Shoes and bags are like peanut butter and jelly — you can’t have one without the other. Now that you’ve had a chance to peruse some of the best shoes to buy and wear now, it’s time to plan which bag will complete your outfit sandwich. This fall, the ladylike pocketbook makes a triumphant return. Like their predecessors from the seventies and eighties, these pocketbooks feature a flap closure and sit just below the shoulder but get a freshening-up when rendered in pony hair or color-blocked leather, or when dangling from delicate chain straps. For those looking for a proper, uptown bag to pair with demure flats, Prada’s embellished doctor bag or Jason Wu’s structured burgundy tote offer a feminine look. If you can’t consolidate your busy life into a small purse we’ve got roomy totes with extended wings to fit all of your essentials. And come evening (or even tucked into one of those totes and pulled out for a quick lunchtime jaunt), slim envelope clutches in an array of patterns and hues will easily mix and match with most outfits. Click ahead to see all of these and more, plus be sure to zoom in and check out every last detail, down to the zippers.
Prop styling by Marie-Yan Morvan.