The World of Handbags

“Fashions fade, style is eternal” said Yves Saint Laurent What better way to add a dash of style to your outfit than carry the perfect handbag? Here is a list of the most popular forms of handbags carried by women around the world.
The shoulder strap bag
This is perhaps the most common type carried by women today. This type consists of a single or double strap that goes over the shoulders. This type comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. This bag is very versatile and goes with all casual and semi formal clothes. The oversized shoulder bag teamed with jeans adds a touch of class.

The “hand” bag These bags are meant to be carried rather than slung across the shoulder. They go best with Western semi formals and formals. They are not very popular with some women as holding on to the bag means one hand is always occupied. But its definitely one of the chicest of the lot! The satchel This bag has a long strap and is popularly worn slung across one shoulder. This is the ideal bag for students and also for picnics. This is my personal favorite when I am running errands. This bag goes well with western casuals.
A cousin of this bag I would is say is our good old mirror worked “jhola” bags that we get off the streets. While the satchel can be teamed with western wear, the mirror worked versions can be carried with Indian casual wear. The hobo bag The hobo bag is typically half moon shaped with a medium length shoulder strap. Most often these bags are made of soft material. This bag goes well with the “boho chic” kind of outfits. They can be teamed with casual pants or long skirts. They can also be carried with casual kurtas .
The clutch The clutch is a hand held purse literally meant to be “Clutched”. These are strictly for formal wear. It goes well with both Western and Indian formals. In my personal opinion I think this is what goes best with sarees.
The Tote Totes are over sized bags usually made of cloth or other soft material. These bags are perfect for traveling, running errands, grocery shopping etc. Carrying this bag while grocery shopping is not just a style statement but also an environment friendly option to reduce plastic! I love the tote bag because it is extremely useful when I have to carry clothes to the tailor or when I have to carry sarees for matching blouses.
Laptop Tote God bless the lovely person who invented this! This bag saves you the trouble of carrying a handbag and a laptop case to work. This bag is a tote made of leather or similar material. It has a separate case for your laptop and individual sections to put other personal belongings.
Beach bags Beach bags are colorful large bags usually made of cloth, straw or other such material. Some of the high end beach bags have a plastic lining inside which protects the bag from moisture. Beach bags are also ideal for other picnics and even the gym. The best beach bags are the colorful ones sold on the roadside. Tie a contrasting sash around it or the handle and you have got yourself a fashionable beach bag!
Do’s and Don’ts of Bags

• • Never mix prints. Printed bags are meant to be carried with solid colored outfits. Carrying a printed bag with a printed outfit will spoil the beauty of both.
• Some fashion gurus insist that shoes and bags must always match. While some fun adventurous insist otherwise. So who is right? While like all other fashion trends, there is no rule; ensuring your shoes and bag at least go with each other always makes a difference.
• Sometimes carrying a nice formal hand bag with jeans and a plain tee can look quite glam. However the vice versa of carrying a casual bag with a formal outfit is plain disaster!
• And this final tip is from personal experience. Be cautious while carrying a light colored handbag when wearing a naturally dyed outfit. Colors from your clothes can transfer to your bags and these are quite difficult to get rid off.

Maintain your bags!
Whether your bag is from Louis Vuitton’s limited edition or off the streets, maintaining your bags is important.

• The best way to store leather bags is to stuff them with newspaper (this is to ensure they don’t lose shape) and place them in cloth bags. Most bags come with these cloth pouches. If you don’t have one, stitch up an old duppatta to make a cover.
• All other types of bags are best stored inside a cupboard. Keeping them outside can attract dust and contributes to fading
• If you have a stain on your leather bag, try wiping it with a damp cloth. If this does not help there are special cleaning liquids available in the market. Using your regular clothes detergent is a strict no no.