A very wise woman once sad: “Don’t cry. Buy a bag, and get over it.”
I don’t know her but I love her. Truth is, we want everything in a bag: we want it to be cute, to be trendy and functional. And we want it to match EVERY outfit we pick. Here is our list of at least 5 types of bags for every woman (this post is not about advocating brands or designer bags).
Tote Bag: Tote, which actually means “tate”, actually means TO CARRY, hit the note back in the 90s even though it’s been around since World War 2. As my Dad rightly puts it, Tote bags are meant for days where you need to carry your whole world with you. Be it notebooks to class, your handy tab and your makeup, Totes are great for busy days. Now a lot of brands these days sell bags that are not tote bags. The straps of a tote should be parallel and should reach your shoulders comfortably. When buying a tote, look for sturdy straps or you’re gonna end up with a shoulder cramp. Most totes also come with a smaller pouch: you can use it for makeup, or as a purse. Buy totes in classic colours so that you can carry it to work and for drinks too.
Clutch: OK so this is very simple, it’s a small bag (usually rectangular in shape) with no handles, so you have to clutch it—hence the name! Now we’ve seen seasons where there were designs, embellishments, even tassels hanging out of clutches, but I’d say you stick to box clutches and stock up with 2-3 classic hued clutches. A variation that I’m actually ecstatic about is the oversized clutch. Only because, there are some events where you don’t wanna hold a clutch and can’t possibly fit in your cigarettes, hairbrush, money, lipstick and tissues in that tiny thing. Now the good thing about buying an oversized clutch is that you can buy one in an envelope shape, meaning you ace TWO AWESOME bag trends (envelope bag+clutch) in one go.
Satchels: Usually classified by a structured shape (square, rectangle), satchels have double handles to fit to your wrists. These days, a lot of satchels are actually being designed with longer straps that can be attached/detached according to your liking. That being said, I suggest you don’t compromise on the shape or finish. Look for well designed, geometrically structured satchels with metallic twist clasps and more. A seasonal hit, I think a medium sized satchel would be perfect to that zing of colour.
Sling bag: An all year round essential, slings bags are great for those days when you are short on time. They can be worn straight from your shoulders or even as a cross-body bag. Ideally, a sling bag is supposed to be durable, spacious and essentially, serve as time savers. But there’s a huge variety of shapes and sizes. My ideal sling bag would either be all leather (cloth bags made of cotton and linen, and are not too sturdy) with a removable chain-leather strap.
Backpack: We wore these all through our school days and now we know the reason behind it. Spacious, functional and easy to carry, backpacks are a must-have for weekend getaways. Trust me, I know, I have carried the worst bags on vacations and ended up with aches and cramps. A good backpack should have multiple zippers, a bottle holder and an inner compartment for your passport (and lip balm). When it comes to style quotient, you can go 2 ways: you can either pick solid colours like ice blue, neon green or a pretty pink, or go in for funky, eclectic designs.
