As a dynamic woman entrepreneur, determined to move up on the ladder of success, a great handbag is not only a functional part of your everyday gear but, also, one of your key assets in presenting your best image and business identity. There is nothing worse than a professional woman who has made an enormous effort to present a polished appearance compromise her professional image by carrying a cheap or tattered handbag. Unfortunately I have seen it on too many occasions!

Please don’t let this scenario happen to you. Always have a collection of “power” handbags at your fingertips, ready to go for any occasion. These bags will add the perfect touch to your outfit and help you be perceived by your audience the way you want to be. A stylish, elegant handbag will make all the difference in making that favorable and lasting impression…the impression, which we all know is formed in just 4 seconds after walking into a room!

If you want to present the image of the professional woman who power lunches with the best, dress to impress and use these 4 Eurochic Style Solutions ^TM when choosing your next handbag.

1) Style: Choose a brand that resonates with your personal style and makes a fashion statement about who you are. Always think elegant, not too trendy and choose a style that will withstand the test of time. A chic professional woman should always flaunt her style in a noticeable but understated way.

2) Size: Make sure that a handbag is large enough to accommodate all of your things but fits just right with your body proportions. Think smaller for petites, medium to large for average figures and large and oversized for fuller figures. Also, pay attention to where a shoulder bag hits your body. Make sure the bag doesn’t hit any area to which you wouldn’t want to bring attention, i.e large bust, wide hips, etc.

3) Color: If you are just starting to build your designer handbag collection, start with a neutral palette. A great black bag is a must and one in the brown/beige/grey families will make the best transition from winter to summer. Secondly, buy a bright colored classic bag, which will make for stylish impact and divert attention from your figure when wearing darker colors. Just make sure your colorful bag is a larger style, otherwise, it will look childish.

4) Quality: Always buy the best quality handbag that you can afford. Remember that you should be dressing for where you want to be and for not where you are. Buy less but better and when in doubt, remember the CPW (Cost per wear) ratio. Divide the cost of your new handbag by the number of times you will be wearing it in a year. This will give you the daily cost of your purchase. If you buy 1 great designer handbag every season, instead lots of “Kleenex” brands, you will de-clutter your closet, spend little more than a trip to Starbucks and look and feel powerful and fabulous!

Have a look at some of my favorite European brands, which will give you great quality and style for your buck!

Coccinelle

Coccinelle is a bridge line of Italian Designer bags with a wide variety of colors and styles to choose from. This brand has been around for at least 15 years in Italy and has since branched out all over the world and on the internet.

A handbag with a cuase, the “Goodie Bag” was especially designed for the Francesca Rava foundation-N.H.P. Italia, a portion of the proceeds goes to provide training and new jobs to the children of Haiti. It can be found in various colors and materials on www.coccinelle.com or www.forzieri.com . Price range from $250.00.

Bally

Bally of Switzerland has been an established brand in the US and Europe for many years. This is luxury brand with a wide range of styles and price points suitable for a modern woman entrepreneur.

The “Masha” bag can be found at www.bally.com in three colors: Grey, rust and navy. Price range from $850.00.

Mulberry

A British Luxury brand of modern classics with many versatle styles in a wide variety of materials, finishes, trim and colors to add an interesting twist.

The “Bayswater” bag is available on www.mulberry.com , www.polyvore.com and www.net-a-porter.com . Price range: from $950.00. You might be able to find these bags on Ebay or at certain designer discount stores, as well.

Lancel Paris

A French, modern classic ,luxury brand owned by the Richemont group.Lancel bags are top quality and hand made with the same artisan care of other French luxury houses, such as Louise Vuitton. This brand is very well know in Paris but not as much elsewhere in the world, given it’s small distribution. When you purchase a Lancel bag you are getting fantastic quality and exclusivity at a very competitive price.

The “Premier Flirt” bag is available in a variety of colors, trims, finishes, leathers and exotic skins. Lancel bags are not available online or in the US. They can be ordered directly from the Lancel Boutiques in Paris. (If you are interested contact me for more information at info@stylemakersinternational.com ) Price: from €599.00, plus shipping.

If you enjoyed this article or have any comments please let me know. We’d love to hear from you!

Happy shopping!

Renée

Renée Coppinger

EuroStyle Expert ^TM

Stylemakers International