As a personal stylist, one of the first things I tell my clients is to invest in a beautiful and timeless, classic and classy bag. Nothing updates a look like a beautifully crafted purse. I always tell my clients that it doesn’t have to be designer, but must be of good quality materials and fine craftsmanship. Any outfit is instantly made more chic and fashion forward by a great bag! My personal style asthetic tends to be a mix of Hi/Lo, meaning that I love to combine treasures I find at a vintage store, Zara, H & M, Anthropologie , or even Target , with a few luxury pieces. My BIG THREE pieces that should be high end, iconic even, are bags, shoes and sunglasses, the best I can afford. There are so many great luxury resale sites (on line stores) like Vestaire Collective, The Real Real, Tradesy and Bag Borrow or Steal, that fine quality pieces can be purchased for, well… a steal! I also love All Saints. Their leather goods are beautifully styled and crafted at a much lower price point than many designer houses. (Their leather jackets are amazing, too!) If you are purchasing a great quality bag for the first time, I recommend a neutral color, probably black, brown or grey. The advantage to grey is that it goes with pretty much every color, and can be better for Summer than black or brown. Whether you chose a cross body bag, a handle bag, or even a fun backpack really depends on your lifestyle, but I always suggest getting a first high quality bag that is big enough for what you carry daily. For example, unless it’s a small evening bag, I need a purse or tote big enough for my water bottle and book or iPad… in addition to all my other stuff. To be truthful, I carry a lot of stuff!! At a minimum, your new bag must be able to hold your PhLICKR. (One of my favorite fashion acronyms started out as LICK (lipstick, ID, cash, keys,) but I’ve recently updated it to include my phone and readers.) If you need any help or handbag advice, you can always email me! Happy Shopping!👜👛 – LM💗
Lisa Melora 