Style Shakeup

Every now and then we need a style shakeup.  Seasons change and fashion is always progressing.  It doesn't feel good to be in a rut; especially a fashion rut.  The thought seems daunting to have to revamp your wardrobe, but it doesn't have to be complicated.  Truly.  When I hear that someone wants a style shakeup, I tell them to take it slowly and make only a few changes at a time.  A style shakeup is a long distance run, not a sprint.  And it doesn't mean you have to rush out and purchase all new clothes, shoes, and accessories.  Often even a small change will result in a whole different look in the way you put together outfits.  Style is based on what what and how we perceive it and what we think we need.  Style has many different layers.  Personal style varies greatly from person to person and it should.  Wouldn't it be boring if we all work the same outfits?  For some personal style is fast and one knows exactly what she likes and wants to wear.  There are others, like myself, who had to experiment with different looks in order to arrive at a personal style.

Once I began experimenting with different looks, I easily knew what sort of style I favored.  My style is minimal and then when I want to shake it up, I add little pops of color.  Once you have a base style established, that's when I say you can experiment more.  Is most of your closet filled with monochromatic colors?  If so, then you can always add a bright accent color into the mix.  On a snowy winter day if you are dressed in head to toe grey and black, think about an accent color in winter white.  The light accent color will really make your look stand out.  In the summer, I tend to favor a bit more color for my personal style.  On a hot July day at home, you can find me in a pair of cutoff shorts and a colorful cotton blouse.  I find blouses the perfect way to add color to your wardrobe.  I'm very particular about my tops in the summer.  Just because a design is short sleeved doesn't mean it is cool.  I'm also choosy about the sort of cotton I like.  It's so cheap when you can see through a cotton blouse.  You shouldn't have to wear a camisole under a shirt.

For a good style shakeup, I recommend adding a new handbag to your arsenal.  With just one new purchase you can add a lot of spice to your wardrobe.  Handbags I consider a neutral territory.  You may choose a new handbag made of colorful leather and it's the perfect accent color, but it's not overbearing the way maybe a bright pink blazer would be.  There are so many different options when shopping designer luxury bags.  And now designers are creating bags in various sizes.  From micro to large, there is a handbag size for everyone. Don't ignore famous designer handbags during a style shakeup, they are invaluable because they are smaller than clothing, but they provide just enough change to make a difference.

Leather Handbags

I recently started thinking about the difference between fabric and leather handbags.  What started this brainstorm is I wondered how a fabric bag would fit into my life.  I’ve always owned mostly leather handbags because they seem the most practical.  You can’t lug your laptop and various essentials to work everyday in a fabric creation.  One, it wouldn’t protect your electronics.  Two, fabric handbags are usually lightweight and lose their shape easily.  The same with thin leather.  When you put things into a fabric bag or one made of thin leather you can see the outline of everything from the outside.  This doesn’t bother some people, but I don’t like it.  It looks saggy and sloppy from my perspective.

I do think a fabric handbag could make its way into my wardrobe as a clutch.  A small clutch bag in a heavy weight fabric would fit in well with many of my outfits and jewelry.  On a smaller scale, a fabric handbag can be a great fit.  And with clutches, you don’t really need a lot of interior room.  That’s the beauty of a clutch.  It’s small enough to hold in the palm of your hand or clutch under your arm, and it holds only a few select items.  Clutch bags are normally used for evenings such as dinner and cocktail parties.  However, I’m very partial to clutch bags during the day while I’m on holiday.  When I vacation in the Caribbean, I often use a clutch during the day.  I put a clutch in my large beach bag.  When I’m on the beach, I use the clutch to go back to my room or to go to the hotel and purchase drinks.  It perfectly holds my ID, money, and room key.  So if someone steals my beach bag, I have everything valuable with me in the clutch.  I plan to purchase a few fabric clutches in colorful prints.  They will be well used on my upcoming holiday by the sea.

For larger work bags, however, I do believe one should stick to leather.  I own several designer handbags and they are all crafted of the most amazing leather.  What’s great about leather handbags is they retain their shape much better than their fabric counterparts.  Leather handbags also look more polished and sophisticated.  If you are debating what sort of new handbag to buy, I would definitely lean more towards a leather bag.  I’ve owned several of my leather handbags for over twenty years.  They accompany me to work, shopping trips during the weekend, and even to multi-task as carry-on bags whilst traveling.  When I’m caught in the rain, I always know my leather handbags will hold up well.  Larger fabric handbags are not suitable for outdoor elements such as rain and snow.  Believe me, you do not want to be carrying a large fabric handbag while be pelted with rain.  Talk about a saggy mess.  And if you don’t use leather, there are many faux leather handbag options as well.  If you are starting to add more ultra-luxe designer handbags to your wardrobe, I high suggest you lean towards leather.