enough patch-it-up make-up to carry me through, 3 DS lites, one set of silver engraved cufflinks (boxed and wrapped) and the card to go with them, one cardigan and a weird assortment of shells, collected from the foreshore and one of which still contained a cockle, though that was of course removed before it started to whiff! Anyway, in the evening, I traded her in for her little sister, the Hysteria Clutch, which again was much-admired and subject to plenty of admiring strokes from various other guests.
I do love the Hysteria Clutch as it's got plenty of room inside, yet to the outside world it's a clutch and therefore only for minimalistas. Also, it's one that I saw in the ad campaigns and just knew we had to have for the site.

Once we got home, I had a yearning for a piece of English countryside amd I opted for our new Mulberry Roxanne. This roomy A4 was fabulous, really hitting the spot for a day bag. Every single rivet has the Mulberry logo on, it really is delightfully made with so much attention to detail. I was just thinking I'll keep a hold of this one for a while and then an exciting enquiry put paid to my plans. Ah well, ees no problem, back to the drawing board.... Look out for Roxanne, but that's all I can say for now. XX.

Time to move on....

All good things must come to an end and now I think it's time to say goodbye to the beautiful shiny mushroom that is the Chloe Bay. We have had a glorious time together and the cavernous size is very easy to get used to, but now I am going to have a go at down-sizing. There's something about having plenty of room that just makes me feel I have to fill it up to the top, using every last mm of space....

Anyway, the Bay has turned lots of heads with its pure designer splendour. It is so obviously an expensive bag, the quality is blatant. I was in M&S last week and this lady just came over and touched it, not in a I'm-going-to-steal-your-bag-and-then-your-identity kind of a way (yes, I do still watch far too much TV) but in a OH-is-that-a-Chloe-Bay-I-just-have-to-have-a-closer-look kind of a way. There have also been a few men who have approached me, saying "I know I should recognise it, but what is that....?" Resisting the urge to tease them and actually being quietly impressed (hiding it well, of course), I answered "It's a Chloe...." which meant nothing to them, actually. One guy even rang a female colleague, obviously a bag fan, who confirmed that a Chloe is something worthy of swooning over.

So now, time for me to minimise. I'm not really sure so I'm going off for a browse. We're off to a Christening on Sunday, so I'm after something suitable for a journey and an occasion. Maybe a mid-size bag.

I'll let you know.....

Jo XX.

CBay

Still loving it. The keenly-eyed amongst you will see it's no longer a Featured Product. That's because I might find it a bit hard to give this one up....
XX.

Welcome back, Surralan....

Oh, I'm so delighted The Apprentice will be back with us soon. I'll be stuck in a hotel room on my own doing a heap of paperwork, so I will be able to watch without distraction.....

Anyway, how did I get on with the Louis Vuitton Batignolles? Well, for a weekend bag it was lovely. It's small-to-medium size, so I only transferred the essentials - all my weekday essentials just wouldn't have fitted. I do kind of enjoy minimising at the weekend, though, having a decluttered handbag helps me to feel somewhat liberated!

I admit to a twinge of delight when I was paying for fuel and lady, who had just filled up her shiny blue convertible CLK, me gave that look of "aah, Louis Vuitton....nice....." and I did enjoy the open-top style of the bag, allowing me to fling my purse back in and flounce out to the forecourt. Of course, this isn't very secure and so it's not the bag of choice for an Oliver Twist Area and I wouldn't use it on the tube. For that I'd go for the Speedy, especially with its natty little matching padlock.

So, now I've moved on. I'm "testing" the Chloe Bay now. I'm already pretty obsessed with it actually, it's incredibly practical and I've got SO much stuff in there! I love the fact that the patent leather is virtually bulletproof and the mushroom colour works fabulously with my favourite Spring jacket. The Bay is one of our Featured Products at the moment, which of course I have done on purpose to assuage my guilt. A guilty pleasure, "testing" these beauties!

BFN - ooh, that reminds me - is it the last Paris Hilton's BBF this week?! Can't believe Flick didn't make it to the final....
Love,
Jo. XX.

Tittle Tattle on Twitter

Not one to have any willpower when it comes to getting sucked into fads, and certainly not ones that a host of celebrities are also into, I've given in without a fight and signed up to Twitter. So do have a look if you are a Twit too! I'm in as JOatHHHQ. See you there!

Now, on to more serious business. It's Friday today and in my world, Friday has always been Funday, so time to select a bag for the weekend. At the moment it's a choice between the MJ Palais Gray (we all need a little Marc Jacobs in our lives), the fabulously frivolous and shiny Gucci Hysteria or a neatly chic Louis Vuitton. Ah decisions, decisions.

Let's face it, they all have their attributes, but as I type I'm edging towards the traditional elegance of the Batignolles. Though the Gucci did just smile at me, I swear.....

I'm off to transfer my handbag-innards before I change my mind. Have an amazing weekend everyone,
Love,
Jo. XX.

Our Shiny Dior

This weekend I've been um.... "trying out" our smaller Dior Cannage, the black vinyl version. It's totally user friendly - the long, thick leather strap is also the drawstring on the bag - such a simple idea and so chicly done.
I love a bag that you can open up and delve into - my life is hectic enough without having to spend ages digging about in the murky depths. The Cannage opens right up, so you get to see everything inside.... perfectly practical.
The dangly D is pure Dior and the aged silvery metalware compliments the black vinyl and matt leather.

So, that's a glowing report for the shiny one. I've been a bit of a handbag-harlot this week actually, bouncing around from one to the next. It has been half-term, so the Mini Mees and I have sampled the delights of various child-friendly haunts. A Fendi on Monday, Gucci Tuesday with a Fendi in the evening to celebrate James' birthday, Marc Jacobs on my shoulder on Weds, I went a bit racy on Thurs and went for the zebra-print Ri2K, then Friday the Small Cannage beckoned. You know, sometimes this job really sucks....

So, that's me and my update for now, except to say we've had a couple of notable bits of press: an interview and photo in Management Today and we were on page 3 of Saturday 21st February's Financial Times. No lewd jokes about FINALLY making it to page 3 purlease!!

James is also being interviewed about life with a Cougar! More on that later....

Bye everyone, happy browsing,
Love,
Jo. XX.

From Russia With Love.....

Aah, the snow. Beautiful but can be treachorous. What if I were to be trapped in my car?

Now, not one to let an opportunity to change bags go by, I have created my very own Snow Survival Kit by grabbing one of our gloriously Big Bags and loading it up with all my essentials. I even have one of those silver 'blankets' that people wrap themselves up in after doing a marathon. Worth popping in, just in case....

So which bag have I selected for such a vital role? Well, it just had to be one of our new arrivals, so I went for the Fendi B Mix. So far I have put loads in there and it hasn't started to bulge or complain at all. Fantastic. The zip opens to about halfway down each side, so I can have a good old dig about in there. Marvellous.

I can't wait for other Fendi-fans to stop me in the street - this one is so recogniseable - though probably not one that none-designer-bag-lovers will know. Aah, tis great to be In The Know.

Now I must go and look for some dextrose tablets to go in the bunker, sorry Snow Survival Kit, and then I'm hibernating....

Back soon,

Jo. XX.

P.S. DROP YOUR HINTS!! Don't forget our fantastic Valentine's Offer....

Can't let go?

I'm going through a bit of separation anxiety. I don't think I can put the Gucci Joy Boston back on the shelf and try out another bag. While I suspect you, dear reader, have very little simpathy for my predicament, I have to say now I know why members often email me to say they can't bear to let go.....

....now, if this happens to you, don't suffer in silence, just email me and ask for a price to Acquire - you might be surprised and we always take your most recently paid hire fee off the purchase price. Worth a try to ease the heartache.

Love,

Jo. XX.

New Year Joy

Ah, the joy of a brand New Year. All those plans and resolutions. All that Christmas fare to exercise off....

No, hang on a minute, that's not the sort of joy I'm thinking about right now, I'm talking about the lovely Gucci Joy Boston, aka my current squeeze.

Yes, I'm on another of my Bag Trials, or Feeble Excuses to allow me to love and use all the newbies....

The Gucci Joy Boston is an absolute delight. It sits upright and looks beautiful as it does so. I was, I have to admit, skeptical about the size of the bag, concerned that I wouldn't be able to get all my essentials into it, but in the same way as the Louis Vuitton Papillon the structure of the bag allows for an unexpected cavernous space. Well, relatively. I've managed to get in my wallet, coin purse (which let's face it, the only reason the two aren't combined into one traditional ladylike purse are because they are two more favourite labels, Jaeger and Fendi and more is, well, more!), house keys, car keys, two phones (am I living a double life? I seem to have two of everything!), repair-work-make-up, my diary, two pens, a couple of post office receipts and the usual box of Ibuprofen. And there's still plenty of room, which was until about 5 minutes ago taken by enough sweets to buy me the time and peace to type this (BAD mother alert). So, I would say appearances can be deceptive.

I adore the Crystal GG canvas with the lovely dark gold leather trim. I don't know how I'm going to let this one go.... it's going to go with everything and I know it will be a talking point as it's blatant Gucci.

No doubt I'll be back soon with my thoughts on another of our New Arrivals, but in the meantime an extremely Happy New Year to everyone.

Bye for now,
Jo XX.