Just as the eyes are windows to the soul, so too, are handbags windows to the inner woman. Or so we like to think.

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Purse Profiles

Big purses suggest a can-do mentality, a backpack-on-a-strap type, the kind of gal we turn to with queries such as what day is it (she checks her calendar) or requests of hand cream, Chapstick, safety pins, or gum. This is the type of handbag for a woman who leads an extremely busy life or one who is prepared -- sort of.

Small purses might indicate a different kind of organizer who travels lightly. She routinely culls her closets, purse, and home for unused and unwanted things and gets rid of them with nurse-like efficiency. Chances are she’s single, chic, and the bag is relatively new. Some think that a small bag means the carrier is a fast decision-maker.

There are the handbags that are not really purses, but baskets, or little material sacks, or something shaped like an old canteen. These are the carriers of the artistes. The purse might be an inexpensive little something, but chances are it ferries Chanel lipstick (bright red) and a leather-bound sketchpad full of notes, observations, and drawings. It is original, highly individual, and while somewhat hip, it operates outside of mainstream trends. What does your bag say about you? Find out.

Designer Handbags

And then there are the recent purses of clearly marked brands: the Fendis, the Louis Vuittons, the Guccis, the Dooney & Bourkes, and of course Coach. Rarely on sale, these babies say one thing: MONEY. Some of these purses cost more than a month’s rent!

Consider that The Washington Post reported that the girlfriend of pro-baseball player Jose Guillen (Washington Nationals) was robbed in early May of a pile of cash and a Louis Vuitton purse worth $2,000. Or how about the flack Martha Stewart got when showing up at her insider trading trial toting a Hermès Birkin handbag that cost $6,000? You can bet that didn’t help her with her jury of peers!

High-dollar purses are the darlings of celebs (most of whom get their purses for free), and represent the ultimate thoughtful girlfriend/wife/mother’s day gift. But let’s be honest: they’re spendy and really trendy. Overpriced symbols of status, or necessary emblems of self-worth? You decide.

Vintage Bags

Just as vintage couture is making a show on red carpets from Cannes to L.A., so too, are vintage bags popping up all over. It is testimony, in part, to a well-made purse that holds up through time and trends, especially since purses are used almost daily. Learn and share tips and resources for finding great vintage bags.




See also:

• Bag Basics
• Do-It-Yourself Handbags
  
• Designer Handbags
• Fakes and Knockoffs
  
• Celebrities and Their Bags
• Handbag Dos and Don'ts

• Handbag Hall of Fame
• Purse Profiles
  
• Take the Purse Poll
• Vintage Bags
• Where to Shop Online