Monday, April 19, 2010

completing your look with the right handbag...

i will never understand when a woman goes all out..to make the most perfect outfit...and stops at the handbag...as if it doesn't matter...this is almost as bad as stopping at the shoes..but i guess that could be a whole different post...

one of the surest ways to add distinction to a rather ordinary street ensemble is to carry an elegant handbag...but it is also the surest way to downgrade a lovely outfit...by carrying a shabby, cheap or wrong for the outfit handbag...

this practical accessory is so important that it merits a very thoughtful selection...and even a generous share of your clothes budget from time to time...

so what do i mean by this? for example...you walk into a wedding reception...and there she is...a beautifully dressed woman...gorgeous dress...elegant up-do...strappy sexy shoes...and she is carrying her "every-day" handbag...no no no no no! and yes...i've seen this more times than i care to mention...

another item of contention...would be the size of the handbag...yes...size does matter...in proportion to your body size...generally speaking...the size of a handbag should be in proportion with your own...it is just as comical...and needless to add...not very elegant...to see a tiny woman lugging about an enormous satchel...as it is to see a larger woman clutching a tiny purse to her ample bosom...

the larger a handbag...the less dressy it is...the most elegant form of evening bag is certainly a tiny clutch or fitted vanity case...which can practically fit in the palm of your hand...

elegance in handbags is synonymous with quality...and quality...alas...is very often synonymous with expensive...however...one well-made top-quality handbag will outlive three or four cheap ones...and is therefore often a profitable investment in the end...

so...know how to choose the right one for the right occasion and the right ensemble...while it is always shocking to see a sports bag with a dressy outfit...it is quite possible to add formality to a simple dark dress or suit by selecting a handbag that is somewhat dressier than the ensemble...

7 comments:

  1. Great advice. I loathe when people don't change their bags to their outfits! It kills an entire look!

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  2. thank you "style, she wrote" for your comments...you are so right...if someone is going to go to all the trouble of putting a look together...don't stop short of the accessories...

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  3. One can never have enough handbags! The only probelm is that I always forget something when transferring from one bag to another. But that could be because I'm am ALWAYS running late!

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  4. i read somewhere that 4 handbags is what one should strive for...i surpassed that =) between everyday handbags...to clutch purses...to vintage...how can one stop at 4?

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  5. Such an important post. The wrong handbag really does cheapen the whole look. On the other hand, a simple classic look can easily be made fresh and new with the right bag. Now I'm inspired to buy a new spring bag which I so desperately need.

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  6. I'm a handbag fanatic. I'm like a moth to a flame in any store with a handbag department. Unfortunately, I do have a taste for the expensive. You're so right, a handbag can make or break an outfit. I too have seen that woman at a wedding all dressed up with her everyday bag.

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  7. great comments ladies! and the thing to remember as well...is a great handbag can be that one thing that livens up an otherwise plain outfit...this is usually how i work my clutch purses in...a little bit of whimsy, or pop of color!

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