Tammy Blakesee designed clear handbags to meet NFL security requirements. Her Secure on Style bags have been given out to attendees at many awards ceremonies, including the Grammys and the Academy Awards.
A liner is placed at the bottom of a clear bag, and belongings are placed inside. After the wearer passes through security, the liner can be pulled up and snapped into place to prevent other people from seeing the contents of the bag. Blakesee’s website offers liners and removable straps in red, blue, green, yellow, and white. She is currently developing liners in cheetah print, black and white, and one inspired by Vera Bradley.
Blakesee came up with the idea for the clear handbags after she attended a pre-season Patriots game in 2013. According to the stadium’s policy, fans were only allowed to bring small clutch purses about the size of a hand, clear plastic or vinyl bags no larger than 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a one-gallon clear Ziploc-type bag. She did not have any bags that met those criteria and wound up carrying everything she needed in her jacket pockets. She was concerned because she saw people at the game carrying clear plastic bags with their identification exposed, which made them vulnerable to identity theft.
Blakesee was inspired by her experience to create the Secure on Style handbags that could be taken to places where security is a priority and would also give their wearers privacy. She created a prototype for the handbags and had 1,000 produced in China and shipped to her house.
In the past year, she has donated most of the bags to the Teen Choice Awards, the Emmys, BET Hip-Hop Awards, Karlos Dansby’s Super Bowl Party, and most recently the Grammys and Oscars. The bags were also featured on an episode of David Tutera’s CELEBrations.
Blakesee officially began selling her handbags last year. She hopes to see a return on her investment soon. She expects them to become popular once people realize the need for such a bag.
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