Handbag Fashion Style Trend 2008

Most women cannot leave the house without bringing a purse or a handbag with them. After all, carrying a purse along is a convenient way of lugging loose change, a cell phone, a compact, a comb, a lipstick, keys, a vial of perfume, reading material, and all the other stuff that women cannot leave home without. Toting a purse or a handbag saves women from having stuffed and bulky pockets, if they have pockets at all.

However, as convenient as a handbag is in helping us carry stuff around, what many women fail to realize is that a handbag or a purse is a fashion accessory. So, because it is a fashion accessory, it should work with the rest of the outfit.

But more importantly than that, when you choose a purse or a handbag to go with your outfit, you should pick one that should match the type of body that you have. You may not be aware of it, but when someone looks at you, the first thing about your outfit that this someone would be likely to notice is your handbag. Depending on what kind of handbag you are carrying, you may be drawing attention to the curves of your body that you may prefer to de-emphasize.

It is all about balance. Just like any piece of clothing or accessory that you have on you, your purse should make your figure appear balanced. It should hide what you may want to hide and emphasize what you may want to emphasize.

One of the principles that you should be following when picking out a purse to match your outfit is that large handbags go with amply padded bodies, while small purses go with smaller bodies. If you are a petite person, the type of purse that you should be using is small. If you wear plus sizes, you should go for bigger handbags. That is one of the basic principles that you should observe when choosing a handbag.

So, which type of purse should go with which type of curves? Going with the principle on size on choosing handbags, if you are short with only a slight figure, you should go for a handbag that is small and is something that you can hold close to your body. Never ever buy a big purse because you will drown in it. Holding a big purse if your body is small would make you look as if the purse is carrying you, and not the other way around.

If you are the tall and lanky type, with not much on you in terms of curves, your challenge is to create the illusion of having a curvy figure and to hide the straight leanness of your body. You can achieve this by wearing a purse that is medium-sized and with a long shoulder strap that will allow you to hold the purse close to your waist. Holding the purse against the waist will make you seem that you have a slender waist that gently slopes to your hips.

Now, if your hips are wide and heavy, the handbag you need is something that will draw the eyes away from your hips and lower body. The perfect handbag for you is something with a shoulder strap that will allow the handbag to hang just above your hips. In this way, anyone who looks at you will have his or her eyes drawn to your upper body, rather than to your hips.

Girls with top-heavy figures, on the other hand, would want to call attention away from their upper bodies. If your figure is top-heavy, the handbag that you need is something that has long straps, something that you can hold close to your hips. Remember to get a large purse to balance out your top-heavy body.

Never ever use a small handbag if you have a plus size figure. As we said above, toting a small purse will only call attention to your size. Always go for a wide handbag that will lend a balanced look to your figure.

If you have the perfect hourglass figure, with your bust line in proportion to your hips and with a definite waist, you are to be envied. You can lug along just about any type of purse or handbag there is. But then again, you should still be conscious about the way your purse balances out your figure. Always get a handbag that is just the right size compared to your body. So, if you are on the short and lean side, go for a small bag. If you are big and really curvy, a big bag will work for you.

Always remember that your purse or handbag is a fashion accessory. You should make it work to balance out your figure.

Fashion Trends 2008

You probably can't recall who said it, but whoever first uttered that fashion comes full circle every 30 years or so was not too far off. This season on the runway is reminiscent of the flowing 70s in both fabric and style. We are seeing much more of the long skirt and much less of the micro mini. Materials like silk and chiffon, which tend to flow and gather, are much more popular for Spring 2008 than fabrics like cotton or denim which tend to hold shape and stay stiffer in appearance. The word for the season is feminine, feminine, feminine! The exception to this seems to be in outerwear, where rubber is oddly back in style. Indoors, though, thin little belts, hats, and scarves are also popular and a throwback to the 70s as well as being womanly. Don't despair, though - some things from last season are still popular and can be recycled for this season. Accessories like metallic bags and clutches, as well as sequins and some of the longer pencil skirts can still be worn with confidence. Dresses with color blocks are still around as well, left over from last season and still cute. Headbands are still a popular accessory as well.

Sheers are in this year as a fabric style, which works well with the flow-y nature of the season. Pairing a sheer shirt over a camisole with denim jeans is a great casual look. In fact, a sheer scarf works with almost anything this season. Especially cute is the above-mentioned shirt and jeans with a little scarf and dressy sneakers. "Dressy sneakers" are another big hit this year, which will keep your feet happy as you get to be comfortable and stylish at the same time. Low-lying, patterned variety sneakers with ties that sport the best of brand names are the most popular for the young trendsetter.

Speaking of patterns, big bold prints such as tropical themes and jungle prints are back. For whatever reason, and it seems to happen every several years, tribal and jungle themes like leopard prints and zebra stripes make their way back to the runway. This year is no exception. Color is back, and black is out, at least for now. Last year, brown was the new black, and this year it is muted silver and grey that's all the rage when you want to opt for a non-color.

What about shoes, you ask? Pointy-toe pumps are back! Not that they ever really went out of style, but they certainly came second to the flip flop, the ballet slipper, and other such cutesy flat footwear, along with the rounded toe pump. Also noteworthy is what's in store for later on in the season. Fall 2008 promises to be chock full of the "bigger is better" theory. Bigger, chunkier heels, bigger, longer boots, and bigger and heavier accessories on the shoes themselves such as thick buckles and chains should be on your radar for footwear.

Of course, if we are going to talk shoes we must talk shades. Still popular, especially with the Divas, are the ever-present round and dark sunglasses that cover most of your face. The celebrities, of course, brought this trend to the forefront of fashion and it doesn't look like it's going anywhere anytime soon. Also popular though, is the blue lens which seemed to disappear for a while. This lens is more appropriate with a smaller frame than with the oversized shades discussed. The RayBan Wayfarers, so popular in the 80s, also seem to be making a comeback this year.

Last but by no means least, there could not be a fashion article written about what's hot for 2008 without mentioning jeans. Designer denim continues to be the hottest thing around. We all know that True Religion, Citizens of Humanity, Buffalo, Seven for all Mankind and Lucky have become standard, almost run-of-the mill designer jeans. Even though they cost upward of $200.00, they are still the 'norm'. Slightly more pricey is Diesel, and this brand continues to be popular as well.

Relative newcomers, though, are some of the names that were actually around long before these newbies even existed. Yves St. Laurent, Donna Karan, and some of the more elite designer's names are being plastered on the derrieres of the most discriminating fashionistas this season. As for jean style and cut, the zipper-ankle and straight-leg varieties that were popular in the 80s are making a comeback. Expect to see them on the legs of the trendsetters this fall.

This season proves to be an interesting and eclectic mix of 70s and 80s styles. This may seem contradictory, but the feminine nature of the season's styles pulls from flowing 70s fabrics and cuts and seems to just use a hint of 80s metal and accessory - and it's a hit.