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A purse isn't just a way to carry your essentials. For many, it's also a fashion statement - an expression of who they are as individuals.
Before we dress to the nines for various events this social season, we wanted to find out what's hot - and what's not - in the world of handbags today. So, we spoke with Miami handbag designer Yara Bashoor, known for using the finest luxury materials in her eponymous line, to get the inside scoop.
Say Hello To...
Eye-Catching Colors: "You'd think fall would be colors that are traditionally dark and muted," Bashoor says, but "a splash of color - like yellow, seafoam or mint green - is really in." She also sees royal and electric blue hues, color-blocking, and 1980s-inspired neons as trends heating up this fall and carrying into 2019.
Heavenly Hardware: The popularity of metal clasps; closures; and straps, especially in gold and silver, will continue this fall, Bashoor says: "They use a design that existed before, and they just add new hardware or a new look or a new closure to make it a little more modern and hip."
Retro References: It's been a big year for Gucci, and other brands are jumping on the bandwagon by releasing circular crossbody bags similar to those the Italian designer debuted in the 1980s. "There is something emotional about paying homage to the past," she says. "You see this, and it reminds you of an experience."
Say Goodbye To...
Fur: Whether it's fur detailing on purse straps or dangling balls of fluff as handbag accents, fur is no longer en vogue, Bashoor says, especially given the ongoing controversy surrounding animal hair products.
Overdone Embellishments: The days of decals and patches galore adorning handbags are over, she says: "I think the more embellishments you have on it, it dates it more. You get tired of it."
Bags In Cutesy Shapes: Purses styled as animals - whether elephants, cats or dogs - are cute, but they've had their day, Bashoor says: "A more simple silhouette in a material that lasts a lifetime has a sense of practicality to it. It's something that's a little more sensible."