Handbags for 12 Color Analysis Seasons
July 10, 2010 by Christine Scaman
This may be as close as we’ll get to the dream of all going shopping together.
These are obviously my own taste. I don’t care for very slouchy bags that are just one big hole to rummage around in endlessly. If I had my way, handbags would be full of zippered pockets and would light up when you open them.
I like a bag to have a certain size to it, because I carry a lot of stuff.
The images are linked to their source websites. Hover the mouse over the image to see the store. Nordstrom’s site never takes you to the product page, so you may have to search it. LMK if you can’t find any of them.
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True Spring
They call this color “cream”. I liked it because it is light and the color gives the eye a place to rest. Springs look so good with color on their body, even 3 at once, that a quieter accessory still coordinates without amplifying the “color riot” effect.
The tassels bring in a little movement. Spring is buoyant with movement, happiness, and enthusiasm. With both legs in a cast, they’re still smiling. Their serious side can come and go very suddenly.
Any Season with a Spring element would do fine with this. True Spring somehow felt the most unexpected, which drew me to it.
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True Autumn
In mocha, this bag sold out the first time round, but seems to be available again.
Not dark. That’s a big thing for True Autumn. Warm, yes. Bit drab, yes.
Nice heavy fixtures, it’s practical, comfortable, natural, and strong – all Autumn.
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Soft Summer
No words needed. Uncommonly chic.
“Quietly fabulous” is the particular radiance of the Soft Seasons.
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Light Spring
It is one big hole, but it’s so dang purdy. I kept coming back to it.
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Dark Winter
It’s like a dream come true.
I’m going to be fighting Dark Autumn for it.
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Bright Winter
I don’t normally wear logos, they can pay me if they want me to advertise. Logos are blingy, and can look cheap on anyone but the Bright Winter. Even Bright Spring looks intimidated by them.
This bag is avant-garde, it’s edgy and exaggerated, and it’s cold and shiny. All very Bright Winter.
The details and charms add Spring’s movement and fun. If you’re not comfortable with knock-out glamour on your body, do it in your purse.
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Bright Spring
Check the bright pink on the site!!
The simplicity of the bag allows the color. It’s not for the office, but the the patent gleam, the light shiny gold metal, I’d notice this bag.
Problem is that no Bright Spring I know would buy this. They have far too much Winter reserve, much more than you’d think, considering they’re primarily Springs.
Would they do this?
Doubt it. They’re usually toting something black and frumpy, when they themselves are anything but.
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True Summer
In a quieter color, you don’t notice all the interlocking C’s. There’s an elegance and restraint here that doesn’t require the spotlight, all Summers have it. There’s none of the excess that True Summer so dislikes.
This is a smaller purse, but I like the circles as Summer’s essential shape. The textured silver is nice also. It comes in many styles.
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Soft Autumn
We can use words like muted, grayish, low saturation, soft, all day long. Until Soft Autumn gets their head around the word “dull”, they don’t totally get the palette.
The Light/Dark and Warm/Cool positions are medium. There is not a single extreme in the Season.
And I love this bag. Quiet, steady, calm, balanced, everything Soft Autumn is.
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True Winter
Simplicity incarnate.
True Winter often look a bit Asian. This reminds of a pagoda shape. It’s contained, but it is dark and has drama.
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Light Summer
Again, one big hole, but I have a rose-gold obsession for Light Summer. The horizontal fabric reminds me of waves. Every color may not be perfect, and Light Spring could do this as well, but I like the bag.
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Dark Autumn
Chanel meets Vuitton.
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Wow. This was as much fun as shopping with someone else’s money.
If any are sold out, call the company and bug them.
Comments
22 Responses to “Handbags for 12 Color Analysis Seasons”
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I like Dark Winter’s bag.
True Winter…simple…but functional with some drama (not boring). Here I always thought I was being boring with my simple bag. I like the dark winter bag too
Fun article.
I would totally carry the bright pink bag. (It actually looks more red-coral on my monitor, but still cute.) I have a pink and black bag that I always get comments on. That’s a safe way for a bright spring or winter to wear color, right? Mix it with black?
Would a black bag with white trim be good for a True Winter?
Christine,
Thank you for writing this article! The Dark Autumn bag is on my wish list
I actually almost bought a patent leather version of the Soft Summer bag.
I love the Dark Autumn bag.
Thank you, Christine, for such a wonderful concept in providing examples (and links) to specific handbags for each season! Your analytic nature and eye for color and details is fantastic!!! This is fun! I agree, it’s like shopping together and appreciating the features of each of us while providing encouragement and clarity! Good stuff!
What a lot of work you put in to find the perfect handbag for each. And your explanations are so clear–just a photo and a sentence or two “says it all”. And, I was so pleased the handbag I like the most is the one for me. I didn’t even see which of the 12 it was labeled for until I stopped a moment to read your description for it. This is such a great idea you have of using the photos–as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Kathy,
Yes, Bright Spring mixes black with a light-bright. Bright Winter mixes black with a bright.
Jeannie,
Sure. B&W are like colors for True Winter. Only they look complete in that combination.
Love that purple dark winter bag.
The link below is to the most perfect Autumn bag that I have ever seen.
http://www.novica.com/itemdetail/index.cfm?pid=139930
It comes in Bitter Chocolate, Milk Chocolate and Ivory, in low, medium and tote versions.
The whole Novica site is like a treasure trove of exquisite delights – for every season. The only downsite is the slow delivery!
Jo
I would carry the Soft Summer bag. Luv it!
I love what you did here with the bags. You have a great understanding of personal harmony types and their preferences. I just wish that you could also address the 4 types that get ignored in 12 type color systems. The types that are a blend of Winter/Summer; Summer/Winter; Spring/Autumn and Autumn/Spring….with the first word the dominant harmony in each type. Great blog though. Thanks.
Oh what bliss to have “handbags (…) full of zippered pockets (that) would light up when you open them”!!
I am not a Bright Spring, just a medium one, but I would do that red bag, yes! I would like it to have a shoulder strap, though, since I need both of my hands for communication purposes!
Christine,
You solved one of the little mysteries of my (bright winter) life. I normally feel just like you do about logos and I generally think most people look wrong/overshadowed by them. But when I carry a logo purse I like how I look (it’s like it doesn’t look like a logo anymore) AND I get lots of compliments. I would love to have the bright winter purse you showed but I don’t think I can justify spending $275 for it!
This article was fun.
The light spring bag is soooo beautiful! I like the second Bright Spring one and the True Winter one a lot, too, but the True Winter is too serious for many of my outfits. Went to the website to see the Light spring bag but unfortunately they don’t have the pink anymore…
Amazing…….That Soft Summer handbag up there? I bought one just like it a few months ago, when I still thought that I was a Dark Winter. It has the same shape and similar pockets, only it’s a muted metallic pewter color instead of gray. I have since been draped, and I found out that I actually am a Soft Summer! Our true selves will always come out, no matter what.
I clicked on the link for the Soft Summer bag but can’t find it on J. Crew’s site! Oh, the horror! My soft summer heart has fallen in love at first sight.
Does anyone know the name of that bag? Not the exhibitor collection, right?
Elizabeth, You’re a Soft Summer? Most interesting, I expected darker. I adore that handbag
Ashley, Call J.Crew. They may be able to track one down for you. At least they’ll know women want more of them.
Christine, yes, it’s true! Here’s my post on the Facebook page with before and after pictures: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Chatham-ON/12-Blueprints-Colour-Analysis/156368781974?v=wall&story_fbid=413725546974&ref=mf
Ashley, the J. Crew bag is called the Campo. I have seen it on Ebay.
Christine,
I would be fascinated to know the rational behind your choice for Deep Autumn; love it, but would have expected something deeper. Please tell, would love to understand, and make use of that explanation!
Hi, Trisha,
Well, it was the last one I did so I was getting into the fun of doing that post. I really enjoyed it, just went shopping and allowed first impressions to flow. The expected bag, what I thought I was looking for, was a cognac leather briefcase type, and it would have worked well. But the Seasons all are misconceived in some way and I like trying to widen the frame, if I can. To get to the edge of your look without falling over, as it were, like in yoga and finding the edge of each movement.
This bag just spoke to me of productivity (Autumn) and drama (Winter), of strength (A) and elegance (W), of expensive (W) in a Chanel-Vuitton way. Some might see it as better for another Season but its solid, weighted look would seem to move it towards Autumn or Winter. Dark Winter could certainly do this, though the texture of the light part is more A than W’s more polished feel.
I do it all on feelings at this point. I’ve learned the pitch of the note in my head that says “feels right”. I’m making less and less sense, I know that. If my kids read this, their eyes would be rolling and they’d be making celestial choir sounds to indicate that I’ve gone too far.
Trisha, it’s just my taste really. I see every Dark Autumn I’ve known carrying this and providing a light spot in an otherwise often dark outfit. The eye has somewhere to rest? Maybe a little piece of negative space?
Thanks Christine, interesting! I think you’re talking about intuition perhaps? If so, I am a firm believer in that, every time I go aganist that feeling, things have a habit for me of just not working out so well. And why do I go againist it? Probably not always brave enough at times to go with the flow first time, not trusting to something which I can’t logically explain to anyone, least of all myself. I have been looking for something cognac leather and rejected several, why? They just didn’t feel right, solid and sturdy, but a tendancy to be a little too sensible as well? I have had a tan coloured one for summer, but felt it was a bit too light and bright, and a black for winter, but just feels too heavy and dense somehow, a bit dead. Maybe your suggested bag is the answer or something like it; I see what you mean about that contrast against all the dark shades too. Although not going to look right with my black coat, which I have to wear for another winter, can’t justify a new one this winter unfortunately!