Handbags
"The bigger your bag is, the smaller you look carrying it. Almost like the body-friendly version of what Nicole Richie and Mary-Kate Olsen already know when it comes to making their faces look freakishly small with those gargantuan sunglasses."
-- Jenn Cohn, fashion publicist
Many women don handbags like they pull on sweatpants - without a second thought. We've all witnessed the disastrous results - large ladies sporting tiny Vuitton backpacks are an all-too-common sight.
Oh the flipside, it's no mystery that the Hermes Birkin is the "It" bag of the century. Besides the fact that it is absolutely gorgeous, the Birkin is one of the most flattering handbags on the market — toting its streamlined, structured body in the crook of your arm is nearly as slenderizing as a trick mirror.
Of course, you don't have to sell your right arm or your firstborn to get a bag that complements your figure. Here are some rules on how to pick yourself up a fabulous tote in any price range.
The Perfect bag is a medium-structured tote (big enough to hold snacks) carried in the crook of your elbow. It draws attention to the forearm and wrist, which are, for most women, among the slimmest body parts. Bonus: If you eat too much, you can use your tote to cover up your tummy.
The Rules:
- Don't carry a tiny bag unless you're tiny. -
- Don't carry a big floppy bag if you're big and floppy. -
- Don't wear a strap across your body. It makes you look fat from the front. -
- Don't wear a backpack. It makes you look fat from the side. -
- Don't wear a fanny pack. What is it, 1975, and are you roller-skating too?
"Do not carry an over-size bottle of water around or a big bottle of fat-free ranch dressing in your purse. All the big girls in high school did this."
--William Van Mater, journalist
Tips:
- It's all about balancing your proportions. -
- If you're pear shaped, shoulder your bag. -
- If you're top heavy, tote your tote. -
- For the most modern look of all, leave your bag at home. This does not mean "stuff your pockets." It means: Take shorter trips.
From How Not to Look Fat by: Danica Lo HarperCollins Publisher/Collins Imprint.
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