Ah, the beloved handbag. The most adored accessory in a girl’s closet. Bags are simply a vital extension of ourselves. Rooted in supreme functionality, you can count on the power of these essential accessories to carry your look on any given occasion. It’s hard, after all, to go wrong with a great bag.
Whether you love collecting handbags or just want to keep things minimal, we’ve narrowed things down to five bag styles that are completely essential and play a major role in making a style statement.
1. The Versatile Tote
Built to keep pace with the modern woman, a tote bag provides the perfect solution for work, travel, and shopping.
Why you need it: The classic tote is your gear when your day maps out a morning workout, a stop by the office, post-work drinks and perhaps grabbing a few things at the grocery store.
Wider and taller than your average handbag, the tote bags provides the answer to almost all your bag queries. Its practical for the working woman and perfect for mothers as well.
Perfect for a girl on the go, you can easily stash almost anything you need from your laptop, iPhone, tablet, makeup to an extra pair of shoes or an extra outfit, and other personal items.
Distinguishable by their relatively large designs, these elegant carry-all will accompany you through all fashion seasons all while generously complementing and elevating your fashion style.
How to wear it: You can easily pair your tote with a pair of fashionable jeans and a colored top for an everyday cool and casual look. A stylish tote bag will also double up your lady boss vibes when paired with ankle length work pants.
While we love the fun colors, we recommend going for neutral colors such as beige or taupe, especially if you’re going to use your tote throughout the entire season.
All in all, a tote bag provides the solution for the modern urbanite, who needs all their essentials on the go. It’s essential for every woman no matter her life stage.
2. The Hands-Free Cross-Body
They say if you ever think of trading your tote it should be for the convenient crossbody bag.
Crossbody bags have gained popularity in recent years, and we certainly see why. Considered a must-have for the modern woman, a crossbody bag is the perfect accessory for when you want to keep your hands free.
Why you need it: Combining form and function, this bag style is your take to a weekend stroll around town, a simple brunch, and a springtime afternoon staple.
Arguably the most low maintenance member of the bag family, the crossbody is a girl’s best friend. You can easily layer the bag over just any outfit to look sleek and cool.
Generally extremely casual, the crossbody bag offers a balance between the traditional handbag and clutches. We love the smaller design for adventurous days when you don’t need to carry a huge purse.
Other than being ridiculously practical, the crossbody bag has a superhero-esque, shape-lifting quality. The crossbody is also the perfect traveling companion since its light and easy to carry around.
We love a good crossbody. It offers a hands-free advantage all while comfortably distributing weight between the shoulder and back.
Also, other than being extremely convenient to carry, a crossbody will easily double as a clutch once you tuck of the shoulder strap.
How to wear it: Arriving in an array of colors, patterns, sizes, shapes, and design, you will find quite a few benefits connected to owning the crossbody bag.
If you really want to be on the trend, consider wearing your crossbody shortened to allow the top of the bag to hit about three inches below your armpit.
Alternatively, you can wear your crossbody a few inches lower to draw attention to the bag. Not only is this super convenient, since the bag is easily reachable, but has an overall fierce effect than a fringed bag swinging at your waist.
It’s the perfect call to attention and a solid confirmation that your crossbody is part of your outfit.
Overall, the crossbody fits all major requirements for a great bag; it’s easy to carry, super comfortable and attractive to think about!
3. The Grown-up Backpack
No matter what age you are, you should always have a backpack in your closet.
Why you need it: This is your go-to bag for those days you want to give your shoulder a break by evening out the weight proportionally.
A backpack is perhaps the most comforting bag in your closet. It will proudly go from home to the office to the gym and to a plane ride far away.
A nice designer backpack is a little bit of everything; useful, simple, fashionable, sophisticated, covetable and highly durable.
A style totem in spirit, a backpack will teach you what fashion-meets-function actually means.
With a more polished look than what you remember from your youth, a backpack is an awesome hold-everything off-duty style for days when you need more than your crossbody and don’t quite need your oversize tote.
Beyond perfection and a wardrobe essential, a backpack is perfect for your outings, short trips and styling up a boring outfit.
How to wear it: Appearing on all runways, the humble backpack is having a major moment, and there are lots of grown-up, very stylish backpacks that let you tote your belongings in comfort and style.
Cool and casual, a backpack is never the wrong move and will also double up as a top-handle handbag to enhance your style.
If you’re looking for a bag that combines convenience and practicality with style, look no further than a fabulous backpack for everyday use or traveling.
4. The Statement Clutch
Teeny tiny and oh-so-elegant, I’m not sure a woman can live without a clutch.
Why you need it: The simplest of all bags, a statement clutch is the appropriate bag for a glitzy evening out or a casual outing with friends.
Other than being the ideal companion for nights when you want to go out with your girlfriends, a statement clutch is perhaps the best way to pull out the proverbial freakum dress in your closet.
And even if a party is not your scene, the occasional black-tie event, evening wedding reception or your special date will require something with a little more oomph than your usual pulse. It is a must-have for formal events since a nice clutch is so much more elegant than a bag slung over your shoulder.
While its small in nature, a statement clutch is bound to elevate even the most casual outfit.
How to wear it: Clutches in all forms, can be used a statement piece that acts as a focal point of an outfit.
Since you only wear your statement clutch only now and then, it won’t tear or wear as quickly as your everyday bags, and you can easily keep it around for years.
As such, it’s best to go for a neutral color (think black or nude) to go with all your outfits.
Another rule for wearing your clutch is to avoid overstaffing it. The bulkier your clutch, the bulkier your overall look!
You don’t need to squeeze everything in there if it isn’t your phone, credit card, and some lip gloss.
5. The Weekender
A colorful and a chic weekend bag is a wardrobe essential, especially for the sudden and impromptu weekend plans.
Why you need it: The classic lightweight workhorse is just what you need to go from a cubicle to a Cabana (where you don’t have to check your email, your welcome).
The style of this awesome overnight bag is the perfect set up from your ordinary backpack or an oversized tote in terms of both carrying capacity and style.
Pretty much as the name implies, a weekender is meant for your overnight stay or your weekend trips, where you need a couple changes of clothes, your everyday essentials and not too much else.
The weekender is your substitute for wheeled travel luggage and does a great job of balancing an elegant look with functionality.
Carrying a weekender gives you a bit of class and a timeless look that is hard to achieve with your average luggage bag.
How to wear it: Big, roomy, with double top handles and an optional shoulder strap, wearing the weekender marks the start of any fabulous mini-break.
Other than carrying all your essential, it’s the key to completing your chic airport assembles and travel outfits.
With a sleek silhouette, a weekender is perfect for a train, car or small aircraft, where it’s a big NO NO to show up with your huge wheely case.
Also, if you’re looking to fly under the radar, the subtle and stylish black or navy is as classic as they come. However, if you’re worried about feeling boring a bold color makes for just the right amount of visual interest.
Did you like this post? Which bag style can’t you live without? Let us know in the comment section below!
About the Author: Naomy is a freelance fashion writer with a wide range of interests. She is in love with traveling, analog photography, a sci-fi fanatic and never stops exploring new aspects of life. She loves all things fashion, food and cappuccino served in cute cups. Follow her on Twitter at @NaomyBrian.
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