Link Love: Fall 2016 Handbag Trends

From drawstring pouches to wide-strap crossbodies, here are five handbag trends to sport this Fall.

Popsugar lets us know that metal ring bags are the new trend to watch.

Vogue rounds up five eye-catching Fall bags that are fair-trade certified.

For the fans of book art, this Etsy guide lists a series of bags featuring fun book covers.

Have you heard of Vasic bags? This New York-based accessories brand is making classic bags with a twist.

Fab Links from Our Members

Isabel wanted to share this blog post about fashion as communication: “I have always been fascinated by clothes (and art) as communication. Mostly because I have never really understood it. I don’t think to ‘communicate’ through dress. And I always felt that if I did, were others ‘listening’ or just trying to communicate themselves? This article showed me that I do communicate. Subtly and without words. And I ‘listen’ more than I thought I did.”

Zoiechic found this article about millennial brides rewriting the style rules to suit themselves interesting.

Many of us are deeply concerned about frequent breaches of law, ethics, and human rights in the global garment industry and wonder about our role in that. Suz reports that the chamber opera Sweat now explores this question — in music. 

She adds that there are signs that the industry is improving. Take Tonléa zero waste company that focuses on preserving the environment while guarding workers’ rights.

Rachylou thought this article about understanding laundry-tag symbols might come in handy.

Minimalist is enjoying looking through Frugalista’s one bag packing lists, and also took notes of what the blogger never packs.

She also thought Lady Light Travel’s plus-size packing tips were excellent.

Angie thoroughly enjoyed Sally’s post on how she feels about being a style blogger and turning 40 next year. She adds: “As a style blogger who turns 47 next year, I can relate to all of it. I especially relate to NOT having time for uncomfortable shoes. Sally has never looked better to my eye, and happy feet for the win!”

The Fantastic Forgettable Outfit

There are all sorts of ways you can rate your own outfit. Is it appropriate, interesting and current? It is comfortable and practical? Is it traditionally flattering, or just flattering enough? Does it create a positive body image? Does it highlight your best features? Is it suited to your lifestyle? Does it align with your style goals and aspirations? Does it garner compliments from others? Does your significant other like it? Do you feel confident and attractive wearing it?

It’s fun to think about these questions, and to analyze an outfit based on the ones that are most important to you. But there are also ways to judge an outfit that are much less analytical.

I find that one of these is the amount I think about my outfit during the day. I obviously put a good deal of thought into my outfit in the morning when I’m getting ready, because a good outfit will make me feel fabulous and give me a confident start to the day. After that, the best outfits blend into my day and I hardly think about them at all. Much later I might catch a glimpse of my outfit in a mirror, and I love it all over again. But aside from that my outfit is forgotten.

I think this is a good test of an outfit. An outfit that makes you feel confident and attractive, and then gets out of the way, is a great outfit. It means the outfit was comfortable, unfussy, stayed put, and ticked all the right aesthetic boxes. It didn’t have any niggles or sources of insecurity. It is an empowering outfit.

Does this sound familiar? Do you have other interesting ways that you assess your outfits?

The Versatile Leopard Handbag

A leopard bag packs lots of punch. The pattern is a modern classic, which means that it always has a stylish place in fashion. It can be effortlessly remixed with other patterns, which comes in handy for the Maximalism trend. You can add a leopard bag to just about any outfit these days, and it will make a trendy statement. The only thing stopping you is your own affinity and tolerance for colour and pattern mixing. 

Classic leopard patterns are generally quite warm and earthy, although the black in the pattern cools it down. They are not created equally, though, and it’s a question of finding the palette that most tickles your fancy. Leopard bags also come in all sorts of silhouettes. Totes, satchels, clutches, hobos, backpacks, shoppers, bowling bags, cross-bodies, bucket bags, chain-strap bags, and saddle bags. 

Remember that you CAN wear a warm-toned leopard bag if you look best in cool colours and/or have grey hair because you’re sporting it away from your face. Alternatively, you can choose a grey leopard pattern, a colourful one, or a cool-toned tan version. Here’s a collection of casual and dressy leopard bags across a range of palettes to whet your appetite.

Boden
Pony Saddle Bag
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Top Pick
9
ASOS
Leopard Mini Backpack
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Top Pick
2
Boden
Drawstring Bag
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Top Pick
5
Mango
Contrasting Hobo Bag
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Top Pick
2
Boden
Pony Clutch
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Top Pick
8

The visuals below illustrate how you can throw a leopard bag into almost any look. It’s probably the most season-less and versatile patterned bag of them all.

JIMMY CHOO Lockett Petite Ostrich-trimmed Calf Hair Shoulder BagZADIG VOLTAIRE Pony Hair Shoulder BagHILL FRIENDS Happy Satchel Leopard-print Calf Hair Tote

HILL FRIENDS Happy Zippy Leopard-print Calf Hair ToteJEROME DREYFUSS Jeremie Small Leopard-print Suede Shoulder BagMAISON MARGIELA 5AC Small Leopard-print Calf Hair Tote

I usually have a leopard wardrobe pet in my handbag capsule, precisely because it has a high longevity factor and makes outfits look interesting. I gave my last leopard bag to a dear friend, which means that I was in the market for a new one. This time round I chose a pattern that was mostly pearl grey, flat instead of hairy, and void of black to keep the vibe a little softer. It’s become an instant wardrobe workhorse as I remix it with other patterns in my outfits on this more maximal leg of my style journey. 

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Roundups

Simpler Items

This week's list of top picks list is about basic pieces.

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Assorted Items

Items for Summer, both in and out of air conditioning.

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Casual Summer Vibes

This week's top picks are good for a casual Summer vibe.

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Summery Earth Tones

These items are for those who like to wear casual earth tones in warm and hot weather.

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Hints of Spring

Some tried-and-tested winning items to refresh your style for Spring.

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Dressier Items

An assortment of dressier top picks might be just what the doctor ordered.

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The Popularity of Purple

If I had to pick one colour that was the most popular with my clients and friends, it wouldn’t be blue, red or black as you might expect. It would be purple. Purple is a crowd-pleaser! Some like all shades of purple, from soft lavenders and electric orchids, right through to a rich shade of eggplant. Others stick to saturated mid-tones like amethyst and magenta. Some prefer a muddier violet and mauve. Some prefer pink purples, while others like their purples more blue. And almost everyone enjoys a very deep purple, which they wear like a neutral. 

I’m in the minority. Although I love it when my friends and clients wear all sorts of purples because it’s their happy colour and they wear it well, it’s not a colour I am drawn to for my own style, or even as an accent colour in our home. Apart from one old cashmere pullover that I wear a few times a year, I have nothing purple in my wardrobe. 

I can’t explain why I’m not drawn to wearing more purple. I like looking at soft and saturated purples like the ones in the collection below. They do work with my complexion, and look good with white and blue denim, which I wear often. Purple also complements my bright green specs. Maybe I need to start wearing more purple!

Over to you. Do you like purple, and how well is it represented in your wardrobe? I’m willing to bet there are LOTS of purple lovers out there.

Necklines That Complement My Necklaces

After a five year hiatus I’m back to wearing my assortment of chunky pearl necklaces several times a week. I prefer my pearl necklaces white, classic, dressy, retro and without metal or mixed media detailing. Along with my bright green specs, I’m on a Maximal leg of my style journey. I am thoroughly enjoying the change.

The exact necklaces in my pearl capsule are represented in this collection. 

It was easy to add a pearl necklace to my outfits through Spring and Summer because they look best over crew necks, slash necks and boat necks, or inside the collar of a plaid shirt. As we head into Autumn and Winter, turtlenecks are my preferred neckline, but short pearl necklaces just don’t look as good on a turtleneck. 

Turtlenecks are well suited to my giraffe neck and short hair. Plus, I like the warmth of the high collar around my neck. But I don’t want to stop wearing my short pearl necklaces, so I’ll wear turtlenecks a little less frequently and consider crew necks, roll necks and boat necks as I refresh my knitwear for the season. I’ll add a scarf to cover my neck when I feel cold outdoors. 

I refreshed my knitwear capsule with the following pullovers this season, all of which are “pearl necklace friendly”.

Incremental style evolution is a good thing. Make sure that your shopping strategies are aligned with the way you want to evolve your style so that you can create the look you’re after.