Which Type of Handbag is Right for You?

Many women who read this title may be ask “What do you mean? Every type of handbag is right for me! It depends on the situation!”

Of course, we all know that a lady cannot possibly have one handbag to satisfy her every outfit need. However, there are definite personality and lifestyle types that will necessitate one type of handbag or another as your most often ‘go-to’ bag.

If you are a lady who likes to lunch, you are not going to need much in the way of size for your go-to handbag. In fact, you will want to err on the small side rather than carrying around a large, obtrusive bag. This way, you can delicately set your bag at the tea table or even hang it on the back of your chair should it have a strap; but if you opt for too large a purse, these storage options are more difficult to pull off.

A large, obtrusive bag will either take up too much room at the table, or be too ‘clunky’ hanging from the back of your chair. If you prefer, you can choose a small to medium sized bag without straps, and a clutch will do nicely. Should you choose a clutch, make sure it is small. There is nothing worse than a clutch that resembles a box.

If you are a sportier type, you may want a handbag that can double as a backpack. A number of years ago, these were only popular on the very young (as in, seven year old girls trying to look cute and needing a place to put their crayons) or the college-aged bunch. Now, however, many of these bags have ‘graduated’ to a sleeker, stylish look.

They are no longer made of vinyl or plastic with cutesy art, or canvas and heavy, sturdy straps meant for hauling textbooks. You can now find these bags in small to medium sizes and in an array of colors and leathers and textures, with straps similar to those found on spaghetti dresses or even with chains and other fun hardware. They can be worn for a day of shopping or running errands, or even to a sporting event or other casual sporty affair for which you want to look the part. There is no longer an appropriate ‘age bracket’ for those donning these types of handbag, and they are truly accepted into the handbag arena as opposed to being “just a backpack”.

If you are a woman who really cannot run the risk of leaving something behind, a tote is probably best for you. Rather than carrying a slouch bag everywhere, which is not always the most attractive option for certain situations, a tote can be quite attractive yet you can carry so much in it at once. The worst option here is to carry a handbag that is far too small to accommodate all of your needs, yet you try and you end up over-stuffing it. This look is akin to wearing clothing that is too small; it is tasteless and tacky. Instead of wearing a purse that should contain only the bare essentials and instead has everything in it but the kitchen sink, carry a tote bag over the shoulder and you will save both your looks and your back! You can buy a lovely tote to match any season or occasion, in everything from leather to canvas to hand-woven twill. Make sure that with this handbag in particular, you buy a good quality bag since it will be required to hold a generous amount of ‘stuff’.

If you consider yourself someone who basically just needs to carry enough to get around, you are fortunate as you have the greatest number of handbag options. Most women will want to carry a cell phone, a limited number of cosmetics, a mirror, a wallet, perhaps some Tylenol, an eyeglass case or sunglass case, and a couple of other small personal items. So long as you limit the contents of your bag to these items, you can choose from a plethora of differently styled bags.