WHAT QUALITIES SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR IN A HANDBAG?

Here we have some suggestions that we hope will help you make the right purchase for you, one that is completely satisfying and unforgettable.

What do you see when you open your closet? Do you, like most of us, often find yourself looking at several beautiful handbags that are of excellent quality but which have gone out of style or just don't go with your everyday image. And yet these bags looked so fabulous and quite unique in the shop window.
But when we got back home with our new bag, still buzzing with the high from this latest purchase, we came smack up against the sad reality of it: the bag that we fell in love with in the shop window doesn't really go with any of our clothes or with our usual look. Rather disappointed we put away our purchase in a corner of the closet, waiting and hoping to be able to use it one day, perhaps for a special occasion or when we are trying out a new image. Time goes by and that handbag stays there, new and unused....

But why does all this happen?

A handbag, in itself, doesn't have much importance. It only assumes an important role as an integral part of our style, our look and our being. Our handbag defines us, completes us and above all expresses our personality, as well as our tastes. Our handbag is part of us and so it is essential to take great care selecting a new one and have a clear idea of what function we want the bag to fill in our life, what role it will play every day for us.

How to choose the perfect handbag for you?

Below you will find some useful suggestions to help you choose just the right handbag, one that suits you and meets all your needs:

• THE SIZE: Before purchasing your handbag, think of how you will use it, what you will be putting in it and what function you expect it to perform. Unless you want to have 3 or 4 bags of various sizes, each with a separate function, the size of a bag is really very important. For example, if you are a business woman you wouldn't want to buy a tiny handbag, however elegant it is, you rather need a comfortable and capacious bag that will hold all your work papers, as well as your personal things. If you're a new mother you need a practical, roomy bag, preferably with a shoulder strap, so that you can sling it over your shoulder leaving your hands free to carry your baby comfortably. Those looking for a special occasion bag or something elegant to match a particular evening dress should look for a classic style that is smaller in size, which will set off the dress and accentuate its elegance.

• THE COLOR: If you are a self-confident and dynamic modern woman, the color of your bag probably won't be such a big issue, as you won't necessarily be trying to match it with the color of your dress or shoes. If however you are a woman who loves classical elegance, before purchasing your handbag you need to think of which color best complements your look and matches your shoe collection, favoring neutral tones such as cream or beige or classic colors like black or brown, which go perfectly with every type of clothing.

• COMFORT: a handbag, besides being beautiful and elegant, also needs to be comfortable.Before going ahead with your purchase, think about the fact that this bag will accompany you through every moment of your day and therefore should be absolutely practical and manageable. Do you need a bag that is light, practical and easily accessible and so designed with a simple opening, or is it more important to you to have a bag that keeps all your personal effects safe inside, with a secure but still elegant closure. Maybe a bag with a shoulder strap would be more convenient for you, so that you have your hands free when you're shopping or whenever you need to do things.

• FASHION: the latest trends and gimmicks that sweep the fashion world tend to attract us all. They are innovative styles and ideas that, however, only last a few months, soon giving way to even newer trends and fads. It's great to follow fashion but a bad idea to go to extremes, as you risk buying a bag that becomes unusable after only a few months, although still in perfect condition, because it is too closely connected to a style that already seems dated. Those who don't want to surround themselves with numerous bags and prefer quality to fleeting fads of fashion are advised to invest in a classic bag, which will last and never go out of fashion, rather than the latest 'in' style.

• QUALITY: Many people think that buying a top quality handbag is a stupid idea, because for the same price they could buy several different models of bags, just as nice-looking even if they are of low quality. In our opinion the quality of a bag is beyond price, as a top quality bag will last for years, without ever losing the beauty, shine and softness of the first day you bought it. It is true that quality comes at a higher price, sometimes even much higher, but we are talking about an amount that will be paid just once to invest in an article that will last a lifetime and maintain its superlative characteristics for ever.

The suggestions that we have made above aren't supposed to be hard and fast rules to follow; they are intended as a guide for those who, by choice or from ecomomic necessity, prefer not to keep having to buy bags for every different occasion: a practical and roomy bag that is also trendy and fashionable, a chic, but durable bag to use for work, an elegant and sophisticated evening bag for special occasions,

but who are simply looking for a versatile handbag that can accompany them through their daily life, fulfilling all their requirements of functionality and comfort.

But what do you consider most important when you are choosing a bag? What are the qualities that a bag should have to convince you to buy it? Take part in our quick poll !!