image
Today's Top Stories
1
The Couple Juggling Three Kids and a Health Crisis
image
2
Sick of Hot Toddies? Try These Spring Cocktails
image
3
The 65 Most Iconic Oscar Dresses of All Time
image
4
Meghan's Fave Fashion Brands Carry Baby Clothes
image
5
20 Hairstyles for Fine Hair That Won't Fall Flat

Instant Classic: Ladylike Bags

From the grips of Grace Kelly to Gaga, top-handled bags have a strong hold on style.

grace kelly
Howard Sochurek/Time & Life
From the grips of Grace Kelly to Gaga, top-handled bags have a strong hold on style.
1 of 11
grace kelly
Howard Sochurek/Time & Life
Bag It Up

They're a sign of the times. In the '50s, a demure framed bag was a woman's counterpart to her husband's briefcase. In the '70s, they were filled with butterscotch and Kleenex as they dangled from the elbows of grandmothers.

Grace Kelly, 1956.

2 of 11
bag
Gorunway.com
Bag It Up

Now, in a fresh pastel palette, top-handled arm candy reflects not only our current pop-culture obsessions — think Mad Men, Pan Am, and The Help — but an increasing desire for a pared-down, minimalist look. Gone are the massive slouchy sacks of yore. When it comes to what you carry, less is more.

Louis Vuitton, spring 2012.

3 of 11
bag
Courtesy of Designer
Bag It Up
Valentino at Stanley Korshak, $1,945; (214) 871-3600.
4 of 11
bag
Courtesy of Designer
Bag It Up
Reed Krakoff, $990; (877) 733-3525.
5 of 11
bag
Courtesy of Designer
Bag It Up
Miu Miu, $1,960; miumiu.com.
6 of 11
bag
Courtesy of Designer
Bag It Up
Valextra, $3,050; barneys.com.
7 of 11
bag
Courtesy of Designer
Bag It Up
Dior, price upon request; (800) 929-DIOR.
8 of 11
bag
Denko Ivanisevic
Bag It Up
VBH, price upon request; (212) 717-9800.
9 of 11
bag
Courtesy of Designer
Bag It Up
Prada, $3,990; prada.com.
10 of 11
bag
Courtesy of Designer
Bag It Up
Louis Vuitton, price upon request; (866) VUITTON.
11 of 11
bag
Courtesy of Designer
Bag It Up
Dolce & Gabbana, $1,825; (877) 70-DGUSA.
Next
Fashion Resume: Florence Welch
grace kelly
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
More From Fashion
image 11 Fanny Packs That Will Win You Over
image
Moschino's Show Had a Toothpaste-Inspired Purse
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
image
Street Style at Milan Fashion Week Is to Die For
image
Feminist Gifts for the Powerful Women In Your Life
image Meghan's Fave Fashion Brands Carry Baby Clothes
image
The 65 Most Iconic Oscar Dresses of All Time
image
Here Is Karl Lagerfeld’s Final Fendi Collection
image
Your Dream Oscar Dress, Based on Your Birth Year
image
Fall in Love With Amal Clooney's Style
image Item I Wear to Death: My Black Jumpsuit