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“Accessories are everything. To me, they’re more important than the clothes.”
—Rachel Zoe, In Style: A to Zoe: The Art of Fashion, Beauty & Everything Glamour

Ahhh—Now is the season when our big, oversized bags really get a chance to shine. We’re toting them to the gym, to the mall and then even out for dinner!

Clutches may be a now and again thing (I mean who can tote so little throughout the day?), but our big bags are here to stay. Grace Kelly had Hermes back in ‘56 and then the Birkin became the legendary big bag of ‘84 (also by Hermes). It even became a central theme in Sex and the City when being on the waiting list was at its peak:

“Oh honey, it’s not so much the style, it’s what carrying it means!”
—Sex and the City’s Samantha on the Hermes Birkin.

And now in 2008, there is a new Hermes bag to lust after—The Jypsier! It retails at $6,800 and was designed by Jean Paul Gaultier.

Since then our daily bags have been getting bigger and better—even tweens are toting them to carry around their school books instead of knapsacks.

The Luxe Brands

So how do you know what to get? Sure you can count on the elite Louis Vitton Monogram Speedy, D&G Slouch and Chloe Paddington Bag to carry you through season after season, but what if you don’t have thousands of dollars to spend? Not all of us can afford Bottega Vaneta, Chanel, Coach, Fendi, Gucci and the like. Even big named bags like Betsey Johnson, Marc Jacobs and Gwen Stefani’s L.A.M.B. collection are not totally inexpensive.

So, what’s a girl to do?

You can certainly go to Bag Borrow or Steal or Bags to Riches, where you can rent out luxury bags by the week. Sure you lust over Gucci’s Hysteria Collection, Prada’s big lace bag, Jimmy Choo’s Lohla-Jayne, Giorgio Armani’s Amethyst, Tod’s latest creation of chocolate suede and fringe or Michael Kors big studded purple beauty, but don’t you want something to call your own, that you can pull out at a moment’s notice?

Burberry Lowry Bag	Burberry Lowry Bag

Why We Love Them

Big shoulder bags are great because you can make a bold statement without having to change your somewhat more conservative wardrobe. Also, they hold a ton of stuff!

In Rachel Zoe’s book, Frank Zambrelli, President and Creative Director of Leiber says, “In any bag, you should be able to carry MILK—Money, Identification, Lipstick and Keys.”

And so you want something big enough to carry the essentials, but of course, the bigger the bag the more you carry . . .

Here’s an informal list compiled from friends, colleagues and neighbours of what you can find in their big satchel:

Laptop, journal/notebook, pens, books, Blackberry or the like, work in the form of files, memos and printed out emails, hand cream/lotion , makeup, nail file, hairbrush, perfume, camera, receipts, hair clip, movie tickets, tissues, sweater, yoga pass, umbrella, food wrapper, agenda, mints, hair elastic, tampons, pills, disposable contacts and drops, mirrored compact, mini French/English dictionary, lucky penny, serviettes from restaurants, shopping bag, giant wallet, Advil, Imodium, sunglasses, crochet hook, money from various countries, photos, vitamins, credit cards, bobby pins, crumbs, reading glasses, keys, passports, extra pair of earrings, bottle of water, tape measure, fabric samples, business cards, bill to pay, gum, lucky rock, subway pass, antibacterial gel, USB drive, dental floss, a square of chocolate, Tide To Go, packed lunch, hairband, oyster shell and sand from the ocean, hand wipes, toothpicks, flyer from hotel, lens cleaning wipes, toothbrush, body spray, bandages, stamps, iPod, earbuds, candy.

The most surprising find was not only how much women are carting around with them, but almost everyone surveyed has about 4 lipsticks/glosses stowed away for every possible situation and fashion happenstance.

Hayden-Harnett	Hayden-Harnett

Hot Colours, Etc.

When considering a purse to buy, think about materials like leather, man-made leather and vinyl that will stand up to the elements of your lifestyle, whether it’s on the floor of a cab or getting tousled amongst the subway crowd. Think rich textures like pebbled leather, woven materials or patent (mock) croc to give visual interest and interesting features like pleats, ruffles, buckles, studs and pockets.

When considering the lines of your bag, do you want it to be soft and slouchy or hard and streamlined? Do you want bulky handles or thin shoulder straps?

Ah, now we get to colour. This really depends upon your wardrobe and style, but I think it’s safe to say that a black, camel, white and bright colour like green, blue, red or yellow ought to do it! And then of course you’ll want what’s of the season—gold and silver metallics, patents, purple, off white, grey, etc. Really, you can never have too many.

The Best Bags & Best Deals

There are a ton of places to get designer bags online:

- Shop ELuxury.com, Net-A-Porter , Vivre and YOOX for authentic designer bags, with some deals to be had.

- EFashionHouse.com offers fantastic deals on designer bags if you’re looking for a name brand.

For beautiful big satchels that ooze luxury, but won’t cost you the rent:

• For thick, sumptuous leather bags that will last and last, Helena de Natalio offers big, soft and slouchy bags that will work season to season and won’t cost you a fortune.
• Lovely big bags from KOCH Handbags will make you swoon!
• For classic looks with a modern twist, look to BYSOG New York
• For unique detailing, check out m. Clifford Designs. These will make you stand out from the crowd.
• Sleek and stylish bags with fun interiors can be yours at Sabrina Love Handbags
• And for a whole different take on the big bag, check out Arza Design

For fun bold bags that look good, are on trend and are super affordable:

• Portia Jewelery has great bags that will update your wardrobe instantly and will still leave you with enough left over for sushi for two or that pair of shoes you’ve been eyeing at Barney’s!
• A Little Something has big bags at amazing prices that look as good as the brand names.
• Big bags from Hive & Co will get you noticed.

And for alternative choices:

• Sparrow Handbags and Matt and Nat are eco-friendly and made in Canada.
• J’tote has luxurious laptop bags that don’t look like laptop bags–which means you can use it for meeting friends after work as well.

The big bag is a great fashion accessory, so be sure and get something that not only fits your style, but accentuates the you you want to be! After all, you can change from bag to bag, season to season . . .

Read About Great Bags:

Handbags: What Every Woman Should Know
Stephanie Pederson

Handbags: The Power of the Purse
Anna Johnson

It’s In the Bag: What Purses Reveal—And Conceal
Winnifred Gallagher