Bag Trends for 2008

Why Big Bags Are IN ?

A big bag is a dramatic way to make a style statement and is instantly slimming at the same time. What more could a woman possibly want!

This season, handbag designers are pushing larger bags in all shapes and sizes, from satchels, messenger and totes to vintage-style doctor bags.

The Pros

* Big bags have the effect of making most women look slimmer. Unless you are extremely petite, oversized bags make their owner look delicate in comparison.

* The big bag is practical rather than precious.

* For women with young children all those pockets and compartments provide great storage for items they can’t leave home without!

* For lugging around a vast array of electronic gadgetry in addition to cosmetics, books and other paraphernalia, the big bag enables women to carry one single item.

* Oversize bags are perfect for traveling

The Cons

* It seems the bigger the bag, the bigger the price tag.

* Big bags may mean big backache. The larger the space inside, the more inclined women are to fill it. Carrying around three or four kilos daily undoubtedly takes its toll on your health.

Note

Be sensible when buying a bag. No matter how much space you have, try not to be tempted to load it more than you actually need.

How to Wear Your Bag

* Grace and poise is likely to go out the window. It’s hard to look demure when sporting a bag that is almost half your size, not to mention the weight equivalent of three house bricks. This is all very well for celebrity icons with a stretch limo at their beck and call, but for most women it’s a question of getting from A to B without dislocating a shoulder.

* Carrying it by the handles, over the shoulder or in the crook of the arm are three possible options. The healthiest way is to actually spread the weight of the bag diagonally across the shoulders and chest.

* "Balancing the equivalent of a small suitcase in the crook of your arm is the least advisable", according to the Daily Mail’s Claire Colman. This puts more strain on the body as it is further away from the center of gravity. Combined with tottering down the street in a pair of this year’s trendy rainbow-colored, four-inch stiletto statement shoes, this is a sure way to wage war on your back!