Does anyone remember Handbag.com

[onedayinthefuture]

It was probably early to mid 2000s? It was an online women's magazine site but most people used the forums? It was such a busy place, much like mumsnet with a variety of discussions. I used to love the personalised avatars (which helped recognise posters straight away) and enjoyed whiling away the hours at work on there even making some friends. This was all before social media so was my go to. Not sure why it died a death, it went from being a thriving women's chat site to being completely dead and now long gone. I wonder if there are any old handbaggers on here? ;)

It's still on waybackmachine...don't know if you can get into the forums though

I remember Handbag, lots of support there through my IVF, it worked and my daughter is 14 now. Little did I know then I'd be blessed with another natural menopause baby now! I'd love to send a post from the future and update myself! 😆

@staruponawish

I remember Handbag, lots of support there through my IVF, it worked and my daughter is 14 now. Little did I know then I'd be blessed with another natural menopause baby now! I'd love to send a post from the future and update myself! 😆

Congratulations 😍

I'd forgotten about Handbag!!

I was on handbag for many years and remember whiling away much of my year as an intern on the boards. I remember you @Spidey66! I loved your avatar.

I followed nineseven, Lily, Ella77 and others over to The Mock Turtle when that started up. Then I got very busy in my job at the time and stopped visiting so much. One day I went back and found that a former housemate had stalked me on to TMT and was having a merry old time slagging me off to everyone! That was very creepy. I stopped posting after that and came over to MN where it's easier to stay anonymous.

@gamerchick

Vmax (I think it was her) who was in a relationship with a French Guy who REALLY liked BJ's, but absolutely refused to go down on her as it was 'disgusting'..

Wasn't that paris girl with the French bloke who thought woman should orgasm from giving a blow job and that there was something wrong with her because she didn't? I hope she dumped the twat.

You could be right @gamerchick - It could have been ParisGirl (Gal?) rather than VMax... But yeah, that was him... I always remember thinking 'WTF? How can you stay with someone so.... ignorant?' I also hope she dumped him as well.

So many usernames I remember along with Zayna (and her slipper) Poke-it, Kalkie, Adora, Blossie.....

I think the nice thing is, I do know quite a few in 'real life' and it's nice that the issues / stresses they had or spoke about on Handbag have either stopped, or they found what they were looking for, if that makes sense? E.g Baggers in really horrible and painful relationship break ups have gone on to get married / have children (which is what they said they wanted 10 years ago....) Others have taken totally different paths, but also seem really happy

Adora! She was treated horribly by her ex partner wasn’t she

Blossie.

From memory she spoke sense, she seemed like a wise owl.

I don’t recognise any of this drama! In about 2003 my workplace banned “chatrooms” as social media was called then, as it was considered a security risk. Clearly!

I remember the graphic and horrific post describing Adora's mother's death - it's always stayed with me. IIRC she met a lovely guy and was expecting (baby is probably at uni now!!).

John Gustafson! He had a regular beauty column didn’t he? He did makeovers at Dickins & Jones in Oxford Street, where he introduced me to Bobbi Brown make-up which had just launched a proper range, not just lipsticks. The blusher was Tawny and I still wear it sometimes.

It was so ahead of its time.

Im sure it was on handbag where a poster died as a result of her bulimia. One of her final posts has stuck with me.

The Pete Doherty/ Libertines fan passed away suddenly, I think illness. I can’t remember her name

It's annoying me that I can't remember her name, her sister posted to tell us. She loved to bake and was quite young. Really sad.

Was it katz?

@Paddingtonthebear

The Pete Doherty/ Libertines fan passed away suddenly, I think illness. I can’t remember her name

I know JAG was also a fan of Pete Doherty. I think JAG and tgge one that passed away used to go to gigs together.

Does anyone remember Krazy who moved to London from Grimsby? (Mainly for the gay scene which was somewhat lacking in Grim). He stayed in our spare room for about 18 months. (We did let him out from time to time). He's since moved back to Grim and we're still FB friends.

@TellingBone

Was it katz?

Yeah or something similar. Her name was Kathryn and she died 2014, it was sudden and unexpected. I still haven't took her off Facebook. Can't believe it's been that long.

The Pete Doherty girl was a long time ago, maybe 2009

I remember it so well! Like others I used to go on there while working in a dull office job and used to wonder how some of the women on the fashion pages could afford to buy so many clothes, I was also quite envious of their social lives! I remember cat who had a chronic illness (maybe crohn's disease or something like that), nazneen who was doing postgraduate studies in English literature, a lovely woman who self harmed as a result of previous trauma and had to give up being

Whoops! Message sent too quickly. The bagger had to give up being vegan due to her epilepsy medication. Another vegan was PurpleKaren who had very strong opinions on Israel (I never knew what they were but it was clearly a big deal. I also remember the blonde and Caramelx!

I was a regular on the Handbag Fashion boards and went to several meets, I’m still in touch with some posters now.

I did spend some time on Damsels too, but before DS was born so felt out of the loop on much of the parenting stuff.

I was a regular on the fashion board, I can't remember my name though. It was probably early/mid 00's. I remember lots of the names posted above, The Blonde seemed so cool! I used to chat lots to Queen of Pink, her outfit descriptions always featured lots of pink, she seemed lovely.

BTS forum was an eye opener for a young naive me

I remember Nazneen I think. She was British Bangladeshi and refused to wear a hijab which was becoming increasingly challenging for her. She also had a White British partner. This was around the time of 9/11 so very controversial. She was very intelligent and a real fashionista which was quite a dazzling combination.

Wow, so many names from the past!

I used to spend hours on the beauty board in 2002/3 when I had a very quiet job - for a while everyone was obsessed with Juicy Tubes! It was so trusting - all the buying and selling. I remember going to selfridges to buy a Bobbi Brown eyeliner for someone. I was never brave enough for the meets though.

@inchyra

I remember Nazneen I think. She was British Bangladeshi and refused to wear a hijab which was becoming increasingly challenging for her. She also had a White British partner. This was around the time of 9/11 so very controversial. She was very intelligent and a real fashionista which was quite a dazzling combination.

I’m Facebook friends with her now, she’s still as fab as ever.