Arriesgado Clothing’s Guide to Fashion
Welcome to Arriesgado Clothing’s Guide to Fashion, a new series from Arriesgado Clothing: Your Source for the Latest News in Fashion. In each installment we will be exploring the foundation of looking stylish, the basics of various apparel, what works, what doesn’t, and some of today’s most ubiquitous and influential labels. In this article, we will be diving into that most essential lady’s companion, her true best friend….. the hand bag, of course.
The Lady’s handbag has served as her ultimate accessory for well over two centuries now. Starting in the 1950’s Feminine icons like Grace Kelly and Jackie Kennedy adorned the covers of Life Magazine posing with their favorite offerings from some of the Great Fashion Houses. Hermés, Channel, and Louis Vuitton, were all the rage amongst the social elite, and Hollywood’s A-list. As the decade’s progressed new comers, now established dynasty’s in their own right explored innovative new design concepts. From the practical, to the outrageous, labels such as Prada, Dior, and Fendi, pushed the boundaries of what constitutes a hand bag.
Now, with the 21st century well upon us, the amount of choice when it comes to picking the right handbag can be simply overwhelming. With so many styles, labels, and finishes to choose from, and can be difficult to even find where to begin. Well, let’s start with the basics: the various styles. First, some general definitions; a handbag, is any sized bag, with some sort of handle designed to be carried at the handle. A shoulder bag, is any sized bag, with a long shoulder strap, designed to be carried either at the shoulder, or across the chest. An evening bag, is usually a smaller sized bag, either without handles, or with a short strap, made specifically for formal occasions. Now of course there are endless hybrids and variations on just these three themes alone, as you will see, but this is a good starting point. Now to go a little deeper.
The Satchel: This style of handbag is defined by a flat wide bottom and a structured body, coming together with two short handles. The bag usually employs a zipper for a closing mechanism, but clasps have been known as well. These come in a variety of sizes, but are generally oversized, which makes them ideal for travel. Due to the extreme variety of offerings of this type of bag, what to wear with it really depends on the color, material, size, and, style employed. A few general guidelines; try not to clash color or materials. For instance, if you are wearing some form of leather that day, do not bring a leather bag. If you’re wearing a red dress, don’t match it with a red bag. You get the point.Satchels can be fun, or formal, use your best discretion when choosing the right accessory for the occasion
The Hobo: This Shoulder bag, is typically a half moon shape with a mid-length shoulder strap. Medium to oversized, this bag is made from soft materials such as leather, suede or micro fiber to allow the bag to slouch, and fold on to itself. This bag is both practical, and stylish. It possesses a unique look, and a fair bit of real estate for transporting all the essentials. Being able to carry this at the shoulder, makes it a great everyday bag. Use it to transport all of your essentials. To wear, again, like the Satchel this style of bag comes in a wide variety of offerings, try choosing one that’s fun and different. That way, whatever you choose to wear that day, your trusty Hobo will do the speaking for you.
The Tote: Also referred to as the Shopper. Probably the most practical of all hand bags. This super oversized bag is ideal for shopping trips, going to the beach, picnics, and any casual occasion where a high volume bag may be required. These are usually made of cloth, or some other soft material, which allow the bag to stretch according to what’s in it. Although these are usually quite plain in appearance, some designers have employed these as a canvas for socially conscious messages. And by simply using one of these to transport groceries, you too can bring on environmental awareness. To wear, I would suggest really casual attire. Boyfriend jeans and a tank top. A fun summer dress with flip flops also looks great.
Well, that’s all for this week. Join us again next time when we’ll take a look at some more styles of handbags including the Clutch, and the Messenger. We’ll have some more beautiful pictures of gorgeous designer handbags to share, and as always practical advice for trend setting men and women. Until then, let me leave you with a quote from Anna Johnson, author of Handbags: The Power of the Purse, “The ideal handbag, like a beautiful shoe, has never really been about necessity. It is the stuff of dreams, and deliverance from the banal.” We couldn’t agree more. Check out our line of beautiful and unique designer handbags at:
