Tween Handbags and Purses

Now that we've covered the spring shell wardrobe, let's talk about tween handbags and purses. One of the first things I noticed as a tween, slowly graduating from kids to juniors clothing, is that jacket pockets began to shrink and some jean pockets were façades! Sadly, nothing's really changed, leaving all of us with a necessity for portable pockets. But don't worry! It's not all bad, in fact, having a purse can actually be both practical and glamorous--a mini suitcase that's also a statement piece!

If you are new to the tween handbags and purses scene you're about to encounter three common problems:

1) Boring adult purses

2) Handbags constantly slipping off the shoulder

3) Low quality.

Let's address quality first! Unless you plan on only owning one, you don't need a $100 or even $30 purse. You're still experimenting with styles! But you don't want to buy one so cheaply made that it breaks on the first day! Here are a few things to consider when purchasing tween handbags and purses:

When buying a large handbag (perfect for carrying a water bottle or mini umbrella), check for studs on the bottom, they prevent the bag from getting scuffed on surfaces--scuffing that often leads to torn corners. An equally common problem with large handbags is lining that's not tacked in. This can lead to items getting lost at the bottom of your bag.

A super common problem with not only tween handbags and purses, but all purses (even expensive ones) are straps that break. You can limit the likelihood of this by not overstuffing your bag (that's a lot of weight on those seams!), and getting a bag with a wide shoulder strap should also reduce breakage as the weight is then a little more evenly distributed. Speaking of shoulder straps, that leads us to problem two!

Purses usually fit into three categories: crossbody, handbag, clutch. If you're having trouble with straps slipping off your shoulder, crossbody purses are a solution, but it's hard to find a crossbody large enough to hold both of the books you brought to read in the waiting room. Look for a handbag (aka "shoulder bag") with a strap/straps of a material like synthetic/faux leather (much less slippery than shiny plastic).

 

Wait! What about clutches? Often these treasures have a very thin, attachable strap, but clutches are really meant to be held and they're sized for only essential items (phone, $5-$7, lip balm, mini pen, hair glitter touch-up, and other emergency products). Clutches are beautiful accessories for formal dinners, theater, and ballets, but for costume balls, quinceñaras, and weddings, don't bring anything too valuable as you will probably leave it unattended while you dance.

Now about those boring adult purses! The trick is knowing where to shop. Most of the tween handbags and purses photographed are from Charming Charlie, which offers a lot of glittery options--and penny-pinching sales! You'll find colorful purses at Claire's, but not many handbags. If you're interested in novelty styles, Think Geek, while expensive, is a lot of fun. And probably the best store for shopping tween handbags? Justice! They have a wide variety of styles--and no boring adult purses!

I would love to know about your experiences with tween handbags and purses! What other problems do you encounter a lot--and what are some horror stories you've had as a result?? Leave a comment below!

See you next week!