A handbag with a story: technology and personality of young Latvian businesswoman


Each of us has a few things that we carry with us every day and can't imagine our daily lives without. A mobile phone, a wallet, an umbrella, a notebook or a pair of sunglasses. Ieva Koha-Zeltina's handbag is characterised by technology and personality, find out what are the must-haves in her handbag?

A handbag with a story

"My handbag was bought in Italy, on the last trip my husband and I took together - a romantic trip to Rome. The leather goods shops in this country always catch my eye and, knowing this, Renard usually assumes that visiting them should be part of our itinerary," says Ieva Koha-Zeltiņa, sharing the story of her current handbag. 

Ieva believes it is important to choose a handbag that you like and is comfortable - regardless of the brand. The colour of the accessory, of course, enhances the overall style, which is why Ieva has recently been more and more interested in choosing bags in different colours. Practical tip - choose a handbag that has several carrying options - shorter strap, longer strap - so you can vary its use according to the circumstances. 

"This particular handbag caught my eye because of its olive green colour, its concise, geometric shape and its handy size - you can put everything you need in it and the different straps make it easy to carry - either in your hand or sling over your shoulder," says Ieva Koha-Zeltiņa, highlighting the practical side of her handbag.

Contents of Ieva Koha-Zeltiņa's handbag

Ieva's handbag almost always contains her phone. "The model and size of the mobile phone of the moment is the perfect size for any handbag - from a roomy everyday bag to a very small theatre bag. I really appreciate the size of my phone, because no matter how big my handbag is, there is almost never any room. My phone can be folded in half, freeing up space for other more important things, like my daughter Emma's toys," says Ieva with a laugh. 

My phone is indeed always in my handbag, I use it for my daily step and for work - the camera, the calendar and the apps that keep track of my health are my Top 3 things on my phone and they are always with me in my handbag. "The camera, which is very high quality and has so many options and angles, is one of the top things I use. 

Given that my schedule is quite tight, I appreciate being able to write everything down on my phone instead of carrying around a notepad. The calendar is easy to manage and can be used to manage all family and work. For some time now, I have been using the Samsung Health app, which, together with my wristwatch, keeps track of my activity, sleep quality, stress levels, food calories and water intake," says Ieva. 

She also carries a wallet and cards for payments, lipstick or lip gloss, house and car keys. Eve also usually thinks that hunger may strike unnoticed and takes a snack to treat herself or her daughter over coffee or on the way. "I usually have a headset with me so I can listen to music or podcasts, and I'm currently using the Galaxy Buds2 Pro - compact and pleasantly designed. I also take a vitamin or medicine box - a small and beautiful one I recently bought in a Viennese art museum shop, featuring a painting by Gustav Klimt. 

Perfume - in this case, a gift from a friend of hers of a dry Diptyque perfume in a beautiful package. Hair clips or hair elastics, as long hair requires a hairstyle adapted to the conditions. Especially now that I'm with my little boy, mums will know that it's much more comfortable with my hair up. My handbag is mostly quite practical, I don't carry sentimental and important things in my handbag, probably because I'm a bit scared and shy that something might get lost or fall out or into someone else's hands," shares Ieva Koha-Zeltiņa. 

"Obviously, I have a lot of things in my bag, especially now that I'm a mum of two. However, I try to keep my purse tidy, but to be honest, I don't manage to make it last," says Ieva. "Every now and then I clean it out and take out the unnecessary things that have fallen and accumulated in the course of everyday life - like receipts, tissues, Emma's toys."

Practicality and individuality above all

''Keeping up with fashion and technology trends is highly recommended, but it's very important for me not to lose my individuality and personality within these set guidelines that are constantly changing. I evaluate what's hot and choose what suits me, what I like and what makes my daily life easier. 

For example, whereas I used to carry a large shoulder bag and wear it all day long, I now choose only the essentials, put them in a smaller bag and take a cloth bag with me if I need to go shopping during the day. The same goes for my devices - I choose the ones that make it easier for me to do what I do - more convenient, lighter, more functional. For example, the Samsung Flip5 camera is a great replacement for a camera, computer and even TV," Ieva Koha-Zeltiņa urges us not to be afraid of the new, but to keep our personality.

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