A lot of people make things like the "Travel Wrench" or similar which are weapons designed to be very slightly disguised. They are also Naked Mole Rat ugly, "tactical" and nothing you'd want to be seen wearing. A few friends and I have decided to try something a little different - things that can easily be used as self defense tools with a bit of training but really and truly are attractive, practical accessories and articles of clothing. Some of them are leather goods - belts, bracelets and such. Some are metal. Some are plain. Some have stones. Some of them are buttons. And some are containers for other things. The whole idea is self defense for real people with real lives. It's kind of like my rant in craft circles about hemp. What you generally see is a poor grade of binder's twine passed off as "thread" and "yarn" or a loose weave canvas for pants and shirts. Shoddy. Ugly. The only thing good about it is the fiber. The real sin and shame is that so much more could be done with it. Right now it's at the prototyping and model making stage. If we're going to invest time and money in developing them it would be nice to find out what women actually like. The design team is a bit of a sausage fest except for my wife who has zero experience in American girly things As she puts it "I have a style. I have no patience for fashion." I'm making some prototypes, accessories for fashionable ladies and gentlemen for use in a cruel and dangerous world. The functional part is one matter. What people like is another. What do you guys prefer to wear? 1) Gemstones: Cabochon or faceted? 2) Leather (hatbands, bracelets, belts, etc.): flat, flat braided or round? 3) Decorative buttons: with stones (agate, jasper, etc.) or plain metal? 4) Leather (purses, bags): Dyed or antiqued? 5) Metals (as accents): brass, bronze, brushed metal or chromed? Should brass or bronze be antiqued or patinated or just left shiny? Thanks in advance, Todd
