Handbags are so much more than simply storage for your belongings; the proper one can tie your entire ensemble together and create a bold fashion statement.
The majority of people have at least a few different handbags in their collection. And, like shoes, each has its function, dresses up or down an ensemble, and expresses the wearer’s style. So, what’s the key to picking the perfect bag?
Different Types of Handbag Names With Pictures
Handbags are a must-have for women. The most popular types are tote, purses, and duffle bags. Here is the complete list of all types of handbag names with pictures and images that you should know about.
1. Shoulder Bag
The way this staple is worn slung over one shoulder gives it its name. It comes in various sizes, but most are large enough to contain all of your things and then some, making it one of the most useful—and popular—handbag styles. Shoulder bags are great for both informal and business occasions, so buy one in a neutral hue, preferably in real or fake leather, that can be adapted to many clothes and settings.
2. Crossbody Bag
The manner this single-strap design is worn is also called. The crossbody bag is often smaller than a shoulder bag, yet it still allows you to walk hands-free. It’s ideal for errands, social gatherings, travel, and any other situation when you need to keep your basics close at hand without being weighted down. This is an excellent style to stock up on in various sizes, colors, and fabrics because it may be worn day or night.
3. Single-Strap Crossbody Bag
Two short handles typically carry these medium-sized purses. However, along shoulder strap is often included for added convenience. They resemble a soft-sided briefcase and are generally large enough to hold books, periodicals, and laptop computers. Wear one to dress up your on-campus look or make a business attire stylish but functional (think smooth, high-quality leather).
4. Tote Bag
Consider this the solution to your daily errands. A tote is a big, single-compartment bag with no closure that makes it simple to put stuff in and pull them out while on the go. Totes are generally made with a tough, casual fabric like canvas or nylon. Still, they are available in various materials and may even be a classy alternative for the workplace when made of structured, high-quality textiles like leather.
5. Black And Brown Trimmed Tote Bag
Although the formality of these elegant handhelds can range from modest to highly posh, they are typically used as evening accessories. A sequined or beaded clutch is appropriate for an opulent event or a wedding, but a simple design is suitable for happy hour or date night. Some have retractable shoulder straps, and some can even serve as wallets, so this smaller design has a lot of versatility.
6. Backpack Purse
This practical design isn’t only for students; it’s a refined version of the campus staple that lets you live your best adult life without the bother of carrying a purse. Backpacks come in various sizes, some of which are pretty tiny, but many of them are large enough to hold tablets and computers. This laid-back look is ideal for road trips, weekend errands, and coffee meetings with pals.
7. Brown Backpack Purse
Since Jane Birkin pioneered the style in the 1960s, it has gone in and out of vogue. Because of organic fabrications like rattan, straw, wicker, or raffia, it’s still a go-to for bohemian wardrobes. Even if the purse isn’t part of your regular rotation, the sandy-beige tone and flare-like beads, fringe, and seashells are great for vacation (though it does pair well with everything from maxi dresses to jeans).
8. Wristlet Bag
The best buddy of the minimalist. It’s tiny, discreet, and just the right size for debit cards, IDs, lipstick, keys, and cash. Some designs are even made to fit certain cell phones. When you don’t want to be weighed down by unnecessary items, such as an evening spent bouncing from one venue to the next, a weekend festival, or a fast walk or errand, wrap one around your wrist.
9. Hobo Bag
This slouchy, crescent-shaped classic is more glitzy than its name suggests. It’s a versatile, fashionable alternative for various occasions, including casual weekends, vacations, or a night out with friends. The beauty of this purse is that it feels fashionable without being overly so. If you want to get a feel for the look without fully committing, some designs are more rigid, keeping that delicate crescent form with minimal fabric.
10. Accordion Handbag
A woman carries a black leather accordion handbag. Depending on the design, the accordion handbag includes a long or short strap that allows it to be taken by hand or worn as a shoulder bag. Because the accordion bag’s main characteristic is its expanding sides, the strap length and the bag’s size vary. Accordion handbags contain additional material on the sides, so they may expand to carry more stuff as needed while still seeming smaller when there are fewer items inside.
11. Randoseru Bag
The randoseru is a type of rucksack worn by Japanese students. These backpacks are expensive because they are designed to endure for the entire six years of elementary school. Typically, they’re constructed of either leather or synthetic leather. According to Urban Dictionary, girls often carry red randoseru while guys typically have black. These bags are extremely strong and rigid. On the exterior, they feature a sleek, basic design with various compartments and sleeves within.
12. Baguette Bag
Fendi suit with matching purse on a woman. The baguette bag rose to prominence in the late 1990s as the first “It” bag that every lady needed. Carrie Bradshaw is responsible for the baguette bag’s popularity in the fashion world. The Fendi baguette bag was the only handbag that mattered in the world as a whole when the legendary main character of “Sex & the City” wore it on the program.
13. Barrel Bag
Small Louis Vuitton barrel bag carried by a woman. The barrel bag is a practical handbag that is long and barrel-shaped. A short handle or a shoulder-length strap is used to have it. According to Catwalk Yourself, barrel bags are ideal for travel.
The barrel bag and the baguette bag are frequently mixed up, despite the baguette bag being designed to rest flat. The barrel bag is cylindrical, and it is also slightly more significant than a baguette bag. The straps on this bag are usually a little longer to allow for a better drop and to support the odd incursion into the medium-size category. Depending on the style and size, this bag may be dressed up or down.
14. Basket Bag
A woman wearing a brown fur coat and carrying a wicker basket bag. The basket bag, sometimes known as a straw bag, became popular in the 1970s when it was regularly spotted on Jane Birkin’s arm. She was pictured several times with her basket handbag, which quickly became the epitome of fashionable style. However, it was worn by individuals in old age before it became a popular fashion item in the current day.
15. Bermuda Bag
The Bermuda bag is a circular bag with a detachable fabric cover and a wooden handle. According to Merriam-Webster, the phrase was first used in 1960. The Bermuda bag is a compact, easy-to-carry bag that comes in a variety of colors and designs. In the 1980s, the bag was highly fashionable, and it has since become a vintage classic.
16. Boston Bag
The Boston bag was a must-have for every stylish woman in the city from the 1860s until the 1890s. This was the female Bostonian’s bag. The Boston bag stands around one foot tall and one foot broad. The bottom is flat, and the handles are short. The bag is secured with a strap closure. The bag is frequently constructed of leather.
17. Bowling Bag
Mannequins hold Prada bowling bags. The Prada bowling bag handbag was an unexpected hit. The bag was first introduced in 2000, but it wasn’t until it became fashionable a few years later. This high-end bag was designed with a sleek, curved shape, clearly influenced by the bowling bag designs of the 1960s that were used to carry genuine bowling balls. The bowling bag handbag was a huge hit when it first came out. This has become a fashion classic that is still extremely popular.
18. Box Clutch
A woman’s hand clutches a gleaming silver clutch purse. The box clutch, while not strictly a clutch bag, is a highly fashionable style. This handbag has been designed to resemble a tiny rectangular box. The box clutch features a lot of structure and a slim handle, unlike other clutch designs. The box clutch resembles a small briefcase in appearance. Though the box clutch is quite popular right now, it has been around for quite some time. The box clutch was popular in the 1950s and was carried by all the fashionable ladies of the day. According to Allure, Grace Kelly, the future Princess herself, maybe seen carrying one in the 1954 film “Rear Window.”
19. Bucket Bag
Louboutin shop has a leopard bucket bag. When you need a large, daily bag that is still fashionable, the bucket bag is a great option. The bucket bag was invented by Louis Vuitton, although it wasn’t intended to be a handbag. Vuitton was a luggage company, and the bucket bag was designed to transport champagne bottles safely. Five bottles might fit in the first bucket bag. Since then, numerous designers have created bucket bags in a variety of sizes and designs.
The bucket bag is similar to the basket bag, except its base is circular rather than rectangular. Furthermore, the bucket bag is frequently higher than wide, and the edges are not as solid as those of other self-standing bags. A drawstring clasp and a longer strap with short handles distinguish the bucket bag. It resembles a mix between a bowling bag and a basket bag in this sense. This purse is typically used with informal attire, particularly a Bohemian appearance.
20. Canteen Bag
Red quilted leather purse carried by a woman. A canteen bag, also known as a canteen purse, is a compact, generally spherical handbag with a long shoulder strap that looks like a canteen or flask. These bags are designed to keep their form. Canteen bags were quite popular in the late 2010s, and they remain a fashionable, casual shoulder bag.
21. Carpet Bag
The carpet bag, often known as a carpetbag, is a fad handbag inspired by another famous new invention: the train. Carpet bags swept the country as a valuable piece of baggage for traveling as the train began to link the country in the 1840s and 1850s.
Carpetbags, so named because they were constructed from old carpets, was first produced by saddle manufacturers. By the 1860s, everyone was traveling with carpet bags. The bags were so well-known as baggage that the word “carpetbagger” was coined to describe out-of-towners visiting a new location, generally in the southern United States.
22. Wallet
A wallet is a small, foldable pouch that is used to carry money and credit cards. Wallets don’t have straps or handles, although they may include a loop to wrap over the thumb or wrist for moving. Wallets are usually carried in bigger purses. Wallets frequently have tight compartments for keeping various credit cards and separate pockets for holding money notes or licenses.
23. Doctor’s Bag
Although the doctor’s bag is most recognized for being a handy bag for physicians, fashion designers have adapted the appearance to make it high fashion. The Gladstone bag, named after UK Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone, is another doctor’s bag. He used to carry a bag like this all the time.
24. Gladstone Bag
The Gladstone bag is constructed of leather and has an instantly identifiable form. The Gladstone is another handbag that has been modified for fashion reasons from a more practical bag. These are large, flat-bottomed bags that can hold a lot of stuff. Short handles and a solid bottom are common elements of this bag, which help it to stand upright. This giant bag can be worn with dressier outfits thanks to its rigid frame and metal clasp closure. A Gladstone is a beautiful alternative if you want a beautiful leather bag.
25. Drawstring Bag
A woman carrying a drawstring bag. The design of the drawstring bag is simple. This is a sack-like bag with one or two carrying straps or handles and a drawstring closing. Drawstring bags are made of cotton, and the design is so simple and practical that it can be traced back to ancient Egypt. Ancient Egyptians used drawstring purses around their waists as little pouches. Throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the design remained popular.
Drawstring bags resurfaced in popularity between the 1920s and 1950s. Drawstring bags have never gone out of style, and they can now be found in a wide range of colors, patterns, and sizes.
26. Duffel Bag
A woman is seen carrying a grey duffel bag. The duffel bag is a typical travel companion, but it may also be used as a stylish handbag in smaller sizes. Duffel bags are cylinder-shaped bags that are meant to contain a lot of stuff. Duffel bags usually come with both carry handles and a shoulder strap. The duffel bag is also known as a duffel bag.
To balance off its larger capacity, the duffle bag usually features rounded ends and a longer strap. While the most popular form of duffle bag is bigger, making it more suited for casual and athletic use, smaller shapes and high-end designer versions are also available. Even yet, this isn’t a purse you’d wear with formal attire.
27. Fanny Pack Bag
A woman wears a red fanny pack. The fanny pack is probably the most well-known — or, more accurately, notorious — of all the bags. Despite its reputation as a major fashion disaster, this much-maligned fashion item has been worn by both men and women and is still around. The fanny pack is an instantly recognized and classic style piece, whether it’s been re-branded as a belt bag or a waist bag, whether you wear it as a crossbody bag or snap it around your waist.
The fanny pack is thought to have first gained popularity in the 1950s as fashionable ski gear. It was previously known as a stomach bug. But it was in the 1980s that the fanny pack indeed took off and became a fashion icon. This was the decade in which everyone suddenly owned a fanny pack.
28. Flap Bag
Women were carrying Chanel handbags. Chanel, a well-known fashion designer, was the first to create the flap bag, which has become one of the most iconic purses in the world. Many other designers have reimagined the flap bag, and it’s a trend that’s here to stay. Coco Chanel first launched the flap bag in 1955, with a style that is now well-known. It’s a tiny bag with wide front flap closure and a chain-style shoulder strap. The 2.55, which was introduced in February 1955, was the first bag.
Chanel has re-released the flap bag in various forms numerous times, but the sleek, rectangular design, tiny size, chain strap, and flap clasp remain the bag’s characteristics.
29. Frame Bag
A woman sits on marble steps, clutching a leather purse. In the Renaissance, frame bag types were widespread, with many bags in the 1400s being fashioned with metal frames covered in fabric or leather. As handbag methods improved, frame bags became less popular, but history suggests they may resurface in the future. In the 1800s, frame bags resurfaced in popularity. Embroidered and beaded bags were all the style at the time, and the frame brilliantly showcased the elaborate decorations.
The frame reappeared in bags created in the early 1900s when mesh and velvet purses were fashionable accessories. Frame bags have made a comeback in the current fashion world. Even when a handbag is placed on an unstable surface, such as a bed or sofa, a supporting structure can hold it upright. If you’re afraid of your luggage falling over on its side, this is the bag to have.
30. Foldover Bag
The foldover bag, also known as the folder purse, is a more significant bag type that can fold down. These bags are tall and made of soft cloth or leather, and they may be folded. Foldover bags come in a wide range of sizes and designs, but they always have the same folding top.
31. Half Moon Bag
A woman wearing a bohemian dress and carrying a half moon bag. The form of the half-moon bag is unique. This bag has a half-circle or half-moon form. The bag generally has a curve at the bottom and a zipper closing on the long side towards the top. In most states, the half-moon bag features a shoulder strap. This pattern may be made of leather or cloth.
32. Hat Box Bag
Stacks of hat boxes encircled the women. Hat boxes are a form of baggage used to transport hats. They’re becoming less and less common these days as people wear hats that don’t require a specific box. On the other hand, Hat boxes are occasionally used as a large handbag since they are available from several luxury baggage manufacturers and come in such a wide range of patterns. Hat boxes, which are usually circular, are a fun, unusual handbag option.
33. High Fashion Bag
Numerous designers have designed their high-end hobo bags, which they sell for astronomical designer costs. This is one of the reasons why the name “hobo bag” has aroused debate in the fashion industry, as has the fashion of the bags themselves. Only a few handbags can be accused of having a shady past, provoking discussion, or being unpleasant in any manner. However, the hobo bag is shrouded in controversy.
34. Kelly Purse
Princess Grace of Monaco, better known as A-list actress Grace Kelly, is the inspiration for the Kelly purse. Grace Kelly is most recognised for being an American who married European nobility, despite appearing in several films as a Hollywood glamour girl. Long before Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle were born, Kelly was the first real-life storybook Princess to catch the public’s attention. Princess Grace was so closely linked with the Kelly bag that it was renamed in her honor.
35. Kiondo Bag
Leather straps on the Kiondo bag. True Kiondo bags are handcrafted in Kenya by several Bantu tribes. The word kiondo literally translates to “a place where you preserve your valuables.” These purses have leather handles and are handmade from Sisal threads. Kiondo bags are designed to hold a lot of stuff. In Kenya, where the bags are woven in a range of color and pattern combinations, they are an essential component of the local economy.
Because it is created from renewable materials, the Kiondo bag has become a popular fashion item among women’s bags. Because the weaving materials are collected from the plant’s outer layers, the Sisal plant used to make the bag is never completely exhausted.
36. Knot Bag
The knot bag is designed in a fundamental yet creative way. The knot bag is usually made of cloth, and it’s so easy to construct that you may build your own if you need a roomy, casual purse for a day out. When laid flat, the knot bag has a curving pattern that mimics a bib.
The bag features two loop handles, one on each side, made of the same material as the body of the bag. The one on the left is somewhat longer than the one on the right. This enables you to carry the knot bag in a unique fashion, which is how it got its name. The larger handle loop is threaded through, the shorter loop to close the knot bag. The extended loop may now be worn as a wristband. The knot bag gets its name from the unusual manner it closes and carries the bag.
37. Messenger Bag
A man going down the street with a messenger bag. The messenger bag is not just a fashion icon but also a television symbol. Jerry Seinfeld gets tempted by the utilitarian trend of the “European carryall,” which is actually a messenger bag, in the iconic Seinfeld episode “The Reverse Peephole.” The messenger bag, often known as a man purse or murse, has been carried by both men and women. It’s been seen on the battlefield, the runway, and even your favorite television series.
38. Minaudiere Bag
Metallic accents on the minaudiere clutch. You probably didn’t know what it was called, and you certainly didn’t know how to say it, but you’d seen the minaudiere clutch before. This is one of the first clutch types, and it was quite popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Minaudieres are hard, box-shaped clutches that are meant to seem like a piece of jewelry, unlike other clutch styles. A jewelry designer really designed this clutch type.
39. Muff Bag
Girl wearing a coat, cap, and muff. The muff isn’t seen very often these days, but it’s a well-known winter item linked with luxury and aristocracy, as well as old-time images of horses carrying people on sleds through the snow. Muffs, on the other hand, have long been used as a winter purse. Purse muffs come in a wide range of colors and styles in current designs.
40. Pochette Bag
Women wearing Nike sneakers and a Louis Vuitton purse. In the 1990s, famous designer Louis Vuitton invented the pochette, which ignited a fashion trend. This was the “it” bag of the time. The pochette, which is derived from the French word for pocket, is a tiny bag with a carry handle that has taken the fashion world by storm. All of the era’s “it” females wore a pochette, which was notable for its small size.
41. Reticule Handbag
The reticule was one of the first fashion purses, and it was used for both aesthetic and practicality. Reticules were tiny leather or fabric bags that were frequently heavily decorated and tailored to complement specific dresses. Women carried reticules exclusively because they lacked pockets in their clothes to have things like hand fans, gloves, and face powder. Ribbons were frequently used to complete reticules, which women wore around their wrists.
42. Quilted Bag
A woman carries a black quilted bag. Coco Chanel’s 2.55 handbag, which is also responsible for another style of the bag on this list, revolutionized the fashion game. The Chanel brand established itself as a significant trendsetter in the world of handbags with this purse. The flap bag has become iconic, as has another key aesthetic feature that is now regarded Chanel exclusively: the quilted pattern. Any Chanel bag with the diamond stitch design is now referred to be a quilted bag. Not every quilted suitcase, however, is a Chanel.
43. Saddle Bag
On a white wood plank background, a brown leather saddle bag. The saddlebag, often known as a saddlebag, is a relatively new type of handbag. The saddlebag handbag gets its name from the historic saddlebags that were used before the invention of vehicles. These bags are often larger and have a larger capacity than others. The saddlebag is also the handbag most likely to be made of leather rather than cloth.
44. Speedy Bag
Women wearing a Louis Vuitton fast bag and wearing a black leather jacket. Fashion designers frequently inspire celebrities to dress up in the newest trends, access contemporary accessories, and create stunning ensembles. Stars, on the other hand, may occasionally inspire designers. The Louis Vuitton quick bag is one example of this. Despite the bag’s origins stretching back to the 1920s, it is owing to style icon Audrey Hepburn that the contemporary form of the swift bag exists.
The keep, a bag created by Vuitton in 1924, is the forerunner of the quick. This bag had a similar silhouette to a traditional duffel bag, but it was smaller in size. When not in use, the keepall was fashioned off the canvas to be folded and stored in a suitcase. The bag was first offered in a monogram canvas by Vitton, paving the way for the more contemporary speedy that would follow.
45. Trapezoid Bag
A woman walking down the street with a pink trapezoid handbag. On the fashion world, the trapezoid handbag is a relative novelty. This bag stands out for its unusual form, which resembles an accordion purse with the sides pushed out rather than folded in. The sides of a trapezoid bag are broader than the base, tapering outward such that the sides are most comprehensive at the top of the bag, which has a vast opening and a short carrying handle.
46. Vanity Case Bag
A tiny rectangular handheld bag with a top handle for storing women’s beauty products such as cosmetics. Vanity boxes are often hard-cased and leather-bound, with small pockets inside to segregate different beauty products or bags for brushes. On the inside of the lid of some of these bags, mirrors may be used for cosmetics.
47. Camera Bag
A camera bag is a square-ish, structured, cushioned bag used to transport a camera, generally with separate sections for safely storing lenses, memory cards, and batteries. These bags might be professional, made for specific camera sizes, and used to carry digital SLR cameras by professional photographers. Alternatively, they might be informal and beautiful, resembling a typical handbag used chiefly by women to transport cameras when traveling or on photographic vacations. Also included is a camera case.
48. Coin Purse
Coin purses are little bags that are used to hold coins. They’re frequently carried in conjunction with other bags or as part of a handbag. Coin purses are the tiniest of all the bags. However, some companies use the name “coin purse” to refer to a wristlet.
49. Laptop Bag
Laptop bags are large bags with cushioning that are used to transport laptop computers. Other compartments in laptop bags may be used to store laptop accessories, books, or other items and a separate cushioned area for the laptop.
50. Micro Bag
Micro bags are smaller-than-palm-sized replicas of conventional handbags, generally with a lot of hardware and embellishments. Micro bags are smaller than the palm of your hand or even smaller than a fist, whereas mini bags can be palm-sized or somewhat more significant. See also mini bag.
51. Mini Bag
Mini bags are purses that are smaller than regular handbags. They might be the size of a palm or somewhat more prominent. Some manufacturers use the phrase “micro bags” to refer to the same thing as “tiny bags,” however micro bags can be much smaller. A small bag, unlike a clutch, has a proper handle and strap. See also tiny bag.
52. Pannier Bag
A pannier bag is a pair of bicycle bags that are linked at the rear, generally by a shared flap, and used by riders to be attached on either side of a bike. Also known as a handlebar bag or a frame bag.
53. Phone Pouch
A phone pouch is a little bag that is used to hold a smartphone. Phone pouches can be gently cushioned to protect the phone and have a separate section for credit cards or keys. Some phone pouches are designed to be stored in a more oversized purse and don’t include a strap or handle. Several of these bags feature a long belt that may be worn crossbody or around the waist for quick phone access.
54. Pouch
A pouch is a tiny bag made of soft material such as satin or leather with a zip or drawstring closure used to hold or carry small objects such as jewelry, money, rosaries, or cosmetics. Wristlets are frequently referred to as a “pouch” by brands.
55. Shopping Bag
A shopping bag is a big purse with top handles used for shopping and occasionally does not have a closing. Shops may use shopping bags made of paper, jute, or plastic to contain purchased products for consumers to take home. Shopping bags are frequently reusable and may be carried by shoppers for groceries, etc., to help the environment. Some fashion labels also use the phrase “shopping bag” to refer to a big bag with a strap or top handles that are meant to be carried while shopping.
56. Side Packs Bag
Two sling purses are linked in the center of their straps and may be worn side by side. The side packs first appeared in Chanel’s Spring 2019 collection and were subsequently spotted by fashion influencers. However, whether they will become a widespread fashion trend remains to be seen (we hope not).
57. Sling Bag
Sling bags are small bags with a long strap that may be worn hanging from one shoulder.