 What’s in a bag!
by Janani Amarasekera
Standing in the queue at the
sales counter of a supermarket, I waited for my turn to pay for the
moisturiser. Standing in front of me was an elderly couple who made
everyone frustrated with their two baskets of goods in addition to what
they laid on the counter. “Are they buying everything in the shop?,” an
irate woman commented. I grimaced.
The beep of the bar code reader went on like a fire alarm. The sales
assistant anxiously looked at the long queue.
Calming myself, I started glancing through the crowd. “People do wear
fashionably these days, don’t they?” I thought. Whenever an interesting
style showed up, I took a mental note for future reference. Silently, I
judged and commented on each, depending on how I perceived their dress
code. After all, they would not hear me, and I was standing here wasting
my precious time.
Though, I would not say I wasted my whole time, since this girl, whom
I spotted in the crowd changed my view about handbags. She was tall and
skinny, tan in complexion and her straightened hair was up to her
shoulders.
She wore a simple, plain greyish strappy dress up to her knee and not
a single piece of accessory, except a pair of bathroom slippers and a
handbag.
Yet she looked elegant and modern. Sure, it was not her dress, which
gave her that look. I ran through her outfit head to toe again. Voila!
It was her trendy, fashionable bag. She had a gorgeous red tote bag on
her right shoulder. It contrasted well with the dress and made her stand
out from the crowd.
  I realised that a handbag is one of the magical fashion accessories
that can boost or ruin your looks. Hence, paying extra attention when we
buy one is essential. Surprisingly, a perfect handbag can make you look
thinner and brush up your look instantaneously.
Shape
Shape plays a major role when choosing a bag. Always try your best to
choose your bag in a shape that is opposite to your body shape. The girl
who was there at the supermarket carried a round, slouchy bag to
complement her thin and tall figure. However, for anyone who is short
and curvy, a rectangular shaped tall bag would be ideal. In addition,
they can also go for something long and sleek, like a clutch. The bottom
line is, the curvier your figure, the more structured your bag should
be. However, this does not mean if you have a perfect figure, you will
have to carry a big box around to offset your figure.
Scale
As we discussed earlier, shape should be opposite to your body shape.
However, the scale should be proportionate to your body size. The length
of a handbag where the bottom of the bag touches the body will emphasise
whatever part of the body it comes closer to. As an example, a handbag
that ends around the hips will highlight the width of your hip. It is
advisable to carry a bag that ends near mid-torso, and it will flatter
your waist.
Matching
Take time to try on handbags in front of a mirror, as you would do
when you are buying clothes. A trendy handbag can steal your heart
within minutes. However, always check whether they match up with your
figure. Do not forget to think of your purpose too. A fashionable bag
would not last if you carry few kilos of books up and down. Finally yet
importantly, take a second opinion with you!
 Many of us do not know what exactly the
names of these handbag shapes are. Here, we compiled a list with a
description of how each of those looks like.
* Tote bag - An open-top bag with straps or handles.
* Duffle - Tall shoulder bag, often with a wider opening on top.
* Clutch - A small, hand-held bag or a larger, geometric shape that is
tucked under the arm
* Field bag - A flap-top shoulder bag with utility-type closure
(buckles, snaps)
* Satchel - A large, hand-held bag
* Hobo bag - A crescent-shaped shoulder bag
* Baguette - Long and rounded shoulder bag resembling the namesake bread
* Cigar box - A small, boxy, hard bag
* Messenger bag- A large, soft shoulder bag with long straps (often worn
across the body)
* Kelly bag - A classic Hermes style named after Grace Kelly; a large,
structured handbag with distinctive hardware closures
* Pouch - A soft, small bag |
