The Weekend Read * Handle With Care: Choosing a Handbag That Truly Works for You

Judi Prue | Read in 9 minutes

Hello

If there is one item in our wardrobes that quietly works harder than almost anything else, it’s our handbag. It carries our lives around with us. Our keys, our phone, our lipstick, our sunglasses, our receipts, our snacks, our diaries, our pens and sometimes the kitchen sink! It’s practical, yes, but it’s also deeply emotional. We choose our handbags with our hearts as much as our heads, and many of us feel incomplete when we leave the house without it.

So this week, we thought we’d give handbags the spotlight they deserve: Where they came from, why we love them so much, how to choose a good one, what the difference really is between designer and high street, and how colour, structure and scale all play a part. Think of this as a wander through the world of handbags with a cup of tea in hand.

A Little History: Why Handbags Matter

Handbags haven’t always existed in the way we know them today. Historically, both men and women carried small pouches tied to their belts to hold coins and personal items. As clothing evolved and pockets became more common for men, women’s clothes remained pocket-free, and so the handbag gradually became a female necessity. By the 19th century, as women became more mobile and public life expanded, the handbag emerged as both a functional object and a symbol of independence.

The handbag has always been tied to women’s autonomy; the ability to carry what you need, when you need it, without relying on anyone else. Over time it became not just practical, but expressive. Styles shifted with fashion and culture, and today, handbags sit right at the intersection of function, fashion, identity and emotion.

The Weekend Read * Handle With Care: Choosing a Handbag That Truly Works for You

Why We Love Them So Much

One of the reasons handbags feel so powerful is that they are not constrained by body shape in the same way clothes are. A handbag doesn’t ask you to change yourself to suit it. It simply arrives, does its job and quietly makes you feel more put together.

This is why, when someone feels stuck in a style rut, a new handbag can feel transformational. It’s often the fastest way to shift how you feel about your look without touching your wardrobe at all.

Different Bags for Different Lives

A crossbody bag suggests movement and freedom. It’s perfect for busy days, travel, school runs and city walks when you want your hands free and your bag close. A shoulder bag feels more classic and composed, ideal for work, lunches and days when you want to feel a little more polished.

Tote bags are generous and capable with plenty of room, which is why they’re so loved for work and daily life. Backpacks have had a complete image makeover and are now sleek, chic and brilliant for commuters, travellers and anyone with shoulder or back issues. Clutch bags are about occasion, and elegance, designed to carry just enough for one evening and no more. Each bag type reflects a way of living, not just a way of dressing.

What Makes a Good Handbag

Quality matters far more than branding. A well-made bag should feel structured but not stiff, soft but not floppy. The stitching should be neat and strong, the lining intentional rather than flimsy, and the hardware smooth and weighty rather than sharp or tinny.

Structure is one of the most overlooked elements of a handbag. A bag with internal architecture keeps its shape, looks smarter for longer and supports your belongings better. A bag that collapses into itself tends to age quickly and look tired. A good bag should feel like a quiet support act, not something you’re constantly fighting with.

Designer vs High Street: What’s the Real Difference?

Designer bags tend to use higher-grade materials, reinforced stitching, better linings and hardware designed to last and be repaired. They are often built to be companions for years, even decades.

High street bags are designed for accessibility and trend responsiveness. They allow you to play with shapes, colours and styles without commitment, but they may not be built for long-term wear.

Neither is better, they simply serve different purposes. One is about longevity, the other about flexibility.

Colour: The Secret Ingredient

Colour is one of the most powerful and overlooked aspects of handbag choice. A handbag sits near your hands, your hips and often your face. A bag in your best colours lifts your whole outfit. A bag in a colour that drains you can subtly undo even the loveliest of outfits.

When we talk about handbags as neutrals, we don’t mean black. In House of Colour terms, your best neutral handbag is one that blends effortlessly into your wardrobe and and sits firmly within your seasonal colour palette. When that happens, the bag works harder, lasts longer and feels right with everything you wear.

For Springs, the best neutral handbags are light, warm and fresh. Think tan, beige, chocolate and bright navy. These colours feel easy, optimistic and wearable. For a coloured handbag, Springs shine in coral, aqua, turquoise, leaf green or a bright blue. These are colours that feel lively without feeling heavy.

Summer neutrals are cooler and softer. Mushroom, blue-grey, pink beige, French navy and rose brown all work beautifully and feel calm and elegant. For colour, Summer handbags are lovely in powder blue, lavender, sea green, raspberry or rose pink. These colours aren't sharp or heavy, just gently blended and flattering.

For Autumns, handbags are a joy because the palette is so rich. The best neutrals include dark brown, dark olive, marine navy, camel and tan. These colours ground outfits and feel luxurious without shouting. Coloured handbags in kingfisher, peacock, rust, chestnut or brick red add interest while still feeling earthy and wearable.

Winters can handle strong contrast and clarity. Black, charcoal, dark navy and white make excellent neutrals. For colour, Winter handbags look fabulous in the jewel tones of emerald, royal blue, carmine, fuchsia or royal purple. These colours are crisp, confident and striking.

A handbag in your best neutral will quietly earn its place as your go-to. A handbag in your best colour becomes a statement piece that lifts even the simplest outfit.

Scale and Harmony

Scale matters just as much as colour. If you have a very large bag on a very petite frame, the size can overwhelm you. A tiny bag worn on a tall or broad frame can feel visually lost. Harmony is always the goal, a bag that feels in proportion with you, your lifestyle and your energy.

This is why some people look amazing with bold, structured statement bags while others shine in softer, smaller, more understated styles.

Handbags and Style Personalities: Finding the Right Shape for You

Just as colour matters, so does style. The shape, structure and detailing of a handbag can either harmonise with your clothing personality or feel oddly disconnected, even if the colour is right.

Dramatics look best in bold, confident bags with strong lines. Structured shapes, clean edges, architectural designs and statement handles all work beautifully. Think sharp totes, sleek shoulder bags or minimalist crossbody bags with presence. Soft, slouchy or overly fussy bags tend to dilute a Dramatic’s impact.

Classics shine in timeless, balanced handbags. Medium-sized shoulder bags, elegant totes and structured top-handle styles work particularly well. Clean design, quality materials and subtle detailing are key. Classics often feel their best with bags that don’t date quickly and quietly elevate an outfit.

For Naturals, ease is everything. Slouchy totes, relaxed crossbody bags, soft leather backpacks and casual shoulder bags all fit beautifully with their laid-back style. Texture often matters more than polish here; grainy leather, suede or woven finishes feel more authentic than high shine or rigid structure.

Gamines come alive with smaller, playful bags. Compact crossbody styles, mini backpacks, quirky shapes or colour-pop bags suit their energy perfectly. Oversized bags can overwhelm, while something a little fun, bold or unexpected often feels just right.

Ingenues look lovely in delicate, refined handbags. Smaller scale is key, with soft shapes, gentle curves and light detailing. Pastel colours, smooth finishes and understated elegance suit this personality far better than anything bulky or heavily structured.

Romantics suit handbags with softness and curve. Think rounded shapes, soft edges, tactile materials and feminine detailing. Shoulder bags that sit comfortably against the body often work better than rigid totes, and richness of colour or texture adds to their natural elegance.

When colour and style personality align, a handbag stops feeling like an accessory and starts feeling like part of you.

Try This at Home: The Handbag Check-In

At some point this week, take a quiet moment to look at the handbag you reach for most days. Not in a critical way, just with curiosity. Ask yourself a few questions. Does it actually work for your life right now? Does the colour sit happily with the clothes you wear most? Does the shape and scale feel in harmony with you, or is it something you’ve simply carried out of habit?

Notice how it makes you feel when you pick it up. Confident? Pulled together? Or a little bit 'that’ll do'? There’s no right or wrong answer here, it’s simply about awareness. Sometimes the smallest shifts, like updating a tired bag or choosing one in a colour that truly suits you, can make everything else feel easier.

Your handbag is with you almost every day. It should support you, reflect you and quietly make life feel that little bit better.

Final Thoughts: The Finishing Touch

Handbags may be practical, but they’re also personal. They carry our essentials, yes, but they also carry our style, our habits and a little bit of who we are. When your bag works for your colouring, your style and your life, everything else feels easier. So whether you keep the one you love, refresh something that no longer feels right, or simply notice what you’re carrying with new eyes, let your handbag be a quiet supporter rather than a compromise. After all, we carry it every day it may as well carry us beautifully.

Next week in The Weekend Read we are talking about Leggings; are they a wardrobe staple or a fashion faux pas...... make sure you catch next week's edition to find the answer to this question.

Best wishes,

Judi & Jenny xx

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