"It's not always what you carry but how you carry it. " -- C. Chanel

Over the shoulder
One of the most practical handbag designs is the purse with the smallish strap, where the purse can fit snugly over a shoulder, giving not quite a foot of sway. Any longer and the wearer is tempted -- just like putting your hands in your pocket -- to try to sling it diagonally across the body.

Messenger Bag
Hey dude, where did you score your killer bag? Often carried diagonally across the chest is the messenger bag, which is very urban, very can-do, equal parts briefcase, backpack, overnight bag, and gym bag. Some people have a little backpack purse that they wear just over one shoulder. Sometimes it comes across as a tourist accessory. Plus, if the purse is worn over the back, one has to be particularly careful about being pick-pocketed or stuff dropping out of the purse without notice. The final statement on the messenger bag gal: In the last election, you probably wrote in a liberal candidate, if you made it to the polls on time because it was happy hour!

Hand-carried
In an earlier era, this was how all purses were carried. It’s challenging to go from being an over-the-shoulder purse-carrier to a hand-carrier. The approach can be awkward at first. It’s tough to know whether to swing arms or keep them steady. Watch the size of these things. A gal can feel like the granny in the Tweety Bird cartoons, walking around with something as big as a bowling ball bag at the end of her arm. Overall: a very prissy style that appeals to alpha males.

Clutch
The clutch purse must always be in a woman’s grasp. These stylish little doodads were made for nights out and special occasions. Therefore, they carry only the leanest of accessories for one night – the lipstick, the driver license, the credit card. Some come with little straps that go around the wrist, but generally, this is a purse that requires full participation on the carrier’s part. Often associated with fun nights on the town liberally taking in champagne, so be careful not to leave it somewhere. Need more talk about whether the purse works? Have a look at some of the bags (and comments!) on the Purse Forum.