A Guide to the Types of Handbags for Every Occasion

Whenever you’re shopping, you’ll find a dizzying array of different types of handbags. It’s often the case that you’ll see something you like but feel unsure about how to style it and where it fits into your look. We’ve got you covered!

Let this post support your conscious style evolution with tips for how to wear and style some of the many different types of bags for women that Urban Expressions has on tap. And you’ll do it all guilt-free with our unique dedication to animal-friendly materials.

The Trusty, Versatile Tote

The tote is a time-honored “go-to” handbag for women everywhere. A multi-tasking dynamo, the tote takes you to the farmer’s market, work, the gym, or off on a weekend adventure. Of all the types of handbags out there, you can be sure to find a tote in almost every woman’s collection of purses. You can’t live without them!

The tote works with you. Totes help you get the job done, carrying everything from groceries to gym clothes. Style your tote according to where you’re going with it. From professional looks for the office, to beachy casual wear for a weekend away, your tote is always ready to go. Dress it up for work in a classically chic suit and heels, or choose fresh linens with flip flops for summer jaunts. The tote’s versatility makes it your new best friend, wherever you’re going. Of all the types of bags for women, it’s the tote that stands as the ready-for-anything carry-all that gets it done.

Clutch Sophistication

Carried in the hand, the evening clutch is the cool, collected, sophisticated of all types of handbags. Rising to a variety of occasions, the clutch is an elegant solution for keeping your necessities at hand. While chic and subtle, the clutch is also like an exclamation point at the end of your style sentence. When you’re speaking the language of fashion, the clutch is a potent ally that elevates evening, formal, and special occasion looks with a distinctive touch of class, making it an icon among types of bags for women.

The silhouette’s the thing when styling a clutch. Recall a more elegant past with an on-trend body-con dress, accentuating your curves. Sky-high heels finish the look, as you stride into any fabulous party like you own it. Or detach the strap from your Urban Expressions multi-functional purse to transform it into the clutch you need to rock the party. The clutch is one of the most evocatively fashion-conscious handbags around, signaling that you're style savvy. With these aristocrats among all types of handbags, you’re giving “diva” wherever you show up!

The Chill Sling

The sling bag is a perfect example of how the various types of handbags have evolved over time to serve both function and fashion. Descended from the practical, sporty backpack, the sling bag responds to your fast-paced life with modern convenience and body-conforming comfort.

This modern evolution of the backpack has “athleisure” written all over it, aligning with the ongoing trend to sporty casualwear. Go runway athleisure with designer shades, a tennis dress, and a visor. Or slide into the gym in a retro tracksuit, vintage sneakers, and a bucket hat. The sling bag is for people who love having their items safely close. The track star of types of bags for women, the sling bag hugs you with confidence, security, and a sporty, trend-conscious swag.

Crossbody Versatility

Of all the many types of handbags, the crossbody bag or messenger bag is probably the most widely worn. And at Urban Expressions, features like detachable straps can turn a crossbody into a clutch in seconds. Versatile and easy to wear with just about anything, the crossbody bag is a chill-style diva with purpose.

With a chain or self-strap, the crossbody is adaptable to a huge variety of settings, from dinner dates to coffee around the corner. Style it for the moment with jeans and tees or heels and palazzo pants. Remove the strap and take it to a bash as a clutch, wearing that crazy chainmail mini-dress you can’t wait to show off. Crossbody bags stand as a perennial favorite among the types of bags for women. With Urban Expressions’ multi-functional features, they’re ride-or-die sidekicks.

A World of Choice in Animal-Friendly Materials

Urban Expressions brings women on the move the best of the hot trends, marrying them to animal welfare awareness. All our types of handbags are made from materials that don’t exploit or harm animals, including durable, high-quality vegan leather.

Well-constructed and trend-conscious, all the styles of bags for women you’ll see at Urban Expressions are made for the love of quality. So, our vegan leather is sourced to meet high standards of durability. 

What a girl wants is the types of handbags that make her a standout, styled to thrill. Browse our New Arrivals and Editor’s Picks to see what’s happening right now in fashion. Then, shop a world of guilt-free, on-trend choices at Urban Expressions.