What is it about a ladies hand bag?

[love my dogs]

Why are women so crazy over bags I wonder? What is that makes us go so crazy

[KittyKat65]

They tell the world around us a lot about us. We also never have to worry about whether or not they fit. They can make or break an outfit and the right one can dress up basic jeans and t-shirt effortlessly. We can tell a lot about a woman by her handbag without words being exchanged.

[BgaHolic]

I can't top what kittykat65 just said. Ditto!

[.jourdyn.]

Totally agree with kittykat65!

I also think another reason woman are so crazy over handbags is because some bags are just gorgeous and outstanding. They also show the world who we are, when we find that perfect handbag it's like it represents us. Depending on the handbag chosen our personality can really shine.

[Vintage Leather]

A handbag can be a miniature (or large!) piece of art - it is a way to express the self, and to show how you identify yourself.
A handbag can be a toy - cunning pockets, beautiful stitching - details to amuse yourself with.

And, with a place like tPF, it engenders a feeling of community.

[love my dogs]

Great answers lady, I have also noticed this. I often watch people in and around Europe, some may dress with simple clothes and even a sneaker not tennis shoes and a lovely bag and walla they are dressed. I also watch what kind of bag they have. When I see women with ratty cheap no brand bags you immediately say to yourself, they dont really care about style or having that special feeling. Its so amazing that a bag makes you feel this or that way when you wear it even tho as you all said you dont fit for size. I think of all the women's accessories there are on the planet bag designers really knew how to tickle our fancy. Bags actually make you feel either sexy, chic, sophisticated, casual, dainty, delicate etc etc. I just made this topic to see how people would react. Then we have those to die for cant live without bags.

Can you imagine a world without beautiful bags? Another question, do you all buy classic bags or trendy styles of all brands? I tend to go with bags that will timeless classics but still staying in the modern category. thanks

[canadarocks]

I have been wondering about this for years.

[NagaJolokia]

It's just me being extremely superficial, nothing more. I honestly am not trying to express myself in any way when I collect handbags and wear them. It's not even really a fashion thing in the sense of what's in and what's out to me, just a general aesthetics thing. I just like the way they look- shape, hardware, print, appliques, and other designs, and I get them. Of course, smooshy, soft leather is a bonus.

[isabellam]

Originally Posted by NagaJolokia

It's just me being extremely superficial, nothing more. I honestly am not trying to express myself in any way when I collect handbags and wear them. It's not even really a fashion thing in the sense of what's in and what's out to me, just a general aesthetics thing. I just like the way they look- shape, hardware, print, appliques, and other designs, and I get them. Of course, smooshy, soft leather is a bonus.

I am a firm believer that we do express ourselves by what we wear, even if we are trying to not say anything, we end up saying SOMETHING.

For example, you choose bags that you like the appearance of. You make these choices based upon your personal point of view, what you prefer, what you don't. We all have different tastes, and those tastes reflect our values and our lifestyle.

A woman who spends her summers on the back of a Harley Davidson motorcycle will make different handbag choices from a woman who spends her summers having afternoon tea at the Waldorf Astoria. I suppose it is possible that they both might choose the same bag at some point or another, but they each would wear it in different ways. Ms. harley might wear a Chanel flap (a typical Ms. Tea choice), but she'd wear it with ripped jeans and rock band t-shirt. Ms. Afternoon Tea might wear a suede fringed bag (a typical biker choice), but she'd wear it with a cashmere sweater and a pile of pearls.


I agree that bags are an excellent way of conveying a personal style statement message in a succinct manner.

[NagaJolokia]

^ Sorry, I assumed that expressing that you like the bag, whatever it may be about it, by wearing it was a complete given.

I meant that I am not trying to express anything in the artistic sense, i.e. I'm trying to paint a picture of empowerment or that I am the type to lose myself in the music at a rave club, etc. that pop culture fashion magazines would write about.

I wouldn't go as far as saying that my bags, any of them, would reflect my values and lifestyle. For example, I can be fond of glitz and glam bags among my many other categorial tastes, but I have never had any desire or dream to dress or live or have insight into any part of that kind of life just for it. I just simply like the bag that happens to belong to the glitz and glam category.

[pickle]

Bags always fit! thy don't make my butt look too big, they can make you look dressier without worrying about size or washing. They feel good in hands, they come is any color that makes us happy. We can put more pretty things inside to make us feel good.

[Mimster]

Originally Posted by love my dogs

When I see women with ratty cheap no brand bags you immediately say to yourself, they dont really care about style or having that special feeling. Its so amazing that a bag makes you feel this or that way when you wear it even tho as you all said you dont fit for size.

I don't agree with this. I think it is too much of a generalization to say that women don't care about style or don't have that "special" feeling just because they carry a bag/brand we don't like/approve of. Some women just don't like to put too much emphasis on hangbags but they can still have style and class.

Personally I love hangbags (probably too much ) but I don't rely on them to make me feel special. Self-worth and self-esteem should come from within not from material things.

I do agree that what we wear or carry do say something about us. How that message is interpret by other people is another story.

[mema08]

yes, but there's something else, hard to describe about females and purses. i've been aware of my purse longing since grade school, when we all would have these little purses in church on sundays. we'd carry a prayer book, rosary, hanky (not tissues). i would love it when the girl next to me in church would start going through her purse, organizing it (rather than listen to the sermon). gradually, fashion came into play & we were willing to spend lots more on them. but for me the love of purses & the satisfaction they provide goes way back.

[flashy.stems]

handbags make the world go round.

[queenston]

Handbags are my life. It makes me feel good about myself. The style, the color, the texture, everything just makes me confident that I look good.