Women’s Bag Fashion Trends 2008 - What the Best Dressed Women are Carrying This Year

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From Women's Accesories by Gill Hart

2008 sees a trend for stronger, larger, designer bags that can cope with women who carry the equivalent of 2.5 kilos over their shoulders.

It’s official: women now carry everything in their handbag but the kitchen sink. British newspaper The Daily Mail claims in its Femail section that the average British woman’s handbag “weighs the same as five bags of sugar” (Nick McDermott, 12/13/07). That’s 5 pounds or nearly 2.5 kilos of stuff, “equivalent to a hod carrier on a building site.”

According to The Daily Mail, "the burden on a woman's shoulder has increased by 38% in the past five years." With this in mind, handbags and purses for 2008 are bigger and stronger. Sue Braddick, assistant handbag buyer at John Lewis, a British department store chain says, “We’re seeing a trend for bigger bags.”

Not surprising, when our love of all things electronic means that today’s best dressed women are also shouldering their laptops, mobile phone chargers, ipods and other gadgetry; which are just as important as cosmetics and purses.

The weight carried in our handbags has grown to such an extent that UK major retailers like Asda are requesting their suppliers toughen straps and stitching to make bags more durable. Consequently we need to make sure that any bag we purchase will last.

Big Bags and Back Pain
However, this is not good news for Britain’s chiropractors who state, “We are considering issuing a warning”. Carrying around five pounds of bag regularly is not conducive to good health. Whilst such a heavy weight may not have instant repercussions, it can have a cumulative effect on body posture and may cause back strain.

Says Daily Mail reader Judith from Paris, France: “In Paris you often see women carrying two big bags. One has their personal stuff and the other has work stuff. Or college/uni stuff if they're a student. It's true we have more junk to carry round and you have to wonder what all of this is doing to our backs. We'll all be bent over double in old age.”

Bag Fashion Trends 2008
Along with the reinvention of the maxi dress, 2008 sees a trend for larger tote-style or shoulder bags. Increased weight and bulk means that the humble clutch purse is relegated to evening wear, as the majority of bags are now carried over the shoulder rather than in the hand.

Designer compartment-style bags are a "must have" for the modern woman, with pockets in different shapes and sizes to help organize the clutter inside. Modern women need lots of tailor-made spaces to house their new toys.

Natasha Shamdasani, Handbagdesigner101.com, refers to the current trend as Homes for Hi Tech, stating that “there is a big trend for men’s bags …..with specialized pockets for gadgets and electronics such as ipods, laptops, blackberrys, flash keys and more.”

So what does this mean for fashionistas in 2008? Tote bags (open-top with straps or handles) are selling well, along with the Messenger, a large soft, long-strapped shoulder bag worn across the body, dispersing the weight. These cross-body straps are reminiscent of '80s fashion trends. Many bags for Spring 2008 follow the floral spring-like color trend, with golden olive, diaquiri green, and pinkish reds.

In particular Radley Tote bags are proving popular, and according to Sue Braddick, John Lewis, “sales of Mulberry bags are up by 10%”

For those who prefer hand-held bags or balancing them in the crook of the elbow, the antique doctor-style is proving popular, in particular Dolce & Gabbana’s Large Leather Framed bag, a snip at around $1300.

If you want the real thing, be wary of fake designer bags. Counterfeit bags are getting harder to spot these days. If your bargain sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Match Your Bag With Your Body Shape
As bags are bigger and bolder this year, it is important to find one that flatters your body shape.

With shoulder bags making a come back, consider their length in relation to your height and frame. Remember that wherever the bag ends, it will draw attention to that particular part of your body. For those conscious of a spare tire, then go for a bag which ends at the hips and not at the waist.

If you are short and curvy, juxtapose your assets by choosing a long and sleek, rectangular or square style. In a soft fabric and good quality leather, this can knock off the pounds. If you are tall and slim then a slouchy, rounded hobo-style will compliment your frame. Elfin British model, Kate Moss is rarely seen separated from her oversized Chloe Betty and Cameron Diaz regularly totes her Burberry Knight Studded Bag

Overweight and Oversized Bags Command Respect
This season men will need to beware. With the average woman sporting a five-pound handbag, she can cause some serious damage should she choose to aim one their way! As one Daily Mail reader, Bob, from Nottingham, puts it “Time to show more respect or risk getting clobbered seriously.”

With the weight of women's handbags expected to increase a further 20% within the next decade, it gives a new meaning to the phrase "it' s in the bag!"