Size Matters!

Have you ever "tried on a purse"? Just like a piece of clothing, a purse needs to fit the body it is hanging next to. Wearing the wrong style, size or shape for your body type can be very unflattering. The part of the body that the purse rests on will be where the eye is drawn to.

Here are some tips.

If you are slim and tall like a model, you can pretty much wear any style purse. But, be careful of too small a size. Small bags will make you appear larger.

If you are short and petite keep in mind the proportion. Smaller bags should be chosen and worn close to the body.

If your hips are large you want to draw attention away from that area. Wear a shoulder bag with a short strap so the purse rests under the arm and above the hip.

If you are top heavy you will probably want to draw attention away from your bosom or waist. Use a fairly large shoulder bag with a long strap.

If you have great curves try a shoulder bag that ends just above the waist to accentuate your curves. Avoid ones that are either really big or really small.

If you are a plus size use a purse that is wider in width, like a hobo style. A small bag will make you look larger. Go for bags with short to medium length straps.

And please, avoid carrying something so large that it looks like luggage! Unless of course you are going to the airport.

It's In The Bag

Do you know how important a purse is to a woman? It is estimated that $497 million dollars was spent on the purchase of purses in 2007.

That's a lot of purses.

If you are a woman reading this, no explanation is necessary, but I will forge ahead anyway.

A purse is a keeper of secrets, a protector of assets and, along with its contents, an object that can tell you exactly what a woman is about.

Purses began as pouches as far back as human memory records. Used to carry seeds and bones, the first incarnation of the modern accessory came in the late 18th century.

According to Farid Chenounne, curator of a purse exhibit at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris, “What you put in your bag is very important to you. That makes a bag very personal because in it you have a secret. A secret gives you some sort of power. Traditionally, for a woman, a bag holds the things you need for the day but also your little beauty factory, which is very important to the identity of the woman.”

It's hard to disagree. My ebay picks.

Chanel Evening Purse

Vintage Clear Lucite Purse with Rhinestones

1930s Tapestry & Enamel Purse

Vintage French Tortoise Shell Purse

How to tell if a purse is vintage? If it has a cellphone pocket on the inside, it's NOT vintage.

Seriously.