The Girl Behind the Pen

Accessories are those pieces that effortlessly complete your outfit. Providing the very best contrast or complement to your look, handbags in their various forms (clutches, bucket bags, chain bags or rucksacks) can pop with colour, prove an understated counterpart or offer a splash of luxury. Handbags can often be the most covetable part of a designer’s collection, because they are statement accessories that are not only very pretty but designed for practicality. We are busy people who need a lot of things with us all the time: we, therefore, need something chic, cool and comfortable to carry them around in! Many of us can’t afford to splurge on the latest ‘It’ bag, because many of them, made from premium materials like leathers, textures and suedes can run up to thousands of pounds. If we're, however, to win the lottery or somehow come into big money, these are undeniably the pieces from the A/W 2015 collections that we would look to.

Dolce & Gabbana

A collection inspired by motherhood and family, Dolce and Gabbana’s was an opulent collection that saw red roses, lace, scrawled messages and the designers’ childhood drawings printed all over dresses and bags in hues of pink, blue, gold and red. Their bags were no different, and they exhibited mini-bags that were full of impact. This bag replicating a Renaissance painting of the Madonna and child comes complete with a gilded frame. Complete with a small padlock and a dinky chain, this one is heartfelt, adorable, a novelty piece that will make a statement every time you use it. Make like the models at D&G and pair it with your most opulent evening outfit (shop at Mary Jane Fashion) an embellished red dress for example, or to add a hint of color to a chic pair of tapered trousers and a blazer.

Fendi

We all know that in wintertime—with the inevitable rain, wind, snow, and sleet—that a faux fur bag is probably not the most practical item to be carried around. This piece from Fendi, however, is something that many fashion-conscious people will aspire to own. In a dusty pink shade with a small handle and a clasp, it is a compact and a luxuriously soft alternative to the hardy leathers and patent textures seen elsewhere at fashion week. It would probably be best to use it purely as an indoor bag, for cozy get-togethers and soirees, or for trips to the theatre or art gallery. It’s highly unlikely that this bag would last very long if it was taken for a night out for dancing and cocktails!

Valentino

For my last bag, you’ll forgive me for nicking a piece from Valentino’s men’s collection. But with a bag this beautiful splashed from top to toe with fascinating, colorful butterflies, it was very hard to resist. Rucksacks are a great bag alternative to the classic over-the-shoulder or satchel number because they are infinitely better for you and also help to make your back look as pretty as possible. True, you wouldn’t want to wear one to a black-tie event, but for polished trips out shopping, returning books to the library, or just going for a country ramble, this bag is the one we’d definitely go for.