When it comes to accessorizing your outfits, handbags play an essential role. In fact, it is one of the best accessories a person can wear! They are functional and look super stylish, if you wear the right type of handbag with your outfit.
That being said, there are not a few but a lot of different types of handbags circling the market waiting to be discovered by you. If you want to become a style icon and keep yourself organized on the way, you better learn which type of handbags are suitable for which occasion!
Let’s now have a look at all types of handbags and see how you can flaunt your stunning outfits with numerous handbag types!
32 Types Of Handbags & Their Usage Scenarios
1. Messenger Bag
A messenger bag is a rectangular bag with a long strap so you can wear it over your shoulder easily. It was initially targeted at couriers but soon became fashionable for men. It is incredibly stylish and looks super coolincasual attire.
Messenger bags are one of the most functional bags on the market. With ample space to fit all your essential documents and valuables, this bag can even store some books to keep you from boredom.
You can wear it to work and even take it with you if you’re commuting over a long distance so it could fit your entertainment equipment easily!
2. Clutch
Clutches are widely known for their sophistication and class. Clutches are also multi-purpose and can be used with various stunning outfits.
It is a mini-sized purse, handheld, and a perfect accessory to go with your cocktail dress! Most of the clutches have detachable straps that give you the choice to wear or hold it on your shoulder.
Clutch bags go great with gowns and short dresses– especially at weddings, galas, and date nights!
3. Satchel
Much like a messenger bag, a satchel is a handheld bag usually used for casualtravel. These bags are horizontally rectangular in shape with a single strap to either wear across your body or over your shoulder.
They also have a small handle so that you can carry them like a briefcase, but if you’ve filled it up, it’s best to just wear it across your body.
These bags give out very academic, professory vibes because they are spacious enough to fit books and a laptop. In addition, they can holdany notes and documents you may wanna carry.
You can use them as a school/college bag, or a work bag, or if you have a compact one, you can use it for shorttravels.
4. Briefcase
A perfect bag for work use, a briefcase can hold all your important documents, files, and equipment– charger, laptop, etc.
A briefcase is typically narrower than a satchel or a messenger bag. However, itis a great piece to store your valuables and carry them around.
It gives a very classy vibe as if you’re dripping with success– usually comes with a small handle to carry it around, a briefcase is vastly used by business people, lawyers, accountants, etc.
5. Tote Bag
A very casual yet gorgeous piece of accessory, a tote bag fulfills all your storage needs when carrying around your stuff. Not all bags are spacious enough to hold everything a woman needs, but that’s where tote bags come in.
With a wide-open top and two broad straps, this bag is extremely fashionable and truly functional. You can wear these every day with your casual outfits– especially when going to college or grocery shopping because these babies are extremely useful atholding groceries!
6. Fanny Pack
A tiny yet very essential piece of accessory, especially when you’re traveling! The best part about fanny packs is that they’re unisex! Men & women can easily rock this fashion accessory with their super cool outfits!
You can find two styles of fanny packs– a belt bag and a waist bag. A waist fanny pack is one that you wear around your waist. It looks incredibly snazzy, especially in streetwear!
You can easily fit in your passport, your ID, credit cards, cash, and your phone and at the same time, look like a total fashion icon!
7. Box Clutch
Box clutches are evening bags that go great with formal attire. These clutches for women are super sassy and incredibly classy, especially if worn with a flowy sheath dress.
They are typical without strapsor handles, meant to be held in your hand as a prized possession, a trophy perhaps. These are a symbol of luxury and look absolutely stunning at parties.
There are also innovative designs coming to life– these are more to the casual side so that you can enjoy donning these pretty clutches casually too!
8. Bucket Bag
A bucket bag got into a trend just some time ago. As the name suggests, this bag is shaped like a bucket, usually fastened with a drawstring to open/close it.
They have a hard bottom to give support and make it extendable. It is a great piece for semi-casual wear, especially if you’re the one to stay on top of trends.
One of the best things about this kind of bag is that you get a lot of room for your belongings.
These types of handbags feature two kinds of handles– usually a long strap so that you can wear them across your body, or a short handle so that you can carry them around!
9. Canteen Bag
A canteen bagor round handbag is a type of handbag that is often used as a fashion accessory rather than a functional carry-on.
It is designed by the inspiration from a flask, hence the round design, and it comes with a long strap so that you can wear them over your shoulder or like a crossbody bag.
These types of handbags are reliable and durable as they maintain their shape and structure well. They are incredibly trendy and you can easily flaunt them with casualwear!
10. Crossbody Bag
The name speaks for itself! This bag issmall,with a single long and adjustable strap that you can wear across your body for a super casual and chic look.
These types of handbags typically fall to your hips at their fulllength. They can fall to your waist or a bit above if you shorten their strap.
The straps are usually either a chain or a leather or canvas strap– super comfortable to wear.
11. Flap Bag
A flap handbag is a type of handbag that features a flap closure on top of a zip closure. The flap is merely an addition to make the handbag more fashionable, and hence, it is a great fashion piece.
You can find a flap bag in many different styles and sizes– a crossbody bag, a satchel, and even a clutch bag can have a flap to make it lookchic.
The best way to wear a flap bag is to pair it with any of your casual outfits. You can wear itto work lunches, dinner dates, or a Thanksgiving family dinner!
12. Envelope Bag
Just another variation of a flap bag or perhaps a blend of a flap bag and a clutch– envelope bags are an incredibly pretty and stylish type of handbag out there!
Perfect for a casual evening and even day weddings, envelope bags are small-sized narrow bags, usually with a detachable chain or a leather strap.
There are many kinds of envelope bags just sitting there in the market waiting to be picked. Pick your favorite– the glitzy one for the wedding or the snakeskin one for the upcoming fundraiser gala– what’s your style, huh?
13. Duffel Bag
If you go on short travels or sleepovers a lot, then this bag is an essential one for you.
This is a relatively big handbag, usually used to pack your overnight clothes and necessary stuff for a sleepover.
The spacious interior makes it a perfect carry-on for traveling– you can fit all your necessary stuff in one bag, perfectly organized.
Duffel bags also make up a great gym bag– you can fit your clothes, your water bottle, your earphones, and whatever else you need when hitting the gym for a nice workout sesh.
They often come with a single long strap and two shorter handles to carryit- with a zipper closure obviously.
14. Backpack Bag
One of the most reliable and spacious bags outthere,a backpack bag is a type of handbag that people usually sling over both of their shoulders.
It features two thick straps so that you can easily wear it, distributing the load so the bag doesn’t feel heavy.
These were vastly used as school bags by kids, because they were large and had the capacity to store all books, notebooks, stationery, lunch, etc.
These days, these bags have also turned into something fashionable– the sizes have shrunk and they’re merely used as a fashion accessory, but a very cute one!
15. Half Moon Bag
As the name suggests, this bag is shaped like a half-moon or a semicircle. This looks incredibly cute and creative when worn with sundresses, especially if they feature long tassels dangling down from the flap.
They are curved at the bottom, with a long strap to hang them over your shoulder or across your body. It usually has a zip closure, but can also feature a flap to twist things up a bit.
16. Wallet
A mini, narrow bag meant to hold onto your important cards and cash. A wallet is foldable and comes without a strap or handle.
It is widely carried with a larger bag so that you can also store your other stuff apart from your credit cards, ID, cash, etc.
17. Coin Purse
A coin purse, as the name suggests, is a small bag that is typically designed to carry your coins and change.
They are found in various shapes but are usually small enough to fit into your bigger handbags. You can also store your other small-sized possessions in this purse, for instance, your jewelry.
18. Bindle
A bindle is a very sassy and creative type of handbag that is usually carried as a fashion piece but is also pretty spacious so you can fit anything in there.
The design is inspired by those pouches that hobos usually take to carry their belongings from one place to another, and it soon became a very happening trend!
You can tie the ends of these fabric bags together and sling them over your shoulder or just carry them around.
19. Pouch
These tiny handbags usually feature a drawstring closure, where you pull them together and a super cute bucket-shaped pouch just magically appears.
They are typically used at Asian weddings– super fancy ones, embroidered ones, and even sequined pouches.
There are also zipper pouches that you can carry around casually and keep all your cards, ID, and cash in.
20. Bowling Bag
These classy handbags are inspired by bowling ball bags and have a distinct shape– broader from the bottom and a bit slimmer from the top.
This type of handbag features short handles to carry them around. They’re usually worn by business women at meetings, etc.
21. Hobo Bag
These types of handbags are slouchy in shape and feature a single round strap to hold them or wear them over your shoulders.
They are super classy and chic– perfect to wear for a casual shopping trip with the gals!
22. Doctor Bag
Inspired by doctors’ bags, these fashionable handbags are a great accessory for a vintage outfit.
Typically made of leather, these are super spacious and are widely available in many cute designs and patterns.
23. Barrel Bag
Shaped just like a barrel, these handbags feature two short straps to carry them and one long strap to wear them across your body.
You can use these bags as either your gym bag, your cricket kit bag, or even an overnight bag.
With 2 circular sides, these bags give you ample space to pack a lot of your stuff, so you can also use them for traveling!
24. Micro Bag
These stylish handbags are only meant to be used as a statement accessory.
Smaller than your palm, these bags come in various styles and designs– but are usually just miniature versions of regular handbags.
25. Camera Bag
As you can guess from the name itself, camera bags are bags used to carry cameras and their equipment.
Typically used by photographers and vloggers, these handbags come in various sizes and styles, meant for different camera models.
26. Phone Pouch
A phone pouch is a small bag meant to carry your phone and keep it safe. It usually has a thin long strap to wear across your body, or you can just keep it inside your regular handbag too.
And the best part? There are many cute designs you can find to match your style!
27. Saddle Bag
These types of handbags feature a curved bottom with a flapclosure -super stylish. The thing about saddle bags is that they always have a buckle on the flap to give that howdy look.
28. Sling Bag
Much like a fanny pack, a sling bag is also a small bag meant to be worn across your body or around your waist.
The sling bag has alongstrap and is worn across the body from your shoulder. It is spacious enough to fit important cards and documents -great for travel!
29. Belt Bag
Another type of fanny pack is a belt bag that you wear around your waist. It doesn’t feature a long strap but an adjustable one, enough to go around your waist.
They look incredibly cool and give you something to stuff your valuables in while traveling!
30. Wristlet
Wristlets are like wallets or small clutches. Wristlet is just a fancy word for a wallet with a strapthat hangs around your wrist.
31. Evening Bag
Evening bags are typically designed for formal wear. These are compact, and incredibly fashionable statement pieces laden with stones or sequins to go with stunning formal dresses.
They usually come without a strap, but with a detachable chain, giving you the option to hang it over your shoulder or flaunt it in your hands.
32. Frame Bag
Frame bags are curated with a metal/wooden frame at the top to give the handbag a defined structure.
The shape is usually trapezoid, and they come in many closures– zipper,kisslock, magnetic, etc.
Conclusion
There are many different types of handbags for men and women both, and the above list features most of them.
This guide is going to help you decide which bag goes best with what outfit and on what occasion! If you have any ideas or idea on your bag, please feel free to contact us and we can help you customize it.