STYLE MATTERS: Hip, handy handbags

LOUIS VUITTON designer handbags
VINTAGE neverfull GM monogram shopper designer purses.

By Judie Schwartz & Evelinda Urman, Special to the Rocky

Let's face it: We spend more time with our handbags than we do with our significant others. It's worth it to take some time in selecting the best one. We asked three fashionable women-about-town why they chose their handbags and what they carry in them.


Brandi S. Shigley

A self-styled Denver Fashion Ambassador, Shigley runs Fashion Denver, a support association for local designers. A handbag designer herself, Shigley's favorite bag is not one of her own, but rather a bag she found in a dumpster.One rainy day while walking by an old eviction pile, Shigley's sharp fashion eye spotted a Chloe handbag that had been unceremoniously tossed out. FYI: Chloe bags can run more than $2,000. What fashionista could ignore this find? Most of us carry the usual stuff in our handbags: wallets, cell phones, sunglasses. But Shigley carries a claves, an Afro-Cuban percussion instrument. As Shigley says: "It's always nice to start a party wherever you go!"

In Brandi's Chloe bag

* Moleskine book of thoughts, songs, poems and rantings
* Wallet someone gave her when she hosted Bingo at Sputnik a few weeks ago
* Thank-you card from her Grandma
* iPod Nano
* Altoids (Tangerine sours)
* Meomi mirror
* Mat & Nat pouch with business cards and stickers
* Kickball socks
* Lotion that she took from a hotel in Los Angeles
* Lucky little rabbit
* Extra gum
* Lip liner


Sarah Peay

Attorney and senior account executive at the Bradsby Group. Peay has specific requirements when it comes to selecting handbags."It is mandatory that the purse has a zipper," she says. "You never know when your purse is going to turn over. I need a bag that doesn't get dirty easily. I carried a white Miu Miu purse all last summer, and by the time August came around, I had to have it cleaned for the second time. I need a long enough strap - and only one strap - to fit around my shoulder, although I generally carry it on my forearm. I also stick to basic colors."Lastly, when choosing a purse, Peay tries to avoid choosing one that is too trendy."I love getting the full use out of a purse," she says.This woman knows what she likes.What is Peay carrying now? "A black, distressed leather, giant Balenciaga purse with silver embellishments," she says. "I chose this purse after months of searching for the perfect black purse." Peay has our vote for carrying the most considerate object in her handbag - her father's reading glasses. He uses them to read the menu at their regular lunches together.

In Sara's Balenciaga purse

* Prada makeup bag
* Fresh Sugar lychee body lotion
* Adriana lip balm
* Stila lip gloss in Tangerine
* Flowerbomb perfume
* 2008 day planner
* Checkbook
* BlackBerry
* Keys
* Sniff tissues
* Gucci wallet
* Heart mirror
* Marc Jacobs sunglasses
* Mints from a fundraiser for Josh Hanfling, candidate for Colorado State Representative, House District 6
* Mason Pearson hairbrush
* Blockbuster DVDs: In the Name of the King and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead


Ivette Dominguez

President and owner of Alpine Buick Pontiac GMC. Dominguez likes to invest in good purses that last a long time, as opposed to buying trendy purses each season."I always choose a classic style in a durable leather," she says. "I have a 5-year-old daughter and am very involved in the community - so I may be in and out of the office, car and home 20 times a day. That puts a lot of wear and tear on a purse." The most unusual object Dominguez carries in her handbag?"A snack for my puppy, a Maltese named Simba."

In Ivette's Louis Vuitton purse

* Altoids mints
* Bare Essentials "Parfait" lipstick
* Keys
* Louis Vuitton wallet
* Tweezers
* Dog treats
* Fruity Snacks
* Cash

Bright on! Handbags in vibrant shades of yellow, green, pink and blue are trendy for spring.