Who could forget the immortal words of Olympia Ducacas in that wonderful 1980s tear-jerker Steele Magnolias? The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize. Were truer words ever spoken?

Case in point: just last week I was at a gathering with some other expatriates in my new hometown; Paris, France. In walked one of the local ladies who always seems to be dressed to the nines without ever appearing over the top. Without the gorgeously whimsical necklace she was wearing she would have resembled a lithe panther in her black boot cut trousers and matching turtleneck pullover. Well cut clothes wonderful accessories = perfect outfit: French women learn the simple equation before they reach primary school, expatriate women learn it as soon as we get here.

Simplification is the key. Everyone should have a few fun things to pull out of the closet for an evening of serendipity, but personally, I find that I reach for the simple things on a daily basis. Investing in a few simple coordinating pieces is money well spent. Have your skirts, jackets and trousers tailored for a perfect fit. A trip to your local department store for bridge quality costume jewelry wont break the bank and will keep your look fresh and can be a great way to express your personality.

There are two areas one should feel free to splurge on; shoes and bags. You can always trade down in other areas to fund your investment. Go ahead and buy those tee shirts and cardigans at mass produced prices, theres no need to pay for a name-brand in those areas. Invest in a fabulous floral skirt for summer paired with a simple cotton tee shirt, add an inexpensively expressive necklace, a quality pair of strappy sandals, a go everywhere luxury handbag and you have a great outfit.

If you cant afford to splurge on the shoes and the bag, my advice would be; go for the bag! A good luxury bag can take you from season to season and will only end up looking better with age. It is true that colors come go. Happily, they always come back around which means keeping that wonderful green purse in its sleeper bag for a few years means that you will have the chance to rediscover it again when pistachio comes back around. It will be just like Christmas!

When selecting your luxury bag, it is best to keep a few things in mind:

1. No matter how beautiful the leather is, if the hardware isnt of a good quality, your bag will end up looking cheep. It can be difficult to judge the longevity of hardware, if in doubt, opt for a bag with little hardware, apart from feet at the bottom of the bag which will preserve the leather and add decades to its longevity.

2. When spending big bucks for your luxury bag, make sure it is a Coup de Coeur? If you dont absolutely love it and it isnt screaming take me home, now! Perhaps it just isnt meant to be. Keep in mind, even if its the latest it bag, if it doesnt steal your heart you may end up regretting the purchase.

3. If you are just starting out, black or brown are your best bets. It is best to go ahead and buy one very good black bag than a slew of lesser quality bags in multiple colors. You can add to your luxury handbag collection as the years go by and at least have one piece which expresses quality and sophistication.

4. Many luxury handbag makers have what is known as their signature collection. That means that the company may continue to expand its line but will avoid redesigning the entire collection season after season. If you buy a black bag from a luxury signature collection, you can rest assured that your bag will be current for seasons to come. If you take good care of your bag, you will never hear anyone muttering that is sooooo last season under her breath!

5. Last, but not least, keep your purchase in its sleeper bag when the season is over and use a good leather conditioner to keep your investment beautiful for years to come.

When shopping for your wardrobe this season, remember to keep it simple and what ever you do, dont forget to accessorize!

Jennifer Marvin is an American born Parisian fashion and accessories designer whose impeccable reputation is supported by international devotees. Her treasured handbags, wedding gowns and made-to-measure pieces are hailed as rare treasures. Her work has been featured in British Vogue, auctioned by Sothebys, and sold on the worlds most fashionable streets.

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I still cant understand it. After all these years, I cant make a lick of sense out of what folks consider to be in or out of fashion appropriate or inappropriate attire or appearance. What was in last year, might be out this year or it might be in but you need to change what you wear with it. What was OK for spring and summer probably wont work well for fall and winter - weather considerations aside. And what is in was likely already in somewhere around 20 or so years ago but then it went out so something else could be in. And why dont they just come right out and say FAKE fur instead of trying to dress it up with a fancy foreign word?

Thank God for jeans

I gotta find the Fashion Holy Book. I know there has to be one out there somewhere that says that its a sin to wear the same thing as you wore last year. Or maybe its just sometimes that its a sin. I dunno. All I know is that the ladies section has to be really big. Like maybe everything but the last seven pages. Guys dont seem to matter quite as much. Its sort of like an afterthought thing just so we wouldnt be offended. They whoever they is could have left us out completely for all I care.

Thank God for jeans

I cant understand it. Why sometimes looking layered is good and sometimes it isnt. Why sometimes croc (apparently they couldnt spell the entire word) is good and sometimes it isnt. Why big old-looking broaches are sometimes good and sometimes they arent. And why anyone would ever frown on micro-minis is beyond me. OK, so Im I guy. Ill let that one go.

Thank God for jeans

And how can pleats be in or out? What about tweed? Is it good or not? Why do ladies handbags need to match their shoes? Can summer shoes be the same as winter shoes? Probably not, huh? And whats wrong with tie dye for cryin out loud? Looks cool to me. And whats the deal with buying jeans brand new, mind you - that look like theyve already been worn for two years? I never have been able to figure out that one.

But yeah, thank God for jeans

I cant understand it. Are guys dress jackets now supposed to have two, three or four buttons? Are pleated dress pants in or out? What about casual slacks? Cuffs yes or no? Tuck or dont tuck? Why cant neckties be any width we dang well want? And why do we even wear the silly things in the first place? Why is it important for all the men to look like penguins when they dress for formal occasions? A zebra look makes just as much sense to me.

Thank God for jeans

And have you looked at underwear lately? (Do I need to rephrase that?) Now I understand that the ladies like to do all sorts of push up, push out, accent, emphasize, enhancement stuff. But guys were getting out of control! Holy smokes. I thought the intent of our under-layer was to keep our goodies in place and prevent excessive scuffing against whatever outer-layer we happened to be wearing. Ive even seen articles describing what kinds of underwear the celebrities are wearing. Why would we care? Im just not understanding any of this.

Thank God for jeans and good old briefs

I guess I never will comprehend any of this fashion in style stuff. Seems to me that if were clean and comfortable including warm, cool or dry depending on the weather were good to go. I just cant see that anything else matters much. Of course, Im just an old country boy. What do I know?

Gene Simmons, through NuPathz.com, provides an easy reading self-help blog, articles, quotations, thoughts and links along with affordable self-help and self improvement books & materials - all designed to help folks find the road to a more enjoyable lifestyle, to pass on some of lifes secrets for survival in a chaotic world & offer a few smiles along the way. It’s a down-to-earth, simple approach to discovering a better life. You can visit Gene at http://www.nupathz.com/

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Handbags, next to diamonds and maybe shoes, are a womans best friend. Not only are they used to hold everything that we hold dear, from our cellular phones to our credit cards, our palm pilots to the papers that will spell the difference between promotion and demotion. Lets face it, can you imagine a world without the womens handbag as we know it?

Today, women handbags are not only receptacles of your prized possessions but also fashion statements. Handbags are often used to express moods, individuality, style and status. And even though, it is not really worn so close to the body like bloused, skirts and jeans, there are still shapes and styles of womens handbags that may be flattering and unflattering to a person. Believe it or not, the handbag that you carry can actually add on or lessen the weight that you appear to carry.

Read on and find out just how to choose the perfect shape, size and style of women handbag that will fit your body type and personal style.

Look at the shape.
Choose the shape that is opposite your body type. For instance, if you are tall and thin, look for bags that are more on the rounded side like the hobo or those that are a bit unstructured. This will complement your figure as it would provide a sharp contrast to your body. If on the other hand, you are on the short and heavy side, it is good to carry women handbags that are tall, rectangular or those with really defined shapes. Long and sleek designs will help counterbalance your more rounded figure. Of course, there is no need to buy women handbags that are absolutely reed thin or those with really sharp edges. Silhouettes in soft fabrics and leathers can do the trick. Just remember to stay away from women handbags with rounded designs.

Think of the size
The size of your bag should complement your size. While the shape should be contrasting and complementing, the size should be in proportion. If for example you are quite tall and big for your age, it would be really awkward for you to carry this really small handbag. The same goes with a really petite person while carrying this really big bag. Awkward. Awkward. Awkward.

Closefitting women handbags or those that can be fit right under the arm at breast level can only look great with women who are slim and those who want to emphasize their cleavage. Using these kinds of women handbags are discouraged for people who have big arms and big busts as the short handles tend to emphasize the large sizes. Remember that the length of the handbag or shoulder bag will always accentuate the part it comes near with. If, for instance, the bag hits your bottom half or hip area, then that area of your body will become more focused as the eyes are naturally drawn to it.

Most women look great with handbags and shoulder bags that end in mid-torso as it flatters the waist. To determine if the length of the strap fits you, try it out. If your arm feels cramped, then it is too short. Try out the bag in the mirror and see for yourself if the bag is flattering to you.

Mark Dietzel operates For-Handbags.com a website that specializes in Discount Womens Handbags.

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