Purses & Ties: Part 2 (For the Ladies)

Want to get to know your lady better? Take a look at her companion: the purse. Whether she always carries her same favorite one, or sports an entire entourage of different shapes and sizes, you can find out a lot about a woman by her most used and trusted accessory.

Unlike guys, women tend to read into things more, and thus, this article was a bit daunting to write. Not only are there a lot more categories of purses than ties (see Part 1), but status, color, shape, practicality, and size all play an equal part in choosing a handbag. Why we women have to be some complicated, I'll never know....

I think I will break it down to the reasons why ladies have purses and what purses match those reasons.

#1 Status/Wealth/Statement:

The women who carry these purses want to say, "I'm rich and fabulous, be jealous." Whether the bag is flashy, expensive, or bejeweled, the main reason is to appear as a wealthy socialite with style, class, and pomp. Labels mean everything to these ladies. As most women know price and style and think that's a way to make a statement, men tend to notice an organized and complimenting purse over a handbag that was $6,000. My advice? Don't use a purse just because of the label.

#2 Color:

I have seen plenty of women who like to match their outfits with their purses right down to the exact shade. As cute as this seems, it is a bit cliched. It says "I like to be fashionably in control." It's a very studied way of being fashionable, but I wouldn't advise over doing it. Matching your purse to your outfit to a certain extent can have a very stunning effect and I know I do it sometimes. It's more of a "be sure to use a brown purse with brown shoes, and a black purse with black shoes" sort of thing. But don't go the opposite way and use an olive purse with a pink dress just because you like the look of the olive. Coordinate without appearing sterile and stuffy.

#3 Size/Shape:

Size and shape are a dramatic way of catching the eye. A wild creation says, "Notice me! I have amazing taste." A large purse says, "I can handle anything. I came prepared." (Although, it's rather dangerous territory because a 'too stuffed' purse can come across as sloppy, hobo-ish, and messy. A big but mostly empty purse means, "I'm just too cool to carry a small clutch.") While size can play a major part in how useful a handbag is, shape is also key.

Shape adds creativity and uniqueness, but can also be unpractical. A medium-sized bag is good for interviews and errands, but a round or square clutch purse is perfect for evening parties and dinner affairs. The essential thing to keep in mind is how it affects your outfit. If you have a very smooth, polised business attire on, a blingish fuzzy pink purse just won't do. That also applies if you are wearing a white clubbing dress with a huge black plain duffel bag purse ...it will totally ruin your look. Choose a purse that's not only adorable, but can work with many outfits without seeming overused or cliche.

#4 Practicality:

This is the most common reason women have certain purses. Now, don't think weird lumpy brown purses with long straps straight out of the 90s. Older women tend to pick practical over fashionable (especially grandmothers and mothers) and thus us younger generations tend to shy away from a purse if "practical" is mentioned. That is not always the case. The most common purse also conquers the most common problem: not enough pockets. By getting a practically cute purse, it won't turn into a black hole and can look (at least mildly) classy. Perfect for business, work, or school.

So there you have it, ladies. Status, color, size, shape, and practicality. If you can find a purse that fits all of these things perfectly, I can guarantee you are my number one fan of all time! Meanwhile, the rest of us will spend the rest of our lives searching for that one perfect purse...ah, the life of a woman.

For you,


P.S. Part 1 and Part 2 of my Purses + Ties article will count for Week 4 and Week 5 of the TSSN Challenge. I'll be back at writing about killer shoes and sugar headaches while we go on week #6, woot! Only, minus the headache part. :]