Picking the Right Handbag Style for the Occasion

8Feb/12Off

Picking the Right Handbag Style for the Occasion

At its simplest, a handbag is just a pouch with handles Yet this portable pocket has developed into one of a woman's prime accessories. Exactly what designs and types are the ideal combo of form and function? Below we discuss some of the top must-have handbags.

Best Bag for The Workday: The Satchel

If we had to choose one bag style as the preeminent purse, it would be the satchel. The clean lines skew refined with traditional touches like belt-buckle trim, external flap and zipper pockets and short top handles lending all but the most wildly embellished versions a professional polish. Many satchels come in a medium body size, offering the ideal amount of room for your every day essentials without going overboard into gargantuan territory. Invest in a well-made leather satchel with minimum decoration in a go-with-everything color like black, luggage brown or camel. Choose multiple dedicated interior pockets for all of the handheld devices, and if possible choose a zip closure rather than a partially open magnetic tab closure for safety's sake. A Coach leather satchel is a good choice for an everyday bag. It is durable, affordable and fashionable.

Best Bag for The Weekend: The Tote

A large tote can be among the most versatile carry-alls you'll own. Press it into service for errands and it's a shopping bag, pack it for the coast and it's a seaside bag, use it for air travel carry-on, or fill it with baby diapers and infant toys and you're set for a jaunt to the park with the baby. Not merely utilitarian, they're hip, too—simply check out all the fashionable bright-hued and nautically striped versions from designers both bargain and couture. Totes come in luxe leather and cool straw, but the most durable, all-purpose composition is coated canvas as it's strong yet light-weight and easily washable. It's also essential that the handles be substantial and wide, as they'll be supporting hefty loads. Prada, Fendi, Chanel, Louis Vuitton Jimmy Choo and Miu Miu are popular top-of-the-line evening bags. However, a Coach tote handbag is more affordable and very popular as well

Best Relaxed and Casual Bag: The Hobo

The hobo spans seasons and trends and is the perfect purse for your "down times." A bit too slouchy for the office and typically not big enough to tote everything, it is, however, the perfect purse for just hanging out. Whether that's a boutique-hopping expedition with the girls, sampling brunch at the new café down the block or cheering on the kids at the softball match, the casual ease of a hobo can't be beat. And they sport surprising amounts of room inside that half-moon silhouette—classic hobos are made without frames, so you'll love just how much gear you can get in there. Woven leather varieties, especially in bright white, are currently super-hip. The Coach hobo handbag is a popular choice.

The Best Bag for After Dark: The Evening Bag

Slinging a big daytime purse over your shoulder once you're decked out in the very best evening wear is the equivalent of pairing athletic shoes with a ball gown. Each and every well-stocked wardrobe should have at least one beautiful little evening bag. The good news? There are never ending examples to choose from at every conceivable cost point. Mini-bags, small clutches, wristlets, baguettes and minaudieres—all of these are versions on an elegant theme. Anything in satin or silk, beaded or bejeweled, or shining with a metallic finish or patent gleam could get the glam job done. The most of-the-moment choice is a glimmering drawstring pouch that skews both 70s and 20s retro-sweet. Our timeless pick is a satin-sheathed flap clutch. Prada, Fendi, Chanel and Louis Vuitton are popular top-of-the-line evening bags.

The Hands Free, Worry Free, Trouble Free Bag: The Crossbody Bag

Technically, any purse with a shoulder strap long enough to sling across the torso can be a "crossbody," but what we're recommending is a new breed of bag made specifically to drape diagonally and hold as much as doable in a small space. Straps are long and slender but typically adjustable so the fit is truly personal. The bag can range from little (the smallest and sparkliest are good for dancing at the club) to messenger-bag-big. We're calling the crossbody an important for both its hands-free conveniencet (warning: you may in no way go back to short-top handles after experiencing this) and the appreciation of security it'll provide you with during long strolls on crowded city streets—crossbodies keep the handbag front and center and comfortably anchored to you. Coach crossbody bags are a popular choice.