A purse is an essential accessory for any women on the go; it is a place for her to carry anything she needs to keep close at hand, from makeup to her cell phone. A purse is great whether you want to head out for dinner and dancing, or whether you just want to relax and go out for a coffee and a paper on a Saturday morning. Thankfully, a modern woman has a full range of options to choose from when selecting the perfect purse to match her outfit and her mood.

Finding the perfect purse for your style

When finding perfect purses among all the different styles and designs that are available, there are some important practical issues to keep in mind. A purse, after all, is not just a simple bag; it is a statement about the woman's fashion sense and personality. There are a wide variety of different purses to choose from, each style having its own advantages and disadvantages.

Purses can be placed into two main categories: purses that are designed for a night on the town, and purses that are designed for everyday use. The different types of materials and construction techniques distinguish these purses.

Everyday purses are constructed from materials such as leather, nylon, plastic or straw. Purses that are designed for everyday use are usually designed to be either held by their handle or slung over the woman's shoulder. In the latter category you can find shoulder bags, doctor's bags and hobo bags. Hobo bags are just shoulder bags, but have a short semi-circle strap. Purses that are designed to be held by the handle include shopper bags and satchels. A third category of everyday purses is the demi-handbag, which has a short strap that can either be carried or strung over a woman's shoulder.

Evening purses, on the other hand, are smaller then everyday purses. For instance, a clutch purse is only designed to carry a cell phone and some lipstick when you are out and about and need to freshen up. A clutch purse does not have a handle or a strap, and is designed to either be carried in the woman's hand or tucked under her arm. If you need something larger than a clutch, you can use an evening handbag. Evening handbags are similar to everyday handbags except they are generally smaller. More importantly, evening purses will generally be made of more luxurious materials than an everyday purse would be made from. For instance, evening handbags are often made from silk or velvet.

What are the top designer purses?

The Louis Vuitton purse is the traditionally must-have purse, a well made handbag decorated with the iconic LV monogram. Other popular designer brands for handbags include Balenciaga, Gucci, Prada, Chloe and Hermes. Of course, you do not have to limit yourself to the traditional designers. There is an exciting new crop of new designers who are creating great designer bags, such as Marc Jacobs, Coach, and Miu Miu.