Many people come across a time in their life where they feel ready to get a designer bag. Up until that point, you have probably been using unbranded or retail store brands. Now you feel ready to take the plunge and put in that extra money into a nice fashion piece that you can use every day. The designer bag does not have to be from a luxury brand. It can be a bag from a normal standard designer brand as well. When choosing a designer bag for casual use, there are many factors to consider. Factors such as: size, silhouette, design, useability, durability, and so forth. Here is a simple guide to help you select that first designer bag for casual use. Taking all these factors into consideration will help you make a sound purchase that you will not regret!
SIZE: One of the most important factors to consider is size. A bag that is too large can be cumbersome and clunky. A bag that is too small is inconvenient and can become too tightly packed. Assess your everyday essentials. Oftentimes, we carry more essentials than we actually use. Do you really need to carry 5 chapsticks? Do you really need to carry a whole bunch of hair ties and clips? Take the time to downsize your essentials to what you actually need and use. Avoid carrying multiples of one type of item. 2 to 3 hair ties should suffice, you probably don't need to carry 8 of them. 2 lipsticks in your most used favorite shades should be sufficient, you probably don't need to carry 6 lipsticks.
Really think about all you carry and minimize your items. If you carry any sort of medication, such as pills, consider downsizing to a small pill container as opposed to keeping the original medicine bottle. If you carry a hairbrush, try to acquire a mini size or a foldable kind to save space. Making considerations like this will keep your future bag uncluttered and give you easy access when you are reaching in for things. After you have assessed what you really need to carry, pick a bag size accordingly. Will it be mini, small, medium, or large? Just picking out the size will greatly narrow down what bags you can buy.
SILHOUETTE: The next factor to consider is the silhouette. The shape of the bag affects the overall style of your look and the general useability of the bag. A couple popular silhouettes include box-shaped, trapeze, hobo, tote, duffel, satchel, barrel, bucket, messenger, clutch, and so on. Decide what style suits you best and fits your essentials best.
STRAP LENGTH: The next factor to consider is the strap length. This is important because the strap length will determine how you will be carrying this bag. Do you want to carry your bag as a handbag, shoulder bag, or crossbody bag. The handbag straps are short top handles that are long enough to fit on your wrist and on the crook of your arm. This type of strap is best for small, lighter bags. However, this strap length is not ideal for long-term carrying as the hands and forearms get tired easily. Next up is the shoulder strap. This length is longer, so the bag can rest on your shoulder. This is also a comfortable style. This style allows for longer carry times than a handbag. However, the shoulder strap can get tiring too as the bag can slip from the shoulder every now and then. Finally, there is the crossbody strap. This is generally considered to be the most comfortable strap length. The strap will be worn on one shoulder and the bag will be slung to the opposite side of the body. This style of the strap does not slip and is totally hands and arms free. You can even select a bag with more than one strap style for maximum useability. The wisest choice would be to go for a bag with a top handle for handbag carry and an adjustable long strap that can be converted for shoulder wear and crossbody wear.
STORAGE: Now it is time to consider how the bag stores your items. Do you want a bag with lots of pockets or organizations? Or do you want a more sleek bag with no pockets? Bags with fewer pockets will often require you to use small cosmetic pouches to organize your items. Bags with multiple pockets have the tendency to be a bit bulkier, but it'll likely eliminate the need for pouches. This is all up to personal choice. You can even get a bag with no pockets or dividing compartments at all and instead buy a bag organizer insert to create faux divisions. The wisest choice would be to pick a bag with a few pockets for storing smaller items and an empty larger compartment where you can use 1 or 2 pouches. This gives you the best of both worlds.
MATERIAL: The texture and material of the bag also matter. If you want a bag that can bear rough wear and tear, saffiano leather would be a good choice. This is a harder, rougher texture of leather that is more resistant to stains and tears. This type of leather is easy to wipe stains off of. You can even opt for a nylon or parachute-like exterior for the easiest stain removal and cleaning. If you know that you can handle a gentler bag, then softer leathers like lamb leather would suffice. Softer leathers are the most susceptible to staining. They are also the hardest to clean. You can even opt for a PVC leather bag. These bags are a faux leather made from a plastic-like material. These bags have a tough exterior and are more resistant to stains. Be sure to read up on the material of the bag you are selecting before you purchase!
DETAILS & AESTHETICS: The details are considered after size and shape are. Do you want a plain bag? Do you want an embellished bag? Do you want studs, gems, embroidery, patterns, textures, gold or silver hardware, key chains, bag scarves, bag accessories? The details and aesthetics of the bag really bring out the true expression of your style. Do you want a neutral-colored bag that matches every outfit or do you want a bright-colored bag that is a statement piece for every outfit? Let's say that the bag that fits your needs is plain, you can spice it up by adding keychains, bag scarves, and bag charms of your choice. Do you want the bag to have the studs at the bottom, also known as "feet," so the bag can stand upright? These are considerations that help narrow your choices down to your perfect bag.
These are the general, overarching factors to consider when purchasing a nicer and pricer bag. You want to have everything from useability, practicality, durability, and aesthetics. Taking all these factors into account can often make finding the perfect bag a long ordeal. But once you have found the one, it will become an essential staple in your everyday life.
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