The Ultimate Shoulder Bag Guide

By: A. Covington
Submitted: 2008-06-15 22:30:58
Print this article | Tell a friend | For publisher | Social Bookmarking
Rating:
 

Handbag Styles

A handbag is a handbag right? Wrong! There are many different styles out there. Here's a quick look at the most popular styles right now.

The Shoulder Bag

With the exception of clutches and handheld bags (bags with handles too small or short to be worn over the shoulder), most handbags fit into this category. Every woman should have at least one shoulder bag in her wardrobe. They're practical (but that doesn't mean that can't be stylish!) and come in handy on shopping trips, out running errands or for the office. They free up your hands to carry other items.

Here are examples of shoulder bags:

Hobo bags: A crescent-shaped, usually unstructured bag. But that's not always the case. Modern variations include more structured hobo bags, drawstring hobos, skinny styles, even square hobos and bucket hobos.

Totes: Totes are roomy bags, usually rectangular with single or double straps. Totes are available in structured and unstructured styles.

Satchels: Satchel bags are typically small to medium-sized zip-top bags that usually wider than long. They can be structured or unstructured and have shoulder straps or be hand-held. Hand-held satchel bags are often referred to as bowler bags.

Barrel Bag: Like the name implies, a barrel bag is cylindrical and resembles a barrel turned on its side, often with a long, thin shoulder strap.

Flap-enclosure bags: Flap style shoulder bags have a flap enclosure that folds over, typically about midway down the front of the bag, with a clasp, turn-key, snap, or other fastener. Check out the Flatiron long shoulder bag.

Cinched and Drawstring bags: The cinched or drawstring bag is a fun variation of the shoulder bag. They gather at the top in place of a flap or zip top. The Bulga Brown leather 'Krystal' cinched bag and the Christian Dior black lambskin 'Cannage' quilted large tote are examples.

Quilted bags: Quilted leather bags are a popular leather handbag style that incorporates the quilted texture into fine leather, like the Balenciaga (pictured below) ivory quilted goatskin "Matelasse" small bag.

It can be mind boggling while shopping for a handbag. I hope this shoulder bag guide is helpful. Happy shopping!

Amy Covington is a fashion writer with a penchant for silk scarves and anything luxury. Amy maintains three blogs for Belisi Fashions, a luxury accessories brand, based in Palm Beach. Her work has appeared in numerous regional magazines and ezines, including San Diego Magazine, San Francisco Downtown Magazine, Ranch & Coast Magazine and JustLuxe.com.

Article source: Expert Articles

Most Recent Articles in Fashion Style category

  • What to Consider When Buying Lab Coats - By: Chris V
    Shopping for lab coats and other medical uniforms can be quite tedious what with the wide variety of options for you to choose from. These are some guidelines on how to select the right lab coat to suit your needs.
  • Personalized Bags For All Ages - By: Jnet Verra
    Bags are used by people of all ages. What better way to own a bag and make it distinct than to personalize it with your own name or initials!
  • The Art of Allure: Exquisite Erotic Lingerie - By: Janine Barclay
    Every girl needs a little glamour when it comes to lingerie so its time to explore all things erotic and add a touch of downright decadence to your most treasured items. Ensure a perfect fit for true tantalisation.
  • Affordable Handbags - By: Diane Spiker
    Designer handbags are known for their quality of materials and manufacturing as well as for their classic timeless looks and functionality. However, most women just cannot afford the price tag that accompanies these designer handbags.
  • How to Save Money Shopping Online - By: Michiel Van Kets
    Shopbycoupons offer various discount coupons, coupon codes, discount codes and online coupons from major and popular stores. These coupons are like standard printable coupons or grocery coupons as in they save you money.
  • Evening Wear for the Stylish Plus Size - By: Maria Muratore
    Larger women have found that finding evening wear has become an all too difficult exercise. Not only are the items incredibly hard to find and often not very fashionable, but they are often extremely ill fitting meaning they end up in sizes either too small or way too big.
  • The rise and rise of the plus size - By: Maria Muratore
    It used to be that everywhere you would go you'd see shop windows displaying stick, thin mannequins wearing the latest fashion outfits. Well, now days they're not the only ones selling great fashion collections and many shop fronts are now featuring real shaped mannequins and stocking larger sizes for the plus size woman.
  • Just a Little History on Mens Rings - By: Kimberly Green
    Choosing a ring for a man can be a big order and there are many facets to consider while doing so.
  • Get the best home decor from Online Antiques Stores - By: Donald Rumesfuld
    Buying and selling antiques from online antiques stores is becoming a very popular business for many people. There are many different types of antiques that you can buy and sell at these resources on the internet. Often certain types of antiques are more popular than other antiques. If you are planning on buying and selling antiques you need to understand the market and how to make it work for you.
  • Adorn your home with antique & collectibles - By: Donald Rumesfuld
    If you own an older home and want to restore its original look, or if your home is newer and you want to add some old-time charm, antiques can provide a wonderful decor opportunity. Antiques come in many shapes and forms, and they are often far more detailed in design than modern decor products. Utilize antiques to get the look and feel you want in your home. You can opt to shop from online antiques stores to buy exclusive collectibles. These tips will show you how.