She's (almost) always on the list

Dateless Valentine's? Just Bag It!

Thu., Feb. 8, 2007 2:00 PM PST by Sydne Summer

Steve Granitz/WireImage.com

Is Feb. 14 shaping up to be another singles' night out? I say don't bother—it's doubtful you'd find true romance among all the lovey-dovey couples canoodling over their candlelit dinners anyway. Save your soul mate search for the other 364 days of the year and instead indulge in a pairing of a couple of my favorite obsessions: partying and handbags.

First, the bag part: Freddy & Ma allows you to create your ideal purse online by choosing from a variety of styles and patterns created by talented designers. Just ask Sienna Miller, who recently picked out a sophisticated clutch in leather, or Tori Spelling, who opted for a playful nautical print.

Now, on to the partying: Freddy & Ma also hosts purse bashes, allowing you and your friends to design custom handbags in the privacy of your own home! For her Sweet 16, pop singer JoJo had a festive girlie fete at which Freddy & Ma co-owner Amy Pigliacampo helped the singer and her guests create their dream bags. The girls combed through various fabric and leather swatches and hardware samples and then assembled their masterpieces on a computer. The B-day girl herself finally settled on a pink bowling bag—to match her pink cake, of course.

If you live near Los Angeles, San Francisco or anywhere in the New York area, you can have a party just like JoJo's. All you need are some pals (as few as 2 and up to 50), and Freddy & Ma will send a rep with all the necessary tools—reference purses, plenty of fabric samples and a computer.

If you're outside those areas, you can still get creative on your own by visiting freddyandma.com. Though you won't have the assistance of a company guru, you can still invite some friends, huddle around the computer in your jammies and gossip and gab over all the possibilities. Four weeks later, your creation is delivered straight to your door. And by that time, even if you haven't found the love of your life, at least you'll have the perfect arm candy—and it'll probably hang around a lot longer than a boyfriend, anyway.