I haven’t always been a purse girl. In fact for many years I did not carry one, I preferred to shove all my essentials into a wallet with a wrist strap, aka a wristlet. I had my first baby and realized the need for a diaper bag so I could carry around diapers, butt cream, and wipes and be as prepared for any baby emergency like the other cool moms. Then I had another baby and I tossed the diaper bag in favor of a more stylish satchel so I could be just as prepared for any toddler and baby emergency but not have to carry around a “mom” bag.
By the time I had my third baby, I was done with big bags of any kind and instead I carried the tiniest little clutch I could find just because I could (I got smart and stashed the diapers, butt cream, and wipes in the trunk of my car). Now I own a ton of purses — some large and some small. I’ve come to realize that purses of all sizes are essential to putting together an outfit depending on the purpose and occasion. Today is all about the three purses every woman should own.
The Totebag
A tote bag is a larger purse that is great for carrying to and from work or for just toting around anything you might need in a day. For me, when I leave the house in the morning, I am usually gone all day so I need a purse large enough to fit a change of clothes and shoes for the gym, my computer and notebook so I can head to lunch and work right after, my wallet, water bottle, cell phone, and other essentials. A brown or black leather tote bag is appropriate to use all year. While I like a big tote, keep in mind that the bigger the bag the more likely you are to stuff it with everything you can and therefore it will soon become very heavy to carry around.
The Crossbody Bag
Crossbody bags are very popular right now. This is probably my favorite type of purse because it is the middle ground between the more casual tote and the dressier clutch. Plus, you have the option of wearing it across your body when you want to free up your hands or over your shoulder as you normally would wear a purse. Because I have a small frame, I like to keep mine on the smaller side (10×6) so my purse doesn’t overwhelm my body. I have a few cross body purses that I rotate through on a regular basis in a variety of colors but I get the most use from my taupe and black cross body bags.
The Clutch
A clutch is an essential for any formal event. If you are getting dressed up ditch the oversize tote in favor of a smaller, compact purse. Clutches can vary in size but most are on the smaller side and can only really fit a few cards, your id, some cash, and lipgloss. If you don’t already have a clutch consider buying one in a neutral color that you can get a lot of use out of. I love to use a clutch to add a pop of color to a simple dress or to make a boring jeans/tee shirt/sweater combination more interesting. A leopard print clutch is a very popular and versatile item as well. If you are so inclined, a belted clutch better known as a fanny pack is making a comeback. There are some cute ones but I understand the reluctance to wear one!
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