Choosing a handbag for daily life is an important decision.  Which style — hobo, tote, satchel, clutch, messenger?  In which trend — metallic, leopard, red, black, with studs or without?  How does one decide?  Michelle Potthoff follows handbag fashions, and sells them at Neiman Marcus in San Francisco. 

Michelle recommends two main ingredients for everyday handbags:  durability and lightness.  Make sure it is roomy enough for your daily things, and has compartments such as a handy place for your cell phone, or a zippered side pocket.  And ask yourself before making the final decision – does the look make me feel special? 

Michelle’s “Special” handbags for everyday:

Prada’s Vitello Daino, hobo style in black, brown or red fits comfortably over the shoulder, is lightweight and large enough to hold everything from lunch to Louboutins.  If you have a lot of black in your wardrobe, consider it in red to add a pop of color.  

For an everyday style with studs, hands-down my favorite is Valentino’s studded petal bag. The soft leather and feminine shape dresses up any outfit.

For a ladylike and timeless classic, you can’t go wrong with CHANEL’s classic flap “2.55″ style with a chain strap, it was designed by Coco Chanel In 1955.