Handbags come in all shapes and sizes, just like we do. The right bag can definitely help accentuate some of our best features while drawing attention away from areas we’re not too crazy about.

For example, the best style of handbag for petite body types are certainly not the larger carryalls. These tend to overwhelm a smaller frame making it appear shorter than it is. Rather than sport a large bag if you are petite, try a cute clutch like the rattan and leather one by Cole Haan which can be used day or night. A smaller handbag like Gustto’s denim & leather pocketbook is another option. Smaller bags also look great in bold colors and patterns since they can add flair to your ensemble without drawing attention to your height.

For the bottom heavy gal, a shorter strapped bag works best by drawing attention up and away from the areas you would rather not accentuate, as opposed to a bag with longer straps that grazes the hip. You don’t want a bag that will draw attention down towards your hips and thighs, so keeping it higher up and throwing in a splash of color will keep the eyes off of your “problem area.” The Michael Kors Jet Set Small Box Satchel is the perfect example of a bag that would work beautifully with a pear shaped body type.

An apple shaped or top heavy body would be most complimented by a handbag that hangs lower down. You want the bag to accentuate your hips rather than your upper body as well as lengthen and whittle your waist. This can be done beautifully with a white Italian leather pouch bag by Charm and Luck, or a quirky and fun carryall with longer straps like the polka dotted cutie by Tocca. A small clutch also works well for this body type as it can be carried at waist or hip level, once again drawing away from your chest and helping your body look more proportionate. And with the latest trend being carrying your clutch as your everyday bag, this may be the easiest and best way to fix your figure.

While boy shaped or narrow body types can get away with pretty much any size and shape of bag, bright colors and geometric patterns work well to add some definition to an otherwise curveless shape. Hip skimming bags can add some oomph to small hips and a cute flirty handbag can define narrow shoulders when worn on the arm.

Adding the right handbag for your body type to your wardrobe is another simple and effective way to flatter your figure. With so many sizes and shapes of bags available, there is no excuse for carrying a bag that overwhelms your frame, highlights any problem areas, or makes you look disproportionate. After all, you wouldn’t want to wear jeans that didn’t make your bum look fantastic, right? So, why carry a bag that doesn’t fit you fabulously?

Michael Kors

Charm & Luck

Cole Haan

Plenty By Tracy Reese

Article by Morayma Makay from AssociatedContent.com

Fashion Shows — Pure Publicity
Fashion shows may be fun to watch, but they are pure publicity. Most designers don’t even really make what they design for the runway. The fact is that retailers do most of their buying before they ever go to fashion shows — which can cost $300,000 up to $1 million! Most fashion businesses make their money from basics — not their high-end collections.

Outlet Stores — Designers at Discounts?
Many of the clothes you find at outlet stores are made specifically for that store, and the designers sometimes use cheaper fabric to maximize their profit. So if you think you’re saving 40 to 50 percent, think again! Designers do sprinkle a small percentage of the current season’s fashions in outlet stores, but that is just another part of the illusion. The really good, trendy stuff helps sell the ordinary things that masquerade as markdowns

Who Says Size Doesn’t Matter?
By now many people know that one designer’s size 12 is another’s size 8. Catalog sizes tend to be bigger than store sizes, because the catalog companies know that shoppers are less likely to return clothes that are a little too big — while they will almost always return clothes that are too small.

Dry Clean Only?
This label used to be reserved for wool suits and winter clothes. We’re now seeing it on clothes that can be safely and cheaply washed at home, like some white cotton shirts and even baby clothes!

The reason: When a dress doesn’t hold up after washing, you take it back to the store and the store takes it back to the manufacturer. To minimize those returns, many manufacturers put “dry-clean only” labels on virtually everything they make!

The misconception: Dry cleaning is always easier on a garment. That’s not true — even dry cleaners agree the process isn’t right for everything!

Pricing
Less than 40 percent of all clothing is sold at full price. Some stores mark up so they can mark down.

Teri says the life expectancy for full-price clothes is about nine weeks, but only pull the trigger if it’s a hot fashion item. Stores have gotten wiser and don’t make the huge batches of the same trendy clothes. Fashion “mistakes” — bad ideas in the first place — are the first to go on sale and those are often the best deals — as much as 80 percent off! Another secret — some stores even create items that immediately go on sale at 50 percent off.

Beware: What you may not know is that items that were made to sell at 50 percent off are usually lower quality.

At a celebrity auction that took place at the Cannes Film Festival, Madonna’s Chanel handbag was auctioned off for close to $500,000! What does it look like? It’s a “black alligator bag with a clasp studded with 334 diamonds.” This was the actual purse she carried to fil festival. The mysterious winner was also given all of the contents of her bag, which included “Shu Uemura blotting paper, lip gloss that had been used, lip balm, a magnifying mirror, and throat lozenges.” The final bid that took home the handbag was 300,000 euros (over $471,000)! All of the proceeds benefited AIDS research. Last year, the star of the show was George Clooney, who auctioned off a kiss for $300,000. This year, Madonna stole the show with her Chanel handbag! Who knows what next year will bring, but I’m sure that it will be a show stopper! (People.com, Oneindia.in)

We love love fashion! What are the current top 5 handbag trends??

1. The Clutch	The hottest shape of the season is here to stay!
2. Patent Handbag	Patent is the absolute most fashionable finish right now!
3. Mini Handbag	The natural opposite to last year’s fashionable oversized
4. Metallic Handbag	Metallic have been in and out for years…Now= Totally In!
5. Convertible Handbag	Verstality to the Max! Over the shoulder, handheld, cross body..

Betsey Johnson $195.00	Donald J Pliner $425.00	Just Cavalli $675.00	Talulah New York $122.00	Joe’s Handbags $395.00

FUN FASHION FACTS

Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, was said to use kohl to widen her eyes. Egyptian women are also said to have used henna to lighten their hair.

The “Gibson Girl” look, popularized in 1890 by Charles Dana Gibson, came to symbolize the sensible American girl’s ideal image.

Perfume is an over $10 million dollar industry. It’s been used as far back as the Ancient Egyptians, who used it in religious rituals.

The modern era of perfume began in 1921 with Coco Chanel’s launch of Chanel No. 5, an exotic floral blend, created by Ernest Beaux.

Prior to 1850, 70 percent of the clothes worn were hand-stitched by the people who wore them. Clothes were a commodity, not fashion.

Fashion designers of the 1500s showed their designs by crafting doll clothes versions of their fashions and taking them to shows.

It’s only quite recently, about 200 years, that children have had clothes distinct from those of adults. Earlier, they just wore smaller sizes.

Did you know that Michael Kors is a longtime fan of Dolly Parton? Not only did he kick off his 2006 runway show with a Dolly Parton song, but he was also a member of the audience for the Dolly Parton themed American Idol episode. Although Michael says that he had no idea what the show theme was when he bought the tickets, it turned out well for the designer, who coincidentally got to attend the show of the country legend(WWD-April 12, 2008).