I love shopping for a new handbag and I am sure that you do too. Shopping for a new bag is not just buying the first one that you see. Not every handbag is ideal for every girl. We all are different sizes and shapes so your ideal bag will likely be a different size and shape to mine.
Learn your femme body shape and look for a bag that has the opposite shape to be more flattering. Short, slouchy bags work for tall slim girls. Petite girls should choose a handheld bag with some volume but not oversized. Plus-sized girls should choose framed boxy bags to balance out curves.
I know that this might seem counter-intuitive but more often than not when it comes to handbags, the opposite shape to your femme body type is usually the most flattering. When you are out shopping and see a bag that you like, head to the dressing room or a mirror. Carry the bag as you normally would so that you can check it and yourself out from all different angles in the mirror.
With all of that being said, let’s have a closer look at all of these tips to help find the perfect next handbag for you.
The Best Handbags For Tall And Thin Girls
If you are a tall and thin girl then choose handbags with a short, slouchy shape – for instance, something like the hobo (a soft, puffy, crescent-shaped bag with a zipper closure).
It is better to avoid shoulder bags with short straps as they will tend to make you look even taller. In general select handbags that are wider than they are tall. Another good choice for tall, thin girls is a clutch.
The Best Handbags For Petite Girls
Oversized handbags don’t work for small, petite girls. Don’t be fooled by what you see in Hollywood movies, their stylists will often have a medium size bag made to look exactly like an oversized bag.
If you are a small girl you will notice that large bags will tend to overwhelm your frame. Likewise, avoid carrying a shoulder bag with a long strap as it will look like it is weighing you down and make you look even shorter than you are.
The Best Handbags For Plus-Size Girls
If you are a plus-size girl that it will be a good idea to choose a large structured or boxy bag to balance out your curves.
It is best not to carry a bag that is too small as it will make you look larger than you are. For the same reason, steer clear of tiny patterns if you love prints.
The Kind Of Handbag Every Girl Needs
If you have reached the point in your life where you are ready to spend a substantial amount of money on an expensive bag, be sure to choose one that you will be able to wear often. Why spend $500 or more on a bag that will hardly ever make it out of your closet.
If you are buying several inexpensive bags instead like the Amazon recommendations that I’ll be making below, make sure that you pick one classic everyday bag in black or brown. Then, depending on your budget, experiment with some fun, funky styles and metallics for your other bags.
To help you navigate the vast assortment of beautiful purses and bags, I’ve curated a list of designs with options for each type available on Amazon to help guide you along the way.
The Key Types Of Handbags
As I am sure you are well aware, handbags come in a variety of shapes, styles, fabrics, and colors.
They are not only designed to hold your belongings but also to help you make a fashion statement as any fashion accessory would.
Think of handbags in two different ways when you categorize them. Look at the shape of the bag and also the way you carry it. Let’s first look at handbags from the perspective of how you carry them.
Shoulder Bag
Shoulder bags come in a large variety of different shapes and sizes. They are often fairly large and can normally hold your wallet, keys, cell phone, books, notepad, cosmetics, and more.
More often than not they are sometimes compartmentalized with different pockets both inside and out.
These handbags are designed to be worn over the shoulder. Shoulder bags are always very practical and easily the most common bag carried by women.
If I were to recommend just one style of bag to a girl shopping for her first handbag, it would be a shoulder bag as it can go with nearly every kind of outfit in your closet.
Take a look at this London Fog ASTOR Shoulder Bag (available on Amazon) for example. Another possibility is the Dasein Hobo Vegan Leather Chain Shoulder Satchel Bag With Matching Clutch (available on Amazon) that gives you two matching bags in a set.
The Classic Clutch
This type of handbag is called a clutch based on the way it is held. this type of handbag doesn’t have handles, so it needs to be carried in your hand or tucked under your arm.
Clutches have always been quite small and often only used for evenings and formal events. Normally clutches can hold your keys, driver’s license, lipstick, some tissues and that’s about it. When choosing your clutch, make sure that it is big enough for your phone to fit.
More recently oversized clutches have become more popular. These bags are designed in the same way as a regular clutch but they are significantly larger and can carry all your essentials. You can use an oversized clutch for less formal events.
There is just about a limitless number of clutches to choose from. They can be soft-bodied, framed, or even hard-cased. Then when you factor in the variety of shapes and materials, including silk, patent leather, and sequined fabrics the possible options expand even further. Depending on your personal style and the kind of event you are attending you can choose between different closure systems for your clutch. They can be closed with a fold-over flap, top closure, zipper, push lock, drawstring, or any number of other types of closures.
Here is a Hycurey Oversized Clutch Bag (available on Amazon). As an alternative, take a look at the YALUXE Clutch, a Wristlet with an Attachable Shoulder Chain and RFID Blocking (available on Amazon).
Handheld Bag
As the name suggests, these bags are designed to be held by hand. These bags differ from clutches in that they have a small handle for you to hold
Handheld bags are not intended to be slung over your shoulder and most of the time the handle will be too small to fit over your shoulder. These bags should only be handheld, by the handle.
Generally speaking, a handheld bag will normally be smaller than a shoulder bag, but bigger than a clutch.
Take a look at this Legoiri Top Handle Bag (available on Amazon). I really like this cute and girly Top Handle Pochette Satchel Handbag (available on Amazon). For heading to the office this Iswee Genuine Leather Top Handle Satchel Handbag (available on Amazon) can be a good choice.
Tote Bag
You will only really use a tote bag in a casual setting. They are often made from canvas or a similar robust material.
Tote bags open at the top, usually with a zipper, and almost always have only one main compartment. Tote bags are very big handbags. When slung over your shoulder, tote bags usually fall around elbow length.
Tote bags are great for the beach, sports, outdoor activities, or shopping. Because a tote bag is so big, resist the temptation to fill it all the way to the top. It will be too heavy for you to be able to look elegant while you are carrying it.
I rather like this Laptop Tote Bag for Work in Lightweight Splice Canvas (available on Amazon). This wouldn’t be Pink Femme if I didn’t include a classy pink handbag. So, have a look at this Nodykka Top Handle Satchel Handbag (available on Amazon).
Messenger Bag
Messenger bags are more often referred to as crossbody bags because that is how they are worn.
The benefit of these bags is that you can’t easily lose them as the strap crosses your body to hook over your opposite shoulder.
Messenger bags come in a large variety of styles and sizes. Most messenger bags fall into the category of gender-neutral handbags as most cross-body bags are really androgynous.
Cross-body bags are commonly worn by both students and travelers.
There is one drawback about cross-body bags and that is the strap that goes across your chest. If you have a large bust, the strap will go down between your breasts and accentuate them even more. What could be far worse is if you are much smaller up top and decided to stuff your bra with something to make you look bigger. The strap across your chest could flatten all that stuffing, or even worse, push your bra stuffing all to one side and completely out of place.
Have a look at this Unisex Casual Canvas Satchel Messenger Bag (available on Amazon) as a gender-neutral handbag option if that will work better for you than a really girly handbag. However, it is still possible to rock a gender-neutral messenger bag with a splash of pink like this Likableb Classic messenger bag (available on Amazon).
Backpack
A backpack is another type of bag that is popular with students. They have two straps and one strap comes forward over each shoulder so that the bag can be worn on your back – as the name implies. Backpacks are the best way to carry heavy loads as the weight is evenly distributed between your shoulders so that you have less chance of developing a back injury.
They are great for carrying laptop computers, school books, notepads, and other somewhat heavy items. They are normally made of nylon, but they can also be canvas or leather depending on their function. Backpacks are also a great option for traveling, hiking, camping, and other activities. When I go trail running my hydration system is built into a backpack that also contains my nutrition and essential equipment.
Here is a really cute LOVEVOOK College Waterproof Laptop Bookbag Backpack (available on Amazon). There are many backpacks that look gender-neutral, but I found one that is undeniably girly. Look at the Roosalance Classy Fashion Backpack (available on Amazon).
Working Out The Type Of Handbag You Need
Whichever style of handbag you choose from these options depends on what you need to carry, where you are going, as well as your personal style preferences.
Many women have a favorite handbag that they carry almost daily. I have my everyday shoulder bag handbag (my bag also has short handles so it can be a handheld bag too) that has everything in it that I need on a day-to-day basis. I don’t need to worry about whether I have everything I need for the office because it is all in my bag. I pick up my handbag, phone, and keys before heading out the door with no worry that I’m leaving something at home.
I only switch to a smaller bag (like a clutch) or a larger bag for special occasions or circumstances. I have my gym tote bag that is pre-packed with my gym gear and my trail running backpack that is pre-packed with my trail run emergency essentials.
I have friends who own dozens of handbags and switch their bags on an almost daily basis, matching them to their outfit, destination, and mood. When I lived in another city I had this friend who owned so many bags that she had a few in her closet at least two years old and still had the shop tags on them.
Whenever she and I went out together, I’d pick her up and she’d roll her eyes at me still using the same bag as last time. She’d do an OMG and get a handbag from her closet that would match my outfit and insist I use that if I was going out with her.
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